The Best Toddler Travel Must Haves
/Are you looking for must have items for traveling with a toddler? If so, you’ve come to the right place! After over 100 flights and more than 20,000 road trip miles with my kids, I have traveled with a lot of crappy products and a lot of REALLY HELPFUL products. It’s taken me trial and error to find the right toddler travel essentials. To save you time and money, I have created a guide for toddler travel must haves that will make travel easier both physically and mentally. Don’t be bogged down with useless travel gear for toddlers and too much baggage; let us help with tried and true must-haves for traveling with toddlers!
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This backpack diaperbag is EVERYTHING. I would rank this as an absolute must have when traveling with a toddler. We have tried regular diaper bags, over the shoulder bags, regular backpacks, backpacking packs, etc. This bag is far and away the most function diaper bag we have ever owned. This diaper bag clips to our stroller, holds a foldable toilet seat/diapers, has a wipe pouch, has room for spare outfits, and even has a cooler pouch for snacks or drinks. It has been AMAZING to us!
READ NEXT: Tips for Making Long Haul Flights With Kids Easier
on a solo trip with my 2 and 4 year old flying from pensacola to houston to san antonio. these are the travel must haves for traveling with toddlers! you can see the eddie bauer backpack here@
2) The GB Pockit Stroller
(The Best Travel Stroller for Toddlers)
Get yours from Amazon HERE!
We have traveled to 23 countries and 33 states with travel strollers. The GB Pockit is by far my favorite travel stroller; it is the top toddler travel gear in my opinion. As a mom who travels solo with my kids often, I love that the GB Pockit offers a super compact fold, a small under basket, and even a 5 point harness. It is one of the best lightweight strollers on the market. This stroller FITS IN THE AIRPLANE BIN. You read that right, you can bring it as a carry on. We love this option because it means no more broken strollers and we don’t have to wait for a stroller on a layover. Another great thing about the GB Pockit is that when your toddler wants to walk, you can stow this stroller in a large backpack or shoulder bag — or you can attach a shoulder strap to the stroller and easily carry it. It isn’t bulky and easy to stow away. So, when you’re trying to decide what stroller to bring when you’re traveling internationally with a toddler; this is it.
If you are traveling with a toddler and baby, check out my guide for the best baby travel products.
Flying Solo with 2! Pockit Stroller, Eddie Bauer Diaper Bag & a Toddler Tula!
3) Toddler Tula:
Find it on Amazon — This is the Toddler Becco Carrier and this is the Toddler Tula
We SWEAR BY OUR BABY CARRIERS!! As a matter of fact, we have THREE and we still wear both our 3 AND 4-year-old. A toddler carrier is one of the essentials for traveling with a toddler. It makes traveling a million times easier. When I travel alone with my children, I wear one and push one in the stroller. When I only had one baby, my carrier made zipping through airports a breeze! We own (and love) an Ergo Original and TWO Toddler Tulas. The Toddler Tula and the Toddler Becco both go up to 60lbs and have higher backs to fit the taller back of the toddler versus a baby. The Ergo Original is able to be worn up to 50lbs and the Tula Baby (not the Toddler Size) from 15 to 45lbs. A soft carrier is a must have travel items for toddlers. This is the best toddler carrier and needs to be on your toddler travel checklist.
4) Silicone Mat
Get yours HERE:
Silicon mats are an absolute must-have for traveling with a toddler. They can be used to put down on restaurant tables or placed on airplane trays to prevent germs or provide grip for toys and snacks. When you’re finished using the silicone mat, it’s easy to clean by wiping it down. It rolls up easily and stores nicely in diaper bags or backpacks. We have used these since our children were just old enough to sit in a high chair! Silicone mats are a must when picking your toddler airplane travel gear.
silicone mats are a travel necessity when traveling with toddlers!
5) Travel First Aid Kit:
A first aid kit is a travel must have for toddlers. You never know when you’ll need to cover a booboo on the go. Preparakit is our go-to for travel first-aid kits. They offer 2 convenient sizes; Take Along (larger) and the Mini-Take Along (Smaller). I usually pack both. The mini easily attaches to our diaper/carry-on bag. I love that it comes with bandaids of all sizes and even includes stickers for the kids. This is definitely one of the top travel essentials for toddlers!
6) Best Travel Water Bottle for Kids
Camel Back Stainless Steel Insulated Bottle
Get yours HERE!
We love these Yeti kid stainless steel water bottles. A good water bottle is one of the crucial travel accessories for toddlers. Two solid tips for traveling with a toddler on a plane: don’t let your toddler put its mouth on anything and keep the items that go in their mouth from touching anything. This bottle does that. Its sipper folds away and prevents it from touching any questionable surfaces. ALSO, the Yeti stainless steel bottle trumps the plastic version based on durability and the ability to maintain heat/cold. My kids have always loved ICE WATER and if I can keep it cold for a couple of extra hours, WIN! When you’re packing, don’t miss this water bottle - it is a must have travel items for toddlers.
If your toddler would prefer a sippy cup over a water bottle with a straw, check out the stainless steel Munchkin 360 cup! Get yours HERE!
READ NEXT: 9 Tips to Get Your Child to Sleep on A Plane.
7) Toddler Friendly Headphones
These headphones are ideal for toddlers and preschoolers because they limit the decibels and protect small ears from damage. The headphones can fold down, making them easy to pack. They also connect to each other, which eliminates the need for a jack splitter if two kids want to listen to the same movie/show. These headphones are one of the kids travel essentials! The price point is absolutely perfect for these at only $16.99. These are one of the toddler travel essentials we never travel without.
READ NEXT: 6 Tips for Traveling with a Picky Eater
The Kids and the older version of these connecting headphones. Both can watch the same movie because the headphones inter-connect! Also check out their awesome CARES harnesses!
8) Packing Cubes:
Get yours HERE!
Packing cubes save marriages and vacations alike. These are some of the best travel items for toddlers because keeping organized is paramount to packing light! Every person in our family gets their own packing cube in the suitcase, which makes packing/unpacking very easy. We also keep one stocked with wipes/diapers, one with snacks, one with electronics, one with charging cords, etc. These cubes range in size from tiny to large enough for several pairs of jeans. My husband also uses a special kind of cube for shoes, so our clothes don't get ruined! We have recently switched over to COMPRESSION packing cubes to save even more space and let us travel even lighter. Packing cubes are absolutely travel essentials kids.
Check out our post on How to Pack Light When Traveling with Toddlers
9) Munchkin Snack Catchers & Pouch Caps:
Get your Munchkin Snack Catchers HERE or the Stainless steel option HERE.
Snacks are one of the main toddler travel necessities! Two of my must-haves for traveling with 1 year old on a plane or on a long road trip is a spill proof snack cup and spill proof pouch cap. The goal is to to make snack time EASY & mess free. Having snacks your little one loves for a mid-flight snack or a long road trip is essential for everyone’s sanity.
Munchkin Snack Catchers are perfect for preventing spills & lets your toddler grab for their own snacks as they want them. Each spill-proof Snack cup has two handles designed for even the littlest hands to grasp easily.
If your toddler loves pouches (mine do) - then you absolutely need a set of ChooMe pouch caps that prevent your toddler from squeezing the pouch out everywhere.
READ NEXT: 6 Tips for Traveling with a Picky Eater
10) KidCo Peapod Plus - Travel Tent
Get yours HERE:
Our son was terrible to transition from a crib to a bed. He would escape and become a danger to himself or attempt to flee the building. After many nights of frustration, a friend told me about this KidCo Peapod tent and how it changed travel for her family. I ordered it from Amazon right then (unfortunately it is no longer on Amazon, but it is available on their website). This little tent folds down and fits easily in a suitcase. It pops right up into a perfectly sized tent for a toddler to sleep in. We were able to travel all over Europe and the United States, in hotels, Airbnbs, and family’s houses without worrying about him escaping or hurting himself. This tent is the perfect way to transition a child from a crib to a bed and a perfect alternative to a bulky packnplay.
If you’re toddler is content in a packnplay, check out the SlumberPod to keep your toddler’s sleep area dark! We now use a slumber pod over our Guava Lotus travel crib for our 5 month old at home and while we travel and I LOVE it! He can go to sleep while we still have the lights on in a hotel!
READ NEXT: Travel Cribs; Size Matters (This is and extended length pack n play PERFECT for Toddlers)
in case you want to see what it looks like for a child to sleep in a kidco peapod.
11) Cares Harness
Get yours HERE!
The CARES harness is one of the toddler flight essentials and it is the only FAA-approved child restraint outside of a car seat. It is the best air travel gear for toddlers and small children. This amazing harness is designed for children 1 year and older weighing 22 to 44 pounds and up to 40 inches tall. We have two of these. They fold so small it easily fits in my purse or carry-on bag. The kids both don’t mind the harness and they don’t try to escape. It gives them the same feeling as being in a car seat. This harness will protect a child from flying out of the seat during unexpected turbulence. I often fly alone with my two kids and I can’t imagine having to lug two car seats onto the plane. This harness is VERY easy to install and remove after the flight. The CARES Harness is one of the absolute must haves for flying with a toddler.
READ NEXT: Tips For Flying with Toddlers
both kids in their cares harness; Age 2 and age 4
Charletta wearing her CARES harness. Age 4, 41 lbs.
These must-haves for traveling with a toddler will make your family trips easier and more comfortable. Be confident when you travel with a toddler. Whether it’s your first trip with a toddler or your 100th, these travel essentials for toddlers will make your trip exponentially easier. Get better sleep, a better napper, a better eater, and a better travel experience with the right tools.
Check out my guide to the 100+ Best Road Trip Snacks. This guide will help you keep your snacks fresh and on a good rotation!
As always, we love your feedback!! What are your must have travel products for traveling with a toddler?
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