Travel Essentials for a Toddler & Newborn
/This post may contain affiliate links, which means I receive a commission if you choose to purchase through links I provide (at no extra cost to you). Shopping through these links is one small way of supporting this blog, and for that - I thank you! For more information, see my disclosures here.
Taking two kids… a toddler and a newborn… on several road trips this summer was NOT an easy feat! I had a cousin who was getting married down in North Carolina at the beginning of the summer when our newborn was only 8 weeks and I don’t know why I thought we would be ready for a 6-hour road trip by that stage! In case anyone else is wondering… road trips take nearly twice as long when you have a newborn that you need to stop and feed along the way! Yikes. We’re so glad that we got to be there, but we learned a lot about traveling with a newborn along the way.
When traveling with newborns and toddlers, it's essential to be well-prepared! Planning ahead and packing these essentials can help make traveling with young children a smoother experience for everyone involved. I hope that some of my favorite products find you some relief while you are planning and packing for your next trip with little kids!
Travel Essentials for Newborns
sleep essentials
Travel Bassinet with Mosquito Net Cover
We have LOVED this foldable bassinet for travel - or anytime that we are away from the house, really. It was so easy to fold up and take in the car. We’ve used it at Airbnb stays, family reunions at park pavilions, and lots more. Much more convenient than a pack ‘n play for the newborn stage. My exact option is no longer available, so I linked one that is really similar.
Pack ‘n Play / Playard
Just beyond the newborn stage, a pack ‘n play is necessary for travel with a baby! We love the one that we got with a raised bassinet insert to make it easier to get the baby in and out of the pack ‘n play.
Slumberpod
This blackout “tent” for the pack-n-play has been an absolute game-changer for us when traveling with our second newborn! I wish so much I had it for our first. It’s super simple to set up and use over the pack-n-play. It also works over a toddler mattress as well. I promise that it is more than worth it’s cost!
Compact Travel Sound Machine
Another necessity - we love this compact sound machine for travel. We use it for car rides, in the stroller… anywhere that we are on the go.
Sound Machine
We love our Hatch sound machines - they are easy to travel with, too! I know they make a Hatch Mini that is specific for travel, but any of them are easy enough to take along on trips.
Travel Blackout Curtains
It took me way too long to get some travel blackout curtains - these are perfect because they have suction cups to go on any window surface, the velcro sections allow you to shorten the curtain wherever needed, and they come in their own bag which is perfect for travel. They are also machine washable and come in several color options.
play essentials
Play Mat / Cushion
These soft play mats are great for travel so that you can control the area that your baby or little kids are playing on or resting on when you are in a new environment.
Activity Mat
We have and love this activity mat - it was super easy to take apart and take along on our vacations (especially ones that we were going somewhere in the car).
breastfeeding essentials
Breast Pump Bag
This was my favorite pump bag - it was the perfect size to fit everything important that I needed while traveling with my pump. It has a separate compartment for the breast pump and the main section zips closed and has lots of interior pockets to fit all of my essentials (cleaning supplies, extra pump supplies, bags for breastmilk, sharpies, nursing cover, and ALL of the snacks!)
Breast Pump Cleaning Wipes
These cleaning wipes were a game changer for times when I could not immediately clean out my pump parts - great for in the car, on an airplane, at an event without easy access to a sink, etc.
Portable Bottle Warmer
I remember seeing a mom trying to warm up a bag of breastmilk on the hood of her car in the parking lot at the beach - and was so thankful that I had a bottle warmer like this in my bag to get our bottles warmed to the perfect temperature while we were traveling in those early days.
Bottle Cooler Bag
I have this bag in a different color to match my diaper bag and love the small size that perfectly fits a few bottles and an ice pack, as well as some bags of pumped milk when needed.
Travel Bottle Brush & Drying Rack
This travel bottle brush and drying rack was an absolute essential when I was traveling with a newborn in those early days! I loved that the brush disassembles to fit inside of the drying rack and closes up into its own case, which was easy to throw into my pump bag.
other travel essentials
Disposable Diaper Pail
Listen, this might not seem like a must-have, but let me tell you, when you are staying somewhere for several nights at a time and have two kiddos in diapers, it’s so nice to have a container that has a closed lid and can hold all of those diapers in one spot instead of throwing them into the regular trash - and then you just chuck the entire pail into the trash when it is full!
Wet Bags
Another essential for travel with a newborn (and toddlers, really) - I love these wet bags for dirty clothes after a blowout, leak, or any messy burp cloths after pumping or nursing. I also used one for any pump parts after cleaning (or before cleaning, if they were dirty but I wasn’t able to clean them right away).
Stain Remover
This stain remover is truly MAGIC - and it is an essential if you have kids! Pro tip: make sure you rinse or wet down the stain area before you spray or wipe with the Miss Mouth’s Messy Eater Stain Treater. Then just let it sit until the stain disappears, and throw it in the wash! (If you wash it and still see some stain, spray again and let it sit until it disappears - but don’t throw it in the dryer until the stain is gone!)
Diaper Caddy for the Car
I like having a diaper caddy designated to stay in the car - especially during long trips, so I’m not using up everything in the diaper bag. Love that this one zips to make it less of a projectile/mess during travel. This one also includes a changing mat and wet bag!
Packing Cubes
I absolutely LOVED keeping all of my baby’s clothes in packing cubes for our trips this summer - it was so easy to pull the packing cubes out of my suitcase and store them in a dresser drawer in our room and keep everything organized. When it was time to pack up again, I just zipped everything back up and threw it back into my large suitcase. I actually have a few of the pink packing cubes from Target (which are now out of stock), but also have these Itzy Ritzy packing cubes that I use both in my suitcase and in the diaper bag!
Travel Essentials for Toddlers
sleep essentials
Toddler Inflatable Mattress
We have LOVED this inflatable mattress! It has sides to help keep your toddler from rolling off the bed onto the floor, which honestly, just adds a bit of extra peace of mind for mom and dad.
Nap Mat w/ Pillow & Blanket
I’m actually ordering these for both of my toddlers - love how easy it is to add them on top of their inflatable mattress and tuck in the bottom - then they are all set for sleeping! No need for any sheets or additional blankets.
Toddler Pillow
If you’re not going the nap mat route, this small toddler pillow is perfect for travel and comes with lots of different pillowcase options.
Sound Machine
This is our favorite sound machine! It’s easy to travel with and perfect for newborns and toddlers. I love the options to change the color to use as an ok-to-wake light for the kids.
packing essentials
Toddler Duffel Bag
Each of my kids have one of these bags in different colors - love that is is basic enough to grow with my kids over the years, but still fun with bright colors. Has a separate pocket for shoes, a zipper outside pocket and lots of room inside!
Packing Cubes
I use packing cubes for myself and for each of my kids. I love how easy it is to pull out the packing cube from the bag or suitcase and it keeps everything just a little bit more organized!
Mesh Zippered Pouches
I love these mesh pouches for organizing smaller things for the kids - things like hair ties, band-aids, nail clippers, medicines, etc.
play essentials
Fire Tablet for Kids
I know that not everyone likes to have tablets for their kids, but we really appreciate having them for road trips or time on airplanes! They can be so helpful and these Fire Tablets for the kids allow parents to set limits and control the content that your kids are able to enjoy.
Headphones for Kids
It seems obvious, but in case you didn’t think of it - headphones for kids are essential! Each of my kids has a pair of headphones like this - it’s soft like a headband and the headphones are inside, which makes them more comfortable for car rides - they are easier to put on and stay on (no slipping off!), soft to wear if they nod off and fall asleep, and less of a projectile in case of an accident.
Restickable Sticker Books
For the most part, stickers in the car are a big no for me, but these restickable sticker books are easy to use and are pretty much just a “cling on” that even stick to car windows - without any damage.
Water WOW! Books
I love these Water Wow books - you just add water to the pen and when used on the paper, colors and images magically appear! It’s fairly “mess free” for the kids during travel.
Toy Bag or Backpack
We have a small backpack for each of our toddlers that can be used as a mini diaper bag, but also to hold their toys, sticker books, tablets, etc. during travel.
snack essentials
Water Bottle
I know there are SO many different options for water bottles out there, but I have been searching high and low for a good small (and narrow) water bottle for my kids that fits easily into their cup holders in their car seats, but will also slide out easily. This one checks all of those boxes!
Snack Cups
These snack cups are great for younger toddlers - less spills in their car seat! The lid is easy for them to squeeze their hands into to grab a snack and pull them out without making too much a mess.
Car Seat Snack Tray
We have a tray like this for each of my kids - it’s so great for those times that we are stopping for a meal during our road trip, or just to give them more space for their snacks. Comes in lots of color options and also has a longer oval shape tray size.
Snack Spinner
This is on my wishlist for our next road trip - you can fill each section with snacks for the kids and they can push the button in the center to spin the tray around! Only one section has a door that opens to get the snack - which means less spills in the car seat. Also turns their snack time into a fun game.
Snack Bags
I have a set of these snack bags for each of my kids - I use the large one to throw a few small packs of snacks into to keep them organized inside of the diaper bag.
Water Wipes
I don’t use water wipes for everything or normal diaper changes, but I love them for wiping faces or hands because they don’t leave a sticky residue or funny taste.
pin for later
