List: 9 lessons learned from traveling with a twenty-month old.

1 . Packing
If you bring a car seat, purchase a bag for protection.

2. Pre- Flight
Dress your little one for maximum cuteness as you will need public support during tantrums. It also could spark a playmate from the seat behind you. Pack favorite snacks in bulk. Please note that security will ask you to remove water and milk form your bottles.

3. The Flight
4.5 hours in a chair with a foot of leg room is challenging for most adults. After the glow of boarding a plane subsides you will need to bring out toys in 20 minute intervals. Generally toys with easy to clean surfaces work best. We brought an Etch a sketch, stickers and an ipod loaded with photos and Sesame Street Video Podcasts. Things to avoid: Balls, rubbery/sticky toys. We did not bring a laptop, but it the power of an Elmo’s World DVD would have been a huge help.

4. First Day
Don’t plan anything. Keep expectations low and keep your cool. Our toddler was at her limit as we secured a rental car. Ask for directions and get a good map. Being lost, tired and hungry is a bad combination.

5. Sleeping in a Hotel
Try to book double beds, unless your little one is an ace at sleeping with you. Push the bed against a wall, and then secure the other side with sheets and pillows. Pack n’ Plays work well too.

6. Exploring
Don’t expect to blaze through a hiking trail or whip through the streets to find a restaurant that Lonely Planet recommended. This is at a toddler’s pace. There are bugs to pick up and pigeons to run after. Take is slow and watch your little one explore.

7. Dining Out
Pick a baby-friendly place. Approved places include cafés, coffee shops, Mexican places and pizzerias. Peek in to see if they have a high chair before sitting down. Bring the toys from your flight over as pre-food entertainment. You can also try sitting next to other kids, although this can backfire.

8. Travel Days
Now that you are settled and know where everything is, it is time to do it all over again. Use the nap to your advantage; time it to hit during your departure. Our toddler usually woke up hungry so plan to purchase food on the way.

9. Best Practices
Getting your child to a restaurant three times a day can really cut into your day and budget. A better alternative is to reserve a room with a kitchen for a week; buy groceries then take day trips. This pace will be closer to what you had at home.

We hope these lessons help ease the bumps as you take your show on the road. It can be a lot of work, but it is well worth it.