The Best Travel Essentials for Traveling with Kids
Traveling with kids is hard enough, but doing it without the right travel gear? Well, that just doesn’t make sense! In this blog series, I’m compiled my years and miles of family travel knowledge to bring you the my recommendations for the best travel products that will make your family trips a breeze.
In this edition we’ll cover the top essentials – keeping your kids fed and happy whether you’re flying or driving on your next family adventure.
Ready to embark on a journey towards a hassle-free travel experience with your little ones? Let’s dive right in!
I may earn a small commission from the links in my posts – at no additional cost to you – and I sincerely appreciate your support. The opinions expressed are entirely my own. I personally own, use, and genuinely love all the products I feature, and I never compromise on this principle.
Luggage
Carry on Roller Bag
We’ve tried a lot of suitcases, and our favorite is the Samsonite Freeform. It’s super easy to wheel (essential with toddlers), durable, lightweight and spacious. It also comes in lots of great colors which will help it stand out on the luggage carousel if you end up needing to check it!
Kids’ Carry on roller bag
The JetKids Bed Box is such a hit with my kids. They can sit on tip and ride it through the airport, it’s also small enough that you can use the strap as a crossbody and carry it (up escalators, etc.). It also includes everything you need to turn your child’s airplane seat into a bed. There’s not a ton of extra storage room inside, but plenty for the essentials.
Backpack Carry on
We are obsessed with these Cotopaxi Backpacks. They are just the perfect travel backpack and have replaced almost all of our other luggage. They open like a roller bag (clamshell), which is easy to access and organize (I mean, genius!) It’s comfortable, lightweight, and durable. I use the 35L backpack because it’s slightly smaller and more manageable. My husband likes his 42L, which he fills to the brim. It’s a bit heavy for me, but I’ll take all the extra room for kids’ snacks!
Kids’ Backpack Carry on
We love a backpack for our kids when we travel, and this one is a big winner. It’s durable, comfortable for the kids to wear, and big enough to hold all their travel essentials. It’s also durable and easy to clean.
Snack Cup
The best snack cup out there, this cutie has a suction cup base that reverses and becomes a lid. It also has the spill-proof soft lid for tiny hands, which you can reverse and put on the bottom – it has a ton of other great functions but for travel purposes, the suction and the lid are game-changers. It’s truly genius and the only snack cup I’ll ever buy again.
Snack Spinner
The #1 tip for traveling with toddlers (or kids of all ages) is: you can never have too many snacks. We love this snack spinner because it keeps kids busy while they munch, and provides a variety. If you opt to fill yours with foods that need to be kept cold, we love these freezable cooler bags.
Bottles, Milk & Toddler Drinks
Speaking of things that need to be kept cold… We love all the PackIt Freezable bags. But, if you plan to travel with bottles, formula, breastmilk, or even apple juice, the double bottle bag is perfect. It’s a great size, will keep everything cold, and you can clip it onto your carry on (it doesn’t count as an extra carry on item).
You can fly and carry on medically necessary which include: Formula, breast milk, toddler drinks, and baby/toddler food (such as puree pouches). You can read more here.
If you are driving with any of these items – be sure to refill coolers with your hotel’s ice machine!
Water Bottles
You’re likely already familiar with this mom hack, but it’s worth repeating: never leave home without a water bottle! Pack whatever refillable water bottles your kids like. We love our Owala water bottles, both the spill-resistant straw cup and the leak-proof cup.
If you’re flying, fill all your water bottles with ice before you leave – frozen liquids are allowed through security as long as they are frozen solid. This way, when you fill your water bottles in a water fountain, you’ll still have cold water (and if you use Owala, you’ll have cold water all day!)
If you’re driving, make sure your kids’ water bottles fit in the cup holders in their car seats!
Diaper Supplies
If you have a little on still in diapers, then diaper supplies are, obviously an essential travel product. I like traveling with a portable changing kit. You’re guaranteed a clean changing pad when you bring it with you, and there’s enough room for diapers, wipes, diaper paste, and hand sanitizer. If you’re flying you can clip it onto your carry on and it won’t count against your bag-count.
For long car rides or flights, put your child in an overnight diaper and be sure to use your diaper cream of choice – there’s nothing worse than diaper rash on a travel day!
Toddler Potty
Is it weird to be obsessed with a toddler potty? This is a car-trip tip, definitely not for flying. I keep this one in my car, it takes up no space at all, and I can’t tell you how many times it has saved us (on long road trips as well as on trips around the corner). Be sure to get extra liners, and send me a silent thanks when it’s saving your day!
First Aid & Healthcare Products
Be sure to consider the first aid and healthcare products that are essential to your family. You’ll find my full list of products to pack in my post: The Best Travel Safety Products for Traveling with Kids. You won’t want to leave home without baby wipes, hand sanitizer, first aid products, and any medicines your family may use.
That’s it, my favorite travel gear for traveling with kids.
You’re almost ready to take on travel with toddlers after reading this blog post. Don’t hit the road without reading the other posts in this series:
- The Best Travel Toys & Activities for Kids
- The Best Travel Sleep Products for Kids
- The Best Travel Safety Products for Traveling with Kids
- The Best Travel Gear For Toddlers, Babies & Kids
It’s my goal to make family travel easier, so you spend more time enjoying and less time stressing! Get out there and explore!
