Herbie Murray
Travelling with a 2-year-old can be challenging, especially when it comes to sleep. It is important to maintain good sleep habits while travelling, as deviating from the routine can lead to the development of bad sleep habits that can be hard to break. To prevent this, parents can try to make their child's sleep environment as familiar as possible by bringing their favourite books, blankets, pillows, or comfort items. It is also helpful to run through their bedtime routine, including naps, just like at home. When it comes to where 2-year-olds should sleep when travelling, options include travel cribs, KidCo PeaPods, sofa beds, or separate hotel rooms.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Sleep space | Familiar, separate, and safe |
| Sleep habits | Consistent, confident, and independent |
| Sleep training | Two to three weeks before traveling |
| Sleep environment | Dark and quiet, with white noise |
| Sleep aids | Lovey, comfort item, pillow, blanket, bedtime books, toddler clock |
| Sleep routine | Dressing, reading, looking out windows, saying hi to the bed |
| Sleep location | Pull-out couch, sleeping bag, inflatable mattress, hotel crib, travel crib, KidCo PeaPod, Pack 'n Play |
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What You'll Learn
Pack 'n Play with a SlumberPod
When travelling with a 2-year-old, one option for their sleep arrangement is to use a Pack 'n Play with a SlumberPod. This combination provides a private and portable sleep space for your toddler, blocking out light while still allowing airflow.
The Pack 'n Play is a portable playard or playpen that can be used as a travel crib for toddlers. It offers a familiar and contained space for your child to sleep in when away from home. While Pack 'n Plays are convenient and widely used, there may be concerns about their safety and maintenance history when using those provided by hotels or accommodation services. In such cases, it may be preferable to bring your own Pack 'n Play or similar product when travelling.
The SlumberPod is a blackout sleep tent that can be used in conjunction with a Pack 'n Play. It is designed to fit easily over most Pack 'n Play models, as well as mini cribs, toddler cots, and inflatable toddler mattresses. The SlumberPod's breathable fabric blocks 95% of light, allowing your toddler to sleep soundly even in a shared room. It includes adjustable ventilation panels and a convenient monitor pocket to keep an eye on your child.
The combination of a Pack 'n Play and SlumberPod provides a familiar and private sleep environment for your 2-year-old while travelling. It allows you to maintain your child's sleep routine and creates a cosy space for them to rest, even in new surroundings. Additionally, the SlumberPod's compact design makes it easy to pack and carry during travel, ensuring a good night's sleep for both you and your toddler.
Overall, the Pack 'n Play with a SlumberPod is a recommended solution for families travelling with toddlers. It offers a safe and comfortable sleep space, providing peace of mind for parents and a restful night's sleep for everyone.
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KidCo PeaPod
The PeaPod includes a removable Micro-Lite sleeping pad that provides comfortable cushioning and is easy to clean. The tent is made with UV protection to shield your child from the sun, mesh to keep insects out, and anchor straps to keep it secure outdoors. It also features a protective cover that shields your child from the elements while allowing for ample airflow.
The PeaPod is easy to set up and spacious inside, with plenty of room for your child to move and play. It is also stylish, coming in colours like Cranberry and Midnight. The regular-sized PeaPod fits children from 1-3 years, while the Plus model fits children up to 5 years old.
The PeaPod is a great option for travelling, especially air travel, as it folds up compactly and fits easily into a suitcase or stroller travel bag. It is also very affordable compared to other travel playpens, making it a popular choice for parents looking for a safe and comfortable sleeping solution for their toddlers when travelling.
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Sofa beds
When booking accommodation, look for hotels that offer rooms with sofa beds or suites with separate bedrooms and living rooms. This will give you more flexibility in terms of sleeping arrangements. Some hotels also offer rooms with two queen or double beds, allowing the adults to sleep separately from the children.
If you're travelling with more than one child, you might need to consider other options as sofa beds might not be big enough for multiple children to share. Inflatable beds or travel cribs could be a good alternative in this case.
When it comes to specific products, the Guava Lotus Everywhere Travel Crib is highly portable, easy to assemble and disassemble, and comes with a backpack-style carrying case. For inflatable options, the hiccapop Inflatable Toddler Mattress and Huganino Inflatable Toddler Bed are sturdy choices. The Funboy inflatable bed also comes in cute designs that are perfect for slumber parties.
While sofa beds are a convenient option, it's important to consider the safety and comfort of your child, as well as your own preferences and the specifics of your travel situation.
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Separate hotel rooms
When travelling with a 2-year-old, one of the biggest concerns for parents is how to share a hotel room without disrupting their child's sleep or requiring the whole family to go to bed at the same time.
If your budget allows, booking a hotel room with separate bedrooms can make a significant difference to the overall quality of your trip. If this is not an option, there are other ways to create separate sleeping spaces. For example, you can use the furniture in the room to create small rooms. If there are two bathrooms, you can put a crib in one of them. If not, you can tuck the crib halfway into a closet with the doors open or place it behind a desk or a chair. You can also hang a curtain to create some visual separation. If the hotel room has a quiet nook, you can ask the front desk to put you in that room so you can tuck the crib there.
If you are travelling with another adult, you can also book an adjoining room. This way, there will be one room for the kids and one for the adults, allowing you to close the door to the kids' room and have some time to yourself.
If you are unable to book separate rooms or create separate sleeping spaces, you can still make the trip work by sticking to your child's bedtime routine and including the same steps, in the same order, just like you would at home. If your child sleeps with a lovey or a special blanket, make sure to bring these items with you. If your child has a sound machine, pack it! If your bedtime routine starts with reading stories, bring some books with you. If your child sleeps in their own bed at home, they should sleep in their own bed in the hotel.
If you have 2-4 weeks before your vacation, it might be a good idea to start teaching your child to be a champion sleeper. This will make travelling much easier.
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Maintaining sleep habits
Travelling with a 2-year-old can be challenging, especially when it comes to maintaining their sleep habits. Here are some tips to help your toddler maintain their sleep habits while travelling:
Establish Good Sleep Habits Before Travelling:
If you have the time, consider sleep training your toddler before your trip. This will help them become confident and independent sleepers, making it easier for them to adapt to new sleeping environments. Aim for a sleep training plan of around three weeks if your child is a toddler.
Create a Familiar Sleep Environment:
Toddlers thrive on familiarity, so try to make their sleep space as similar to their home environment as possible. Bring their favourite comfort items, such as a lovey, sleep sack, pillow, or blanket. If they use a toddler clock or have specific bedtime books, pack those too. If your child sleeps in complete darkness at home, consider bringing blackout blinds or using foil and painter's tape to cover windows. White noise machines can also help replicate the sleep environment your child is used to.
Maintain Bedtime Routines:
Stick to your toddler's regular bedtime routines as much as possible. This includes activities such as reading bedtime stories, getting dressed for bed, and brushing teeth. If your child is sharing a room with you, create a separate sleep space for them within the room, just like they have at home.
Choose Suitable Sleeping Arrangements:
If your toddler is still in a crib, consider bringing a travel crib or using a pack-and-play with a slumber pod. Some toddlers may be ready for a sofa bed or a real bed, but ensure the bed is safe and has bed rails to prevent falls. If you're staying in a hotel, you can request a room with a sofa bed or multiple beds to accommodate everyone comfortably.
Set Clear Boundaries:
Maintain the same sleep boundaries you have at home. If your child sleeps independently at home, encourage them to do the same while travelling. Avoid starting any bad sleep habits, such as co-sleeping, as it can become challenging to revert to independent sleeping once the trip is over.
Remember, it's okay if sleep doesn't go perfectly while travelling. With consistency and patience, your toddler should be able to maintain their healthy sleep habits overall.
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Frequently asked questions
It is important to maintain your child's sleep routine and habits as much as possible when travelling. Bring their favourite comfort items, such as a lovey, pillow, blanket, or bedtime books. If they use a toddler clock, don't forget to pack it! Stick to their bedtime routine and create a familiar environment in the new space. If your child sleeps independently at home, encourage them to do the same while travelling.
If your 2-year-old is still using a crib, consider bringing a travel crib or renting one from the hotel. You can also use a Pack 'n Play, which is a portable playpen that can double as a crib. Another option is the KidCo PeaPod, which is a compact pop-up tent with a thin mattress. If your child is too big for a crib, a pull-out couch or a sofa bed can be a good option, providing a separate sleeping space for them.
If you are sharing a room with your child, you can create a separate sleep space by using a pull-out couch, a sleeping bag and pillows, or a travel crib with a SlumberPod, which is a blackout tent that blocks out light and creates privacy. You can also bring foil and painter's tape to cover windows and create darkness, or use Gro-Anywhere Blinds, which are suction-cup blackout blinds.
Before travelling, it is beneficial to establish good sleep habits and routines. Sleep training can be helpful to ensure your child is a confident and independent sleeper. If possible, try to maintain their sleep schedule and routine while travelling. If their sleep routine is disrupted, get them back on track as soon as you return home.
