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CARRY-ON LIST
I'm a firm believer in traveling as light as possible. But when it comes to carry-on, you want to have all of the little necessities at hand aboard a plane, not stowed in the hold. The following is my list of essentials for myself followed by essentials for children by ages. Please use this as a reminder/checklist and of course, add your own "can't live withouts."
PERSONAL CARRY ON
Kleenex
Wet washcloth in a zip lock bag
ear plugs
Moisturizing eye drops
Breath mints
Small spray-on or splash-on cologne
Anti-bacterial, individually wrapped hand wipes
Makeup kit
Hairbrush
Colorful scarf
Tickets
Passport
Driver's license
Other ID
Reading glasses
Prescription medicine
Moisturizer for face
Hand lotion
Travel itinerary
Pertinent notes regarding hotels, rental car, etc.
Paperback book or magazine
Pen and paper
Jacket or change of top appropriate to destination weather
Socks
Evian mineral water spray
Toothbrush and mini-toothpaste
Chapstick or lip gloss
Tampax or Pads
Tylenol or other
We usually start out dressed in casual but presentable clothes. Jeans or chinos seem to work well paired with a colorful shirt. We always dress the kids in bright-colored clothes to make them easier to spot and pin a whistle on their jacket ages 4 and up so that they can signal we get separated. We also wear or carry on bulky items such as jackets or training shoes so we don't have to pack them.
BABY CARRY-ON
Bunting, the zip up kind which baby slips into. These are great for making a little nest to sleep the baby and keep them somewhat confined.
Diapers and wipes
Another wet wash cloth in zip lock bag
Small tube diaper cream
Pacifier or teething toy, etc.
Change of clothes
Baby food
Umbrella stroller (narrow ones are much easier to fit through the aisles)
A bag for all this gear which can hook on the back of the stroller
Bottle and formula or at least one bottle of milk
Dry powdered milk in a baggy just in case
Blanket (one or two)
A changing mat or receiving blanket
Spoon and dish
Bib
TODDLER (18 months to 3 yrs) CARRY-ON
Bottle (if still used) or drinking cup
Favorite snack
Doll or stuffed animal
Blanket
A new small toy, wrapped
Favorite small story book
Snack bag, i.e. little boxes of raisins, pretzels, animal crackers, etc.
Most parents would agree this is the most difficult age for plane travel. Some ideas that have helped: take a night flight when they'll be asleep anyway. If taking a day flight, try to schedule it during their afternoon nap time and don't let them fall asleep in the car on the way to the airport. Some children become truly hyper in the confines of an airplane. If you've had problems with your child on car trips, you may want to discuss with your doctor a sedative to calm your child on the plane.
YOUNG CHILDREN (4 to 8 years) CARRY-ON
Change of clothes or at least a clean top
Favorite stuffed animal or doll
Crayons and coloring book
Story book
Personal stereo with headphones
Etch-a-SketchTM
Small set of LegoTM or DuploTM blocks
Be sure to dress them in something bright, patterned (if possible so it doesn't show stains) and cute. The cuter they look the better your receptions by stewards, et. al. This is a great time to bring out the special, new wrapped toy for the trip. With any luck, it may keep your child content for quite sometime. We always take a snack bag with goodies that are usually not so available while trying to stay light on the sugar. Some favorites are Cracker Jacks, little cheese/cracker packages, gum and apples. This is a great age for a personal cassette player with headphones. A new story tape could be a life saver. And of course bring along some of the old favorites. We usually have our children carry a small backpack on board complete with all the above items and their jacket, etc. This can convert into a very handy daypack for sightseeing.
9 YEARS AND UP CARRY-ON
Journal and pen or pencils
Personal stereo and headset with tapes or CD's
Game Boy
Books
School books
Travel guide
By now homework is a fact of life and airplane time can be a great time to knock out some assignments. It's also a great time for older children to peruse the guide book about your destination and organize their ideas on things they would like to do/see. If there is no homework except for an outside reading assignment, by all means make sure that book is in the bag. We usually have our children carry a small backpack on board complete with all the above items and their jacket, etc. This can convert into a very handy daypack for sightseeing. Bed and Breakfast Inns |
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