Bradley Schnickel Explains Tips and Tricks for Traveling with Toddlers

Bradley Schnickel
3 min readJul 24, 2021

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Bradley Schnickel has fifteen years of experience in the travel industry as a travel coordinator, helping individuals, couples, and families plan, prepare and get to their destinations. Traveling with a toddler can be challenging, but if you’re prepared, it can be a breeze and a memorable vacation.

Bradley Schnickel has plenty of tips for getting to your vacation destination with your toddler without it being a stressful, unenjoyable event.

Traveling by Airplane with Your Toddler

If your toddler has never been on a plane a few weeks before your trip, get a few books and find a children’s show about traveling on an airplane, suggests Bradley Schnickel. Spend a little time each day explaining to your toddler what it will be like on the plane. Make it fun and exciting for them, so they are eager to fly, not fearful.

If possible, book a non-stop flight. Pack a special bag for the plane ride. Fill it with a few snacks, beverages, and quiet activities to keep your toddler busy and happy. If they have a favorite/security item be sure to bring it along. The flight will go by quicker and much less stressful if your toddler is excited and kept busy.

Traveling by Car with a Toddler

Bradley Schnickel says even two hours in a car can seem like an eternity for a little one. If possible, make the trip in the late leaving, right around your toddlers’ bedtime. Dress them in pajamas with their security item in their hand, and off you go, you will enjoy the peace and quiet of the time spent on the road, and your toddler will enjoy their sweet dreams. It’s a win-win situation for everyone.

If it is not possible to travel during bedtime or if you are traveling a long distance, bring along lots of activities they can do to entertain themselves as well as snacks, suggests Bradley Schnickel. Every few hours, you want to stop and let your toddler out of their car seat and stretch their little legs. If it is safe to do so, let them play and run around for 20–30 minutes to burn off that extra energy and possibly tire them out for a nap once you get back on the road.

If you are traveling a long distance by car, try to break the trip up into more than one day and stay at a hotel and let your toddler play. If they have a pool, go swimming, or find something at the hotel, your toddler will have fun doing it, even if it’s just walking up and down the hallway or riding the elevator. It doesn’t take much to assume a little one. Let them watch their favorite show and try to stick to their bedtime routine of a bath, a story before bed, etc.

All means of traveling with your toddler require some of their favorite healthy snacks and drinks, activities they can do alone, and patience, because no matter how well-behaved your child is, they will likely have at least one meltdown during the trip. It may be a short-lived one, but it still causes stress for everyone. If you have Spotify onboard in your car or play their favorite songs, this can soothe them and entertain them by encouraging them to sing along, says Bradley Schnickel. There are several ways to entertain and keep your toddler happy while traveling, and as their parent, you know the best way.

Caroline Hunter
Web Presence, LLC
+17865519491
email us here

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Bradley Schnickel

Bradley Schnickel grew up in a small town just outside of Minneapolis, MN, called New Prague. He met his beautiful wife while earning his Bachelor of Arts (BA)