Europe travel with 5-year-old -- help me make a list of what I need

[Anonymous]

So, this will be DD's first overseas trip. She is generally a good traveler, but she's only been tested to about three hours. First leg of the trip is overnight, so I'm hoping she will sleep some. We are staying about 9 days in December.

Beyond snacks and an extra change of clothes in the carry-on, what else do I need to have with me? Do I need a sleep pillow/blanket?

I'll have an iPad, so I'm also looking for show/app suggestions and travel toys/games/things to keep her occupied?

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Liquor.

[Anonymous]

Bad past trip, PP??

[Anonymous]

slipper socks for the plane

[Anonymous]

What time are you leaving? For overnight transatlantics, I head to the airport with plenty of lead time (might eat dinner there if the flight is, say, 9-ish. We either change into PJs at the aiport, or travel to the airport in PJs. In the kid's backpack goes 2 pairs of undies, 2 pairs of pants (one a pair of fleece sweats that can double as backup PJs), cozy sweater and a couple of t-shirts, plus spare socks. Headphones if you have them, an empty water bottle (fill after security), teddy or stuffed toy, toothbrush & toothpaste, couple of books/sticker books. Small fleece blanket if it will fit.

In my carry on, change of shirt/undies/socks, as much warm stuff as I can fit (but I freeze on planes and don't sleep if I'm cold). Empty water bottle for me, some emergency snacks (granola bars, etc).

Hidden weapons:
A new item to be passed out at the gate (or some other strategic time) -- sticker book or other absorbing item that doesn't have small lose-able pieces.
Immigration line candy. For when you get off the plane at the other end, you are exhausted and cranky, and you are facing down a 30 minute wait to have passports checked.

[Anonymous]

Good ideas, PP. We leave Dulles at 6 p.m., which I hope will work great because DD is normally in bed at 7:30. She'll be so pumped up, which will last her a couple hours, then I hope she will crash.

I've been debating on whether to get her a rolling backpack vs. a regular backpack. I want her to be able to carry it, but realistically, I guess that won't happen, esp. when she gets tired.

Coming back, we leave at 7 a.m. THAT should be a fun morning, lol

[Anonymous]

Voting for regular backpack. Rolling backpack is hard to steer through crowds, and it's extra weight if you have to carry it yourself.

I use a biggish rolling backpack for me, and if I need to sling the kid backpack over the handle, I do that.

[Anonymous]

My kids are 2 and almost 4. At this rate, I hand the almost 4 yr old her carryon, and tell her "Fill it with shit you want to play with. Then come show me."

I check to make sure she didn't put a fish in there, or food, or like, my perfume. You'll probably be doing tons of stuff during the day - my DD barely plays with any toys while we're traveling. We run them ragged and then at night they drop. It's great.