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Best Age to Travel with a Baby – Top 3 Recommendations in 2024

You love traveling, and you’re almost ready to add your mini version to the traveling tribe. However, you’re on the fence of embracing the spirit of adventure and worrying about safety, and practicality, and perhaps wondering whether it will be worth it.

While I think you should first read my blog – Is Traveling with a Baby a Good Idea? – which addresses the most concerning queries, I really believe that traveling with your child is one of the best pieces of education you can ever provide to the little one. Added perks become the lifetime memories that you will create with the unique experiences on each trip.

What is the BEST AGE to travel with a baby?

While the idea feels amazing, it’s also important to be prepared and learn the best age to travel with a baby. Like my dad says – Hope for the best but prepare for the worst! So, here is my personal guide, based on my tried and tested experiences, to know the best age to travel with a baby, more specifically an infant – between 0-24 months. Additionally, I will also share my top 3 recommended age groups.

0-3 Months

While the popular belief on the internet is to really avoid traveling with a newborn in the first three months, I beg to differ. Little A took her first road trip (~25 miles) when she was just 1 month old, and boarded her first flight at her 72nd day on Earth (roughly 2.5 months old).

Of course, it is a challenge, more about changing the mindset, but our source of strength and confidence was our pediatrician. She gave us the green because the first set of shots and vaccinations were done by 30 days of birth, the baby was not frail in size (~8lb at birth), and most importantly, she gave us the list of medicines and also a reference in the city we were heading, for emergencies.

Though I would agree that this may not be the best age to travel with a baby, but truly, it all depends on the physical and mental recovery of postpartum on the part of the mom, the baby, and in my opinion, even the dad.

4-6 Months

Honestly, I think this is the #1 BEST AGE to travel with a baby and be on the road.

They can support their head upright, but still sleep a lot and aren’t mobile – so once you have the baby carrier or stroller in place, it’s going to be easy-peasy. Also, since their food is just milk, all of you have to worry about is feeding or giving them a safe and sterilized bottle when on the road. Don’t fret, I have a detailed article with tips and tricks to answer these queries coming your way next.

Of course, you will have your moments of highs and lows, but since this age is where the infant doesn’t really have a lot of opinions, the fuss is minimal.

7-9 Months

Another valuable time  for the baby to travel is between 7-9 months. For me, this is the #2 BEST AGE to travel with a baby.

An infant of this age group is more aware of their surroundings, loves sensory play (which is great to take them on beaches and kiddie pools), are still light and easier to carry around, and the best part – can express joy and wonder when viewing the great sights of the world.

Personally, the twinkle in Little A’s eyes when she saw the wonderful peaks of the Himalayas, at Dharamshala and McLeodganj in India, strengthened my grit to keep traveling. Yes, by now, the first steps to solids had been introduced, so we packed a lot of pre-cooked food powders (both homemade and store-bought), to keep things smooth.

Personally, the twinkle in Little A’s eyes when she saw the wonderful peaks of the Himalayas, at Dharamshala and McLeodganj in India, strengthened my grit to keep traveling. Yes, by now, the first steps to solids had been introduced, so we packed a lot of pre-cooked food powders (both homemade and store-bought), to keep things smooth.

Again, look forward to a detailed article about solid foods to take along when traveling with an infant. I think, by this age, babies who’ve been out and about, are akin to the travel bug gene and per our experience, it has been nothing short of a dream.

10-12 Months

At this stage, your baby would most probably start crawling. Before alarms go off, know that it is perfectly manageable with the right tips. 

I would recommend investing in a lot of sensory and travel-friendly toys for your flights, road trips, rail commutes, or even cruises. Again, look forward to a detailed blog on travel-friendly toys for babies and toddlers. Some people might argue that this is not the best age to travel with a baby, but I have my reasons to believe otherwise.

As per my experience, a lighter itinerary, slower and more immersive travel, where the baby can really absorb the ambience and experience the local culture, works best for this age group. This is in accordance to a report by World Travel and Tourism Council, which suggests that travel in 2024 is going to be slower, longer, and more immersive, making it a perfect combination for travelers with young children.

13-15 Months

Having a baby between 13-15 months, to me, is in short, the nightmare of baby travel. 

They’re too young to follow instructions and maintain discipline, but too old to be physically restrained in arms or straps of strollers. They’re wiggly, often snotty (since this is the age when they really love playing with dirt), and most importantly, unparalleled needy!

They aren’t able to speak, so you’ll hear a lot of “Mamma Mamma Mamma” in tiny screams, and be ready to wear your heart on your sleeve, ready for a heart attack every moment of the trip. I would, in all seriousness, ask parents to avoid long trips (more than 2 weeks) at this stage or change climates aggressively.

However, if you have already introduced the spirt of travel in your young one, I believe you will be able to connect and communicate, and have a smooth journey. 

16-18 Months

By now, the little angel will have learnt to walk, even if not confidently. Therefore, planning easy hikes, exploring nature, creating sand castles, making them socially aware with waving and smiling, are some of the multitudes of activities that you will be able to do with an infant of this age group, when traveling.

In fact, I would go as far as to declare this as the #3 BEST AGE to travel with a baby.

I personally LOVED this age, because I could literally challenge Little A with logical reasoning, asking her to bring me articles from the table, or show me an item with a specific color, and she would briskly follow instructions.

Little A also had started exploring other foods, and though French Fries were the winner, she did grow a taste to be vocal for local and try local delicacies! However, the best feeling was seeing her become a literal water baby and enjoying the blue waters in a tropical paradise.

19-21 Months

This is the age where the baby can confidently walk and even run. So, as parents, you have to be on your toes and also extremely aware as they love going digging around and picking knick-knacks, and wait for it, put it in their mouth.

While some would argue that it happens earlier, but in my experience, this was the age I saw Little A performing this activity at its peak.

Also, we were at the receiving end of strong opinions and unprecedented meltdowns. She wanted her own seat at restaurants but then couldn’t handle the independence. We were at the stage of life where we were handling a crying fussy baby at most times, but we powered through, and learnt to read her cues and signals.

Honestly, it was a bonding moment for us, and call me an optimist, I think it was an essential skill for us to learn as parents, along with her practice to communicate with the minimal words she could utter.

22-24 Months

I think by this age group, an infant who would have been travelling for almost 2 years now, will be travel-savvy and attuned to the change of scenery.

They would know the importance of following instructions, be less needy, and arguably independent too. Little A literally could rule the frame for our cherished photographs on trips! Many would prefer this age group to be exploring the world, and call it the best age to travel with a baby.

The little ones normally master the primary life skills, such as not going to any place unsupervised, sitting put in their stroller on roads, not be fussy in flights, and be socially likeable with appropriate gestures and words.

By now, as parents, you’ll be an expert too, and will know and have your own personal guidebook to handle stressful and unprecedented situations.

So, What’s the BEST AGE to Travel with a Baby?

At the day, the best age to travel with a baby for you, will be the one that YOU choose, and when YOU and YOUR BABY feel comfortable. 

Hope this little listicle helps you in your prep work, and you feel more confident about taking the step of starting your trips with your infant. To be honest, all jokes and sugarcoats aside, it will be a rollercoaster ride, but it will be your unique rollercoaster, carousel, or ferry’s wheel ride, and it’s going to be amazing!

Know this, when they’re grown up and you’re in the western skies of your lives, these will be the moments which will illuminate your days and make you smile.

Happy traveling!

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