Best Travel Hacks for Parents with kids

Here is a well-known fact: traveling with kids is never NOT challenging, and that is the whole truth. But that doesn’t mean that it can’t be fun—plus, there are always travel hacks out there, especially for parents with young kids. 

For myself, one of the most daunting tasks is undoubtedly—packing. Packing for two when you don’t have tiny humans who required multiple outfit change—piece of cake. When packing for a baby came into the picture, gone were the days of just throwing a few essentials into our luggage. Two small kids? Now, we are talking a whole different level here. 

This is where choosing the right type of luggage becomes one of your biggest tasks to tackle before you even board the plane. We choose Monos Travel for not only their sleek design, but for their lightweight luggage, accessible compartments, ultra-sturdy handles (yes, handles matter when you have two very active kids constantly pulling at you, and the bags), and just overall premium quality travel products that I know will last me for years to come.

One of our recent favorites is the Limited Edition Terrazzo Check-in Large. With a generous space, we use this consistently for our staycations in and around B.C., and effortlessly fit everyone’s things in this one magical luggage. Another perk is its original pattern – we never have to look too hard to spot it, so we are definitely bringing this one with us on our next international trip to make our lives easier at the luggage belt! 

That being said, here are a few travel hacks that I’ve learned as FTP (Frequent Traveling Parent):

1. Pack a suitcase dedicated to your kids’ things – separate from the adults.

Trust me. This makes things so much easier. When you unpack, you don’t need to rifle through your clothes in order to find a tiny pair of socks. 

• Pack extra laundry bags. Let’s face it, kids get messy, dirty, absolutely filthy when they travel. You’d want to keep the dirty clothes separate from the freshly washed ones. Luckily for us, Monos travel luggage always come with laundry bags, and this is another reason why we love them. 

• In your carry-on luggage, make sure to always store extra snacks, extra pair of outfit for your kids (even the adults, if you can manage), and any essentials you might need in case your check-in luggage doesn’t make it to the destination the same time/day as you. Trust me, this happens more often than you think. From my experience, it’s always best to be ‘extra prepared’. I remember a friend telling me one of her first international flight experience with her two young kids—a true nightmare that I don’t wish upon any parent. During the flight, her youngest somehow fell ill and began to vomit . . . several times throughout the flight. Even though they brought one change of clothes, they soon ran out, and they had to wrap her in a plane blanket until they landed. So remember—when traveling with little ones, being ‘extra’ is key to your happiness and sanity.

• When choosing a luggage, you need one that is of premium quality. I’m talking sturdy handles, fantastic locks and easy-to-maneuver wheels (you never know how important this is until one of the wheels on your luggage starts to fail and you’re stuck with half-dragging a heavy luggage in a crowded airport). Our Monos luggage checks all of the above, and it is such a relief to know that I’m traveling with a quality, tested product, and one I know will last for a while! 

There are still many travel hacks for parents that I know I have written down somewhere, but here are the main ones that come to mind. Let me know in the comments if you have any great ones you’d like to share!

Happy Travelling!