The Ultimate Guide to International Travel with Toddlers in 2025

Traveling internationally can be a thrilling experience. But when you add a toddler into the mix, it transforms into a unique adventure filled with joys but also challenges. From exploring fascinating cultures to managing the needs of a small child who may not understand the bustling environment, every moment can feel like an Olympic challenge. We would know we are currently traveling with not one, but two toddlers!

This guide will equip you with all our practical tips and tricks to make your international travel experience with your toddler seamless and enjoyable.

Watching planes at the AKL airport, look at those mountains in the background- gorgeous!

Preparing for the Journey

Research Your Destination

Before packing, it's essential to do your homework on the destination. Investigate family-friendly accommodations (this can be harder overseas than in the US), activities, and any required visas or travel authorizations.

The hotel will often need the passports of all occupants of the room so make sure you declare everyone who will be staying in the room when you make the reservation. You never want to get to your hotel and they tell you you'll need another room and they are sold out. As a family of five, this is usually the hardest part to book because most rooms overseas have a limit of 4 occupants. If we find a place we want to stay and the reservation has a 4 person limit, we will usually email to ask if our family of five can stay. Sometimes this works, sometimes they will offer another solution, sometimes you'll have to find another place. Flexibility is key, you'll hear that F-word a lot in this post!

Do your research on any required visas or travel authorizations during this time. Some countries have a certain time frame you need to submit them in and you want to know that in advance so you're not scrambling right before your trip or worse, missing the window. This happened to us once and it was a nightmare (we will save that post for another day). Some countries have easier vias processes than others!

Knowing what to expect and planning accordingly can significantly ease travel anxiety.

Plan Your Itinerary Wisely

First and foremost you may need to lower your expectations. If this is your first trip overseas with a kid, do not expect to do and see everything on your list. It's probably not going to happen.

Create a hierarchy of places you want to see. Break it down between:

Must Sees

Like to See

If We Have Time

Make sure you include downtime and don't over-schedule yourselves. Toddlers thrive on routine, and a packed schedule can lead to overstimulation. Instead of trying to see every attraction, opt for a few carefully chosen sites.

This was often the hardest adjustment to traveling with kids for me. When I travel solo or with my husband I want to see EVERYTHING. It was a mindset shift and we came up with some solutions.

We took turns venturing out solo. This gave each of us the opporutnites for some quiet time and to see sights that were important to us but not necessarily the other. We weren't always able to do this and I would tell myself that at least I got to see X city or X country even if I didn't get to everything spot on my list.

We also would take one kid out for some one-on-one time. This was often more manageable than all five of us going or if one kid maybe needed some time alone. These were some of my favorite days!

A day sightseeing with kids may look like this: Spend a morning at a local playground or park and leave the afternoon open for naptime or free play at the hotel. Next day is playground in the morning, museum in the afternoon. Another day may be sleep in/lounge in the morning, museum in the afternoon. Everyday may be different, listen to the needs of your kids. But this balance can help avoid meltdowns and make the day enjoyable for everyone.

Consider Time Zones

Navigating time zones may pose a challenge. Adjust your toddler's sleep schedule a few days before the trip to help minimize jet lag. If flying to Europe from the U.S., you might shift bedtime forward by an hour each night.

Be patient as the entire family adjusts—research shows it can take up to one day for every time zone crossed for the body to acclimate. Expect some groggy mornings or bursts of late-night energy. You can always go see the sights late at night if you're all wide awake. BONUS- they probably won't be crowded. May as well make the most of your time!

Packing Essentials

Pack Light

We tend to pack on the light side. We are on a several month, multi-country long trip and only have one carry-on, a duffle, a tote for snacks and backpacks for all of us. Lugging around a ton of stuff while trying to wrangle toddlers is not fun for anyone. You can always pick up any necessities along the way.

Laying amongst our belongings on the dirty airport floor

We also have specific travel outfits that we wear for our travel days and they go right into the dirty clothes. We never rewear our travel clothes without washing, seriously airports are gross. Wash those clothes!

Our twins waiting to check-in at the airport

Toddler Travel Gear

Packing the right gear is crucial for an stress-free journey. A lightweight, foldable stroller is invaluable when maneuvering through airports or city streets. Alternatively, consider a comfortable baby carrier, especially in crowded or uneven terrain, making it easy to keep your hands free. If we had only one toddler I definitely would have worn him more. But with two, no parent gets a break while you're sightseeing all day, so stroller it is for us. However, I prefer baby carriers especially when you consider the location and terrain. Europe has a lot of cobblestones or uneven sidewalks. Southeast Asia may have no sidewalks at all. Baby wearing can be a lot safer in those instances.

Diapers and Wipes

For parents with toddlers in diapers, plan carefully. Bring enough for the trip plus a few extras for unexpected delays. While buying diapers at your destination is an option, brands may differ and might not be readily available. But rememeber, babies exist everywhere. They do sell them it may just be more of struggle to find them. Also remember, they are a consumable so you'll lose them as you use them.

Always pack plenty of wipes. They are perfect for messy hands, spills, and quick clean-ups. A handy tip is to keep some in different bags that way you will always have some with you. We also carry several different types of wipes. Clorox or some type of cleaning wipe for the plane surroundings, baby wipes for their hands or diaper changes, and stain wipes for clothes, as stains do happen and we like to pack light.

Snacks = Success

Any parent knows that snacks are the key to successful travel whether by plane, train or vehicle. But keeping your toddler satisfied during travel significantly lowers stress levels. We tend to overpack on snacks because as you eat them you lighten your load. We are mininmalists and pack light but NOT when it comes to snacks. My tip is pack MORE than you think you'll need.

Use a reusable snack container for tidiness and include a few familiar favorites. We love packing oranges because not only are they healthy and our toddlers' favorite but it also keeps our kids busy by having them peel it themselves. We pack the snacks in our kid's individual backpacks but then also have another tote-like bag filled with additional snacks.

During Your Journey

Airport Tips and Tricks

Airports can feel overwhelming for anyone, especially with a toddler. Arrive at least three hours prior to your flight. This extra time allows for snacks, playtime, and bathroom breaks without feeling rushed.

LAX Beach kid's play area perfect before our long flight to AKL

After check-in, seek out family-friendly or kid's play areas. Sometimes this will be a small climbing area, while others will have more to them. Some airports with kid zones include LAX, DFW, JFK and DCA. If there aren't any designated kid's zones, find a quiet corner of the airport to let them walk or run around.

Also check if the flight allows family boarding. It can make the boarding process smoother and reduce the chaos around you.

Consider a lounge. You may be able to access the lounge with a credit card. Several different credit cards offer multiple options. Some are their own lounge ie: Centurion, Capital One Lounges, or Chase lounges or you can access others using Priority Pass. Several credit cards offer Priority Pass as a perk (like Capital One Venture X).

We love airport lounges when we travel because feeding a family of five at an airport can be a small fortune. However, eating at the lounge can allow us to fill up enough (usually) to tide us over. Just a heads up though, not all lounges are equal. Some are fantastic and have full meals and/or grab and go snacks, even kid's areas. Then some will have barely anything. I could write a whole post about lounge access we love it so much!

AKL airport lounge had an enclosed kid area!

Keep Toddlers Entertained

A flight can feel long for little ones, so equip yourself with entertainment options. Pack a small backpack filled with toys, coloring books, and crayons. Don't overthink it or overdo it, you don't need a ton of toys or the latest gadget.

Entertained by the safety card he can't read! Honestly this is one of his favorite things to do every flight!

Consider loading a portable device with toddler-friendly videos or apps. We limit screen time at home and during our destination to allow for more screen time while traveling. Some of our favorite apps are Pok-Pok, PBS Kids Games and Videos. This is what works for us; however, we also balance hands-on activities to prevent overstimulation.

Our daughter playing a game on a tablet

Stay Calm and Collected

Things may not always go as planned, and that's okay. If your toddler is cranky or tired in the airport, try to remain calm. Taking deep breaths can help manage stress levels. Your relaxed demeanor can be reassuring for your little one amidst the chaos. Just remember travel can be stressful even for adults so don't have too high of expectations for your littles. The more you travel the easier it will get. Don't let fear of a meltdown scare you from travel. Time at your destination outweighs the travel day.

International Arrival

Customs

You're off the plane, congrats you made it; however, now you have customs. Just a heads up this is usually our pain point. We often get comments about how good our kids are on the plane and I always think to myself just wait until you see us in line at Customs. Its like they used up all their patience on the plane and just can't manage standing in line (I get it). Usually Customs lines do not allow phones or tablets so if your kids will look at books or drawing pads have those handy. The good news is most other countries have priority lines for families. In fact, almost every country we have been to (except the US) allow families with small children to use the priority lane.

Consider getting Global Entry. Many travel credit cards offter this a perk of their card, reimbursing you for the cost of Global Entry. Also of note, children under 18 are now free. We actually paid for our kids to get Global Entry as it was worth it to us, but this is a no-brainer now if you each have a travel credit card that covers it because then your whole family can get it free. Global Entry includes TSA Pre-check so if you travel internationally frequently Global Entry is better than TSA pre-check alone.

Getting Settled

Upon arrival, give your toddler some time to explore your accommodations. Creating a safe play space helps them unwind after the journey. We usually unpack the toys first to allow them to pick an activity while we unpack, shower, or plan our first outing.

If they seem overwhelmed, engage in quiet activities initially. Simple games or reading together can provide comfort in unfamiliar surroundings.

Exploring Your New Locale

While having a rough itinerary is useful, embrace spontaneity. Select a few activities each day based on your toddler's mood.

For example, if they show great interest in a nearby fountain or colorful street, let them explore for a while. This unstructured play fosters a sense of freedom and curiosity, making the travel experience more enriching. We often say 'yes' more while traveling, giving them some control or say in the day goes a long way. Remember they want to see and do new things too, so its only fair. Encouraging this in your kids will keep their sense of adventure alive!

We will often plan something for them then something for us. For instance, we will first go to a playground then go to a musuem or a sight on the adult's list. That way, they get an activity and we get to see our sight while they already burned their energy. We also include them in our sight by either playing I spy or creating a game of scavenger hunt or how many red items can you find, etc. We've found that our older daughter is more engaged and will often notice things that maybe we didnt even notice! Seeing what they notice is one of my favorite parts of traveling with kids.

Eating Out with a Toddler

Choose Family-Friendly Restaurants

Many other countries are more family-oriented than here in the US and are used to kids being out and about with their parents. But do your research on if a place is family-friendly before checking it out in person. Generally, if they have a kids menu it is a go.

This cafe was vegetarian friendly and you could eat at this counter that overlooked the play area

Flexibility is Key

Dining with toddlers can be unpredictable. Sometimes they may refuse food or create a mess, which is part of the experience. Embrace it with patience; however, we generally tend to not eat out frequently while we travel but prefer to cook at 'home' to save our money for more experiences. When we do dine out we tend to choose casual spots like local markets or street food stalls where messes are less concerning. This approach allows everyone to enjoy delicious local flavors without the anxiety.

Embrace the Adventures

Let Toddlers Explore

Allowing toddlers to explore their surroundings can create magical moments. Reinforce basic safety rules, especially in crowded areas. A simple reminder to hold your hand in busy places can ensure they stay safe while enjoying their adventure. We also use Apple Airtags tagged to their clothing if we will be in crowded places.

Create Memories

Document your journey. Taking photos of your toddler in new places will create lasting family memories. If your kids are old enough consider giving them their own digital camera or polaroid type camera. This can spark their curiosity and create a unique souvenir just for them.

Interview them after your trip. This is something I wish we started earlier. Hearing their perspective in their little kid voices is the cutest thing. While we are leaving our destination, maybe while we are sitting at our gate at the airport we will 'interview' our kids. We ask questions like: What was your favorite part of X city? What surprised you? What was the most memorable part? Did you like X or Y better, etc. This is so much fun to look back on and hear everything in their voice. Seriously give it a try!

After your trip, consider making a scrapbook, video or a digital photo album. If you create a video you can even use the audio from your interview as a voiceover. Can get really creative with it. Our kids love watching the videos and seeing photos of themselves on our travels, which overall helps when we are trying to capture the photo.

Your Travel Adventure Awaits

Traveling internationally with a toddler might seem challenging at first. However, with thoughtful preparation and a flexible mindset, it can become one of the most rewarding experiences you share. Embrace the unique challenges, prioritize your child’s needs, and prepare yourself for adventures full of learning and joy.

So gather your essentials, take your tiny sidekick by the hand, and prepare for an amazing journey. Safe travels!

Waiting to board on the jet bridge