A Day in My Life as a Travel Nanny

What’s Really in My Travel Bag

From hotel breakfasts and sightseeing to emergency snacks and naps on the go — a little look behind the

scenes of a typical day in my life as a travel nanny.

Travelling with children can look wonderfully glamorous from the outside — beautiful hotels, new cities,

beaches, restaurants and exciting days out.

And sometimes it is!

But behind every smooth family travel day there is usually quite a lot of preparation.

As a travel nanny, one of my biggest jobs is making sure the children can enjoy the adventure while still

having enough food, rest, sleep and familiarity to prevent the day from becoming completely overwhelming.

So, what does a typical day actually look like — and what do I take with me?

7:00 AM – Starting the Day

Every family and every child is different, so there isn't one schedule I follow everywhere I go.

I usually start by looking at three things: how the child slept, what we have planned that day and when we

realistically have an opportunity for a nap.

When you're travelling, I don't believe every day needs to run according to a perfect schedule. Sometimes

we need to work naps around a flight, a boat trip, a restaurant reservation or a family activity.

The goal is to find a balance.

If we're staying in a hotel or apartment, I also try to make the child's morning feel reasonably familiar. A

favourite cup or bottle, familiar breakfast foods and a little play before heading out can make a surprisingly

big difference.

9:00 AM – Packing My Day Bag

This is probably one of the most important parts of my morning.

I've learned over the years that when you're travelling with babies and toddlers, the thing you leave in the

hotel room is almost always the thing you suddenly need!

My everyday travel nanny bag will usually include nappies, wipes, spare clothes, snacks, water, hand

sanitiser, muslin cloths, a few small toys, sun protection when needed and some carefully chosen travel

essentials.

A small first-aid kit is one thing I always like to have with me. When you're exploring with children, little cuts,

grazes and bumps can happen anywhere, so having the basics already in my bag means I don't have to

start searching for a pharmacy.

Mini First Aid 90-Item Kids First Aid Kit

I also like having a portable changing mat. Nappy changes while travelling can happen anywhere —

airports, cafés, museums or even outdoors — so a foldable, wipe-clean mat is incredibly useful.

Lifefluent Portable Baby Changing Mat

I prefer products that are lightweight and genuinely useful rather than carrying lots of baby equipment

around “just in case”. When you're walking around a city all day, every unnecessary item eventually feels

very heavy!

10:00 AM – Exploring With the Children

This is the fun part.

Depending on the trip, we might be exploring a new city, spending the morning at the beach, visiting a

museum, going on a boat trip or simply finding a playground and a nice café.

When I'm planning activities with younger children, I always think about stimulation as well as

entertainment. A full morning of sightseeing might sound wonderful to adults, but for a toddler it can be a

lot.

I try to build little pockets of calm into the day — even if that's simply sitting somewhere with a snack,

reading a small book or having some quiet time in the buggy.

One thing I almost always carry is a small selection of entertainment that doesn't take up much room.

Sticker books are great because they're easy to pack and can keep little hands busy at restaurants,

airports, on planes or during quieter moments.

Usborne First Sticker Book: Summer

For something a little more interactive, I also like a portable busy board. It gives toddlers plenty to explore

without needing a bag full of individual toys.

Tweens Montessori Busy Board for Toddlers

And, of course, one book that has a special place in my travel collection is Tavi the Travelling Giraffe Goes

on the Plane. I created Tavi especially for little travellers, helping children explore some of the feelings that

can come with flying and new experiences through a gentle, reassuring story.

Tavi the Travelling Giraffe Goes on the Plane

12:30 PM – Lunch and the Nap Question

“Where is the baby going to nap?”

This is probably one of the biggest questions when travelling with young children. And my answer isn't

always: back at the hotel.

Sometimes returning to the hotel makes sense. Other days it would mean losing several hours of the

family's holiday. So I look at the individual child.

Some babies sleep beautifully in their buggy or carrier. Others need a darker, quieter environment.

If we're planning an on-the-go nap, I try to recreate as many familiar sleep cues as possible. That might

mean their usual sleeping bag, comforter or white noise.

A portable white-noise machine is particularly useful because it takes up very little room and can be used

for naps as well as bedtime.

Dreamegg D11MAX Portable White Noise Machine

A familiar sleeping bag can also provide a strong sleep cue when everything else around the baby is

different.

SleepThru AeroTemp Baby Sleeping Bag

I never expect sleep on holiday to look exactly like sleep at home. The aim is usually to protect enough

sleep to keep the child comfortable while still allowing the family to enjoy their trip.

3:00 PM – Snacks, Water and Emergency Supplies

Travel nanny rule: never underestimate the power of a strategically timed snack. Especially with toddlers!

I always try to have something available rather than waiting until a child is already extremely hungry.

Reusable snack cups are one of those very simple products that can make life much easier when you're

out for the day. I particularly like ones that little hands can hold themselves.

Mushie Silicone Snack Cup – Cambridge Blue

I also like children to have their own water bottle with them, especially on busy sightseeing days and in

warmer destinations.

J.Børn Personalised Kids Water Bottle

And I carry wipes everywhere. Hands, faces, restaurant tables, ice cream disasters, mystery sticky

substances… If you work with toddlers, you understand.

WaterWipes Sensitive+ Baby Wipes

5:30 PM – Back to the Hotel

After a busy day, I usually start slowing things down.

Travel can be incredibly stimulating for young children. They've seen new places, heard different

languages, eaten different foods and probably had a nap somewhere completely different from their

bedroom.

This is where a familiar evening routine becomes particularly valuable.

It doesn't need to be complicated: bath or wash, pyjamas, milk or feed, books, cuddles, bed.

Even when the bedroom changes, the sequence can remain familiar.

7:00 PM – Creating a Sleep-Friendly Hotel Room

Whenever possible, I try to make the sleep environment feel calm before bedtime.

That might mean darkening the room, adjusting the temperature, setting up white noise and introducing the

familiar sleep cues the child has at home.

Hotel curtains can be surprisingly unpredictable, so a portable blackout blind can be incredibly useful —

particularly during summer when evenings are lighter.

Lirynox Portable Blackout Blind

The Dreamegg white-noise machine that I use for naps can come out again at bedtime.

Dreamegg D11MAX Portable White Noise Machine

I also like having a soft, dimmable night light available. It can be useful for feeds, nappy changes and

checking on a child without suddenly switching on bright hotel-room lighting.

Soft Touch-Control Baby Night Light

And when a baby monitor is needed, I prefer something practical for travelling that doesn't rely on the

hotel's Wi-Fi.

HelloBaby HB6550 Baby Monitor

One of my favourite things about travelling with children is seeing how adaptable they can become when

we give them a little consistency amongst all the change.

What I've Learned From Travelling With Children

After years of working with children and travelling with families, I've learned that successful family travel

isn't about creating the perfect schedule.

It's about being prepared enough that you can be flexible.

A familiar snack can prevent a meltdown. A tiny white-noise machine can help turn an unfamiliar hotel room

into somewhere a baby recognizes as bedtime. A favourite book can make a long restaurant dinner much

easier.

And sometimes a buggy nap in the middle of a beautiful city is exactly what the day needs.

That's why my travel bag isn't filled with dozens of gadgets. It's filled with a small collection of things that

solve problems — products I've found genuinely useful when caring for little ones away from home.

And those are the things that earn a permanent place in my suitcase.

Hugs,

Alex,

The Travel Sleep Nanny

A Gentle Invitation

If you're preparing to travel and want a calm, personalized sleep plan, you don’t have to figure it out alone.

Explore support:
https://thetravelsleepnanny.co.uk/sleep-training

Tavi the Travelling Giraffe Goes on the Plane:
https://thetravelsleepnanny.co.uk/book