Be road-trip ready with this family road trip safety packing list.

It’s all too easy to assume our smartphones will help us out of any difficulty we may encounter on a family road trip. But not only can those smart-when-they-work gadgets lose signal the moment you really begin to rely on that navigation–or need to call AAA.  They have a hard time replacing that burnt headlight on a late night’s drive or keeping everyone well hydrated in an overheated car while you wait much longer than expected for roadside assistance.

Here is a quick list of what to make sure you have with you on the open road for your next family road trip–and here’s a printable copy to keep in your glove box for future trips. This post contains affiliate links.

Family Road Trip Safety Packing List:

1. Car cell phone charger or pre-charged powerbank

A pre-charged power bank like this one works quickly (2.5 x faster) and easily with USB-compatible devices as well as other cords.

2. Printed map of the area you’ll drive through (backup to GPS)

3. Backup list of emergency contact phone numbers (independent of your phone)

4. Spare tire and jack

5. Fix-a-flat tire emergency tire repair (in a can!)

You might also consider taking along this temporary tire repair product for times when a full wheel replacement (with jack and spare) may not be possible, or this may hold you over until the professional repair. (Be sure to follow instructions and read precautions.)

6. Jumper cables

7. Flash light (with new batteries)

8. Replacement wiper blades

9. Replacement headlight bulb

10. Flares or emergency lights

11. Space blanket

12. Quarters for unanticipated parking meters or turnpikes

13. Family First-Aid kit, completed with your preferred infant / child medications

14. Umbrella

15. Spare pen and paper for emergency note-taking

16. Emergency cash reserve

You never know when you’ll need the green stuff (“cash only” for gas or souvenirs?). But in case of a storm or power outage during your adventure, it may become your only option.

17. Emergency water reserve

This is the kind of backup water container we bring on road trips to refill our individual water bottles as we travel, and refill to always have a backup supply of water in case of emergency.

18. Emergency snack reserve for all travelers–including pets!*

In your emergency snacks, be sure to include something suitable for each family member, not overlooking jarred baby food or formula if appropriate and/or something for your four-legged friend.

–> Click here for the printable version of this list to use for this trip–and to keep in your glove box for future family road trips. You might also like Ten Things You Should Pack for a Family Road Trip at our sister site, Family Travel 411.

You might also like:

Packing List for Camping with Babies, Toddlers, and Young Children

The Five Best Places to Visit California’s Giant Redwoods and Giant Sequoias

In Case of Car Sickness – 10 Things You’ll be Glad to Have in the Car

Checking-In Safety Checklist (with Printable)

Ten Things to Do Before You Leave Home when Traveling with a Baby

The Best Baby Travel Beds and Toddler Sleeping Solutions

How to Plan Your Best Vacation with Baby

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Previous post: Planning Tips for Travel with a Toddler 2 to 3 Years

Have you subscribed to Travels with Baby Tips?

More tips and advice are on the way! For help for planning travel of every kind–with babies and children of every temperament–in Travels with Baby: The Ultimate Guide for Planning Travel with Your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler.

What?! Your kids aren’t babies anymore? Head over to Family Travel 411!

Curious about this content? See my editorial content disclosure.

An earlier version of this post first appeared July 12, 2017.

The post Family Road Trip Safety Packing List (with Printable) appeared first on Travels With Baby.

THE CHECKING-IN SAFETY CHECKLIST FOR TRAVEL WITH BABIES AND TODDLERS

A parent’s cautionary tale with printable (checklist below).

Once upon a time in L.A.: We entered a thoroughly modern hotel room to find someone had indeed brought us a pack ‘n play as requested. However, he had set it up directly beneath an enormous light sconce protruding from the wall that would have served well on a whaling ship. If it didn’t brain our daughter as she stood up in the crib, it surely would have harpooned one of us after laying her down beneath it.

It was a good example of why you can’t take anything for granted on arrival at a new destination.

And a completely different time in Oregon: While that particular safety snafu was obvious to us on arrival, there have been other close calls of things that were not: At a vacation rental, we found a pretty stained glass window in the sleeping loft that was within my daughter’s reach and appeared to be shut. Remarkably, it was not latched and opened outward at two stories above the ground.

And that time at Yosemite: Our tired wooden deck rail moved when pressed against, and my son quickly discovered a pair of balusters that were no longer secured to the deck.

And, still, on the Big Island: At a popular resort in Hawaii, my toddler daughter ran to the railing of the balcony to see how far up we were as I quickly saw she was small enough to fit through the metal railing (since replaced during remodel).

How you spend your first moments at your new accommodations can be critical to your child’s safety.

If your child is mobile, I strongly recommend you inspect your lodgings before you let him loose to explore them himself. In some situations, you may be able to simply leave him buckled in the stroller or placed in the portacrib while you do a quick safety check.

In others, and depending on the enthusiasm with which your child delights in exploring new surroundings…you might even prefer to let your partner keep him entertained outside or in the lobby until you’ve completed your Checking-in Safety Checklist. You might also like to browse these recommended products for childproofing during travel before you go.*

Checking-In Safety Checklist for Travel with Babies and Toddlers:

(Click here for the printable to add to your suitcase or diaper bag.)

___  Door locks

Can you latch the main door to ensure your child won’t go sightseeing without you? Does the bathroom or any other room have locks within your child’s reach?

___  Low and/or Large Windows

Are the windows low enough for the child to run into, or climb out of, or access by climbing on other furniture in the room? Do they open wide enough that toys—or a child—might fall through (remember, screens will not stop children from falling)? Can they be locked shut so your child cannot open it? Is there a “protective” rail or grillwork outside the window that might tempt the child?

___ Patio Doors

Can your child unlatch or operate the door unassisted? Is the glass so wide it is a walk-through risk? Is the glass so thin or old it might break if bumped by a toy or gallivanting child?

___ Balconies or Decks

Are the railings close enough to keep curious children and babies from slipping under or through? Even more-modern hotel buildings may still have railings spaced too widely for small children and babies (remember wee travelers are much narrower turned sideways). Be sure to inspect for yourself before your child comes exploring. Are there steps to the deck or down from the balcony? Any outdoor furniture that could give your child “a lift” too close to danger?

___ Curtains, Blinds, and Window Treatments

Give draperies a friendly tug before your child does to ensure a secure “anchoring.” Get loose operating cords, delicate drapes, and unsafe window treatments up and out of the way, bundled with a rubber band if needed.

___ Heating/AC

Is the heating or AC unit accessible to your child? Could it be dangerously hot or pose a risk from the operating fan? Are the controls within his reach?

___ Electrical appliances, outlets, and cords

Watch out for coffeemakers, alarm clocks, and hairdryers that may be pulled off of surfaces by curious toddlers, either by their cords or the objects themselves. Lamp, TV, and Internet cables and cords may also need attention. Outlets may appear where not expected, such as at the base of lamps on desks or bedside tables.

___ Kitchens or kitchenettes

Check cupboards and drawers for knives, coffee makers with glass carafes, and other hazards that may be within reach, including matches if the stove is gas. Dishwashing detergent and/or cleaning supplies may be kept in an accessible cupboard. Be aware that ovens, refrigerators, or dishwashers may be more easily opened than yours at home.

___ Bathrooms

Soaps, shampoos, and lotions may need to be moved from within reach. In vacation rentals and personal homes, check for cleaning supplies, medicines, matches, and other hazardous in the bathroom.

Be sure to store your own toiletries and travel kits out of reach of your child (those with built-in hooks or loops that can be hung from robe hooks or from shower or closet rods can be helpful).

___ Minibars

Can your child open the minibar by herself? Are there items inside that could be of danger (glass bottles, peanuts or other allergens in snacks, etc.) or could set you back more than you had planned for this vacation? You may need to set a suitcase in front of it or rearrange furniture.

–> Click here for the PDF printable of this checklist to add to your suitcase or diaper bag.

You might also like:

10 Things to Do Before You Leave Home (checklist)

How to Plan Your Best Vacation with a Baby

Flying Southwest Airlines with a Baby or Toddler

Family Road Trip Safety Packing List

Previous post: Five Great Family Destinations in Ireland

Have you subscribed to Travels with Baby Tips?

More tips and advice are on the way! For help for planning travel of every kind–with babies and children of every temperament–in Travels with Baby: The Ultimate Guide for Planning Travel with Your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler.

Have you seen the latest features at our sister site, Family Travel 411?

The 411 on Boston with Kids

Ten Things You Should Know Before Traveling to Ireland with Kids

The 411 on Puerto Vallarta with Kids

Safe journeys,

Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks

Twitter     Facebook     Travels with Baby on Facebook     Pinterest

What?! Your kids aren’t babies anymore? Head over to Family Travel 411

Curious about this content? See my editorial content disclosure.

*Adapted from Travels with Baby: The Ultimate Guide for Planning Travel with Your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler by Shelly Rivoli, 2nd Ed., 2014.

The post Checking-In Safety List | Checklist for Travel with Babies and Toddlers appeared first on Travels With Baby.

This book excerpt comes from the section in Chapter 3 of Travels with Baby: The Ultimate Guide… called “Staying Safe (and Sane) with Friends and Family.”

I hope it helps boost your confidence (and perhaps your humor quotient) as you pack up for your trip, and helps your family have a truly enjoyable stay with your friends and loved ones.

Also, remember these other posts you may find especially helpful this month: Ultimate Holiday Travel with Kids Checklist and others listed below this excerpt.

(Note: This post contains affiliate links to my book. Thanks for your support!)

Staying Safe (and Sane) with Friends and Family

Staying in the home of friends or relatives is by far the most common first trip new parents make with their child, and for many, it’s likely to be a repeat occurrence through the baby, toddler, and preschool years.

Yes, having access to all the comforts of home, including a full kitchen, laundry facilities, separate quarters for your napping child, and of course, the loving presence (a.k.a. help) of your friends or family, can be a wonderful, relaxing way to vacation with your child. It can be, in many cases, with some good planning.

First, you will need to get grounded in reality. As a guest in someone else’s home, you will be obliged to observe their daily rhythms and routines. Enthusiastic pets, light-saber-wielding children, steep staircases, toxic houseplants, precariously perched lamps, thimble (a.k.a. choking hazard) collections, and more may await your little family at the well-intentioned relative’s home.

Just establishing a safe place for your child to sleep or play during your visit could prove challenging. Add to that the possibility of delayed bedtimes, extended meal times, and noisy visiting hours and you may find yourself wishing for a night off at the local motel.

As well, take your hosts’ lifestyles into consideration—in spite of their best intentions, would having a baby or small child under their roof full time prove a major inconvenience to them? Try to get your hosts on the same page before you arrive in their home.

Describe a typical day with your child at home, when he usually rises, naps, how often he eats, and what his sacred rituals are. Tell them how much you are looking forward to seeing them, but be honest about your concerns—including upsetting their own routines (like, perhaps, sleeping).

Share your ideas of how you can help with childproofing concerns and other details about having a baby or small child in their home. Especially where friends and family are concerned, it could be well worth spending a little more to stay nearby and come for visits if it means safeguarding the integrity of your relationship.

That said, here are some friendly suggestions for how to avoid some common pitfalls and have a safe, sane visit with those who are near and dear to your heart.

Dining

Your hosts may not be as prepared as they think they are for dealing with the thrills and spills associated with baby and toddler dining.

If your child is using a portable dining booster, ask your hosts for an extra bath towel you might use to protect their chair from any overboard spills or splats. Pack a vinyl tablecloth (like those used outdoors) to spread beneath your child’s seat to protect your hosts’ floor during meal times. Afterward, you can simply shake off the crumbs and wipe the surface clean.

Also, bring along your child’s own plate or bowl to save your hosts from searching for suitable dishes or risking breakage of their own.

Diapering

As Benjamin Franklin said, “Guests, like fish, begin to smell after three days.” Guests in diapers, however, may smell upon arrival.

Be sure to check with your hosts early on to see where they keep their outdoor trash so that you may use it when needed. Bring your own supply of plastic bags and export any stink bombs straight away.

Also, be thoughtful on disposing of wet diapers; some people bristle at the sight of perfectly harmless puffy Pampers in their bathroom wastebasket. It may be simplest to bring your own sack or trash bag for collecting these in your quarters rather than filling up your hosts’ wastebaskets.

Sleeping

I’ll say it until I’m blue in the face: Earplugs can make a thoughtful and humorous hostess gift.

If your child isn’t likely to make it through the night without a vocal interlude, give your hosts fair warning. They can take any precautions to help ensure a restful night for them (using aforementioned earplugs, closing their doors, indulging in a nightcap, and so on).

This will also help prevent them from worrying if your child is feeling well or if you need their assistance or intervention—Uncle Larry’s “Get Happy!” clown dance could prove disastrous at three a.m.

Household Hazards for Young Children

Anywhere you stay (a hotel, a campsite, a sleeper car) you will have to size up potential dangers to your child and deal with them the best you can. But when you stay in someone else’s home, the number of potential dangers may actually increase.

In addition to the more easily anticipated risks like stair steps, sharp corners, and electrical outlets, you may also face a few surprises that come with staying in an active household of friendly folks who may not be accustomed to playing “What’s Under Grandpa’s Easy Chair?” or, with toddlers, “Look What I Found in the Kitchen Trash!”

Just make sure you don’t overlook these potential hazards while in the throes of visiting.

• Pet foods, snacks, and grooming supplies
• Excitable, defensive, or aggressive pets
• Prescription drugs and other medications, including those not kept in childproof canisters like ointments or drops
• Craft projects and knitting baskets
• Candy dishes and nut bowls
• Decorative fountains
• Holiday ornaments and decorations
• Floor lamps and cords
• Table lamps within reach
• Unsuitable toys from older children
• Party favors or decorations (including latex balloons, which can be a choking hazard)
• The “junk drawer”

Child Hazards to the Household

Also, don’t overlook the hazards your child might pose to your hosts’ home. Other adults may not be as tuned in to the potential consequences of leaving some items within a child’s reach, or the lightning speed with which a child can perform magic tricks with table cloths (swoosh!) and car keys (flush!).

Especially if you’ll be visiting with a curious toddler, you will need to stay two steps ahead of your child where these items may be accessed.

• Purses with pens and lipstick inside
• Books and magazines
• Cell phones or regular phones
• Stereos and entertainment equipment
• Remote controls
• Car keys (especially with remote control key fobs)
• Cameras
• Computers and PDAs
• Toilet paper
• Music CDs and DVDs
• Musical instruments
• Table cloths

Know a family who needs this book? You’ll find it on sale right here.

Have a safe and wonderful holiday season, and make sure you take lots of pictures! (I know you will.) I will see you in the new year. And if you’re looking for ideas for where to travel in 2020, be sure to check out the destination Family Vacation Guides at Family Travel 411!

You might also like:

How to Plan Your Best Vacation with Baby

Best Baby Travel Beds and Toddler Sleeping Solutions

Flying Alaska Airlines with a Baby or Toddler

Holiday Travel with Kids? Easy. Well, a little easier with these tips.

Flying Southwest Airlines with a Baby or Toddler

The Ultimate Holiday Travel with Kids Checklist

Flying American Airlines with a Baby or Toddler

Safe journeys,

Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks

Twitter     Facebook     Travels with Baby on Facebook     Pinterest

Curious about this content? See my editorial content disclosure.

Reader note: This post first appeared in December of 2014. It has since been updated.

The post Holiday Travel with Babies and Toddlers: Tips for Staying Safe (and Sane) with Friends and Family appeared first on Travels With Baby.

The Lowdown on Car Seats in Taxis (updated for 2019) –  In a conversation with a good friend planning travel back east with her baby, she excitedly told me (incorrectly) that New York City is the only place in the world where you can take a taxi with your baby without being legally required to have a car seat.

Fortunately I didn’t have to get into the specifics of Mexico, or Southeast Asia, or elsewhere “in the world” where families who could actually afford a car seat are few and far between before she corrected herself (still incorrectly) and said, “in the United States.”

Common Causes of Confusion

She’d apparently read this bit of trivia in a travel article(!), and I can only assume the writer is from New York City, not San Francisco, Las Vegas, Paris, London, Tokyo, or one of the many other places in the world where this is common practice for city dwellers, and legally so.

It’s a topic I’m asked about frequently, and was sure to include in the Travels with Baby guidebook. While I’m hesitant to tell anyone “it’s okay” to jump into unfamiliar cars with their babies on their laps, it is in fact considered “legal” in most cities, as well as states and countries around the world–though whether or not it is safe is another matter.

What You Should Know

The basic scoop is this: Drivers of for-hire vehicles (taxis, shuttles, limos) are subject to different laws than are passengers of privately-owned passenger vehicles. In most cases, these drivers are not required to provide car seats or “special equipment” for passengers.

In turn, the passengers hiring the car are not required to have their child in a car seat because one does not exist in the hired vehicle. Having taken some hair-raising taxi rides right here at home and around the world, however, I don’t encourage anyone to jump into taxis driven by complete strangers without any type of restraint for their babies and small children.

While I’ve heard conflicting information, Lyft and Uber officially wash their hands of any responsibility for their drivers providing service to people with car seat-aged children who do not have proper car seats or boosters of their own. Rideshare services remain in that nebulous sphere of independent contractors (for now) with personal vehicles, though they provide service similar to taxis.

At time of writing, the Uber.com site advises, “drivers can cancel a trip if proper restraints aren’t available for every rider or if they feel uncomfortable with a rider installing a car seat in their car.” They recommend calling your driver in advance to alert them if you’ll need to install a car seat in their vehicle.

At the same time, Lyft states: “We’re happy to give kids a ride as well as adults as long as your children have the proper car seats that fit legal requirements in your state and city. Plan on providing your own car seat for children that require one.”

Here are some better solutions that might work for your family.

Better Solutions to Traveling without a Car Seat in Taxis

Find a Private Car Service with Car Seats

You may be able to find a private car service that will provide car seats, however. You can see some examples in New York City Taxi Services with Car Seats and this post about My Recommended Paris Airport Shuttle Providing Car Seats and Boosters. In addition, Uber Car Seat is a service currently offered in New York City (but the Uber website states this is only NYC at time of writing–though a couple of moms I know have used it in the past year in Orlando–reaching out for official statement).

Get an Easy Traveling Car Seat — or Accessories that Ease Your Way

If you’re looking for a car seat that’s ideal for travel, you can see some recommended infant car seats for travel as well as recommended convertible car seats for travel with older babies and toddlers. The Pico WAYB folding car seat can also be used in both airplanes AND cars, and it’s quick and easy to install in taxis.

You’ll find more tips and products for easing travel with a car seat in Seven Easy Ways to Get Your Car Seat to the Gate and our recommended Car Seat Travel Bags and Carriers (and more helpful links at the end of this post).

Consider these Car Seat Alternatives for Travel

Even when car seats are impractical or impossible to take along (a day of sightseeing, only one round-trip from the airport or train station) there are other alternatives that are far safer than traveling with no car seat at all. I have a list of some helpful suggestions for car seat alternatives for travelers online including the travel-friendly RideSafer travel vest for kids.

Rent a Car Seat at Your Destination

If you’ll only need a car seat at your destination, but won’t have the option of renting one with a rental car, look for a baby gear rental agency where you’re headed (see our Worldwide Directory of Baby Gear Rentals). Some will even meet you at an airport with the right car seat or booster for your child, along with any other baby gear you might want to rent for your trip.

And don’t miss the extra links to posts below, which may also help!

You might also like:

Five Things You Should Know Before Flying with Car Seats

Best Infant Car Seats for Travel

Review of the WAYB Pico folding car seat

Best Travel Strollers Compared

Car Seat Travel Bags and Carriers

Best Convertible Car Seats for Travel

Car Seat Alternatives for Travel

Review of CARES Flight Safety Harness for Children 1 Year+

How to Plan Your Best Vacation with Baby

Need to Know: Flying American Airlines with a Baby or Toddler

Review of the Bubble Bum Inflatable Safety Booster

Worldwide Directory of Baby Gear Rentals

Note: An earlier version of this post was first published as Travels with Baby Tip #21: Car Seats in Taxis on February 10, 2008.

Have you subscribed to Travels with Baby Tips?

Safe journeys,

Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks

Twitter     Facebook     Travels with Baby on Facebook     Pinterest

Curious about this content? See my editorial content disclosure.

Questions addressed in this post: How can I get a cab with a car seat? Do any taxis provide car seats? Are taxis required to provide booster seats for kids?

The post Car Seats in Taxis and What You Need to Know appeared first on Travels With Baby.

I’ve found that traveling with a virtually flat LED nightlight like this to be a real sanity–and potentially-stubbed toe-saver. It also helps the kids settle down a little faster when we don’t need the bright lights on up to the very last moment that everyone is in bed. And because there are enough things to remember to pack for our family of five already, I try to always keep it in my travel toiletry kit in between trips. It takes up almost no space there and, unlike many other night lights, there is no glass light bulb to break as I sit on my suitcase stuffed with souvenirs.

These eMotionlite travel night lights are designed to be easy on the eyes (10 lumens of 2700K, warm white) and just bright enough to be helpful but not disturb sleep (affiliate link – thanks for supporting this site!). They offer up to 50,000 hours of use and automatically shut off when they sense daylight.

Of course, if I happen to stay at the hotel ahead of your visit, there is a small chance there might actually be a night light awaiting you–I have been known to accidentally leave them behind now and then. For that reason, I recommend getting a pack of two or more so you’ll have a back up ready to go.

Click here to browse more Pack This! recommendations and, as always, you can head to the Travel Gear & Products section to find my recently recommended travel strollers, travel beds, and other gear travel with babies and young children.

Previous post: Five Tips for Travel During Potty Training

Have you subscribed to Travels with Baby Tips?

More tips and advice are on the way! For help for planning travel with a baby–or toddler or preschooler, order or download your copy of the award-winning Travels with Baby: The Ultimate Guide for Planning Travel with Your Baby, Toddler, and Preschooler.

Have you seen the latest features at our sister site, Family Travel 411?

The 411 on NYC with Kids

The 411 on Oregon’s Bend with Kids

Ten Ways to Live Like a Local Family During Travel

The 411 on Nice, France, with Kids

The 411 on Guatemala’s Lake Atitlán with Kids

Safe journeys,

Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks

Twitter     Facebook     Travels with Baby on Facebook     Pinterest

What?! Your kids aren’t babies anymore? Head over to Family Travel 411

Curious about this content? See my editorial content disclosure.

The post Pack This! The flat, easy-packing travel night light appeared first on Travels With Baby.

I was chatting with a mom just the other day and, before I knew it, I’d come out with at least 3 reasons I loved to use a Halo Sleepsack during travel with a baby-through-early-toddler. Here’s the top one.

You might already know it as a safe solution to blankets for back-sleeping babies, but during travel, when cribs can be smaller than yours at home and resort rooms tiled to potentially painful perfection, he won’t be able to clear the rail of the travel crib before you rise and shine. And if he’s old enough to get curious about the zipper, you can always put it on with the zipper in the back to give you more lead time.

Plus, instead of leaving it up to the hotel to decide which detergents will be on blankets right next to her skin (especially in hot weather when just a cotton blanket will do), you’ll have your trusty Sleepsack laundered with your own familiar detergent at home.

Halo Sleepsacks are available in fabrics for every season, from light cotton for summer vacation snoozes to cozy fleece for a long winter’s nap. Sizes range from Preemie to XL, which can fit some children up to 36 lbs.

TIP: I recommend ordering a size larger for longevity and packing two for each trip so you’ll have a backup if needed while the other drips dry after a sink washing (the fleece dries especially fast).

Click here to see all available Sleepsack Sizes and Colors at Amazon. Do you use a Halo Sleepsack at home? Have you taken yours on a trip yet?

Related posts and pages:

Best Baby & Toddler Travel Beds and Sleeping Solutions

Safety & Childproofing Products for Travel

Ask Shelly: How to help a baby adjust to a 9-hour time change?

See all Pack This! recommendations from Travels with Baby

Safe journeys,

Shelly Rivoli, author of the award-winning Travels with Baby guidebooks

Twitter     Facebook     Travels with Baby on Facebook     Pinterest

PSSST! Have you seen my new blog yet? Visit FamilyTravel411.com

Curious about this content? See my editorial content disclosure.

The post Pack This! Halo Sleepsack for safer, saner travel with a baby appeared first on Travels With Baby.