Flying with an 18-month-old toddler on a 30-hour journey to Brazil was one of the most daunting experiences of my life. My husband and I were nervous wrecks, not knowing how our little one would cope with the long flight, layovers, and different time zones. But we were determined to make it work, and with the help of some amazing travel gear from ShopTravelTots, we were able to make family travel fun and stress-free.
Our journey started with a long drive to the airport, and we were grateful to have the Baby Zen Yoyo Pram with us. This lightweight stroller is easy to fold and maneuver, making it perfect for navigating busy airports. We could quickly fold it down and carry it with us onto the plane, ensuring that our little one could stay in his familiar stroller during the airport connections. And, the Baby Zen Yoyo Pram Carry and Travel Bag made gate check-in a breeze, ensuring that our stroller was safe and protected during the flight.
As we settled into our seats on the plane, we knew that sleep would be crucial for bubs and ourselves. That's where the Baby Sleep and Ride Suitcase came in handy. This was packed in full with all multiple toys we carried for bubs, and even with all that it was so easy to set it up in a comfortable bed for him (I admit that we were all very jealous of the first class comfort 😂). He was able to sleep comfortably in the Sleep and Ride Suitcase for several hours, allowing us to get some much-needed rest as well.
Long flights can be a challenge for keeping kids entertained, but the cloth sensory books from Travel Tots were a godsend. With a variety of textures, colors, and sounds, these books engaged Arthur for a good hour. He loved exploring the ocean theme and discovering new textures and colors with every page turn.
Then there was no scape. We had to give in for screen time. Luckily we had downloaded all of his favourite shows, so we were all ready to go. The Baby and Kids Bluetooth Headphones were a lifesaver. Arthur didn't want to keep any other headphones on, and having the headband design made it so much easier for him to have it on. He absolutely loved the animal-shaped headbands (we got him the Owl <3 ), and we loved how comfortable they were. We could easily pair them with our tablets and phones, ensuring that our little one was entertained without disturbing anyone else around us.
And finally, the Compact Busy Board was the perfect toy for our curious little one. It has so many different activities, that was easy for us to be creative with him, and also gave us some time to eat and go to the toilet while he was super busy trying to figgure out some of the puzzles for hours.
Overall, our experience flying with an 18-month-old was much less stressful thanks to the amazing travel gear we had with us. And, we highly recommend ShopTravelTots for anyone looking for high-quality, engaging travel gear for their little ones.