The hardest age to travel with a baby is generally between 9 and 18 months old.
This age range presents unique challenges for traveling families, as highlighted by experienced travelers. Babies in this age group are typically mobile and curious, but lack the ability to understand reasoning or be easily distracted.
Why 9-18 Months is a Challenging Travel Age
According to experienced travelers, several factors contribute to the difficulty of traveling with babies in this age range:
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Increased Mobility: Around 9 months, babies often become more mobile, crawling or even walking. This newfound freedom means they want to explore their surroundings, which can be challenging to manage in confined spaces like airplanes or trains.
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Limited Comprehension: While they are curious, babies in this age group do not understand explanations or reasoning. Distracting them with toys or snacks only works temporarily.
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Squirmy Behavior: Babies in this age range tend to be squirmy and resistant to staying in one place for extended periods. This can make long flights or car rides particularly stressful.
In short, "the hardest time to travel with a child is from when they become squirmy and mobile by about 9 months old until they hit the age of reason bargaining/cartooning/snacking at about 18 months."
