Traveling with children means that you will inevitably be lugging all sorts of stuff through airports, schlepping it on trains, and cramming it into cars. It’s incredible how much gear you truly do need when you have kids in tow and while there are plenty of options promising to make traveling with kiddos easier, we have spent the last year testing products on our trips and have narrowed it down to a few tried and true items. Below, our list of 9
products that will SERIOUSLY make your life easier and your family trip more enjoyable.
BabyQuip
Hands down the easiest way to travel with kids is by bringing as a little as possible and BabyQuip makes that dream a reality! BabyQuip is the #1 baby gear rental company out there, and it will seriously change the way you travel. Serving over 500 destinations, you can rent strollers, cribs, pack ‘n plays, monitors, sound machines, high chairs and even beach toys and coolers. Instead of bringing all that stuff with you, Babyquip can deliver it right to your door when you arrive. And the best part? Your BabyQuip concierge will set it all up for you.
Slumberpod
If you buy only one thing off this post, make it a Slumberpod. BRAVO and a million thank yous to the brilliant mother-daughter duo who came up with this invention. Essentially, it’s a bottomless, blackout, pop-up tent that goes over just about any crib or pack and play. This came VERY in handy in hotel rooms where Penny was sleeping in a crib in the same room as us. Usually, she’d wake up early, spy us from across the room, and be up at at-em — our dream of getting a little extra zzzz’s on vacation, crushed. With this, girlfriend slept so well and stayed asleep into the late morning hours (think 9am!). It’s well vented and doesn’t get hot inside. The zippered side make it easy to pop Penny in for naps and bedtime and it is super easy to assemble, though we do recommend trying it once before you leave. It folds up tiny and is less than 5lbs so it’ll fit nicely into your luggage.
jetkids bedbox
We love Stokke products and the JetSet BedBox is a super fun and smart addition to our travel gear. Kid-size luggage by day, bedbox by night, this is sure to make napping or sleeping on planes easier and more comfortable for the kiddos. Penny is too young to utilize this just yet (we packed snacks and toys inside and didn’t use the bed part yet) but when she turns two next summer and is no longer a lap child, we’ll be glad we have this. Kids can sit atop it and ride it though the airport plus there’s enough room inside for some toys and snacks, as mentioned. Also inside, a mattress and little bumpers to protect their noggins from the armrests. The suitcase also extends up, so that it essentially lengthens the airplane seat and turns it into a bed.
lotus everywhere travel crib
This pack and play is amazing — file that under things I never thought I’d say! The Guava Family Lotus Everywhere Travel Crib is the only one you’ll ever need. It folds up small and the case comes with backpack straps, making is super easy to move around with. Setting is up legit takes less than two minutes which is important when you arrive someplace new with an overly tired little one. The mesh is breathable and safe and the side zipper makes it an easy place to play when the babe isn’t snoozing. We love this crib!
Car seat Travel back pack
When I see car seats arrive at baggage claim without a cover, I get goosebumps just thinking about all the germs it likely came in contact with. Maybe it’s just me, but I prefer having a cover on the car seat when we check it and I’m so thankful my mother in law gifted us this — truly something I didn’t know I’d need. Since then, I have gifted and recommended it make times. We love the J.L. Childress Ultimate Backpack Padded Car Seat Travel Bag and it’s available on Amazon for UNDER $40! In the first year of travel with our daughter, we used it more than 25 times, checking it on countless flights, and I am so impressed with the quality. While it does show a little wear, it will easily get us through another year at least before we decide to grab another one. This makes schlepping all the luggage from the car to the baggage drop that much easier and keeps the car seat free of germs along the way.
Stroller bag
Also by J.L. Childress, this stroller bag is perfect for protecting your stroller and its accessories from getting banged up at gate check. More than that, it will provide a barrier between the stroller you kids ride in and germs!
Uppababy Vista stroller
The UPPABaby Vista stroller is an investment that’s worth investing in. The bassinet is approved for overnight sleep for babes so it can double as a ‘crib’ while they’re little. We loved the bassinet for pool-side and ocean-front naps while we sipped cocktails. The toddler attachment is great once the baby is bigger and our girl always looks pretty comfy in there. The storage beneath the seat is often important when we have a ton of other things with us while traveling. The stroller folds up easily (even when traveling solo) and there’s a stroller bag available for an additional cost should you wish to protect against germs when gate-checking.
Hatch Rest+ Sound machine
Parents all have their favorite trusty sound machine and the Hatch Rest+ is ours. It’s small and easy to pack, takes one a minute or so to set up on WiFi and can be adjusted via the app on your phone. It’s got lots of different sounds to choose from (we use the white noise) and it doubles as a nightlight. For babies who can nap on the go, we love the WavHello Sound Bub. You set a 30/60/90 minute timer or set it to continuous for overnights. It also have a hook so it can easily be attached to strollers or car seats. We don’t leave home without it!
Nanit Video Monitor
The Nanit baby monitor is what we use at home, so why wouldn’t we use it on the go as well!? The small size makes it easier to travel with and we love that there’s only one part — you set it up near baby’s crib and stalk baby through the Nanit app on your phone. The app alerts you to noise so you’ll never worry baby is crying and you can’t heart and it records baby while he sleeps, so you can see, the next day, how restful his night or nap was. The monitor uses WiFi and it’s easy to set up. We’ve used it may times while the kids napped in the hotel room and we got some extra sun and couple-time by the pool!
