11 Must-have Travel Items for Plane Rides
[Reading time: 7 mins]
11+ must-have items to help you survive those long plane rides with kids.
Photo from unsplash.com
A big reason that families with young kids don’t like to vacation often is because they’re intimidated by having to take a flight with their kids. I’m not gonna lie - it’s definitely not easy and it’s something we dread doing as well, but I’m here to tell you that you can do it! Don’t let the unknown of a plane ride deter you from having a wonderful vacation. Those vacations can create long lasting memories for your whole family. If you can survive the airport and plane ride with young kids, then you can survive anything!
Here are a few of our must-have travel items we bring with us when flying with our kids.
01. Stock up on travel games & activities.
Photo via vecteezy.com
If you haven’t come across this great blog post of mine yet, I have put together a list of our favorite [screen-free] travel games & activities that keep our kids occupied on flights. You can check it out here:
Screen-Free Travel Activities & Toys for Kids
There are so many great ideas to keep the kids entertained, and just remember: you can never buy too many!
02. Buy a snack catcher for those little hands.
Snacks are of course a must-have on plane rides. And if your kids are anything like mine, they will constantly ask for snacks just because they’re bored.
If you have toddlers, these snack cups are great to have for those little fingers:
When we are eating on the plane, these have been a life saver for us. A little cup with a lid that the babies can easily hold and take out their food from.
03. Keep those necks comfortable with a travel pillow.
My kids get a kick out of these travel pillows and it makes them feel like a grownup for some reason. But they’re very comfortable and easy to travel with, because they can snap onto a carry on bag, so there’s no worry about accidentally leaving it behind at the airport or when you disembark the plane.
There are many different kinds on the market, but these ones come in cute animal designs and it includes an eye mask!
The inside of the pillow is memory foam and the outer plush fabric is easily removable and washable.
04. Stroll your baby in a car seat travel cart.
If your child needs to have a car seat on the plane, then this car seat travel cart is an absolute must. It’s hard enough walking through the airport, trying not to lose your kids, pulling or carrying all your carry on bags and then also lugging around a car seat (or 2!).
These car seat travel carts will make your life so much easier. Just strap the car seat into the cart, buckle in your kid and voila! You just saved yourself a huge headache! The cart itself also folds into a small compact and flat square, which makes it’s very easy to stick into the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you.
PRO TIP #1: You have to unstrap the car seat from the cart and have your kids walk through security, so make sure you are prepared for that before getting in line.
PRO TIP #2: When the car seat is strapped to the cart, it won’t fit through the airplane aisle, so you will again need to make sure everything is broken down and separated before boarding your flight.
05. Buy the Cosco Scenera.
Photo owned by Kristel at On the Go with 4 Kids in Tow
I know the last thing you want to do is to buy another car seat just for flying, but trust me, these extremely lightweight and easy-to-travel with car seats make traveling on a plane so much easier! They are also pretty affordable (for a car seat), so hopefully that helps with making the decision to just go ahead and buy one.
06. The car seat check-in bag can act as another luggage.
If you don’t need your child’s car seat on the plane, but you plan on checking it in, make sure you buy a car seat travel bag. But don’t buy those $15-$20 ones- those will rip way too easily. You’ll want to make sure it’s durable and can withstand the inevitable rough handling at the airport.
PRO TIP: Once you do have your car seat travel bag, utilize all that empty space and stuff some other items in there! Just don’t go overboard; I like to put our coats or big sweaters in it, or even pairs of shoes. Basically any of those big bulky items that you’d rather didn’t take up precious space in your suitcase.
07. Get those headphones ready.
Photo owned by Kristel at On the Go with 4 Kids in Tow
No matter if you’re using a tablet or watching the TV on the plane, you’re going to want to buy headphones for your kids to wear. This is another item that seems to make them feel like grown ups and there are many different colors to choose from.
08. Share the audio with a headphone audio splitter.
If you have multiple kids, sometimes they may want to watch or play games on the same tablet or phone. Or maybe even you want to listen to whatever your kid is listening to. Having a headphone audio splitter is key so that two headphones can be plugged into the same device.
09. Buy a travel stroller.
Photo owned by Kristel at On the Go with 4 Kids in Tow
No matter if you decide to check in your stroller at the check-in counter vs at the gate, it is best to have a lightweight one. Yes, umbrella strollers are good options, but they’re also not the best stroller to have once you’re at your destination.
My favorite stroller [not just for traveling, but for everyday use too] is hands down the Zoe. These strollers are so portable and lightweight, and they fold up very easily for a compact fit. There are many different models [and colors!] to choose from, and they come as a single or double, and there are also options to add on a third seat, as well as a fourth!
But a few main things I really love about the Zoe are the extra large canopy that goes over the head, a spacious under basket and my favorite: the seats recline all the way flat, which is perfect for when those kids want to take a nap.
10. Go with a backpack, not with the rolling suitcase.
Photo via fullsuitcase.com
I don’t care how cute that little rolling suitcase is. Do you really think your child is going to roll that thing through the entire airport? Maybe it’s just my kids, but I definitely do not trust any of mine to keep track of their own suitcase. They already complain about how far they have to walk to our gate, the last thing they want to do is be pulling something behind them. And so what ends up happening? I have one more thing to pull or carry, on top of also having to keep track of yet another item.
Instead, consider giving your kids backpacks. Backpacks are so easy for them to carry and keep track of. Bonus if they have that buckle that clips in front of their chest, so that the bag doesn’t fall off their shoulders or their back as they’re walking. Fill up those backpacks with their activities and some snacks to get them excited about it!
11. Enroll in TSA PreCheck.
Photo by monkeybusinessimages via iStockphoto.com
Is TSA PreCheck® worth it? This seems to always be the million dollar question. The answer? ABSOLUTELY.
I’m honestly surprised by how many people don’t have it yet. Applying for TSA PreCheck® is unbelievably simple. And even if you don’t travel often, it’s only $80 for 5 years, and kids who travel with adults with TSA PreCheck®, do not need it for themselves.
Imagine waiting in shorter lines with your kids, not having to take yours and your kids’ shoes off and not having to take out all liquids and electronics to put them in separate bins. So I ask again, is TSA PreCheck® worth it? 100% YES.
[Disclaimer: If you click on any of the Amazon links and make a purchase, I earn a commission at no additional cost to you. However, all opinions are still my own]
[All photos are taken via amazon.com, unless otherwise noted].
It’s so easy to plan a staycation when you live in or so close to such an amazing city as Chicago. Between the world-class museums, popular tourist attractions, outdoor parks and beaches, broadway theater and so much more, you will never come up short of ideas for the perfect staycation!