Traveling with twins? Roadtripping with rowdy siblings?

We know you’re scared, and the kids can smell your fear.

Put on your #MomBoss shirt and get your game face on though, ‘cause you’re doing this thing, and I promise — it’s not as scary as you think it’s going to be.

Traveling with more than one kid can be crazy, but I promise, you can do this, and with a little planning, you can do it like a pro. Here are a few ways to survive and thrive with little on the road, in the sky, or at your in-laws.

#1 — Simplify Your Packing

 

 

More kids inevitably equal more stuff but trim it down where you can. Double up on the essentials, like diapers and changes of clothes for the travel itself, but have a laundry plan in place for when you arrive to cut down on the volume of clothes, diapers, and burp cloths you actually need to take with you.

 

#2 — Don’t Mess Around — Get the Double Stroller

 

If you have two (or even three) kids, don’t even bother with bringing the single stroller. It’s nice, it’s helpful, but ultimately you’ll still have one big thing on wheels, and one mobile kid that could give you a run for your money at any time. Get a double stroller that has a major capacity (we’re talking ability to double as a luggage cart), but folds down easily for the gate check and rental car.

#3 — Combine Your Car Seat and Stroller

 

 

Bring a stroller, you say? If you’re bringing your car seat, that concept might be making your head spin a bit. Take a chill pill, mama — there are car seat adapters for SO MANY strollers.

If you have a car seat that’s compatible with your stroller you won’t even have to worry about how you’re going to carry the car seat while pushing a stroller through an airport terminal.

#4 — Gate Check Your Stroller

 

And finally, did you know you can gate-check your stroller and car seat for free? Check your airline’s regulations before you get too comfy, but most will allow you to leave your stroller with the flight attendant at the front of the plane, and grab it on the way out.

NOTE: Those things don’t transfer to connecting flights on their own. If you gate-check something, make SURE you pick it up on your way out.

#5 — Stick to Your Sleep Schedule

Nothing compounds travel troubles like overtired kids. Unless the time difference is major or the trip is particularly long, don’t even bother adjusting the kids’ sleep schedules — just stick to ‘em.

Plan ahead for quiet spaces to nap, and make it clear to friends and family that hell hath no fury like a toddler who hasn’t napped — socializing will have to wait.

#6 — Avoid Processed Sugar and Dyes

That being said, nothing crashes a party like a sugar crash in a toddler, so make sure to keep processed sugar and those pesky artificial colors down to a minimum.

My real-world advice? Save it for those moments when you need a major bargaining chip with the kids to survive the last leg of your journey.

#7 — Spring for Separate Seats

If you’re flying with children under two, you’ll have the option with many airlines to either have a lap infant or purchase them a separate seat.

If you have one tiny adorable velcro baby, the lap baby policy is pretty doable, but with more than one, you need the mobility you just can’t get in a cramped space with a baby in your lap. Get everyone their own seats, and save your own sanity in advance.

#8 — Strap ‘Em Down

Okay, that sounds bad.

The reality is though that on a plane, the very last thing you want to do it be the parent running up the aisle after one kid as another darts into first class. Even when the seat belt light is off, keep your kids buckled in, and make escaping from you just a tiny bit more difficult for them.

#9 — Make Toys Easy to Keep Track Of

 

Okay, you’re smart, so you probably know by now that things like crayons, Legos, and Shopkins have no place on a plane. If it’s tiny, has many pieces, and can damage public property – leave it at home.

Magna Doodles and the Water WOW! Books by Melissa and Doug are great, no-mess options for little artists and quiet books can be a great sensory and learning experience for toddlers and babies alike.

#10 — Give Every Kid Their Own Travel Bag

When it comes to packing for travel with multiples, one thing makes life a heck of a lot easier: giving each kid their own bag with their own stuff. It doesn’t have to be big, and it doesn’t have to hold a lot, but it’ll involve a lot less digging for things later on.

If you’re flying, bring these bags with you as your carryons, and check everything else.

#11 — When You’re Outnumbered, Babywear

Being outnumbered by children during travel is terrifying. If you have more kids than you do places on a stroller, get a baby carrier, and wear one while you push the others.

#12 — Get the Big Room

With multiple kids, there are plenty of times to cut costs and save money, but deciding where and how you’ll be sleeping over the course of a trip is not one of them.

Spring for the big room, every time. More beds, more floor space, more sanity.

If you have more kids than beds, bring along some travel beds, or ask the hotel about using a playpen or crib while you’re there. Many keep them on hand for families and are happy to bring one to your room.

#13 — Use a Light Travel Car Seat

If you’re bringing a car seat, there’s no need to make it the aluminum-framed beast you keep in your car all the time. Get something safe, affordable, and lightweight just for travel, and save yourself the one-sided hobble through the airport with your kid’s 40 lb. seat.

#14 — Have a Plan for Layovers

Layovers can be a great way to get the kids some exercise between connecting flights, but without a plan, you’re asking for trouble.

Before you head out, take a look at the airport’s website and get a sense of what amenities are going to be available. Playgrounds are a huge plus, trams provide endless entertainment, and knowing where the toy stores are in advance will allow you to use them as leverage, or pretend they don’t exist — your choice.

BREATHE — You Can Do This

 

Traveling with any number of children is daunting, but when they start outnumbering your arms, that’s when things get scary.

Take a deep breath, plan what you can, and go into it with the spirit of a cowboy about to ride a bull — it’s going to be a wild ride, but you can survive this thing.

 

What hacks do you have for surviving travel with multiple littles? Tell us in the comments below!