The best ways to transport a preschooler in an airport

When my daughter is tired, she gets cross, whingy and un-cooperative. Not surprising as she’s only three – despite a few more decades, I get cross and tetchy when I’m tired too.

But it’s not a great combination when her body clock is telling her it’s the middle of the night, she’s only had a few hours sleep and I want her to walk along lots of airport corridors.

An elephant balanced on top of a small forklift truck - one of the few ways I haven't considered transporting a preschooler through an airport: do you choose a buggy, trunki, scooter, carrier or something else?

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Too big to really need a buggy any more but too big to be scooped up easily and carried (especially with bags), too small to walk far when sleepy… what’s the solution if you’ve got a long flight with a pre-schooler, especially with a stop in transit along the way? I asked the family travel bloggers I know for their tips – and this is what they said.

Buggy for a four-year-old

This still came out high on the list – try a cheap, lightweight umbrella stroller, even if it never gets used once you reach your destination.

Added bonuses are that kids have somewhere to sleep, it’s easy to get them in and out, and you can hang bags off the back. I’ve lost track of how many countries I took my Maclaren Volo to.

Downsides – although you can take it to the gate at the first airport, not all airlines will let you have it back in transit or at the plane door, so you could find yourself with a walk to baggage reclaim anyway.

TOP TIP: Check if the airport or airline hires buggies – Emirates was one suggestion, while Gatwick has free pushchairs to borrow… if you can find one.

Old fashioned white wicker pram or stroller on a white wooden floor - as I wade through the confusion of choosing a buggy for the baby

A hand luggage buggy

The Babyzen YoYo was one of the first on the market, folding up small enough to meet hand luggage requirements although more are starting to come out too.

If this had been around when my daughter was young, I think I’d have snapped it up – having it the second you step off the plane is worth every penny. It even reclines.

Downsides – it does cost a pretty penny, so you’d need to know you’ll use it. But as it’s small, it’s great if you do lots of car journeys too as it won’t take up the whole boot.

TOP TIP: You might find airline staff need some convincing that it will fold up small enough to be allowed on the plane, so be prepared to demonstrate.

Ride-on luggage

I don’t think I’ve been through a single airport without seeing at least one child on a Trunki – so this seemed like an obvious alternative. But I don’t think I’ve ever come across a product with such a split reaction. This is the marmite of hand luggage!

Those who loved it, simply wouldn’t be without it. One family only caught a train because the youngest could be pulled along on it, another’s kids loved pulling their own and hitching a ride when tired, yet another found it brilliant if you have more than one child.

Those who didn’t found it impractical on the flight itself, thanks to the rigid sides and relatively small space inside (plus trying to open it in cramped economy seats).

Others found you needed a nicely compliant small child who’d sit still and hold on, others still remembered bruised shins as they’re tricky to manoeuvre or having to carry them when kids got bored. Not ideal if you’ve also got to carry your child too!

TOP TIP: This is one occasion where it’s great to test it out before you go… if you can. If it works for you, you could well be travelling with it for years based on those reviews. If not, your money might be better spent on a cheap pushchair.

My daughter poses on her Maxi Micro scooter in front of a tree with pink blossom - choosing the best scooter for kids

A scooter case

With more and more pre-schoolers and primary school kids zipping around on scooters, a scooter case sounds like a great compromise.

Hand luggage on the front and they can get around under their own steam. The Zinc Flyte works as a pull-along suitcase or has a fold-out scooter, and they’re adding mini and maxi versions this year to the midi range for four to eight-year-olds.

I’m very tempted by the thought of these – so far the only things which put me off are my daughter’s slightly erratic scooting and the fact she’ll flatly refuse to scoot at all if she’s tired.

If you’ve got a foldable scooter, you could also consider just taking that and a bag such as Scooter Slingz plus their own little backpack.

Baby carrier

With a lot of baby carriers suitable for up to 15kg, such as my own Baby Bjorn One, they’re still a possible option for many pre-schoolers.

A few months off her fourth birthday, Minnie is still around 14kg for example. Other bloggers swore by their ergo carriers (up to around 20kg) using them up to four years old, or a Connecta (up to around 24kg). It’s worth checking your particular model – and how comfortable it actually is with a pre-schooler.

Downsides – you’ll need a cooperative child, and you’ll probably have to get them in and out for immigration.

Child looks out of a baby carrier on his mother's back outdoors - can you still use a baby carrier with a preschooler?

Hip carrier

The Hipseat from Hippy Chick is also suitable for up to 15kg, and it’s a quicker alternative if you’ve got a petite preschooler.

Rather than straps and carriers, this velcros and clips around your waist, acting as a little shelf for your child to sit on.

This is what’s actually made the cut for our trip: now she’s three and a half, Minnie can happily hold on around my neck so there’s less chance of her falling off than when she was smaller (and when I normally needed one arm around her waist).

It doesn’t fold flat, but equally doesn’t take up a huge amount of space either – less than my Baby Bjorn One. On the downside, I wouldn’t want to use it for very long distances, but for a quick walk between gates or standing in an immigration queue, I’m hoping this will be quick and simple.

Child carrier

If you don’t have a baby carrier, or would prefer to buy something that’s going to last longer, how about a suitable child carrier for four-year-olds.

Many of these are designed for hiking, so not be ideal for taking as hand luggage though. Or one blogger suggested a Hamahaki Hopp for two to six years [EDIT: ALAS, NO LONGER SEEMS TO BE AVAILABLE]

It’s just over 1kg and folds into its own pouch for travelling, and while you carry your child on your back, their weight should be supported by your hips which sounds ideal as they get bigger.

There’s no question it looks a bit odd, and I haven’t tested it myself with a sleepy child (although they are strapped in) but her husband gave it the thumbs up for a long walk with a three-year-old.

 

Scooter image copyright MummyTravels, all other images courtesy of Depositphotos

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24 Comments

  1. I LOVE the idea of scooter luggage – haven’t heard of this before! We’ve always whimped out and went for a buggy and an extra pair of hands (ie take my parents with us when we travel)

    1. It’s fun, isn’t it – I can imagine it would be a lot more tempting for some kids to ride than drag a case too. An extra pair of hands would definitely be my preferred option if I could!

  2. Especially when your lay-over isn’t that long! My husband and I had to frantically pushy our daughter’s heavy silver cross buggy in Changi airport in Singapore for our flight back to the UK. As soon as we got back, I searched the net for the lightest buggy! I think I found a really light Maclaren one. At 5 though, she doesn’t use it anymore. x

    1. Exactly! I’m glad I went for the hipseat in the end – it meant I could carry her a bit more easily when she was tired/half asleep, rather than taking a buggy for what turned out to be a relatively short change. We had a really light Maclaren as well but I can hardly remember the last time we used a buggy at all.

  3. We are about to go on holiday with our young daughters. We will have a buggy for the youngest, Alice will walk hopefully. We have trunki’s, but I don’t think we will take them for these reasons x

    1. The baby carrier was definitely a godsend when she was little too (especially if you don’t get the buggy back at the plane door). In some ways, when they’re too little to walk, at least you know where you stand (as it were!)

  4. Great suggestions! It’s amazing what products people have come up with, isn’t it? I’ve seen people doing walks with preschoolers in those child carriers, but have to admit it looks exhausting to me! I thought a baby in a baby carrier was bad enough!

    1. Thanks! Same here – at 5ft 3 (and a bit), I think it’s harder even with a fairly petite three-year-old as well. Perhaps if you’re half a foot taller, it’s a bit easier?

    1. I wouldn’t have been without mine for the first years either. And I know she’d love a luggage scooter, if I was convinced other passengers might survive!

  5. There is nothing worse than everyone being tired and exhausted when travelling, find a way to cope is always a plus.
    Luggage scooters are a fab idea. My step daughter is just as bad when it comes to tiredness, whingy and grumpiness.

    Thanks for Sharing

    John M.

  6. Some fantastic tips here! I never really traveled when my children were all young and never thought about how difficult it must be for those who do.

    1. Thanks! I’ve found it’s often the little things which catch me out – I suppose you plan for the big changes more.

    1. My pleasure – thanks for the tips! Hope your combo works with the two of them (I wouldn’t have been without my carrier when my daughter was littler)

    1. They’re fun aren’t they – definitely one way to keep kids going when they’re tired.

  7. Thanks for sharing these great tips! I’m about 1 week away from my family trip to Italy. I’m so excited!!

    1. Hope they come in useful – have a wonderful time, I am well overdue a visit to lovely Italy.

  8. I suppose I have been lucky and had an energetic child who seems to enjoy the concept of pushing a trolley. So I am always on the lookout for those hand luggage trolleys. We have also stacked them neatly with our hand luggage and popped him on the top (but not too high). And if he has wanted to sleep we make our way quick smart to the boarding gate and find a few chairs for him to lay on.

    1. It really varies with my daughter – when she’s full of energy (and in the mood), she’d definitely be the same. Coming back from Burma, we had a long day hanging around at the airport in Yangon after flying in at lunchtime, she fell asleep on the short flight to Bangkok, then had to wake her on landing, and she then fell asleep again waiting for the gate to open, then again at the gate. She wasn’t best pleased being woken up repeatedly in between and I knew trying to make her walk around an airport at midnight after broken sleep would not go down well!

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