Our Kids Travel Gear + Travel Carseat Essentials
Travel has been a big part of our family life over the past six years. We love exploring the world with our kids. With three young children, comes a lot of gear.
We always try to keep our clothing to one suitcase because of all of the extra items we usually need to bring along. The picture below is a pretty accurate depiction of the circus we look like while trying to get through airport security.
Over the past 6 years we have found many favorite travel items that we use time and time again, along with a few new favorites. We’ve found that some items are worth the splurge, while for others the bargain brands have held up just as well!
1. Cosco Scenera Next Car Seat: (bargain!) This is our go-to travel carseat when our kids are ages 6mo-3 years. We’ve had this one of 5 years now and it has travelled around the world with us. It’s lightweight and approved to be used on the airplane. We usually buy a seat for our toddlers on the flight and buckle them into this seat so they will snooze.
2. Instax Camera: We have so much fun bringing these on our trips, along with a pack or two of film. We let them record moments from our trip. It’s fun to see what they capture.
3. Stroller: (bargain!) This $30 umbrella stroller has trotted with us across the globe over the past 5 years. It’s easy to open/close and maneuver. We always gate check it. There are lots of options for strollers that fit in the overhead bin these days that didn’t exist 5 years ago. This stroller has held up exceptionally well, so we continue to use it!
4. Mask Lanyards: Post pandemic travel looks a bit different. These mask lanyards are awesome to keep masks from getting lost. When our kids would eat/drink on the flight, they would just pull their mask down and it would hang around their neck on the lanyard. We used disposable masks on the plane.
5. Bluetooth Headphones: Cordless, bluetooth headphones are a godsend when traveling. We love this exact pair because they fold and fit easily into a backpack. They’re also under $20 and have toddler volume settings to protect their ears.
6. Booster Seat: Brody is now in a booster seat at home, we love this booster seat because we could leave the high back portion of it at home and just take the seat part with us when we travel.
7. Fanny Pack: As a mom, a fanny pack is a game changer when traveling. I can keep the boarding passes, IDs etc handy at all times. This fanny pack is my favorite. It has the perfect amount of pockets and even a changing pad that folds out and is stylish.
8. Saddle Bags for Stroller: These mesh bags are under $10 a set and we use these with our umbrella stroller. Since umbrella strollers are notorious for having very little storage room, these saddle bags take up no extra room and offer the perfect spot to stuff water bottles and snacks when we are off exploring. They attach to the sides of the stroller.
9. Travel Car Seat: This is the car seat we use when our little ones outgrow the Cosco Scenera Next—usually around ages 3-5. It folds compact and fits in the overhead bin on flights, but offers a safe and full harnessed car seat. It is a bit of an investment and can only be purchased through one retailer, but we have liked it and found it worth the price tag.
10. Slumberpod: If you often stay in the same room with your kids when traveling, this tent-like setup that goes over a pack and play or travel crib is helpful. I had a little bit of sticker shock on the price of it, but when you have limited space in a room or a baby/toddler who isn’t a great sleeper, a good night of sleep can make the difference between a great trip and a stressful trip.
11. Baby Carrier: We usually travel with a baby carrier when we have a little one age 18 month or under. I like this carrier because the front zippered pocket is the perfect spot to keep our wallet when we are on busy public transportation or any tourist areas that have a higher propensity for pickpocketing. We can be an easy target with how distracted we are with 3 little ones! It’s also handy to have the baby carrier to put Luca in if one of the older kids is exhausted and needs to take a little break in the stroller.
12. Car Seat Bag: This is the bag we put our car seats and anything bulky that we travel with in. Usually it has our diapers, carseats, and any bulkier jackets/sweaters inside. We gate check it. It’s usually heavy as can be and a workout to haul through the airport, but it has held up really well.
13. Travel Crib: This is one of our best baby purchases. We bought this almost six years ago and it has been used so many times by all three of our kids. From international trips to napping at grandma’s house to friend’s babies snoozing in it when they are over—it has been well loved and worth every single penny. It’s very compact and lightweight to travel with. We usually check this as luggage. I’ll be sad when Luca outgrows this because of all of the fun memories it has been on.
14. Ipad Case: This is the ipad case we use when traveling. Brody uses and ipad and Isla uses an Amazon Fire. We prefer the ipad! It’s much easier to navigate for all of us.
15. Hand Sanitizer Keychains: We hang these on each kiddo’s backpack and our carryons so we can have easy access to the hand sanitizer at all times.
16. Snack Container: One item we bring with us every road trip and airplane trip are these pill containers we use as snack containers. Each of my little ones has a container that will fill with goldfish, m&ms, and little snacks. They look forward to it every trip. Disclaimer: I realize this may not be a good fit for some families—especially if anyone in your home or other homes you visit use pill containers for pills. My brother who is a pharmacist cringes when I share this, so use your best judgement for your family.
