It’s that time of year when everyone seems to be going on a trip! We will be visiting family later in the summer but have no other vacations planned – which I don’t mind 🙂
But we *do* travel every time we visit family so we have some favorite gear and essentials that I wanted to share with you today! We have lived away from family the majority of our life with kids so we are very used to flying.
Here are my tried and true essentials!
I use my Naghedi large bag as my carry on with kids. I highly recommend it as the ultimate mom purse – you can read my full review HERE. Love love love and I’ve convinced multiple friends to get one! I also love this LL Bean Bag (I use as my pool bag and for road trips!) as a carry on for parents.
For plane entertainment, we rely on our trusty iPad Pros. They are our iPads and the kids use them when traveling. THESE are the best headphones we’ve found for kids – loud enough but they don’t get too loud.
I also swear by THESE mesh bags. I have one bag for each kid and then one for random electronics! It’s easier to corral toys for each kid this way. If they want a different toy I can just grab the bag, swap, put it back, and nothing falls on the floor. I also have a bag for diapers and wipes and then my wallet, etc. We are low key and just throw food into a huge gallon bag 🙂
THIS is the car seat you need for the plane and for travel – it’s super lightweight and easy to install! We use it every flight for our 2 year old. He is squirmy but the car seat makes him comfortable and contained. And he is taller this way so it’s easier for him to see the screens on the back of the seats. I also recommend THIS car seat bag if you need to check one. We have used ours for 4+ years and it’s still in great shape! It has straps so you can wear it as a backpack if needed.
For sleeping, we have a basic Pack and Play. But the gamechanger is the Slumberpod – this is a *must* for any trip. You don’t have to worry about bad blinds and you can even share a room if needed. It’s worth every penny! We also bring THIS portable sound machine, but we do pack our Hatch sound machines with this travel case. Bulky but keeps them from breaking. I am going to order THESE portable bed bumpers soon for our next trip because I think they will work better than the pillows we usually use for our 4 year old when traveling 🙂
Other things I would recommend are buying diapers at your location and using grocery delivery to have your house/hotel stocked with snacks! Or just doing a pickup order will make your life easier when you get to your destination.
Traveling with kids seems daunting but trust me, you can do it! Stay calm, chill, and make it something fun and enjoyable for your kids – and they will have a good time. You can do it!
