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Airports can be stressful with kiddos, especially during busy travel seasons. After flying countless times over 13 years with our 6 kiddos, here are some airport safety hacks we try to do each time we travel!
Before entering the airport, stop and take a quick photo of your child(ren) on that day. This way, if you ever get separated, you can quickly and easily show any airport staff or anyone else a current photo in the clothing they have on to make it easier to look for them.
Speaking of making it easy to spot your kiddos, bright colors definitely make this easier. Just like I always put my kids in the most garish colors for swimsuits, loud clothing is helpful in crowded airports, too. Matching outfits with siblings helps them stand out more, too!
I always like to keep my phone number handy with younger kids (or have my older kids memorize it) so they can contact me if they ever get separated. This can be on a little piece of paper in a pocket, with a clothing label stuck to the inside of a shirt, or, in a pinch, with a Sharpie on the inside of an arm.
It’s always a good idea to prep kids in advance for who is a good person to reach out to if they do get separated. I like to point out what airport staff look like, or point out other families with young children and remind them they can ask other parents for help if needed.
Some airports are really great about making family lines for security and boarding very clear. And others are less clear. Even if your airport doesn’t specifically share these, it’s worth popping to the front to ask if they allow families to go in front – may times they have for us!
This not only helps with wiggly little ones, but it keeps everyone safer, especially if you have a wanderer, as it keeps everyone from having to wait as long and more eyes and hands focused on the kids going through.
While I love having a backpack for a full diaper bag and to carry other essentials, I always travel with some sort of fanny pack or belt bag, as well. This makes it so much easier to access things like your phone, passport, etc., while still keeping track of kiddos instead of setting down a backpack to rifle through it. This is my very favorite belt bag that’s roomy enough for snacks, a couple diapers, and documents, and has a wet wipes pocket and fold out changing pad. (Use code PASSPORTFAM10 for 10% off.)
It’s always a good idea to have a few basic first aid items with you (here are all the first aid items we take when we travel with kids) in the event of sickness, injury, or discomfort. Still, it’s important to ensure they’re properly contained – you don’t want curious kiddos rummaging around them while you’re distracted at the airport. Keep them at the bottom of a bag, or if you have a particularly determined kiddo, you may want to consider one of these pouches that secures with a combination lock.
