Tomorrow, I fly home with my 3 kids (ages 7,5,3) so today I pack their travel bags, so I start to questions, “Should kids carry bags when traveling?”
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Do you give your kids bags to carry through security, the airport and onto the plane?
When my kids were younger I never let them carry their own bag! It would just become another thing for me to tote around a keep track of. Kids carrying bags through our travels felt like such a burden.
After preaching this philosophy until I was blue in the face, my kids grew up a little. And now I’m changing my tune. I use to pride myself in carrying only 1 backpack and 1 carry-on, but now I’ve joined the circus of tons of luggage. It definitely has its advantages.
Pros to carrying their own bags?
When my kids carry bags, it allows them to determine when to play with which toy. The three kids tote around three separate bags and have the freedom to get into it at will on the plane. They don’t have to ask me for every toy, treat and thing once on the plane. Teaching responsibility carrying bags through the airport and on and off the plane is part of the process.
They also love feeling the same as all the travelers around them. Kids are the best at imitation play and carrying a backpack helps them feel this.
Being ‘weighed down’ can actually be very helpful for my ADD kiddo who is usually bouncing off the walls. Having weight to balance and carry helps him to stay grounded in our walk through the airport.
Cons to carrying their own bag?
Having multiple bags to get through security and on and off a plane can be cumbersome.
Kids get tired! They don’t want to hold the back the entire time walking or waiting. This means all their backpacks will become YOUR backpack. If you are already feeling weighed down with luggage, you don’t want to juggle extras .
Sometimes kids fall asleep asleep on flights. Now you have to get all the backpacks, carseats AND sleeping kids off the plane.
When kids carry their own bag, they can open it whenever they want. This means stopping in the middle of traffic or the jet bridge right when having 64 crayons on the floor might not be convenient. We have rules that they can’t open the bag until we are on the plane (or we have a long wait at the airport.)
Kids forget!
They take things out and don’t put them back. We have had the sad experience of a few lost items. The forget the bag completely. And heaven forbid you get distracted and forget to get their bag they will be devastated.
So sometimes I let them carry a bag. Usually on trips where the flight is long, or we will be sitting apart. Or when my luggage load is manageable. Usually, I bring one common Family backpack and carry it for everyone.
My current Travel Bag Contents
My kids carry bags that contain stuff to use on the plane, in the airport, in the car and in the hotel. This means it is little items they love that we don’t care if it gets lost.
- Tablet &Headphones
- Coloring/activity book & crayons/ colored pencils (in wipes containers)
- baggies of snacks (pretzels, fish, cereal, fruit snacks, apples, bagels, and veggie straws are the most common) & an empty disposable cup with lid like this
- Magnetic builders
- Travel games Card games (Uno,matching & pictureka) (These are used for the hotel and airports mostly)
- Softback Book for reading (usually from our kids meals at Chick-fil-a)
- An action figure/Barbie/my little pony from the dollar store
- A small container of playdoh
- Sheets of stickers
- Chapstick, lotion &sanitizer(my 3 year old loves these)
Amazon store for my travel bags
I also throw in other odds and ends from my travel box that I constantly stock with little activities, games, or knick-knacks from carnivals, parties, happy meals, etc. I’m a mean mom and I take away items they get before they can play/get bored of them and put them in my travel box. Most trips, I trade out the toys and games so there is always something new for entertainment.
The tablets, snacks, and coloring items are always present.
TIP: MAKE SURE THE TABLETS ARE CHARGED! Throw in a USB charger with both the AC adapter charger and a plug because many planes have a few AC plug-ins under the seats. If you look at the seat letters for a lightning symbol, that means there is a plugin under the seat.
How much Stuff do you bring?
This photo is on Christmas day when we flew 2 layovers in order to get home. I let the kids bring all their loot so they were VERY entertained. Traveling through the airport (2 securities!!) was stressful and I was worried about losing all of their new items. Yes, airport security let the kids through in a leotard, a swimsuit or even barefoot.
Should Kids carry bags when traveling? As they get older, I’m giving them more opportunities to carry their own luggage.
Here is the method of packing I use for our big family that has been fine-tuned through multiple trips.
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