8 Must Haves For Flying With Young Kids

Katie Dillon

As a former expat, I had to fly from Hong Kong to San Diego multiple times per year. Due to my husband's schedule, I was often alone. I bought a ton of useless gear and made numerous mistakes. However, I eventually fell into a groove. I've made a list of the 8 things that I feel will help parents survive holiday air travel.

1. Ziploc bags: Who knew that a household item could be so useful? I always packed extra clothes and diapers for my daughter in my carry on bags, especially on a long haul flight. I still do this, because you never know if an orange juice is going to tip over or what kind of accident is waiting to happen. And when the accident does happen, you have a sealed trash bag available. Furthermore, you can compress all the air out of the packed bags, which will allow you to fit more into your carry on.

2. Changing Mat: I used a Skip Hop Pronto mat, but there are many on the market. Let's face it, public restrooms can be gross and airplane changing tables can be too. Not only that, but if you have a large baby or toddler, they will find the airplane changing tables uncomfortable. One end of the Skip Hop Pronto folds up to serve as a pillow, which is surprisingly helpful. Get a mat with pockets so you're not juggling diapers, wipes, kid and more on your way into the tiny airplane bathroom.

3. Disposable Diaper Bags: If you're flying with kids and have to change a diaper in an airplane bathroom, everyone on the plane will thank you for using a disposable diaper bag. I don't care what's in the diaper. It's your duty for the sake of the rest of the airplane passengers. There's nothing worse than trying to throw away your paper towel to discover you're pushing the trashcan lid down on a dirty diaper. Yes, that's happened to me. And these bags, of course, help with smell. Put the diaper in the bag, knot it closed, and throw it away. You may buy brands that have baking soda inside or that are biodegradeable.

4. Trunki: This may be a hard to find item if you're leaving in the next day or so, but buy it if you happen to see one in a store. It's a suitcase on wheels in the shape of an animal. Your kids can pack it, pull it and ride on it with you pulling when you need to rush. It's brilliant and La Jolla Girl loves hers. I love it because it encourages her to walk and handle her own stuff. It fits under an economy class seat perfectly.

[The rest of the 8 must haves for flying with young kids with product photos are on La Jolla Mom]

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*Katie Dillon writes La Jolla Mom, an award winning lifestyle site about food, travel, parenting, homekeeping, and local happenings. She lives in La Jolla with her husband and preschool aged daughter, and is a proud member of the Yahoo! Motherboard.