How to travel easily with your baby? Traveling with kids is definitely not just a simple outing — it’s absolutely not an easy task: unfamiliar environments, unfamiliar people, and unexpected challenges are all things you and your child will face together.
Because their sense of order is disrupted and they’re anxious about the unfamiliar surroundings, even the usually well-behaved “good baby” can turn into a “little terror” during the trip. Especially for children who are normally taken care of by a nanny or grandparents, the absence of their primary caregiver and the exposure to new environments may lead to sudden meltdowns and outbursts.
In fact, whether a child stays at home or travels doesn’t play a decisive role in their future development. What truly matters is not where the parents are, but how they accompany their child.
Even so, the travel deals snapped up during Singles’ Day are already locked in, and no matter how much I say, I can’t stop you from determinedly traveling with your little ones.
So, as a seasoned mom who’s done “a round-trip to the U.S. with two kids and two connections,” and who hits the road with her partner and two kids for a month every winter and summer vacation, I’d like to share some practical advice to make family travel a bit easier.
Itinerary Planning
Opt for independent travel, never join a tour group
When we took our kid to Mount Emei, we happened to be on the same bus as another tour group. Their itinerary for one day included a 12-kilometer mountain hike, and the guide literally said: “If you can sit, don’t stand; if you can lie down, don’t sit, because tomorrow will be a tough battle!”
Can you imagine what that “tough battle” would be like with a child weighing dozens of pounds constantly needing to be carried, plus all kinds of unexpected issues? The picture would be… quite something.
Half-day outdoors, half-day indoors
My partner and I always plan the route ourselves, and our basic principle is: half-day outdoors, half-day indoors.
For example, when visiting Luoyang, we went to the White Horse Temple in the morning and the Luoyang Museum in the afternoon; or the Longmen Grottoes in the morning, then a supermarket in the afternoon, before heading to the high-speed rail station to go to Xi'an.
A full day packed with activities makes it hard to ensure a child’s regular sleep and meals, while scheduling just half a day of outings can help maintain a more consistent daily routine.
At the same time, local supermarkets and museums are great places to experience the area’s culture and history, and also offer convenient services like stroller rentals and hot water, allowing you to explore the local stories and take a break.
Respect the Child’s Wishes
When faced with unfamiliar environments, children often feel both curious and scared, which can easily lead to resistance. Especially for 1- to 2-year-olds, who are developing a sense of independence and love to challenge adult authority, “defiant behavior” is more likely to occur. So during the trip, it’s essential to think from the child’s perspective.
When we visited the Luoyang Museum, little Meng was completely fascinated by the elephant fossil at the entrance of the first exhibition hall, walking around it repeatedly and refusing to move on. So we let Meng’s dad continue exploring on his own, while I stayed with Meng, letting her play around the elephant over and over again; then we switched.
It’s by sticking to this principle that Meng had a great time during the trip: he played with whatever he liked and wanted to play with, so of course he was happy.
Try to Ensure Cleanliness and Hygiene
Children are already prone to digestive issues while traveling, so be cautious about letting them try new foods. Especially at the seaside, be careful with seafood to avoid allergic reactions or other problems. Later, Meng’s mom will also introduce some specific tools that help ensure cleanliness and hygiene for your reference.
Useful Travel Tools
Use the right tools, and your trip will be much easier.
Clothing
1. Thin cloth / long scarf
Tie the corners of a long scarf twice to create a temporary nursing cover; it can also serve as a lightweight blanket for your baby. A nursing cover is usually bulky when folded, whereas a scarf is much more convenient to carry. A long scarf can also double as a great prop for travel photos — very practical.
2. Pack extra outfits
You may not always have time to wash your child’s clothes, so it’s a good idea to bring 1–2 extra sets. In summer, it gets hot and sweat can soak through clothes, so having dry ones to change into is helpful; also, in case of food spills, a clean set lets you snap nice photos while keeping memories pleasant...
3. Sleeping bag / pajamas
If you're concerned about hotel hygiene, bring a set of pajamas or a sleeping bag.
4. Clothes Hangers
Collapsible IKEA hangers with multiple clips will do. You can hang your child’s clothes, socks, and shoes on them to dry. If in a hurry, use a hair dryer to manually dry them.
5. Baby Bath Towel
This is really necessary to bring—after all, hotel bath towels...
Food
1. Canned Baby Food + Rice Cereal
Canned baby food and rice cereal can basically solve the problem of feeding your child while traveling (at the start of our trip, Xiaomeng was 11 months old and still needed chopped food). By the time we arrived in Chengdu, Xiaomeng was one year old and could have a bit of salt, so besides canned food, we could also give him adult food after rinsing it with hot water to remove most of the salt and seasonings.
2. Insulated Water Bottle
Effectively solves the problem of having hot water for making rice cereal or formula.
3. Baby Biscuits
Choose baby biscuits that are salt-free, low-sugar, and fortified with various vitamins and minerals. We prepared Beingmate teething biscuits, which actually didn’t help with teething, but they worked well as a snack when the child was hungry and the meal wasn’t ready yet. They can also be soaked in water to make a porridge-like mixture to feed the baby.
4. Room-Temperature Yogurt
For children who have started on complementary foods, a balanced intake of fish, meat, eggs, and dairy is important. The first three are easy to find, but milk is a bit more troublesome. So we brought room-temperature yogurt. Although we know the probiotics in it are no longer active, the yogurt itself is still quite digestible. It’s a good option especially when breastfeeding isn’t convenient or when you’re too dehydrated to produce milk.
5. Portable Baby High Chair
We brought a plastic baby high chair with a three-point harness (one crotch strap and one waist strap) and a small tray on top. It allowed Xiaomeng to eat in her own seat while we enjoyed our meals. Of course, there were times when we ate at tourist spots without bringing the chair. In those cases, we took turns holding the baby and taking turns eating, trying not to hand the baby over to waitstaff or strangers.
Other than that, items like fruit and hot water can be bought locally. This is where the advantage of breastfeeding moms really shows!
Accommodation
1. Hotel
A regular hotel, even an economy one, is fine. The key is cleanliness.
2. Bed
Try to book a king-size bed in advance rather than a standard twin. Letting the child sleep between the parents can effectively prevent the child from falling off.
3. Pillow
Hotel pillows are usually too high—you can bring your child’s own pillow.
4. Blanket
You can let your child sleep in a sleeping bag and set the air conditioning to 22–24°C. We simply let Xiaomeng use the blanket provided by the hotel.
5. Toiletries
Definitely bring your own. Based on Mommy Meng’s experience, two items are enough: one bottle of tear-free baby shampoo & body wash and one bottle of baby lotion. When bathing, one person holds the child while the other rinses. Adults can share the baby’s shampoo and lotion... of course, the lotion can also double as a facial moisturizer.
6. Disinfectant Products
Nowadays many hotels have toilets, so you can bring disinfectant spray and disinfectant wipes to clean the edges of the toilet.
7. Disposable bathtub liners
Kids love playing in the bathtub, so it’s a good idea to bring disposable bathtub liners to ensure hygiene and safety.
Transportation
1. Sunscreen
Always apply baby sunscreen, and reapply every two hours or after sweating. Parents can share the baby sunscreen. After all, it’s hard to avoid traveling between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
It’s recommended to carry an umbrella with an inner coated layer—it blocks both sun and rain.
2. Mosquito repellent
Lion & Elephant has a floral water containing 4% DEET that repels mosquitoes for up to 4 hours. A small bottle costs less than 6 RMB and can be used for the whole family. Whenever we see other kids covered in mosquito bites, we’re especially glad we applied ours in advance.
Of course, there are times when we forget to reapply and end up with mosquito bites. In those cases, quickly apply soap (not soapy water) as a remedy—it neutralizes the acidic mosquito saliva and works quite well.
3. Baby wipes / facial tissues
Tissues and wipes are disposable, much more convenient than carrying towels, and they don’t breed bacteria. The best part is their versatility. Remember to have your child wash hands before meals and after using the toilet. If washing isn’t possible, use baby wipes to disinfect as much as possible.
4. Rental services
Museums, train stations, and airports often offer stroller rental services. Pushing a stroller makes walking much easier, and you don’t have to carry a sleeping child.
5. Luggage storage services
Traveling with kids is like moving house—you’ll have plenty of luggage. Thanks to our dad’s serious downsizing, we only had one large suitcase, but it was still inconvenient to carry. So, it’s advisable to store your luggage first and then start sightseeing. Train stations, bus terminals, and airports all offer luggage storage; some hotel front desks provide this service too.
6. Baby-carrying equipment
Baby carriers or slings are optional, but since the week we traveled saw temperatures of 39–40°C every day, we just carried little Meng in our arms. When we went to Mount Emei, we saw some people using baby hiking seats like the one shown below—it was very convenient and not hot at all.
7. Plastic bags
Carrying a roll of plastic bags allows you to dispose of trash on the go and store items you’re not using temporarily (like dirty baby clothes), which is very handy.
8. Diapers
Using public restrooms for toileting is neither hygienic nor conducive to helping children develop a sense of protecting their private parts—definitely not ideal. For this reason, even if your child normally wears split-crotch pants, it’s recommended to use diapers when going out. Apply diaper cream to prevent diaper rash.
Oh, and here’s a sad truth: if you’re traveling with a one-year-old, you might as well forget the camera and just use your phone to take pictures…
Special reminder: If you’re driving, make sure to bring a child safety seat, but be very careful not to let your baby wear a down jacket while seated in it—this can cause them to slide out in an accident, making it unsafe.
Medicine
Although pharmacies are available almost everywhere, it’s still wise to carry some emergency medications. We usually bring the following:
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Band-Aids (10+ pieces)
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Baby fever reducer (bring one type)
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Oral rehydration salts (to prevent diarrhea)
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Iodine tincture (for emergency wound care)
Apart from absolute safety rules, many travel guidelines can be flexible. For example, portable bottled/packaged complementary food, baby biscuits for quick energy, and similar items can come in handy.
Taking a trip with your children not only tests the bond between parents and kids, but also that between husband and wife.
But every little moment accumulated during the journey becomes a precious treasure for your child.