14 Items you shouldn’t leave home without when traveling
Anyone who’s traveled with kids will tell you that you have to bring A LOT of stuff. We’re here to tell you what you actually need to make your time away stress-free and super fun.
Traveling is one of the best things you can do with your kids, however, the process can be quite stressful if you’re not organized.
It’s important to consider what you’ll need to pack to keep your family fed, entertained, comfortable, clean and in good spirits on your memory-making trip.
To help you find the right travel products for your family, we’ll go over:
- 14 Items that should be on your family’s packing list
- Our product picks for each
- Chemicals to avoid in baby products
Scroll down to learn more.
14 Items that should be on your family’s packing list
The following items are great for traveling with babies and younger children:
- Lightweight travel stroller
- Travel toddler car seat
- Infant/toddler carrier
- Diaper bag backpack
- On-the-go feeding set
- Feeding pillow (doubles as infant lounger)
- Collapsible bath tub
- Baby balm, lotion & wash travel set
- Baby grooming set
- Sleeping Bag
- Organic cotton muslin swaddle(s)
- Travel playmat
- Dustless chalk coloring book
- Silicone teether/toy
- Pack N Play
Scroll down to see our product picks for each!
The best travel products for babies and young children
Lightweight Travel Stroller
If you’re traveling with a baby, toddler or young child, you may want to opt for the lightweight Cybex Eezy S Twist Stroller! Suitable from birth (with a compatible car seat), it offers 360 degree rotating seating and a super compact fold!
Suitable for use from birth (with infant car seat) up to 55 lbs.
Cybex Eezy S Twist Stroller
$299.95
Available in more colors
Travel Toddler Car Seat
Made from super strong, aerospace-grade aluminum frame and breathable wool/polyester-blend fabric pads, the WAYB Pico Car Seat goes from travel car seat to backpack, tote, or luggage add on in seconds!
You can even get a handy protective backpack travel bag for it!
Age recommendation: 2 years +
WAYB Pico Car Seat
$320
Available in more colors
Infant/Toddler Carrier
It doesn’t matter if you’re traveling with a baby, toddler or both, you’re going to want a carrier so your hands can be free!
Made with baby-safe OEKO-TEX fabrics, the ergonomic leg position with wide seat area means that your child’s hips stay in the right position, while the 4 way front and back carrying options allow for you to soothe a sleepy baby or tired toddler.
Age recommendation: Newborn to 3 years
Babybjorn Baby Carrier One Air
$229.95
Diaper Bag Backpack
When it comes to what type of diaper bag or carry on you’ll need when traveling with a baby or young children, we are ALL ABOUT the Jamie Eco Backpack from Jem & Bea.
Designed with a travel change pad, wristlet and zippable internal pockets, you’ll have all the room you need to carry wipes, snacks, a change of clothes and more!
Jem & Bea Jamie Eco Backpack
$245
Available in more colors
Includes changing pad
On-The-Go Feeding Set
One of the most important things you’ll need to consider when traveling with a baby or kids is how you’re going to keep them fed and hydrated! That’s why we created The Tot Feeding Sets: On-The-Go!
Featuring a booklet packed full of travel feeding tips, snack ideas and nutritional advice, the set also has:
- Stainless steel sippy cup
- Silicone catch-all bib
- Silicone tray
- Recycled milk jug snack stackers
- Bamboo fiber lunchbox
- Bamboo fiber cutlery
- Silicone tray
The Tot Feeding Sets: On-The-Go (1 year +)
$119
EXCLUSIVE
Feeding Pillow
The Nook Niche Feeding Pillow is one product that does A LOT of things! When flying with a baby, you’ll love having it for helping you hold and feed your infant. When not used for feeding, it can be used as:
- An infant lounger
- Toddler lounger
- A support for sitting up
- Pregnancy support pillow
Nook Niche Organic Feeding Pillow
Ranging from $119 to $129
Available in more colors
Collapsible Bath Tub
Finding a clean and safe space to wash your baby or toddler can be a struggle when you’re on the road or bouncing between family. That’s why you’ll love having the Stokke Flexibath on hand! Both sturdy and sleek, it has a non-slip base and a heat sensitive plug for easy draining.
Age recommendation: Newborn to 2 years
Stokke Flexibath Tub with Newborn Insert
$64
Baby balm, lotion & wash travel set
Airplane air and changing climates can wreak havoc on a baby’s skin. We love having this travel set from Erbaviva on hand because it has a non-toxic lip and cheek balm, lotion and bodywash.
All free of nasties like parabens, phthalates and fragrance, you can rest easy knowing there’s nothing potentially dangerous lurking in them!
Erbaviva Baby Travel Set
$24
Baby Grooming Kit
Consisting of a Finger Tooth Brush with Storage Stand, Hair Brush with Case, Styling Hair Comb and Easy Grip Nail Scissors with Nail File and Case, this little set will help keep your tot looking their absolute best and feeling fresh!
For long haul flights, you’ll love being able to safely clip a hang nail or clean milk teeth!
Age recommendation: Newborn +
fridababy Baby Grooming Kit
$24.99
Sleeping Bag
Sleeping bags are non-negotiable in our books because they prevent babies and toddlers from kicking off the covers!
If you’re flying, they’re extra great because who wants to retrieve a blanket from the row behind them? (Not us!) Made of ultra-soft bamboo, the HART + LAND Sleep Bag is made in an eco-friendly closed-loop system with GOTS approved dyes and is free of flame retardants, PFAS and antibacterial agents.
HART + LAND Baby Bamboo Sleep Bag – Simple Stripe
$36
EXCLUSIVE
Available in more colors
Organic Cotton Muslin Swaddle(s)
Arguably one of the most versatile things you can have, swaddles can be used for creating shade, as a blanket, as a burp cloth, for privacy when feeding, as a scarf, playmat and more!
Made from GOTS Certified Organic Cotton, the swaddles form Pehr are screen printed by hand in India using AZO-free dyes.
Pehr Happy Days Organic Swaddle
$24
Pehr Marine Life Aquatic Organic Swaddle
$24
Travel Playmat
If you’re having a long layover, are planning to picnic in the park or want to designate a play space in your vacation rental, you’ll want to get the compact and easy to clean Mini Mat from GATHRE!
Made from bonded leather and flocked suede, it will quickly become a diaper bag staple!
GATHRE Mini Mat – Rainbow
$62
Dustless Chalk Coloring Book
We just adore this reusable doodle & coloring book designed by mom of three Grace Paik. The Jaq Jaq Bird Doodle It books feature 8 coloring in pages in a whole variety of fun themes including Planes, Constellations, Unicorns and Submarines.
Travel-friendly, they come with 4 Butterstix® chalks which are 100% dust-free!
Age recommendation: 3 years +
Jaq Jaq Birds Color It Book – Constellations
$27
Available in more themes
Silicone Teether/Toy
Made from food grade silicone, the versatile Dena Rainbow toy allow babies and toddlers to stack, nest, trace, chew and more!
Easy-to-clean, it’s a fun toy to have while traveling because it doesn’t take up much space and can do double time providing fun while also soothing sore gums.
Dena Silicone Rainbow Stacker
$22.99
Pack N Play
Having a portable crib/play space once you get where you’re going can and will be your saviour!
We like this super lightweight and compact travel playard from Nuna! Designed with two mattress heights, it grows with your child!
Nuna Sena Aire Travel Crib
$349.95
Available in more colors
Chemicals to avoid in baby products
When you don’t know what your child’s toy, stroller or sippy cup is made of, you can run the risk of exposing them to potentially harmful ingredients such as BPA, BPS, Phthalates, PVC, Formaldehyde, Lead and other Heavy Metals. This is particularly worrying for babies and toddlers who inevitably put these items in their mouths.
Many of these chemicals have been linked to prostate cancer, breast cancer, female infertility, obesity, endocrine disruption, behavioral problems, and even irreversible brain damage.
At The Tot, we make sure that every single product we use and recommend passes The Tot Safety Test. This means that we’ve reviewed its third-party testing, certifications and asked in-depth questions about a product’s composition.
Continue exploring
- What We’re Reading: Travel Tips For The Breastfeeding Mom
- Raising a little maker? Check out The Tot Guide: Best Non-toxic Paint & Art Supplies for Babies & Toddlers
