Dress Beautifully: Mamma Monday: 5 Must Haves for Traveling with a Toddler

Happy Monday Mammas! I can't share with you gals enough just how wonderful it was vacationing last week! Summer is the time for vacationing. The time for a mid-year escape to just have fun (I'm totally counting down to beaching with my gal pals next month!

What I packed for a solo trip with Vivian at 8 months old to see her Grandparents 5 hours away!

Traveling with littles definitely adds to the packing list (I now understand why we had to buy an SUV months before her arrival). But you don't have to bring 'everything but the kitchen sink'. And there are lots of items that will make your trip a bit easier and convenient.

Here are my favorite things (& some tips) to have when traveling with a toddler:
Sidenote: I'm not ok calling her a toddler, she's still a baby to me!

1. Pop Up Tent

Pop Up Tent

This tent was amazing on our beach trip! It twists and folds up into a flat disc that can fit in a tote. So it won't take up additional space in your car. You can put sand in the side pockets to weight it down.
It's easy to clean with just a water hose and drys super fast.
It shades you from the sun and give a nice place to play. It even has mess windows on both sides that Vivian just loved to play peek-a-boo with.

This tent isn't just for the beach, I plan to use it in our backyard, when we go to Grandma's house or even at one of our church picnics. Vivian loves bringing her toys inside and playing. It's also a great place to have snacks away from the dirt.

I had a few in my amazon cart but saw this one on a trip to Walmart and it's great!

2. Folding High Chair

Fold Up High Chair

Lots of color options

Mammas this thing is genius! I've shared with so many. Like the tent it folds up easy, takes up little room in the car and has a strap for carrying. We take this when we visit friends and even to some parks. The plastic tray is super easy to clean. This chair you could also wash with a hose and drys fast. This is also something you can take right on the beach.

3. Folding Mattress

Folding Pack-n-Play Mattress

This is a must! We have this pack-n-play and it's fantastic! I highly recommend it as it's easy to set up and take down and very sturdy. However the mat that it comes with, like most pack-plays, is hard with little to no padding. That's fine if you're using it for play but we use it for a crib when we are traveling or visiting friends.
What's great about this mattress is that it folds up and stores in a zippered bag with carrying handles. It's just right when it comes to being soft yet still firm.
All the other mattresses I found don't fold and that's a nightmare to pack in your car. I LOVE this mattress and encourage you to get one for your little. It's also a great item to have on a baby registry!

PS I insist that you also use this sound machine and take it with you! Mr and I have been slumbering with it for over 10 years and Vivian has had the same one her entire life. We bring them with us even when we fly places.

4. Backpack

#Dadlife

She's loved her backpack even when she was little

She's 9 months old here

Caterpillar Backpack - More Options

During Vivian's first year of life we used this diaper bag to hold ALL the things you may need when leaving home. Now we use her little backpack with diapers, wipes, a change of clothes, hat, sunscreen, a snack and maybe a book and toy. It depends on where we are going and what we are doing. It's small and you can carry it on your shoulder or attach it to your stroller. It even fits in my tote handbag. I use it when going taking her to the gym day care, visiting friends, church and now Summer Camp which starts tomorrow ekkkk! That's a whole other box I won't open but let me just say I have ALL the feelings.

5. Baggies

Reusable Bag

My sister got me one of these bags and I love it! I used it for my phone at the beach, for lipsticks in my purse and even snacks. It's an EVERYTHING bag! A plastic lining which is safe for food and easy to clean. You can just throw it in the washing machine. It comes in lots of prints and has a tag for adding a name if you want to use it for your little.
This is environmentally friendly :)

Ziplock bags are a necessity. Right up there with toilet paper in my opinion. They are so useful for countless things! I pack her snacks in them so that if she doesn't want to eat it or only eats half I can save it for when she does want it in the next 15-30 mins. You can pack small toys, store garbage (icky diapers), dirty clothes/wet swimsuits, you name it there's a baggie for it! They're better than a grocery bag because they can be sealed up. I have boxes of all sizes and keep a variety in my car and in her bag. I probably use the snack size the most for food, the gallon size for sunscreens, quart size for clothing ... you get the idea. They came in extra handy at the beach.
When we go to the pool, splash pad or park baggies are your storage lifesavers!