Traveling with Kids – The Must-Haves Guide
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As a military child, I traveled thousands of miles, by almost every mode of transportation. As a mother of three with an active duty spouse, I’ve traveled thousands of miles with one, two and three children of every age by plane and by car. I’ve learned what is truly critical to making your trip bearable and even enjoyable when you are traveling with kids.
This military mom has learned the hard way what is important to have when you are traveling with kids. Here is a list of must-haves for traveling with children.
Traveling with Kids – The Must-Haves Guide
EarPlanes Ear Plugs – A pressure regulating ear plugs for children to prevent the discomfort of ear pressure while flying. They help your child travel more comfortably and makes travel more pleasant for those sitting around you. 
Free Printable Travel Checklist – Use this free printable travel checklist so that you don’t forget to pack a thing, whether you need a vacation packing list or a business trip packing list or a conference packing list, it’s all here in one checklist.
Free Printable What to Bring in Your Carry-On Checklist – Wondering what you should be packing in your carry-on? Use this carry-on checklist so you never forget what you really need and want to bring in a carry-on bag.
BCOZZY Travel Pillow for Children – A soft and flexible travel pillow that supports your child’s head that allows restful sleep while sitting upright on a place or in a car. And we all know that a well-rested child is much more pleasant to travel with!
8-PIECE SET COMPRESSION TRAVEL CUBES: 2 Large & 1 Medium, 2 Small, 2 Accessory Bags, 1 Laundry/Shoe Bag, and 50 luggage tag cards
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EzPacking Cubes – Packing cubes make packing and finding items during travel so-oooo much easier. EzPacking Cubes are well made from easy-to-clean plastic that is sturdy enough to hold up to many, many trips (and children). They hold their shape which means fewer wrinkles in clothing. They’re clear so you can easily spot the exact item your family members are looking for. Use code ORGANIZED31 to receive 15% off your order.
Why you want EzPacking Cubes for traveling with children:
- Easy to Organize Your Items by Family Member, Day, Event or Clothing Type
- Easy to Neatly Pack Your Suitcase
- Keeps Items Neat and Clean During Travel
- Easy to Remove and Relocate Items If Your Suitcase Is Too Heavy at the Airport
- Easy for TSA to Inspect Your Suitcase and Keep it Neat
- Easy to Unpack Place Items in Hotel
- Easy to find and grab what you need from your carry-on when you have a fussy child
Travel Games – Sure, technology is an easy way to keep kids quiet, but interaction and with other family members is a great way to distract kids on a trip. Be sure to balance screen time with interactive game time.
- Games for Younger Children
- Games for Older Children
Disinfecting Travel Wipes – Wipes that sanitize and safely clean face and hands. Kills 99% of illness causing germs. Perfect for wiping down meal trays, bathrooms and seats, as well.
Patience and a Positive Attitude – Let’s face it, traveling with kids is tough. It’s exhausting, both physically and emotionally. It’s stressful. It’s a balancing act between keeping your kids happy, keeping other travelers happy and trying to find some happiness for yourself. The only way to do it is with a lot of patience and by keeping a positive attitude. Think of it as a grand adventure and make the best of it. You’ll be surprised that when you change your outlook on the trip it suddenly becomes more fun and even exciting.
What is your favorite traveling with kids must-have items? Happy family travels!
For my top moving and travel tips, hacks and printables check out the table below. You can scroll though the table and look for ideas or search for specific ideas with the magnifying glass in the upper right-hand corner (on desktop). Click on the topic and then click through the specific article.
I’m a mom of 3, a veteran and military spouse. I’ve moved into 20+ homes all around the world. My passion is helping busy people make the space and time for what’s really important to them.
I’ve never heard of those ear plans plugs for kids. That was often an issue, and often still is, as we have a fair amount of sinus trouble in our family. When your ears don’t pop, it hurts!! That backpack is so cute. And it could be stored away and used only for traveling, so it could also be a repository for travel supplies:)
We always had “travel only toys” and keeping them in a “travel only” backpack is a great idea, Seana!
What a useful post this Summer. Not long ago we came back from a vacation in the Caribbean, which included 3 flights and about 24 hours of travel each way. Our 4 and 7 year old did so well but the screens could only entertain and keep them happy for so long (although my 7 year old did manage to watch the Ninjago movie 3 times).
I really like your list of easy to pack games that also don’t take up a ton of space.
We make sure that the kids have each their own small carry-on with all their own stuff and a few snacks in there. They feel so proud to be in charge of stuff themselves and they feel a lot more ownership of keeping entertained when they know what they have to choose from. Also, we make sure that snack and meal time is not coupled with screen time so that each “activity” gets it’s full worth.
Thanks again for a really nice blog.
Snacks are key to happy travels, aren’t they, Kristine? 🙂 I love that you keep each activity, eating and screen time, distinct and separate. So smart!!