Travel Essentials for Flying with Young Kids: What Actually Works
Flying with toddlers doesn’t have to be stressful — it can actually be enjoyable with the right family travel essentials and a few clever screen-free travel hacks. After dozens of flights with my three- and four-year-old, I’ve learned exactly which items make all the difference when traveling with young kids. In this guide, I’m sharing the best travel essentials for kids — from a hands-free car seat backpack and protective gate check bags to our favorite mini magnet tiles, puffy stickers, and drawing tablets that keep little travelers busy and happy the entire flight. Get ready for calmer flights, entertained toddlers, and a smoother travel day with these real mom-approved travel essentials for families.
TRAVEL
10/15/20256 min read
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Take the Stress Out of Flying With Kids
That first flight you go on with your kids is almost always nerve wracking. Will they scream the whole flight? Where and how will I change their diaper? What if they have an accident? How can I keep them occupied for this whole flight? Believe me, I've been there. We started traveling with my son at about one year old so we've gone on quite a few flights by now. But over the years I've tried out lots of different packing tools, activities and travel essentials that have taken the stress out of flying with my two young kids. For reference my kids are age three and four so the activities I have listed and some of the travel products are geared more for very young travelers. So if you're holding back on that dream vacation this is your sign to stock up with the links below and go for it!
The Game-Changer: Staying Organized and Mobile
When traveling with young kids it's almost impossible to pack light. Between the stroller, car seat(s), diaper bag, plane activities, and snacks it makes it almost impossible to make it through the airport. Over the years and many flights later I've found two great products that have truly help keep us mobile and take the burden off of taking our stroller and carseats with us.
Car Seat Backpack – It’s the only way to carry a car seat without losing your mind — wear it like a backpack and keep your hands free for kids or coffee.
Gate Check Bags (for car seats and strollers) – Keeps everything clean and protected when you gate-check it — no mystery stains when you land. Plus it's bright red and easy to find if your stroller ends up in oversized luggage claim.
In-Flight Lifesavers: Toys and Activities That Actually Work
For our family, we focus on screen-free activities as much as possible on flights. But don't get me wrong, when we are on long haul flights, especially to Europe, we definitely use the in-flight entertainment. But when we were taking shorter flights or want to take a break from the provided screen, these are the activities that I've curated over the years that have been a big hit time and time again.
Mini Magnet Tiles – Small enough for the tray table, endlessly reusable, and mess-free. They come in a nice little metal tin for storage and you can build right on it. My kids love the regular magnet tiles so these were a no brainer for us.
Puffy Stickers – I usually buy a fresh set of these right before we go on a trip and pick out the themes that each of my kids will like the most. We stick them on the tray tables and windows and make up little stories about all the characters. And when we're about to land you just pick them right off. They come off very easily so it's an great activity with little mess. You could also use a coloring book as your canvas!
Drawing Tablets – These are the best! We've used these forever and I've since bought extras to keep in the car too. The possibilities are endless! My kids like to draw with them and then my husband and I also draw funny pictures for the kids too. I've also done a game where I draw a picture and have my daughter guess what it is. With my limited artistic abilities, it usually ends up being really funny what she'll guess I've drawn.
MP3 Player + Headphones – This has been so fantastic I have a whole post about it here. We load up each Mp3 player with the kids favorite music and some rain sounds for sleeping and we are all set. My kids have truly enjoyed this so much and it gives them a nice way to relax when it's too noisy or they need a nap.
Pro Tip: Rotate through activities often throughout long flights. And I try to keep as many things novel for the flight as possible. So our mini magna tiles and puffy stickers are only for flights. That keeps things new and exciting for them and helps you keep your sanity.
Comfort & Sanity Savers for Parents
Comfort is key when traveling, especially with keys. And some of that means peace of mind too. I have a few tried and true essentials that makes flying much easier on everyone involved.
Hand Sanitizer Wipes - These are the best, especially when you can't pack one more fluid ounce into your carry on. I like to wipe down arm rests and tray tables just to try to prevent us from catching a cold on day one of our vacation.
Refillable Water Bottle - I really like this Brita water bottle because it has it's own filtration system. So when I fill it up at the airport the water actually tastes drinkable.
Comfortable Insoles - A friend of mine went on a trip to Europe recently and walked about 8-10 miles per day with these insoles and never had a blister or sore feet. Since then I've put them in my own Sambas and I have to say they are amazing. We walked about 7 miles or so per day and my feet were completely fine at the end of each day.
Packing Strategy: Keep It Simple, Keep It Accessible
When all you have is a carry on and a personal item for each person you have to really think about how you're going to pack everything. I keep all the kid's activities and snacks in their own personal items so all their in flight essentials are quickly at hand. The carry on bags I treat like a checked bag. Once they're up in that overhead bin they might as well be checked anyway.
Vacuum Travel Bags - These are the absolute best for fitting all your clothes into a carry on without having to compromise which outfits you'll bring. I fill these right to the top and then squeeze out all the air and seal them. I have used a vacuum to suck out the air before too but honestly just squishing it all down yourself does about the same job.
Packing Cubes - For trips when we do bring a checked bag or it's a shorter trip I use these packing cubes to organize everyone's clothing. Then I can just take each cube and put them directly into a dresser for easy access at the hotel or Air BnB.
Bonus Tips for Smooth Airport & Flight Days
Here are some other tips and tricks I've picked up along the way that just might give you the edge you need on your next flight.
Check-in early, let kids stretch before boarding.
Board last (if possible) to minimize time sitting still. I know they always call for families to board first, but for domestic flights we always wait until the final zone gets called. For international flights we do board with our zone just because overhead bins usually fill up fast.
Always keep wipes, spare clothes, and a small plastic bag in reach just in case. All of these items should be in each person's personal item.
I pack a smaller bag/backpack in my personal item so I can have a purse while on our trip without having to drag around a larger personal item bag. Diaper bags do not count as a personal item or carry on bag either. So if you have very young kids who still need diapers, you can bring a whole diaper bag without having to count it towards the number of bags you can take. I will say I usually just packed everything into one bag anyway because the idea of a carry on, a personal item and a diaper bag just for me to handle seemed like a little much. But if you need that extra room it's a good thing to know.
You can bring sealed food pouches and milk bottles/sippies for young kids. So if your little one needs milk on the flight they'll just need to do a quick test to ensure you're not smuggling something nefarious. But it usually doesn't take long and can be worth it if your baby or young toddler needs milk during the flight.
Shop the Essentials
These are all the tips and tricks I've learned over the years for smooth flights. And I have to say practice does make perfect. The more we've flown the easier each trip has been. So I hope this helps you take the leap to go on your next trip! Because these kinds of experiences are amazing not only for us as adults but also our kids. We just went to France for two weeks and my kids have talked about nothing else and can't wait to go back. So book the trip and bon voyage!
