I was planning on putting together this list before we left. I had handpicked what I figured were the perfect toys to take with us on our European adventure. They were things that I knew would keep JustaBXgirl occupied on the long flight and while mommy needed some down while we were in our hotel rooms. And the reality was I was wrong. I’m kind of happy that I didn’t get the post done before the trip because now I can share what actually were the winners and avoid the ones that didn’t live up to my mommy hype.
Before we get into the toys to take I really want to share three non-toy items that made my life sooooooo much easier.
Lullabuddy – This is the perfect size speaker to pack. It comes with over 2 hours of lullabies and can be used as a Bluetooth speaker. We use lullabies to go to bed at home so the fact that this is so tiny it can come with us made it the perfect addition to our trip. JustaBXgirl loves feeling like the music is chosen just for her. I love that it is a great way to bring a piece of home with us on vacation because adjusting to sleeping in a strange bed feels a bit better when you have a bit of home with you. She loves using this at home because it is simple enough that she can control it herself. This is definitely going to be a baby shower favorite since it is one of those things that you can use from day one with your little.
CozyPhones – We each received a pair so we could travel in style and comfort while we enjoyed our in-flight entertainment. After traveling with these, I don’t think I will ever be able to travel or relax without them again. Of course, I chose a pair from the sleep and relaxation line. I’m relaxed and slept myself across the Atlantic while watching everything I’m downloading on Netflix for the trip. I worried that with the comfort we would find the sound muffled by the fleece but it works wonderfully. These are the perfect travel companion and I see JustaBXgirl getting lots of use out of them when at home and away.
Mabel’s Labels Safety Bracelets – So, I didn’t even know that these existed or how badly I needed them in my life. I’ve been wanting to do a piece on how to keep your littles safe in crowds and these will definitely be included in that post as well. These bracelets are a great way to have your littles walk around with emergency info on them without worrying about the info getting lost. They are perfect for vacations, school trips, amusement parks and, playgrounds. Pretty much anywhere you go with your littles these are a must pack.
GirlzNDollz Plushie – Speaking of making travel feel a little more like home you MUST bring a plushie on all overnight trips. One of JustaBXgirl’s favorite plushies is one that she got last Easter from GirlzNDollz. She loves this plushie because she says it looks just like her. Having a soft friend on vacation allows littles to have something else to find comfort in when they feel nervous or homesick.
SnapDolls – I have followed SnapDolls for ages on Instagram and had the pleasure to speak with them at this year’s Toy Fair. This was a great toy to bring for my doll-loving little to play with while not taking up too much space. She was able to play dress up with her Snapdoll and have her go on magical adventures in the hotel room. I loved listening to her play pretend as I took a little time to relax.
Cry Babies Magic Tears – The Cry Babies were a fun find at last summer’s Sweet Suite. And now they come in mini version’s. If you know us, then you know we love mini versions of everything. When JustaBXgirl saw that I packed on of the minis to surprise her with she said, Mommy, I wanted one of these!” She then proceeded to tell me about how she saw them on YouTube and blah, blah, blah.
Nintendo 3DS XL – In all transparency, this didn’t make the trip because ours didn’t arrive on time to pack it BUT when JustaBXgirl saw it waiting when we got home she was super excited. And since we’re being honest, I was planning to pack this more for myself than for her! Seriously though, a handheld video game system is a must-have on vacation. It is the perfect thing for the plane, for waiting in line places or for relaxing at the hotel after a long day of adventuring.
What toys do you bring on vacation? Or do you even bring toys? The one rule I have with JustaBXgirl about toys she brings is that they have to be ones that she is okay with losing. Not that I plan on her losing the toys but life happens and sometimes everything that goes on vacation doesn’t make it home. She is uber responsible with keeping track of her stuff while on vacation so nothing usually gets lost BUT the rule stands. If something does get lost she has to be willing to accept that it becomes a lost thing until it becomes someone else’s found thing. Usually, she leaves her toys in the hotel room to make sure that they don’t get lost.
For some people, it doesn’t make sense to bring toys but let me share, as a single mom toys on vacation are heaven sent. As her only active parent, it’s pretty much just me and JustaBXgirl all of the time. The thing is at home, she goes to school, attends extracurricular activities, spends time with JustaBXgrandpa and Abuela and we don’t have to be up under each other all day long. On vacation, it is truly just me and her. There is no break time for mama. There is not one moment that I can reach out and ask for assistance because there is nobody to call. In those end of the day or before the day gets started moments giving her toys to entertain her means that I can step back and exhale for a minute. Having toys available means I can escape to social media for adult conversation without feeling guilty for a few moments. And having toys around means that I don’t need to fill every moment of her time because she can do that herself using her very impressive imagination.
