Traveling alone with 2 little kids- what luggage would you bring?
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Anonymous
| 2 carryon luggage’s that are easy to push, especially for your 7 year old. A bookbag for you and 7 year old. 1 umbrella stroller. The carryon luggage’s should be plenty considering you have an in unit laundry. Don’t over pack the backpacks in case you bring stuff back. |
Anonymous
| One carryon and one backpack that can also attach to the top of the carryon. That is literally all you need for yourself and two kids combined. You have a washer and dryer there. 3 outfits each and two pajamas each. I would invest in a stroller but only you know your kid. My 4 year old was annoying whiny and slow to walk. A lot easier to strap him down and go. |
Anonymous
| This is absolutely doable if you’re a good packer, and your kids will have a marvelous time! Here’s what I would do. For you, a roller/spinner suitcase and weekender bag wirh luggage sleeve like this one: https://www.loandsons.com/products/catalina-deluxe-600d-recycled-poly-deep-navy. You can keep a smaller purse inside it. For each kid, as big a backpack as they can carry. No stroller. |
Anonymous
| Strollers are free to check. If you have a large stroller bag, you can fit some other stuff in there when it’s checked, just make sure it’s all lightweight stuff. |
Anonymous
When DS was 4 he could pretty reliably manage his kid sized roller that was probably half the size of an adult one. Even though he's been traveling regularly since he was 6 months old, I cannot picture him managing that at 2. At least not in any way that would have made any sense. Maybe he could have pushed it from the car into Grandma's house. Certainly not around an airport. |
Anonymous
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Two carry-ons and backpacks for all.
If you're looking to purchase new bags, I love this Samsonite carry-on b/c it has a luggage strap on the back so it can be stacked on top of another carry-on, which is especially nice when kids get tired, it's crowded, etc. https://a.co/d/dePEQU4 For air travel with kids, I also love, love, love this bag: https://tobiqtravel.com/products/the-colorado-tiny-tobiq-30l It makes it so much easier to find things on the plane. I do one compartment for snacks, another for toys, another for extra set of clothes for the kids, and another for small toiletries, baby wipes, headphones, my stuff etc. I've used it as my personal item to Europe a bunch of times. |
Anonymous
Have you been to Paris? Even with these "limitations" as you infer, OP/kids will have a marvelous time and ABSOLUTELY feel like they're in Paris, not back home. Parks, gardens, grocery shopping/cooking in a Paris flat is EXTREMELY different to doing all those things in the US. |
Anonymous
Agree with most of PP, but I would take the bus over the metro. The bus system is clean, reliable and very safe. It's an excellent, cheap way to see the city without all the walking. |
Anonymous
My five year old rides through airports on a normal 4 wheel carryon. No need to purchase anything fancy for that. |
Anonymous
| 1 carry on if you’re sure your 7 year old would help ( in case you have to carry or push stroller for your 4 year old, and has a hand to hold your 7 year old, or child wrist leash), plus 2 regular sized backpack ( jansport big student backpack or high sierra loop backpack etc), for your and your 7 yo, a smaller one for your 4yo, and your crossbody bag purse. If you need more than 1 carry on, get something to connect like https://a.co/d/aGnPiv8 , I used when I carry my baby plus 4 checked luggage. I would also suggest duck tape, in the worse case you can seal your carryon without needing a scissor or nail clipper. Put all liquid and batteries in your purse, wear a safety pouch under your clothes for passport/wallet, plus cell phone lanyard. |
Anonymous
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I haven't read the entire thread but I went to Portugal solo with my 7 y/o and 4 y/o.
We each had a backpack: I had a big one with a basic change of clothes for each of us, secret snack stash, refillable water bottle, meds (including dramamine for them, to help sleep on the redeye over if nothing else), notepad and pens, my makeup bag/toiletries, socks, flip-flops, whatever else I needed access to in transit or if checked bag got lost. I could additionally stuff my purse in here if/when needed, so also purse contents, including passports. Their backpacks had small toys (probably Barbies and such), a couple lightweight books, coloring book/paper/crayons, a refillable water bottle each, headphones (noise-canceling set for my younger kid, which we lost at some point), a stuffed animal, chapstick, toothbrushes/toothpaste, hair brush, a pair of underwear and socks, eye masks (because they didn't believe me that they'd get some on the plane, lol). And probably other small items they smuggled in. We did check one bag, mostly because we were going to a black-tie wedding and had to schlep formal wear to Europe. We carried on the small roller they shared with their regular clothes and more smuggled kid stuff; we checked the bigger roller I took that could reasonably accommodate our dresses and shoes in addition to my regular clothes, a laundry bag, more toiletries, adapters, chargers, etc. We didn't even have a stroller at that point so it was moot, but my goal was for them to be running around and worn out anyway. Had the formal wear not been required, I would have done a smaller roller for myself and probably would have checked both if it was free. My older kid pulled their shared roller, which worked well because the 4 y/o did a lot of melting down that required me to have free hands. It was a great trip! (Even with the meltdowns, ha.) Have a great time! |
Anonymous
This! Plus I would also do one small duffle bag (carry on) that can fit on top of the roller bag when you're going through the airport and from the taxi. If your roller bag doesn't have a strap to attach a duffle, you get get them online for a few dollars. Also, I would skip the stroller - European sidewalks aren't super stroller friendly, unless you think your 4 year old will REALLY need it. |
Anonymous
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If the OP isn't open to spending $200 to check a bag, then I'm unclear why anyone is suggesting they purchase rolling luggage or anything they do not currently own. The correct and only answer is if you insist on not checking luggage, your children will put their goods in the bags they currently have that fit them and the same goes for you. There is no other way. If you're going out and purchasing new luggage for them, just check a bag instead of hoping your children will be able to manage their own luggage.
A four year old is certainly capable of wearing a toddler backpack through the airport (my DS is nearly 4 and exceptionally well-traveled so that is my frame of reference), but a rolling piece of luggage on top of a backpack may be too much for them if they are inexperienced travelers. On the question of a rolling suitcase for the 4 year old, consider if your child is given the tiny shopping cart at a grocery store, how do they handle it? If they carefully push it along and mind it at all times, maybe they're ready. If they go careening down the aisles, running into shelves and get distracted to the point of leaving it behind, they're likely not ready for a rolling suitcase. I also don't recommend a stroller, the hassle is not worth it, but be prepared to take a lot of breaks for the younger child or be prepared to throw them up on your shoulders for a ride (even more reason not to overburden a young child with more luggage than they could handle). |
Anonymous
Yes, I have been. It doesn’t change my mind. Kids these ages won’t think “how wonderful to cook in a Paris flat.” |
Anonymous
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Here is what I did as a single mom traveling with two small children.
I packed a carryon for EACH kid and just rented a trolly to carry them at the air port (about $1 or $2). The littlest kid could sit on top of the bags as we rolled along through the airport. Getting on/off the plane is a bit of a pain, but just wait for everyone to get off and then tackle it. I did as one other posted suggested and tied two of the carryon's together since the younger kid wasn't able to pull their own. Carry a backpack for yourself and little ones for the kiddos. I bought a super cheap umbrella stroller at Walmart ($15). For a four year old, they are just climbing in when they are tired. It will greatly expand your options for getting around and seeing things in Paris. Good luck and enjoy your trip. |