Vacationing with 2 Year Old-- Advice?

I know my 2 yr old didn't have much attention for things that weren't interesting for him, so vacations had to have lots of toddler play time, or he would become very stressed and crabby. This usually meant finding things that we could all enjoy and not expecting him to do something for us because we had spent time doing things for him. That just doesn't compute to a toddler.

Try to keep your daughter on a schedule while you are away. It's absolutely okay if it's different from your home schedule, but make sure she eats and sleeps as much as she would at home!

We travel quite a bit with our 2 yr old and will say DON'T OVER PACK! Only bring enough diapers to get you there and one overnight. You can buy diapers, wipes and other items there. It will be more expensive, but you don't want to lug that stuff around.

Have plenty of snacks and fluids for her and look into renting a pack-and-play for her to sleep in. Have fun and relax! You will be fine.

The best advice I could offer, overall, is don't set your expectations too high. Don't over-schedule, try to keep her on her nap schedule, etc.
You'll most likely have to have a "roll with it" kind of attitude! LOL There's nothing worse than dragging around a cranky, sleep deprived toddler from activity to activity, so keep things low key. Have a great time!

Sunscreen and life jackets. Snacks and drinks. Pack what you know you'll need and nothing else. They have stores in Hawaii, too! Also, with your little one going to a house that has another little one, pack enough toys and books to keep her entertained during the trip, but plan on her playing with all the new toys (her friend's toys) once you land. It will make toy/book packing a lot easier!

One thing that I really love is the Magna Doodle that is travel size. Your daughter can draw and color all she wants to, and it only takes up a very small space in a diaper or travel bag. Plus I think it would do well on the beach if she doesn't like drawing in the sand!

My best piece of advise is to make a checklist!! Keep a notebook handy and write down things as you think of them. You won't believe how much stress is relieved when you are organized.

Do as much as you can ahead of time. Cancel your newspaper, have your mail held, talk to someone about keeping an eye on your home . . . . .

And last but not least, traveling with a toddler can be stressful no matter what. Bring some motrin for yourself just in case. This trip is going to put your little one of schedule and our of their element, so be patient and understand that they might be cranky and unhappy.

Have fun!

Prepare a packing list and a checklist of things that need to be done before you leave the house. The packing list makes packing your bags much quicker and easier and you'll know you have everything you need. I also make a checklist that includes all the important things that need to be done before I leave such as watering the plants, stopping the mail and newspaper, maybe leaving the key with a relative or a neighbor in case of an emergency, etc.
If your child is not fully potty trained yet I would recommend you pack enough diapers to last for at least a few days so that you don't have to chase diapers right after you arrive. Also make sure you don't forget to pack some diapers in your hand luggage. I also usually try to bring enough sun lotion and sunglasses for everyone as those are also items you don't want to chase right at the beginning of your vacation.
Other then that, remember that you basically only need your ID and a credit card. Everything you forget can be purchased right there.
Have a great time!

We've done many cross-country flights with our now 2 year old and the thing that we've found that works best for the flight is having new "activities" and things for her to discover and play with. Go to a $1 store beforehand and pick up some fun, new toys, books, coloring books, crayons, stickers, etc. Anything new will be exciting and keep them interested for a little bit.

If you can stay at a condo in Hawaii, that's worked out well for us. Having a kitchen and a living room is super convenient and is more spacious than a regular hotel room for the little one to run around in.

Don't overpack, like everyone else has said. Just bring the bathing suit, sunblock, a couple of light dresses, skirts, tops and that's all you'll need. Don't bring the pool toys, etc. You can rent those when you get there.

Have fun! And most importantly, don't stress. It's vacation and once you get there, it will be paradise!

Make a list of all her necessary items to run a smooth household for her and then downsize. I've found that when you are taking a trip with a young child, one tends to over pack. How many shirts/pants does she go through, how many diapers, times 6 days and whatever the number go 2 extra for the whole week. bring her favorite snacks, toys, books and music. think about what she needs to eat at the table with (what do you take to the restaurant), what does she need for bedtime, etc. Bring all prescription or vitamins and medicine ( ie Tylenol), washing stuff, etc. Then think of where you are going to be sand, water, outside....and bring the those items as well. If you make a list, check each item off as you pack and recheck when you repack. If all else fails, Hawaii has shopping malls and you can utilize those as you remember what you forgot.
Good Luck and Bon Voyage!!

Don't have any high expectations. Vacation with a kid is a nice change of scenery but far from a vacation it is really more work. To make your life easier use go go babyz attachment to turn carseat into stroller or a trunki for kid to ride on. Definitely use backpack leash in airport and unfamiliar crowded areas, they are cute, the kids like them and they will keep your child SAFE. Pack a backpack full of mostly new toys. Bring a portable dvd player for your child or ipad or some sort of media device. I am not big on t.v. or cartoons but it is well worth it for the plane ride. Also buy kid headphones and have kid practice with these BEFORE they trip so they are used to them. Don't expect naps unless you have a seperate room for kid to sleep in and even then child will probably be to excited in unfamilar place to sleep. Just accept that and try to enjoy vacation and put kid to bed a little earlier than usual. Expect some meltdowns and take it in stride

Forgot to add--most important pack ultralight. Because you don't want to have to wrangle a 2 year old and bags. Make sure to check your bags and even then Pack light....nothing is worse than trying to wrestle with bags and a cranky two year old...been there done that. Buy diapers and well EVERYTHing there....it will be worth it. Or make someone who is not traveling with the child like hubby or family take your luggage so you can travel with just a light backpack

Not sure if someone said this already - we have flown to Hawaii several times with our kids.

The most important advice anyone gave me was: Pack (in a carry-on) 3 times the amount of diapers and wipes you think you will need on the plane! Once, our plane was at least 1 hour in the air and it had to turn back because of (electrical/mechanical?) problems. We then waited 2+ hours in the airport before re-boarding the plane. Our "5 hour" flight to Hawaii turned into a 9 hour ordeal! Luckily, my 2 year old had enough diapers since someone had given me the advice to bring 3x more than you think you'll need.

Also, practice changing diapers on your lap since many airplanes these days do not have proper changing tables. I preferred changing on my lap to changing on top of the yucky toilet seat.

Not sure if you purchased a seat for your toddler. We never did, but if you can afford it, it will make for an easier trip. You can bring the car seat on the plane and put it in the seat. Usually, kids are used to sitting in those and will fall asleep easier than lying across your lap.

Good luck and have fun!!!!

FOR THE AIRPLANE:
- DVD player
- a new couple toys, a couple of new books/sticker books
- favorite snacks
- empty sippy cup (fill them at airport after you get through security)
- balloon for her to play with /run around with at airport
- Before your board the plane, put her in an extra-large diaper (one size bigger) if she's still in diapers. Maybe even put a maxi-pad inside it too for extra absorbency. You don't want to have to change a diaper on the airplane. I don't know if they even have a place to do so.

WHILE THERE:
- beach ball and other beach toys
- plenty of sunscreen/hat (a burn would stress your trip out worse!)

I agree to make a checklist. I prefer to highlight after I've packed it instead of scratching it out, that way I can read what I've packed.

As a former teacher, I know how stressed you must be - it's not easy to leave the kids with a sub for that long. Everyone's told me about traveling with a toddler -- if you are stressed, your child will sense it and be stressed too, so try to stay calm!

I don't think any of this is new advice but I will agree with getting a DVD player for the airplane. Also having a few new small toys to bring out periodically throughout the flight. Lots of snacks is always important for my son. Definitely pack light in your carryon luggage. they will make you take your daughter out of the stroller and take off both of your shoes going through security and then you have to get everyone put back together and get your bags out of the way after screening. Also let her run as much as possible in the airport. Hopefully you are on the same flight as your friends and they will be able to help with her and the luggage. Good luck. I have flown with my toddler quite a few times but never by myself.

As for the beach, I would expect her to be very dirty and probably eat some sand. Hopefully you can just sit back and enjoy it.

My son was 2 when we took him to Hawaii. We went to Kauai. They have soooo much stuff for the little kids. They really want the parents and families to be happy. They have pools and beaches and Ocean Water swimming areas just for kids. fun and safe. There are grocery stores and Walmarts just like here, so anything you need is easy to get. Suntan lotion and floaties were the two things we picked up for the little one. She will be having sooo much fun that you will soon forget to be stressed. As to the plane trip, this is when I bought my son his first personal DVD player and his first Thomas the Train DVD. Be sure to get headphones if you go this route. Even the airports were fun. So much to look at. This is where he learned to spell EXIT so we knew where all the exits were all the time. You will be standing in line a lot getting your luggage checked, and your shoes taken off etc. Oh yeah, dress for easy removal of shoes and do not wear any extras like a belt, hat, or jewelry. You want to slide right through the checkpoints.
It is always tempting to bring everything you could possibly need to the beach because you feel somewhat isolated from provisions. A few drinks, a beach blanket/towells, and you is what you need. Put the suntan lotion (water proof) on in the car and leave it and your cell phone there. Keep it simple.

I know that everybody says that the lotion kind of sunscreen is much better for you, but take the spray stuff for kids at the beach. Nothing is worse than trying to rub sticky lotion into sand ecrusted bodies. I also like the sports sticks for their faces. It's easier to get it on and not in the eyes.

Aloha H. :)

We just got back from HI with our 17 month old. If you can, bring the stroller to the gate so you can put either the kid or carryons in it on the way to the gate. If there's time, find a little spot near the gate for her to run around a bit before boarding to get some of that energy burned off. For the flight, bring lots of little games/activities and snacks. When all that gets old, flirt with the flight attendants in the back of the plane :) If you're lucky, she'll nap! I have found that traveling with little ones brings out the best in everyone around you -- from the parking shuttle driver, to the security personnel, everyone is just really kind and accomodating.

As for packing, lightweight cotton is the way to go. It's cool but can help protect from the sun. We actually love the the lightweight cotton long sleeve button up shirts that seem to be everywhere right now (old navy - check the boys section too) because they're easy to put on over bathings suits etc and are cool and protect from the sun. You'll (I'm guessing) have access to laundry which is always a big help!

Apply sunscreen before you leave the house/get to the beach (recommended for best protection and less sandy). Get a good, safe brand like Badger. Hats are a must (if she'll wear it ;). If you can hit the beach either early or late in the day to avoid the super strong heat/sun rays.

Sometimes the best way to nap them on vacation is in the car... there are so many great island drives to take!

Buy diapers when you get there.

I think staying with friends is going to make things a lot easier - check with them, since they may have a lot of things that you might not need to bring! It is a lot of work, but it will be fun. Even if you get to the beach and all they want to do is play in two square feet of sand all day, it'll be great. Enjoy and let me know if you have any more questions! (My husband's family is from Kauai and I've been going there since I was kid.)