I'm a mom of 3 toddlers. Here are my best tips and tricks for traveling with kids.

I'm a mom of three kids under 5

Prior to having kids, I did a lot of traveling, both for work and for fun. I've been known to land in New York from a trip, go home, switch suitcases, and head back to the airport all on the same day. 

In my many hours of travel, I've perfected some skills that made things easier, like fitting enough clothes for two weeks on a tiny carry-on and having everything needed to sleep through a 12-hour overnight flight. 

But when I became a mom I worried about kids making it impossible for me to travel as much as I was used to. 

We took our first trip with our son was when he was 3 months old, and it was a disaster. We had the wrong gear with us, including a huge and heavy stroller that was a pain to check on the plane. We didn't even use it at our destination. We also failed to have a change of clothes for everyone on the plane with us — because accidents happen. 

Now that my kids are 4, 2, and 2, my family has perfected our traveling. These are some of my tried and true tips for traveling with little kids. 

I use packing cubes and color coordinate them

I bring an activity box full of new things to keep kids entertained on the plane

I pack a lunchbox with snacks

There are no screen limits when flying

Pack as light as possible and ship bulky essentials to your destination

We rent car seats at our destination

We also rent toys, stroller, and cribs

There are products I always bring with us

Always be flexible