Toddler travel essentials actually worth buying
Our tried and tested list of toddler travel essentials that you will actually use on your travels! Essential travel items for toddlers to make family travel easier.
The toddler years are the hardest in terms of travel gear.
This is the time when you find yourself lugging around airports the highest number of bags and that with the bulkiest items.
If you were able to get away with bare-bone essentials when traveling with a baby, now you find yourself literally weighted down by strollers, portable beds, toys, plus of course a chid on the move!
But what do you actually need for traveling with a toddler?
This is my selection of essential travel items for toddlers, made on the base of our own experience with our 2 children.
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Toddler travel essentials vs travel niceties
I always think about the things you need to travel with a toddler as belonging to two categories: travel necessities you will only use while on the go and things you need for your toddler to stay content and entertained.
Travel necessities for toddlers are things such as a travel car seat or luggage (something you would not use every day) while the toddler niceties can be things you already own but that are handy on travel.
After numerous trips with our two toddlers, I decided both categories fall in under ‘travel essentials’ and so, in this post, I included them all!
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A lightweight travel stroller
A good travel stroller or at least a lightweight stroller you can easily carry on your travels is invaluable when traveling with a toddler.
Once your child walks, it is very tempting to leave the stroller at home but the time I did, I regretted my choice.
Not having a stroller meant we always had to carry our children when they were tired and it also has a massive drawback: we always had them on top of us!
When they were tired, we always needed to have them either with us or in bed while with a stroller, we were able to settle them and go out for a meal with them peacefully asleep beside us. Family travel win!
Here you can find our selection of the best travel strollers (for Europe but really, for anywhere) and if you have two kids like us, our favorite double strollers for travel here.
If you are very active, you may also consider an all-terrain stroller: slightly bigger, usually, then travel ones, they tend to be great for offroad pursuits such as days in the country or the beach.
You can find our recommended all terrain strollers here.
If you are not on the market for a travel stroller, you can always gate check your own so while having a lightweight stroller helps, the one you have at home can also do!
Winter stroller accessories: if traveling to cold destinations, make sure you also have a good stroller footmuff. Some are lightweight and super portable and a life saver when you are out and about on a cold winter day.
A toddler carrier
A toddler carrier is a very handy thing to have when you have a young toddler and if you are planning activities that may require you to leave the stroller at home (this may happen in some museums or if you want to go hiking).
You can find the list of my favorite carriers for toddlers here.
Ride on luggage
One of the best purchases we have ever made was a Trunki, the super cute travel luggage on wheels toddlers can ride on.
I had many doubts about the Trunki before I got it but it was such a success for us, we actually got two, one per child!
You can carry Trunki on the plane as hand luggage, you can use it for extra toys or even as main toddler bag and it is super fun for the children to use.
Just be aware that it not a replacement for a stroller! You can read more about why we love Trunki for international travel here.
Toddler own backpack
Toddlers love having their own little bag of treasures and this is even truer on travel when having something familiar can ease anxiety.
For us, the best toddler backpack of all is the Kikki by Deuter which is super cute, sturdy and very well made. It has padded shoulder straps and a chest clip which is excellent to avoid it slipping it away.
A travel diaper bag
If your toddler is not potty trained, then a good traveling diaper bag is a must.
My favorite ones for travel are those my husband can carry too and especially those in the form of a backpack as they can double up as everyday bag for our essentials too!
Toys the plane / the car / the hotel
As much as I like to travel light, I would never travel without a good selection of travel toys.
We usually bring toys for the plane (stickers, stackable cups, aqua doodles) but also toys to use at our destination.
Easy to carry and good toys for the hotel for us were kitchen sets: with pots, pans, wooden food and cutlery, we had little chefs role-playing around the world!
You can find our favorite toys for long car rides with toddlers here.
A toddler bento box and sippy cup
Bento box is a bit of a pompous name for what is effectively just a piece of Tupperware however, I do find Tupperware with several compartments invaluable when traveling with a toddler.
I usually fill it with rice cakes, raisins and anything I know my children like and make sure to also bring a suitable drink (usually water) in a non-spill sippy cup.
Toddler headphones
I would have never thought headphones would appear in my list of toddlers’ must-haves but after listening to hours of Peppa Pig, I am a fan!
When picking toddler headphones, make sure you choose them with volume-limiting technology and specifically designed for the age of your child so that they are safe, cute, and stay in place.
Childproofing items
Depending on the age and habit of your toddler, you may want to bring with you childproofing equipment for your hotel room or rental.
Small items such as socket covers and soft corners for tables can make all the difference and turn a stressful environment into a safer one with very little effort.
A packable high chair
A packable high chair is something you may/ may not find useful depending on what you find at your destination, however, it is one of those items that do not to cost much and can make a big difference, especially if you have a wriggly child used to a harness.
We noticed that many restaurants now have high chairs but that often, for hygiene reasons, these are the type with no straps. In these cases, having your own can give peace of mind.
You can find here>>> out top baby high chairs for travel
This is our roundup of toddler travel essentials and the things you need when traveling with a toddler. I hope it was useful: safe travels!
