Travel Activities: Travel Tips With Baby on Board

Sooner or later, the time will come to take your baby on the road. Here's how to stay sane while traveling with your child.

Whether it's a few hours in the car or a cross-country flight, there are ways to make traveling fun (or at least tolerable) for both you and your baby (really!). Here are some family road-trip pointers:

If you're riding: Prepare carefully your bike. It is convenient that you attach wind shield in front of your bike. Do not carry the luggage over load. Always put your kids helmet and jackets. Don't push your riding too fast, stop immediately if it is rain... Safe riding, love your family.

If you're driving: Got a baby who sleeps willingly in his car seat? Then you've got it made—just plan to do the bulk of your driving during his usual snooze sessions. But if your babe tends to be an (audibly) unhappy passenger (or you must travel when he is likely to be wide awake), it's time for plan D: Distractions! If there's another adult on board take turns—one drives, one entertains the troops. Bring along some favorite music and toys, and definitely bring some new ones too; the novelty will buy you a bit of extra time. If your baby is a pacifier fan, get a tether that clips his binky to his shirt or car seat strap—that'll keep you from having to unbuckle and dive under the seats while he's screaming. Use a similar tether or set of plastic links to attach some toys to the seat, too. He might also like looking at himself in one of those lightweight, unbreakable mirrors fastened to the seat back in front of him. When it's mealtime, take a pit stop. You might lose a few minutes, but it's messy, complicated, and none too safe to juggle bottles, jars, and spoons while you're hurtling down the highway.

If you're flying: Purchase a seat for your baby if you can possibly swing it. It's safer (bring his car seat and strap it in) and often easier on Mommy and Daddy, since you'll have a safe, familiar place to stow baby instead of having a squirmy worm on your lap for the entire flight. Either way, you'll need a few favorite toys and books, a few new ones, and some snacks (or a full meal, depending on when and how long you'll be in the air). And don't forget that all-important pacifier (plus several extras), if your baby uses one (a tether comes in handy on the plane too, since it's even harder to duck down and retrieve lost items from the tiny space between your seat and your neighbor's, plus it's probably pretty gross down there). You can also improvise with what you've got: Make an airsick-bag puppet, play burp-cloth peekaboo, or count all the doggies in the Skymall catalog.