Are you traveling with babies, toddlers, & kids and need to adjust to jet lag and local time as soon as possible? The worst part about traveling with babies and kids maybe adjusting to jet lag. Check out these tips to adjust to jet lag when traveling with babies and kids asap so you can enjoy your time at the destination or get back to work without being sleep deprived!

I remember when I was a little kid my parents had a hell of a time trying to get us to adjust to the time difference when we traveled. My sister and I would wake up in the middle of the night, sneak blueberries in our bed and get the bed sheets all dirty, or my parents would have to bribe us with screen time to keep us awake in the middle of the day. It was rough! (Mostly for them.)

Now, we are in their positions. Our kids (1 and 3) are pretty good sleepers at home (they do wake up pretty early but go to bed early so can’t complain!) but when we travel, they get a little insecure in a new environment. Coupled with their biological natural clock being wacky, it’s a rough ride! We’ve traveled with our kids internationally since they were both little babies (as early as 7 weeks old) and we found that these tips help get the kids adjusted to the time difference more or less quickly – hope it will help you too!

Jet Lag Cure Tip 1: Local Time Right Away

Start the local destination time as soon as you get on the plane

Before your flight (or at least a day or two before, because you know you won’t be able to do math while traveling with a kid), find out what time it will be at the destination local time when you get on the plane to adjust to jet lag with kids. For example, if you are getting on a plane at midnight your time, but it’s actually 8 am local time, try to keep your kid awake for as long as possible, and have them sleep during their regular nap time. I know it’s painful to keep a kid awake on a flight when they want to sleep, but this is the best sacrifice you can make so you can enjoy your trip. This goes the same for your return. Get back to your home time as soon as you get on the plane and adjust sleep accordingly.

Set your clock/phone to the local time asap and DON’T LOOK to see what time it is at home. That makes you sooooo sleepy. Just don’t do it. Pretend that you are on local time, and your home time doesn’t exist.

Some say to start adjusting a day or two early while at home, but I honestly think that’s overdoing it. Who knows if it really works and I’m all for getting as much sleep as you can before going on vacation while you can! Why disturb a good thing and confuse the kids. I do remember as a little kid, I would “practice sleeping on the airplane” the night before and I would sit up and sleep in my bed. LOL If your kid does that on his/her own, they are old enough to understand what jet lag is, and will have an easier transition to adjust to the new time.

Jet Lag Cure Tip 2: Cap Those Naps and Stick to It

Keep the same nap schedule for your kids: Naps should be no longer than 2.5-3 Hours

Kids usually don’t have a problem not sleeping. Both of my kids will happily stay up for as long as possible as long as I’m entertaining them. But once they fall asleep for their naps, they could keep going! Make sure if your kids’ nap is an hour normally, more or less stick to that time. I usually allow for some wiggle room though. For a 2 hour napper, don’t go more than 3 hours to adjust to jet lag with kids. When they wake up, they will definitely be cranky for the first day or two. But distract them with something fun, and they will be happy they are awake! This is so hard to keep when you return home, but it’s equally important! I know you are tired and you want to sleep too, but if you keep extending their nap time at home, this will turn into an all-night party at night.

Jet Lag Cure Tip 3: Be Active During the Day

Keep the kids busy during the day and eat

This is true for adults too. Once you settle at your hotel or AirBnB, it’s so easy to cozy up on a bed or a couch and fall asleep! Stay up and out as much as possible to adjust to jet lag with kids. Lots of sunlight is your best friend. If you are out and about and using a stroller or a carrier, if you see that they are getting a little too sleepy at the wrong time, get them out. Let them touch things, run, crawl, or eat. They usually have more energy than you, so this shouldn’t be a problem. 🙂 Again, same for when you return home. Go outside, go grocery shopping, make plans with friends. Whatever you do, don’t stay home the first couple days back to adjust to time! If you must, screen time works wonders – just like it did 20+ years ago when I was a little kid…

Jet Lag Cure Tip 4: Stuff Them Up Before Bed

Eat/feed lots before you sleep, don’t skip dinner!

Make sure you eat a lot during the day to adjust to jet lag with kids quickly. Many times kids (and us!) wake up in the middle of the night because it’s their normal meal time. Make sure you get enough food in them during the day or before they go to bed for the night! We noticed that part of the reason we can’t fall back asleep in the middle of the night because it’s dinner time at the time we are used to.

Jet Lag Cure Tip 5: Don’t Stray from Routine

Keep the same nighttime routine

This means bringing whatever book, outfit, sound machine, toothbrush you use at home to trigger the thoughts of “this is night time” to adjust to jet lag with kids quickly. Do the entire routine so it triggers in their mind that it’s night time and to sleep for the long haul. This is more like a superstition for me, but it does work.

Jet Lag Cure Tip 6: Complete Darkness

Keep the lights and electronics off

If all else fails and your little one wakes in the middle of the night all awake and ready to party, keep the lights off. Keep all electronics off to adjust to jet lag with kids quickly. Don’t give in! Maybe give them a book to look at, a quiet cuddly toy to play with. But absolutely nothing flashy in the middle of the night!

If you are traveling with a baby that nurses, keep nursing that baby as much as you (the mom) can handle. Pacifiers maybe your best friend here if you need a break! Make sure the baby is used to using a pacifier before because of the novelty of a pacifier maybe enough to get the baby wide awake with excitement.

Jet Lag Cure Tip 7: Be On the Same Page

Make sure your spouse/travel partner knows about these tips

Nothing worth than your husband/spouse not knowing these tips and offering screen time at 2 am and getting kids wired and awake! Make sure they are on the same page before you go to bed, and have a plan for those middle-of-the-night wake-ups.

Jet Lag Cure Tip 8: Plan for Early Morning Activities

Have a backup plan for late night/early mornings

Just in case you end up waking up at 4 am for the day, or decide to stay up later with the kids to get a better night sleep, make sure you research what there is to do early morning/late night in the place you are traveling to! (For San Francisco, check out this post!) Might as well take advantage of those early wake-ups and go check out the sunrise.

Jet Lag Cure Tip 9: Have an “Oh Whatever” Plan

Know when to give in and just stay up

Especially in the first few days adjusting to the time difference (I’m talking about those big time differences and the huge jetlags you get), you may have to give up and wake up to eat or let the kids play for a little bit. This won’t create any new bad sleeping habits, it’s just temporary. There’s only so much time you can make them lay in bed in the dark. If that happens, let them get up, explain the jet lag situation (if they are old enough), and tell them they can play for 15 minutes (or whatever time you decide) while they eat some food. Repeat the quiet/dark time right after. When we were in Switzerland, we decided to have a cheese, baguette and wine party (wine for adults) in the middle of the night because none of us were sleepy and we were all hungry. We just said it was part of the Swiss culinary experience and enjoyed it.

Jet Lag Cure Tip 10: Chewable Melatonin? And Other Supplements.

If all else fails… little info about melatonin and Benadryl

*Please check with your doctor/pediatrician about this, I am not a medical professional*

Some parents are ok with giving their kids a little medication to help them sleep. Did you know that Zarbees makes melatonin gummies? It may be worth a try in desperate times. I heard melatonin is a better option than Benadryl because Benadryl may have an opposite effect on some kids and make them wide awake! If you are not sure if you want to give the chewable melatonin to your kids, try one yourself before you give it to them.

I’ve read in some suggestions that fish oil may help. I am not sure about it, but maybe worth a try. Besides that, drink your water during the day! (But cut if off when you normally cut your potty-trained kid so peeing doesn’t wake them up.)

Do you have any tips to adjust to jet lag with kids quickly? Share with us if we missed any tips to adjust to jet lag with babies and kids!

Tips for Adjusting to Jet Lag for Baby and Kids