Travel Gear Reviews + Kids Travel Accessories

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I am always on the look out for general travel gear and the best travel accessories for long flights whether it’s kids’ travel accessories or for myself. Anything that is super useful, lightweight and convenient to pack definitely sparks an interest in it from me.

If you are flying long haul, then take a peek at the various plane beds, travel mattresses, and inflatable footrests you can use to help your child sleep on a plane.

The guide to my reviews below, are a mixture of things I’ve bought or borrowed from friends to try, been given to review or have come highly recommended by fellow parents on either my Facebook page  Flying With A Baby – Family Travel community or my Family Travel Tips Forum group.  Also included are travel essential such as car seats and other information on child restraint devices.

I hope you find these children’s travel accessories round-ups useful!

Travel Gear For Babies

This is the stage where you will likely have the most travel gear – and with so many products on the market it’s tough to decide which you actually need. It obviously completely depends on your family travel circumstances. Hopefully the below links will help you fathom out what you need, and what you don’t! Here are some of the baby travel items I have tried and tested.

Best Baby Carriers

Having a baby carrier in your hand luggage is essential. They are invaluable for boarding the aircraft or disembarking the aircraft and keeping you hands free for all of the other baby gear. They are complete life savers if you have a long walk to baggage claim, and your travel stroller needs to be collected there.

Baby carriers come in all shapes and sizes and baby carriers for toddlers are also available for up to around 4 years old. Here is my guide including a quick reference comparison chart to the best baby carriers for travel.

Travel Highchairs

Turns out a LOT of places have highchairs – but the standards vary not only across the world but also between restaurants. Some highchairs didn’t have straps, some were dirty, others were absolutely perfect and other places had none.

So due to this disparity, I found it much easier to take my own. These days travel highchairs are so portable, light and easy to clean. 

Here is a selection of various travel highchairs currently available, in a comparison chart, so you can easily compare and see which one suits your family for a day out or trip away

Travel Cots/ Portable Cribs

A guide to the best bassinet for travel: for flying, camping, hotel stays & more

Here you will find a breakdown of the different types of travel cots (also known as portable cribs, portacots and bassinets for travel), with reviews to help you decide which one will suit your family travel needs. Whether you are camping, overnighting in a hotel or need a lightweight portable crib to pack in your luggage – this guide will help you. Read more here.

Travel Strollers Guide

This comprehensive travel stroller review, with a quick comparison chart, covers some of the best travel strollers which are especially designed for travel -with a strong emphasis on being light and portable. They don’t have all the features that you would expect from a travel system, however some are very close! Some are even so compact that they are suitable for plane travel and fold up small enough to be considered hand luggage! When we used one of these on a flight, it was so incredibly useful – especially with a heavy toddler.

Cabin Sized Travel Strollers

This cabin sized strollers guide cuts straight to the chase and gives you the smallest strollers permitted as cabin or carry-on luggage.

There is also a VERY handy guide to airline infant baggage allowances, which also details adult carry on allowances – so you can see if your stroller can be taken in the cabin.

However, if you do this, bear in mind you sacrifice your bag and will have to pack everything in your partners bag instead.

Airline Approved Car Seats

A question I often get asked by parents is about airline approved car-seats, and what to look out for to make sure they are FAA (Federal Airline Association in the USA) or CAA (Civil Airline Association – in the UK) approved.

What is clear is international airline associations rules do vary, so this effects the airlines rules on what car seats you can bring on-board.

A rear facing car seat approved in the USA may not be approved for use on a UK airline. This guide will help you sift through the rules, provide you with knowledge so you know your rights or how to easily find them when you travel with car seat.

This information will also provide you with a range of FAA airline approved cars seats and answer many of your questions regarding traveling with carseats even if you are not flying with a USA airline. Read more on FAA approved car seats here.

Lap Baby Review

LapBaby is a new invention, designed to keep your baby secure on your lap. It allows you to be hands-free whilst eating, working or playing, whilst still keeping baby safe and close to you. I was offered the LapBaby to review from a travel perspective. My chief tester was twenty months old at the time of reviewing and is already toting up thousands of air-miles. She is a little older than some who have reviewed this product, but it is suitable for babies aged three months and over.

Sleep Gadgets For Babies

This is a popular section! Here I cover the baby stage. Toddler and bigger kids sleep gadgets are a bit further below.

CoziGo Sleep Cover

I was very keen on trying out the CoziGo Sleep Easy cover as soon as I had heard about it.  It doubles up as a stroller cover AND fits on airline bassinets to help them sleep. (Formerly known as Fly Babee) Any product that helps my baby sleep, especially on the ultra long haul flight from UK to Australia, instantly grabs my attention!

Skybaby Travel Mattress

UPDATE: This product is no longer available to purchase. Another gadget, the SkyBaby Travel Mattress, is essentially a supportive mattress which enables you to comfortably hold baby when travelling, and is especially useful if you are unable to get a bassinet seat. Even so, it still gives support whilst feeding, and can save your arms from aching as you can rest baby comfortably on your lap.

Travel Gear for Toddlers

Travelling or flying with a toddler, can be the trickiest stage as they are now mobile and more vocal with their likes and dislikes! Below are some more toddler travel accessories varying from travel beds, travel strollers to gadgets to help them sleep whilst on the move and more.

Toddler Travel Beds

Although a hotel suite with separate bedrooms or a set up similar to home is the best when travelling, that’s not always possible for various reasons. A big factor and expense on vacation or holiday is the room cost: a portable travel bed or toddler blow up bed can offer a little bit more flexibility on the rooms you can choose. Many hotels don’t charge for kids under a certain age – if they use an existing bed.

A kids’ travel bed gives you the option to book a regular room and save money. I’ve known some parents to fit a travel bed under the room desk when space has been particularly tight! This option wouldn’t have worked with a travel cot or pack n play. This guide will help you decide which is the best travel bed for toddlers. 

Toddler and preschooler sleep gadgets for the plane

Are you considering purchasing a toddler ‘bed’ for the plane; essentially an inflatable travel footrest, (sometimes known as an inflatable flight cushion).

These devices can be inflated manually or with a hand pump and slot in-between your seat and the seat in front in the footwell.

The most well known ones are Plane Pal and the BedBox by Stokke JetKids but there are other versions available too. Including the fab new Flyaway Kids’ Travel Bed.

There are also items like the Travel Snug or Seat to Sleep that provide a cosy and snug cushioning from the hard plane seat, enabling kids to sleep better.

Flyaway Kids’ Travel Bed.

Check out my latest review of this new travel gadget! It has learnt from its predecessors and was made in consultation with IATA, therefore hopefully meeting most airlines safety requirements. It is brand new but has already been approved by many major airlines.

Do check out the rules of use below before you buy though and double check with your airline for any of these products!  I’ve included some other kids travel gadgets to help them sleep more comfortably below, including a selection of the best travel pillows for kids. Read more about toddler and preschooler sleep gadgets for the plane here.

Travel Strollers Guide

This comprehensive travel stroller review, with a quick comparison chart, covers some of the best travel strollers which are especially designed for travel -with a strong emphasis on being light and portable.

They don’t have all the features that you would expect from a travel system, however some are very close! Some are even so compact that they are suitable for plane travel and fold up small enough to be considered hand luggage! When we used one of these on a flight, it was so incredibly useful – especially with a heavy toddler.

Cybex Mios

As you know, I’m an avid traveller with active kids and a dog! We previously used a fairly large travel system which was great for all terrain, but not necessarily the most practical for last minute dismantling at the airport gate – with a queue of passengers behind you, or for navigating through narrow shop doorways!

Since A was a tiny baby, strollers have evolved somewhat. The Cybex Mios is one of those. Whilst not sold as one of the ‘travel’ strollers that can pass as cabin baggage, it is still lightweight and compact – without compromising the comfort we enjoyed with its predecessor.

BabyZen YOYO Plus Review

Does this stroller match the hype? Can it really fit in into an airplane overhead locker? Can I fold, unfold, push with one hand? Would I be allowed it on as hand luggage? BabyZen kindly agreed to lend me the YOYO + with the 6 month plus option, for 4 weeks – which perfectly incorporated our recent trip to Portugal. Read my full review here.

More Kids’ Travel Accessories

Travel Snug Review- A sleep gadget

The Travel Snug is basically a fleecy padded seat cover which lays over the bottom of the seat and also provides comfortable support around the back and sides too. It also comes with a fleecy blanket; both come in a variety of colours and patterns.

As an added bonus it can act a bit of a booster seat- handy for little ones who can’t quite reach the tray table. For young children – it is an ideal solution for trying to get comfy on a hard airplane seat, with bulky metal seat buckles and armrests making it harder to get snug. I can imagine it would also be useful for long coach rides. Read my full review here.

Seat to Sleep Travel Nest Inflatable cushion

Seat to Sleep Travel Nest Inflatable cushion is another new product to help kids sleep on a plane. Read my full review by clicking the link.

Travel Gifts For Kids’

If you are looking for that perfect birthday or Christmas present for a family who loves to travel, then look no further! Find travel gift ideas for babies, toddlers, teens, and parents too. Head to this travel gift guide here.

Travel Gear For Parents

Let’s not forget us! There are also some practical and stylish travel items for parents too. Below are a selection of travel bags varying from diaper/nappy bags, travel rucksacks, travel totes and more.

Best travel bags for Moms and Mums.

I’ve gone through a few travel bags, baby changing bags and carry on’s at various stages of flying with a baby, flying with a toddler and now flying with a 3 year old and 6 year old.

Here is my round up up of the best travel bags for Mums; including the best carry on bag for moms for the various stages of travelling or flying with kids.

Best Anti Theft Back Packs and Anti-theft Bags for Travel.

As a parent, I find I get easily distracted when on days out with the kids, so I am likely to be more of an easy target for theft. My husband had a close call on a train in Barcelona, when a lady placed her coat over his bag and her companion attempted to chat to him and distract him – luckily he noticed before anything was taken.

However, when you have kids, they are constantly asking for snacks, drinks and need to be kept an eye on, making it easier for a more opportunist thief.

This guide will help you decide which anti-theft bag or theft-proof backpack will be best for your next family trip. I’ve also included some useful anti theft travel gadgets below – which have an element of James Bond to them!   Read more here

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