The first time Jill Strunk of Denver, Colo., traveled on a plane with her infant, her mind flashed horror stories of angry passengers glaring at the screaming baby. But fortunately, once supportive seatmates put her at ease, she relaxed and started thinking of the eight-hour trip as an opportunity to spend quality time with her son. The flight was a breeze. Nicklas deserved a gold star and so did mom.

How did she do it? A bag of tricks, a bag of snacks and a fearless attitude toward making a fool of herself. (Think singing the ABCs next to a business suit with a laptop.) So before setting out on your next trip – whether by plane, train, automobile or cruise ship – refill your bag of tricks with a few new ideas.

No matter what mode of transportation you take, you'll need to load up with some essentials to keep your baby entertained. Julie Edelman, a New Jersey-based author and family lifestyle expert, recommends the following time-passing tools:

• Fun, interactive activities. Easy-to-pack items like cloth puppets are good for interacting and playing games.
• A new plaything. Not only will it capture your baby's natural curiosity, but it will hold attention longer than something familiar, lessening the amount of toys you need to pack. And remember, soothing music, such as classical, can help lull a baby to sleep.

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