How to enjoy travelling with a toddler (kind of)

Hey friends!

We travelled with our 17mo toddler on a big family trip (big as in 7 adults + 1 toddler) to China back in May! We went to Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Foshan.

Note: We were going to stay with my dad who has housing there, so i was able to order stuff from Taobao to his address beforehand :)

We also rented a van so we all would fit in one vehicle (+ our barang barang) since we were travelling across 3 different cities and accommodations.

We also didn’t plan the trip around toddler-friendly activities, but more of family-friendly ones that would be suitable for all of us (age range of 1-70+).

Here are some things we did that made life easier and the trip more enjoyable :)

1. Buying diapers locally (we ordered on TB) - also much cheaper! But there is a risk of the brand/type potentially not being suitable if it’s not the usual one you use. The one we got ended up being just okay, but good enough for the trip imo!

2. Snacks and drinks - got baby-friendly snacks and soy milk packets for baby so we could keep her “entertained” on the go 😛 The snacks really helped during the long car rides since we don’t give screen time and we can’t let her move around in the car (she gets real antsy after a while)

Also, the variety of healthy baby snacks is HUGE on Taobao! love it!

3. Bring toys and books - this one we probably should have planned out better; a busy book, fidget toys and sensory toys would probably work best, depending on your toddler! We brought little toys (toy cars, random toys) that she couldn’t really play without a surface and it just ended up quite messy haha 😅

4. Get water at restaurants - because we were travelling in a group, we didn’t always go to places that have accessible nursing rooms with water dispensers, so it’s a good idea to get hot/warm water from restaurants/cafes whenever you can! They are generally very helpful with this :)

5. Divide and conquer during mealtimes - sitting down with the family to eat is usually enjoyable for me (i love to just sit and eat and talk) but not for a 1yo toddler lol. Halfway through every meal she will want to walk around (WITH SOMEONE, usually me or the husband) so it’s best to take turns to eat.

6. Buffet restaurants - we went to a couple of vegetarian buffet restaurants while we were there, and they had things like plain rice, millet porridge, mantou etc that are suitable for baby (yay!). Bonus: we got to boil veggies, tofu and mushrooms for her when we were at one of the restaurants that has hotpot on top of the usual buffet spread. (However, these restaurants also don’t seem to have baby chairs, so we got to be taking turns to feed her/eat)

7. Plan to go to just 1-2 spots each day - going about with a young toddler is no easy feat, because they are curious, they take smaller steps (slower than all of us) and demand to be carried and put down every few steps lol. On top of that, i was pregnant and our 70+yo grandma and i got tired easily. Having a loose itinerary is more forgiving, and allows flexibility and room for any hiccups (like a sudden poopy or leaky diaper, or a change in weather)

That said, one of the evenings after dinner, I was so ready to go home but then we decided to head to the fisherman’s wharf where there was a night market and pretty night view + seaside vibes (think fairy lights, lighthouse, nice breeze…). The adults (older ones hehe, we are all adults now huhu) volunteered to look after our toddler while getting a cuppa at a cafe so we had the time and space to go enjoy our walk (and bubble tea! oh yesssss $3+ for a large cup of Heytea - yes please!!!)

8. Check if the place you’re visiting is stroller-friendly - otherwise, make sure there are musclemen around to help, or take turns to be by the stroller (lol). Generally the places we went were relatively stroller-friendly (and wheelchair-accessible), except Xi Qiao Shan (where there was a gigantic Goddess of Mercy statue and many many flights of stairs leading up to Her)

9. Make sure the accommodation has enough toilets (!) - this one was quite important to us, since showering a toddler is challenging as it is… Best if you can be in a room with attached toilet. We stayed in whole apartments with multiple rooms, so that we can all be in the same space for breakfast etc, but a hotel room would be good too! We made sure to book accommodation with at least 3 toilets for the 8 of us. (Just imagine if 8 of us have to take turns to use 1 toilet… *shudder)

10. Make sure to keep an eye on your toddler! - certain places we went were so crowded and i imagine it would be easy to get lost from the main party if one weren’t paying enough attention. Especially having watched documentaries/videos about abduction and human trafficking… oof better just keep them close and safe.

11. Forget about sticking to a strict bedtime - honestly this was what i struggled with the most, because I was so fearful of the repercussions when we went home… but in the grander scheme of things, it doesn’t matter that much. Making memories as a family > short term changes in routine for me!

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of course if we had full autonomy over the itinerary, or if it were just us going on the trip, we would definitely do things quite differently, but we took the backseat and were passenger princes and princesses during the trip who happily followed along (making suggestions when needed).

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I hope these pointers are helpful in one way or another (or interesting at the very least hehe)! Ngl, we were sooo tired (my husband and i) by the end of the trip because her bedtime routine was so messed up and she had night terrors (? waking up in the middle of the night inconsolably crying). BUT it was so worth it because we got to spend lots of quality time with family who we don’t always see (because they live abroad).

With another new member in the family, i’m also not sure when we will be able to do this again, but am definitely looking forward to the next trip!

Do you have anything else to add? :)

Random musing: Honestly, one day i suddenly thought about this: they wouldn’t remember any of these (like, we only remember stuff from 3/4yo onwards, right? At least for me)… it makes me sad in a way, but these memories will be ours to keep. Also, these experiences will shape the little people they become!

Guangzhou Shenzhen Foshan

Till next time,

Beoz

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