toddler walking through airport with luggage and backpack

Toddler Travel Essentials: The Only 15 Things You Need to Bring

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You are getting ready for your first trip with a toddler. What should you bring? If you’re anything like me, you’ve probably browsed the internet for this already, and come across dauntingly long lists that rival everything you even own for a toddler.

That’s not how I travel. I would rather travel light (we always go carry on only, even with a baby and toddler!), and help my child develop the flexibility to understand that when we travel, we don’t always have everything we might have at home.

Below you will find the 15 things that I truly believe you actually need (more or less). Just add clothes. There might be other specific items for your family, and that’s okay! Every family is different. But this is what we bring when we travel with a toddler or two, and we’ve never felt lacking in stuff.

Love a good infographic? I’ve included one at the end!

As a note, for this post, I am considering a “toddler” any child that has started walking, but is not yet fully preschool-aged. Not quite there yet? Check out the baby travel essentials instead.

One other thing: where appropriate, I’ve linked products below. Typically, I link the exact product that I use and recommend, because I believe choosing the right brand matters. The exception will be for everyday items like baby books and food, where the linked items are an example of the style that I recommend, as Amazon might not have exactly what we picked up from the grocery store or Target.

Travel bed

The toughest thing about traveling with a toddler is the sleep set up. They’re too big for a travel bassinet, but not yet ready to sleep in their own, unfamiliar bed.

You’ll need somewhere comfortable, safe, and familiar for them to sleep. For this, you’ll want to check out toddler travel beds. There are a few different styles, including travel versions of pack n plays (check out the Guava Lotus for the best of these!), roll out bedding, and tent-like structures. What you choose will really depend on your little one’s age and personality.

Most young toddlers probably need to be contained, unless you want to stay awake all night worrying that your toddler has escaped and is going to wander the hotel room while you sleep. For that reason, I tend to shy away from the roll out bed style of travel beds, unless your little one is old enough (and trustworthy enough) to handle that. But in that case, you might want to consider just letting him sleep in a bed at that point.

For us, we went with the Joovy Gloo, which is basically a little tent that you can zip your kid into. We started using this when our daughters were babies, and got the large size so that it would transition through toddlerhood until they were ready for regular beds. This was perfect for us, and it doubled as our beach tent as well.

There are cheaper options of the same thing out there, but we wanted something that would last all of the years we would need it, and it did that and then got passed on because it was still in great shape. We also started using it with an infant, so we wanted something we could trust was completely safe, and Joovy is a well-known, high quality brand.

I always liked the Guava Lotus, and so many parents absolutely swear by it. For us, it was just a little too big to haul along for the style of travel that we do. But if you are willing to carry it (and it does fold up into a backpack!), be sure to check it out.

Regardless, I always recommend something I call “toddler travel bed training” before your trip. That is, your trip should not be the first time that your little one sleeps in that bed. You want it to be a familiar setting, so start some naps in there well ahead of travel time!

Comfort item

Toddlers are creatures of habit, and every parent knows the importance of having those favorite comfort items, like a lovey, small blanket, or stuffy.

But we also know that toddlers actually want everything, so it can be tempting to bring all of the comfort items that you imagine your little one might possibly request (and completely melt down over not having). You can’t plan for every possible scenario, and you really don’t want to end up bringing tons of toys with you. Choose the 2 or 3 very favorite items, and leave the rest at home.

Snacks from home

This is where you truly can’t have too many, because when you’re traveling (especially internationally), you never know if you’re going to be able to find something familiar and comforting.

Think non-perishable, easy-to-transport, and ideally healthy enough that you won’t hate yourself if it ends up replacing several meals… which is bound to happen!

My absolute favorite snacks for traveling are pouches. Even if you are over the pouch phase, bring it back for travel. But not all pouches are created equal. I lean toward the protein- and fiber-packed ones, because while applesauce is great, it will not fill up a hungry tummy like something filled with barley and oats will. Prior to any trip with a toddler, I always swing by the pouch aisle in Target and buy a wide assortment to keep some variety in the diet!

There are tons of other great snacks that you can bring. I cover all my favorites snacks for flying with a toddler in my post about toddler airplane snacks, and almost everything there would be great for travel beyond the airplane as well.

Milk

Is your toddler an avid milk drinker? You may want to think ahead about how and if you are going to travel with milk, because it won’t always make sense to run out and buy a half-gallon everywhere you stop (unless of course you are staying in one place for long enough!).

In the States, the concept of shelf-stable milk seems odd, but it’s actually very common around the world. In many countries, even if you buy milk that is refrigerated in the store, it is actually shelf-stable and was sitting in a warm warehouse for a long time before getting the cold treatment.

It’s important to note that even with shelf-stable milk, once you open it, it needs to be refrigerated. So if you are on the go often in your travels, having a gallon of that might not help.

However, you can bring (or buy as you go) smaller quantities of milk. Maybe that means purchasing a quart wherever you end up (milk is one item that you will find in corner grocery stores around the world), or maybe it means bringing some boxes along with you. My favorite are the Horizon brand ones, which are the same that you’ll find at Starbucks… so maybe your toddler actually is used to drinking shelf-stable milk already, and you didn’t realize!

Water bottle and sippy cup

I typically bring one water bottle and one sippy cup for milk, etc. For water bottles, anything that is leak-proof and easy for your toddler to use is perfect. Any liquid that is not water gets to go in the sippy cup, which is ideally much easier to clean that the water bottle. I bring a rimless sippy, but whatever your child is most comfortable with is great.

Books

Books are an easy go-to anytime you need a calming activity for a toddler. I typically choose 5-7 to bring and we re-read them several times throughout the trip (something toddlers mind a lot less that adults do!). Book are perfect to help your child get ready for bedtime, or as an independent time filler.

Leave the heavy board books at home, and opt for paperbacks for the sake of travel space. Bring a variety of lengths, because you want to have an easy “okay, I’ll read you one short book!” option as well as something with lots of pictures that your toddler can flip through for a long time.

Coloring books and crayons

Coloring is another easy way to entertain a toddler for an extended period of time (or maybe just 5 minutes, but that is sometimes exactly what you need!). I always have a coloring book, some blank pieces of papers, and a handful of crayons. No need to bring the whole box – it’ll just get lost anyway. I stick about 6 crayons in my bag and call it good.

You also might collect a number of crayons throughout your trip as you visit family-friendly restaurants – hang onto those to replace your broken ones! In many parts of the world, this is very much not a thing. But depending on where you’re traveling to, you might end up with a full set by the time you go home!

Tablet

This one is a double-edged sword, and if your family is not about that, you can get by just fine without one. We have never been a screentime-loving family, but we did go ahead and get an iPad when my oldest was 3 before a big trip. We’re firm believers that screentime limits are out the window while on an airplane (a kid who rarely gets to watch TV will be an angel on flights when they suddenly get to!) and we were getting tired of sharing our phones or relying on the hit-or-miss seatback options.

There are so many tablet options out there for kids, and I am not an expert in this area, so I am not making any recommendations. We just bought the latest (at the time) iPad and called it good. We have a kid-proof case (a must), our streaming apps, and we always remember to download their current faves onto the device before any trip. It’s been a lifesaver.

Travel headphones

toddler in car seat on airplane watching a phone

Whether you are planning to share your phone, use the seatback entertainment, or give your toddler a tablet, you are going to want to think about headphones.

For babies and younger toddlers, I am a huge fan of CozyPhones. They are soft, fuzzy headbands with speakers built in that your little one can sleep in. They are amazing, and frankly you don’t save anything by buying the knock-off versions of them, which are maybe a couple dollars cheaper but without the braided cord. You can read my full review of CozyPhones here.

If you have an older toddler, you might want to consider upgrading to real (kid) headphones instead. I upgraded both of my kids at the same time, so one was using CozyPhones until she was 5 (a little too long, as hers were all stretched and worn out from literally 5 years of use), and my younger made the switch right around turning 3.

We chose the lilgadgets headphones, and have been super happy with them. It was a great change for my 5-year-old, but it took a little getting used to for my just-turned-3-year-old. However, now that she’s used to them, it makes life easier for me (because with the CozyPhones you do sometimes need to adjust the speaker location in the headband and pull it back up on their head). If your little one is about that age as well, you might want to skip straight to the kid headphones… but make sure you get quality, kid-friendly ones!

One thing to note: if you are planning to share your phone with your child for entertainment, make sure you plan ahead if you don’t have a headphone jack! My latest phone does not. I need to bring an adapter if I want to let one of my kids watch a show on my phone. Of course bluetooth headphones are an option, but kid-friendly headphones typically have a jack (which you definitely want in case you do want to take advantage of the seatback entertainment if your flight has it).

Travel stroller

…sometimes. This is where you are going to want to do a bit of research on your destination. How stroller-friendly is it? Are you staying in the center of, oh say, Rome? Where the streets are cobblestone and sidewalks are unheard-of, and museums and restaurants are unlikely to let your stroller in? You might want to consider keeping it at home and planning for shorter outings.

If you are staying somewhere that you think a stroller will be beneficial (and not a massive burden), then you’ll probably want to get a travel stroller. A travel stroller might just be a lightweight, cheap umbrella stroller. Or you might want to jump on the “pocket stroller” bandwagon.

Pocket strollers are ultra-light and foldable strollers that are ideal for travel. Some of them tout folding up small enough to fit in the overhead bin, which saves you needing to worry about how the airline treats your stroller.

Car seat

This is the big debate item on the list, and I am not going to go into the whole thing here. If you want to read all about the pros and cons of bringing your car seat, please see my post about whether or not to travel with a car seat. I also list lots of alternative ways of getting around in case you do decide to go without a car seat!

But if you do want to bring a car seat, make sure you bring one that is specifically designed for travel. I made the mistake (on our very first trip as a family of 3) of bringing my regular car seat from home. Not only was it heavy and hard to deal with, but it barely fit on the airplane and they very nearly made me check it as a result.

You will want to pick up a travel-friendly car seat, and for toddlers, I highly recommend the cult-favorite (among travel families, that is) Cosco Scenera Next (link to Walmart because it comes and goes so often on Amazon for some reason). We’ve had two, and they are everything they’re made out to be, and exactly nothing more – no bells or whistles, and not something you’d like to use every day (because the straps are clunky and annoying to clip/unclip, there’s no cupholder, and they’re just not built for the everyday in-and-out situation). But at under 8 pounds, they are absolutely ideal for travel.

If your little one is at least 3 and at least 30 lbs., you might consider instead going with the RideSafer Travel Vest. We also have (and love!) one of these, and we were so thankful when we freed up some precious space by switching to the vest! You can read my full review of the RideSafer vest here.

You might have heard of some other travel-friendly booster seat options, like the BubbleBum. These are only for use with kids over 4 and 40 lbs., so if you’re reading this post, you’re probably not there yet. I personally prefer the RideSafer vest over our BubbleBum for my 4 year old, but at 5 and above, the BubbleBum is a great option.

toddler in car seat on airplane smiling
Cosco Scenera Next
child asleep in ride safer delight travel vest
RideSafer Travel Vest

Babyproofing kit

One of the only things that you need more of, instead of less of, when traveling with a toddler instead of a baby, is babyproofing supplies. Now that your little one is mobile, you have to really think about the hazards in any place that you are staying.

What you bring in this category will really depend on where you are staying (Airbnb? Hotel? Friend’s house?) and your own kid. You also might be bringing some items to protect your child, and other items to protect the hotel room from your child. But this might range from cabinet locks, to waterproof bed covers, to painters’ tape (perfect for taping over exposed outlets and taping up dangling blinds cords!).

I have a whole separate post with all the things you haven’t yet thought about when it comes to babyproofing your hotel room. Pop over there for some inspiration to build a tiny babyproofing kit.

First aid kit

This is an item that I never traveled with before kids, but learned my lesson the hard way (on a 3 day small boat cruise in Vietnam) just how important it is to have medicine you trust 100% to be safe for your child. Trust me, you don’t want to end up in a situation where you are hoping the google translation of the medicine you’re looking at is accurate. Bring a small amount of anything that you could need with some urgency.

That being said, I don’t bring the whole medicine cabinet from home. To me, pain/fever medicine is a “need it now” item when we’re on the go. Cough syrup, on the other hand, can probably wait until we have time to find a pharmacy. My travel first aid kit reflects this.

So what’s in my kit? Everything below you can find in individual-use packing, which I use to create my travel and at-home hiking first aid kits:

  • Bandaids
  • Gauze and tape
  • Neosporin
  • Antiseptic wipes
  • Pain/fever reducer
  • Dramamine kids
  • Kids’ antihistamine
  • Oral rehydration salts

If you have any specific prescription meds, be sure to keep a copy of the prescription with them. We’ve never been asked to present this for our daughter’s seizure medication, but we keep it in the first aid kit just in case.

Toddler busy bag

This might not be a necessity, but it sure is a nice-to-have. When you’re on the go, you’ll want a way to distract your little one. I already mentioned books and coloring books as a must-have, but if you are looking for more ideas, see my full post about building a toddler busy bag. Some favorite items in my busy bag:

  • Window clings
  • Stickers
  • Pipecleaners
  • “Paint” with water books
  • 1 – 2 plastic figurines (easy to disinfect later)
toddler on airplane reading a book with mask on
That sticker on her finger is probably about to go literally anywhere except in this sticker book.

Bonus! Beach gear

If you are heading somewhere sunny, you might need some additional items for the beach or pool. Don’t forget your swimsuits, goggles, swim vest, swim diapers, and ideally some inflatable water toys. Keep in mind that if you are staying in an Airbnb or similar, they might have some of these available to you already, so check with the owner before packing a bunch of extras (for things like beach toys… don’t trust the random swim goggles and masks – in my experience, they are always nasty and broken). These won’t all apply to everyone, but here are some of my personal favorites.

Again, I am only linking the specific items I love and recommend, but feel free to use them as a starting place!

Swimsuits

I love the GreenSprouts swim suits with built-in swim diapers!

Sun hats

I also have and really like GreenSprouts’ hats, but I also love SwimZip. And I have tried SO MANY sunhats over the years.

Read my full comparison of the best toddler sun hats here, as well as tips for how to ensure your child actually wears it!

Sunscreen

I love ThinkBaby for sunscreen. Read my post about sunscreen for babies here.

Swim diapers

The reason I chose GreenSprouts for the swimsuit is really because of their amazing swim diapers. But if you have a cute swimsuit already, consider just checking them out for the diapers! You can read all about choosing swim diapers here.

Toddler swim vests

Swim vests are different from life vests! Read my post about toddler swim vests here. I fully recommend the classic: Speedo.

Inflatable water toys

The key here is something that is fully inflatable and easy to travel with. The specific ones I own are not currently on Amazon, so here are a few fun options.

Toddler swim goggles

We’ve gone through so many swim goggles over the years between swim lessons and beach time. I have yet to find any that will truly last and last, but my favorites are the EverSport ones. I haven’t tried the Frogglez (since my kids are very comfortable with the EverSport style), but I probably would if I were starting with goggles with a 3 year old for the first time.

Sunglasses

I very highly recommend Roshambo for baby or toddler sunglasses. They are extremely durable, safe, and you can get a matching set for the family. You can read my full review and comparison of toddler sunglasses here. If you shop through their website and want to save 15% on your purchase, you can enter my code DIAPERSINPARADISE at check-out. Or shop through this link to have it automatically added for you!

Beach tent

I already recommeded the Joovy Gloo above for a travel bed, and I recommend it as a beach tent, too! Love a double-purpose item. Read all about more of the best beach tents for toddlers here.


There you have it – all the things you’ll really need to travel with a toddler. You truly don’t need every single item you have at home, and the more you travel with little ones, the better they will get at inherently understanding that things are just a little different when you’re away from home, and that’s okay!


Want to leave all the gear at home?

Did you know that you can rent baby and toddler gear in destinations all around the country and internationally? For rentals in the US and Canada, the industry leader is BabyQuip. You can find them in over 600 locations! They have incredibly high standards for product quality and cleaning, and you get the peace of mind of having big (or small!) items delivered right to your destination doorstep.

minimalist empty crib

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