Let me start by saying that I’m pretty anti-technology. If I had my way, we wouldn’t even have a TV. But, alas, this is the 21st Century and we use technology every day. In fact, it can be pretty useful. One of those times when technology is exceptionally useful is when we’re travelling. One example is how easy it is, now, to remedy being lost if you have a smart phone. How did we ever live without Google Maps and GPS? Another is the amazing apps that now make keeping an antsy toddler or emotional baby occupied on a long flight or road trip while possibly even teaching them something. Ditch your guilt and download these baby and toddler travel apps and enjoy a summer full of happy family adventures.

How do you survive travel time with your tot? Share what’s worked for you with the MMC! 

Endless Alphabet/Numbers/Reader – Some say these apps have limited content, contrary to their names, but they’re great for mixing things up on a long trip and the visuals are really cute. That counts for something, right?! The games are actually super smart and try to teach your kids pretty detailed information. So, if your kiddo has a majorly short attention span, this could be a flop.

Wonderkind Series – These are fun themed hide and seek games that teach vocabulary, patience and critical thinking skills. Kids explore the airport, a farm or a firefighter’s world.

Sago Sago Series (iTunes only. If you have an android, try: Kapu Forest) – These are all really, really cute and well designed games. The Sago Sago series lets kids be in charge of lots of different adventures including a road trip, a musical journey, and exploring fairy tales. Kapu Forest has tots exploring the forest to meet all of the creatures who live there. Catch bugs, feed birds and have no fear of it ever ending. There are no time limits and no rules = no tantrums. Yes!

Fisher Price “Laugh & Learn” Series – These apps were created to excite babies with the magic of cause and effect so expect lots of tapping and swiping! One of my favorites is Let’s Go to the Farm because it’s full of cute animal sounds, names and numbers.

Other Low-Tech Travel Distractions:

• Small Opaque Box with a Lid: put things inside, take them out, put them back in, rinse, repeat.
• Empty Water or Soda Bottle: let your munchkin attempt to put the cap on and take it off. It might be helpful to poke a hole through the lid and attach a piece of twine to it and tie it around the bottle neck. That way, the lid won’t get dropped and/or go missing every 5 seconds.
• In-Flight Freebies: that make for busy babies and toddlers like magazines, cups, crinkly pretzel bags.