Anyone who follows Read Far and Wide will quickly realize one of my favorite travel companions is our toddler Jack. It is cliche to say that experiencing the world through his eyes is a joy - but it is true. Equally true is that traveling with a toddler is hard.

Despite the challenges, my husband and I have been committed to making our shared love of travel a family priority regardless of Jack’s age. We have learned a lot and I thought it would be fun to use a recent trip to New Orleans to share some of our “Best Practices!” (Stay tuned for a future Toddler Travel post on “Lessons Learned!”).

Go With the Flow

As one who loves to schedule and plan, I learned very quickly that a toddler will make even the most flexible of schedules null and void. When we are out and about with Jack, we often take the attitude of meandering and let him determine the pace. This allows Jack the opportunity to gravitate to what he enjoys. I also quickly learned that what I would often disregard can be a source of wonder for Jack. For example, at the fountain in Jackson Square, Jack spent quite some time throwing twigs in the fountain, grabbing for petals and observing how the water moves. Not only did Jack’s fascination with the fountain allow us to have a moment to sit and relax but it allowed us also the opportunity to see the park in a way we would have missed if we didn’t allow for him to explore.

Look at Every Animal

In the days of pre-Jack travel, I had no idea how many animals one could see during a normal walk or short car ride. In addition, for reasons I will never know- it is instinctive to not only point to the animal but also make the corresponding animal noise. Of course we have taken Jack to a zoo, nature preserve and countless aquariums. However, I feel as though he notices animals in his normal life because we have been pointing out rabbits, birds, squirrels, bugs and countless other creatures since his earliest of days. Pro Tip: Noticing animals on our walks, road trips and other adventures is MUCH cheaper than aquariums, zoos and nature preserves!

Climb Everything

I tend to take the attitude that unless there is a sign saying “Stay Away!”everything is free reign for a toddler to experience. At the New Orleans City Park Jack explored many oak trees. These trees happened to be adjacent to a playground as well as with in walking distance of a children’s museum. As much as we visit playgrounds and spend a fortune on various children’s museums - I love when Jack can explore and occupy himself with the simple pleasure of climbing trees, rocks or whatever hills are in his path.

Always Have Bubbles

I had no idea prior to traveling with a toddler the magic of bubbles. We try to have them available at all times - especially road trips. We have them for rest stop breaks, entertainment in hotel rooms, bath time or anytime where we are waiting for something to happen. In addition, it’s amazing how you can pick up bubbles almost anywhere, CVS, gas stations, Target dollar aisle and gift shops. They also take up very little room in purses … just make sure the cap is screwed on tightly!

Stop at Historical Sites No Matter How Small

Without exception, Sean and I have learned some nugget of a #FunFact at each historical location we have stopped with Jack. Gone are the days where we can read signage in detail or ask several questions of the guide. However - if one of us does want to talk with a guide, the other is often entertaining Jack with something … like bubbles. I’ve been amazed at how wonderful our National Parks are for children and they allow Sean and I have new things to talk about during our road trips other than where is the closest Chick-Fil-A or where we should stop because it is a a Sunday and they are closed. When traveling through the middle of nowhere we have discovered lesser known historical sites through apps such as the National Park Service app and the Explore Here app.

A Friendly Toddler

I believe that it is possible to make almost anything toddler friendly. An example of this is when we visited the Whitney Plantation which is an exceptional place that focuses exclusively on the enslaved experience. We want to expose Jack to the full story of history and do not want to shield him from factual historical events no matter how unsettling, so visiting a place like the Whitney Plantation is important to us.

However, equally important is that we want Jack to be a friendly toddler. As visitors are grappling with the atrocities that occurred on plantations, I do not think it is appropriate to have our toddler disturbing their time of learning, reflection and commemoration. For that reason, we tend to tag team during these visits. Sean and I will take turns making sure that Jack isn’t being disruptive while the other is checking out the exhibits. If necessary we quickly take him to the gift shop (to see if they have bubbles), picnic areas, or any open space away from people so as not to disturb other visitors. ProTip: Have Pete the Cat episodes downloaded on your phone just in case the gift shop doesn’t have bubbles.

Pause

Of the lessons I’ve learned from Jack, near the top of the list is the importance of pausing. When there is something new to experience, STOP! Don’t think too much - take in your surroundings with gratitude. And remember the cliche that travel is as much about the journey as it is the destination and while traveling with a toddler - who knows when you’ll make it to the destination!

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Toddler Travel - Best Practices