Travel Gear We Actually Use
These are the travel products that have actually earned a spot in our suitcases, carry-ons and road trip bags over the years. From cruising, flying, road trips and bigger adventures, these are the things that have made traveling with kids a little easier.
I’ve included longtime favorites we’ve used ourselves, along with a few newer finds I think are especially useful for family travel. I’ll keep adding to this page as I discover things worth packing because if it doesn’t make travel easier, it probably doesn’t need to take up precious suitcase space.
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Flying With Kids · Cruise Essentials · Road Trip Favorites · Packing & Organization · Adventure & Outdoor Gear
Travel Essentials: Road Trip Favorites
Snackle Box
Best For: Flying with Toddlers, Road Trips
A snackle box is one thing I never skip on a road trip with kids. I pack a mix of healthier snacks and a few fun treats that they don't normally get at home because road trip snacks are always more exciting.
I love that everything stays organized and within reach, so the kids can help themselves without me digging through bags every time someone is hungry. And because everyone gets their own snackle box, there’s a lot less negotiating over who gets what. Anything that cuts down on backseat arguments earns a spot on my travel gear list.
…I should have known that! Game
Best For: Family Road Trips, Road Trips with Older Kids & Teens
…I Should Have Known That! is one of our favorite games to play in the car because everyone can play and everyone gets stumped. Parents, teens and younger kids all have those moments when they realize they really should have known the answer.
We’ve played it on longer drives, and it always leads to friendly competition, funny conversations and plenty of laughs. I especially love that it isn’t a trivia game where one age group has all the answers. Everyone has a chance to be the smartest person in the car or the one saying, “I should have known that!”
Audiobooks
Best For: Long Road Trips
Audiobooks are one of my favorite ways to make a long drive go faster. We’ve listened to everything from short Curious George and Pinkalicious stories when my kids were little to longer chapter books as they got older. There’s something special about getting wrapped up in the same story together.
Before paying for an audiobook, I always recommend checking your local library. Apps like Libby and Hoopla let you borrow audiobooks for free with many library memberships. If the book we want isn’t available before a trip, Audible is a great backup.
Road Trip Bingo
Best For: Screen-Free Road Trip Entertainment
Car Bingo is an easy way to keep kids entertained on a long drive, and I especially like this dry-erase version because it comes with 12 different themed cards. Everyone can be searching for something different instead of competing to spot the exact same things along the way.
The cards can be wiped clean and reused trip after trip, and kids can switch themes whenever they want. Fair warning: the fast-food bingo card tends to be a favorite in our car!
Travel Essentials: Flying with Kids
The North Face Surge Backpack
Best For: Flying with Toddlers, Organized Travel
I’ve been traveling with The North Face Surge backpack for years, and it was absolutely worth the investment. It has plenty of room for all the things I want within reach on the plane, while keeping everything organized and easy to grab under my seat. I love having a backpack as my carry-on because it keeps my hands free while juggling kids, and everything else that comes with getting through an airport.
I recommend traveling with a backpack so often that a friend recently left me a voice message just to thank me for convincing her to try one. She isn't normally a backpack person, but after using one for airplane travel, she told me it was some of the best travel advice I'd given her.
Toddler Headphones
Best For: Flying with Toddlers
These were our go-to headphones when my kids were little. The padded ear cups were comfortable, and the cushioned band helped them stay put on little heads. Most importantly, the kids could actually hear their shows over the background noise of the airplane. They’re also inexpensive, which is a big plus for something that can easily get left behind while traveling.
Munchkin Snack Catcher
Best For: Flying with Toddlers
One of my favorite toddler travel items is a snack catcher. My son could hold it himself and reach inside for snacks without immediately dumping everything onto the airplane floor.
Reusable Sticker Pad
Best for: Flying with Toddlers, Mess-Free Toddler Road Trip Entertainment
I love the Melissa & Doug Reusable Sticker Pads for planes because toddlers can stick the reusable stickers just about anywhere without you worrying about getting them off later. Even better, if your toddler decides a sticker absolutely must go in a different spot, you can simply peel it off and move it—no ruined sticker and, hopefully, no toddler meltdown. Speaking from experience on that one. Rip out a few pages every time you go on a trip. It keeps it new and exciting.
