Our family packing list is the question that always comes up: what do we bring on trips with the kids? What do you really need to pack when traveling as a family?
Here is our minimalist, field-tested family travel packing list: sleep, transportation, health, games, snacks, etc. Our essential gear for traveling with children. After several trips by plane, train, road trip and backpack with our kids, this article is written on the occasion of our three-month road trip in a (small) car.
Disclaimer: as is often the case with family travel, we are constantly looking for the balance between comfort and clutter, which can feel contradictory.
Sleeping while traveling with children
A travel tent instead of a travel cot
My best tip for setting up babies to sleep while traveling is a pop-up travel tent (Deryan is the only brand we tested). Since discovering this tent, we no longer use a travel cot. Even the priciest “compact” models are far bulkier. This pop-up tent designed as a baby bassinet is a game-changer!
Super easy to set up, slightly trickier to fold back down, but honestly it’s fine, and so lightweight and minimalist! It’s comfortable, the kids love it, and it protects against mosquitoes (and sun if you want to use it outdoors).
We have two models, for our little one (0 to 3 years): Baby Luxe
For our older one (1 to 6 years): Toddler Luxe
We’re pushing them a bit and reaching their size limit on this road trip. Originally, we invested in the larger model for our first child hoping it would last as long as possible. In the end, the smaller model has already served us for three years. Once folded, it even fits in a carry-on bag or a large backpack.
Our eldest could sleep on a simple inflatable mattress, but he prefers the cocoon effect of the tent, which keeps him from rolling onto the floor at night, and we love the built-in mosquito and insect protection.
Sleeping bag liners
Sleeping bag liners are really handy for avoiding having to wash the entire sleeping bag every time you want to freshen up the bedding!
We were thrilled to find them in children’s sizes: the KidSack Cotton by Cocoon. For this summer trip, we simply brought lightweight blankets to layer over their liners. Sleeping bags felt too warm. We also pack mini flat pillows for them.
Before they turned 3, we used sleep sacks, adjusting the TOG rating based on expected temperatures.
Sleep for the parents
Being well-rested is essential for parents while traveling. I have no magic solution to stop your kids from waking you up, but at least make sure you’re comfortable. A sleep mask (preferably silk or satin) and earplugs are non-negotiables and take up almost no space.
Personally, I often struggle to sleep on firm mattresses. For this trip, I wanted to bring a mattress topper. We were tempted by the Duvy mattress topper by Nyte. It’s incredibly comfortable, but unfortunately too bulky for a road trip with four people in a city car. I thought it would work for our setup, but it seems better suited to van travel or a more stationary situation.
If anyone has suggestions for a minimalist mattress topper, we’re all ears.
Some people travel with their own pillow, same issue as the mattress topper: the comfort-to-clutter ratio is a tough sell.
Getting around while traveling as a family
The combination of a baby carrier and a stroller works in every situation (even if Nicolas would always prefer to leave one of them behind). With two young children, it also means being able to carry both at the same time and letting them switch between the two when one gets tired of a system.
That said, it doesn’t stop them from both wanting the exact same thing at the exact same moment, or from hurting our backs.
Baby carriers while traveling
The baby carrier market is constantly evolving (which is a good thing), so our recommendations may not be the best ones by the time you read this.
First of all, we have never tried hiking-style framed carriers (or backpacks). Even though they seem more comfortable for everyone, we find them too bulky for our plane or train trips. They’re also a significant investment for something that’s hard to transport.
Soft-structured carriers have the advantage of being easy to roll or fold to the bottom of a bag when not in use. Because when a baby decides they don’t want to be in the carrier anymore, there’s no convincing them otherwise.
We have two different models (to carry one child each when they were smaller) and each have our favorite (which goes to show how much body shape matters):
- An Ergobaby Omni carrier (the Ergobaby Omni 360 Cool Air Mesh, 2020 model) which Nicolas prefers. It works great for front carries and forward-facing. However, we find it uncomfortable for back carries.
- A Love Radius Physio Carrier (model 1, 2023) which Clémentine finds much more comfortable. It doesn’t allow forward-facing carries, but it’s excellent for back carries, right up past 3 years old. It’s a product you genuinely use for several years!
Make sure to try models before buying, check whether they work well for both front and back carries, and look at the maximum weight limit. Some have handy features like a fabric hood to protect baby’s head from the sun, or a built-in foldable rain cover.
Stroller
The big debate before every trip: do we bring the stroller?
We personally own three: a full-featured all-terrain one usable from birth that we use for forest walks and never take on trips; an ultra-compact stroller that lives in the car and comes everywhere with us — plane, boat, and train; and a bike trailer that doubles as an all-terrain double stroller (not suitable for newborns).
Compact / umbrella stroller for travel
A true game-changer when traveling: the ultra-foldable mini stroller that fits in an airplane overhead bin or under/above seats on a train. Ours also lives permanently in the car without taking up any space, since it tucks at the foot of a child’s seat. It’s the GB Pockit (2021 model). It can be used from birth when combined with a compatible infant car seat using adapters.
We’re very happy with it. It’s far sturdier than it looks and has already been through some serious adventures. Its only downside: it’s a bit low for tall people like us — we’d love a height-adjustable handlebar model.
Bike trailer stroller
We also invested in a double bike trailer, which we love and use constantly (an older unbranded model). What’s great is that we can convert it into a stroller after parking the bike. Both kids fit in it, there’s even a storage compartment, and it’s genuinely all-terrain. It folds flat, but still takes up considerable space in the car.
As I write this, whether it’s coming on our three-month European road trip is still up in the air. It’s so useful for hauling gear, picnics, and kids to the beach or through the forest. But it’s a lot of effort to assemble, disassemble, and squeeze into the trunk.
The car seat puzzle
Even though the question doesn’t apply to this road trip since we’re leaving from home in our own car, we’ve often had to decide: bring our own car seats or not? They’re so bulky, but our experiences have been mixed: outrageous rental fees for poor-quality seats.
We’ve also found ourselves in countries where car seats are barely a thing and it was nearly impossible to find one in a taxi. If you’ve tried foldable (or even inflatable?) car seat solutions, leave us a comment!
Keeping kids entertained during the trip
What toys to pack when traveling with children?
No magic formula here, except to weigh whether a toy’s entertainment value justifies the space it takes up. What always works: stickers and coloring books.
A quick note on magic watercolor painting books (many publishers offer them) — if you haven’t discovered these yet, I highly recommend them. Even as an adult, I think they’re fantastic. They keep kids busy for a long time, can be done over and over again, and best of all, they’re incredibly mess-free. The only catch if you’re traveling somewhere hot: the water can dry up before you finish the page!
As for toys, Duplo and Lego are always a crowd-pleaser and easy to pack. Mini playsets are great too — welcome back, Polly Pocket!
Educational workbooks and magazines in the family packing list
For this trip, we’re bringing activity workbooks. Many people have mixed memories of them from childhood, but our kids genuinely enjoy them. In our bags we have the Tchoupi Vacances workbooks and the Loup workbooks by Auzou.
If you’re traveling to an English-speaking country, we recommend the Bayard subscription to I Love English. The magazine content is fairly basic, but the app is well-made (despite a few bugs) and kids progress nicely. Think of it as Duolingo for little ones.
Story players and books
Having a story player has been a game-changer at home and on the road. We already had one. For this trip, we invested in a second one and headphones so each child can listen to their own story of choice.
After extensive research (back in 2022 — the market has evolved a lot since then), we chose the Yoto Mini and have been very happy with it. A big plus for us: the catalog includes cards in English and Spanish. But we also appreciate its durability, how easy it is for kids to use, and its compact size. We love the record-your-own cards feature — our three-year-old uses them when she wakes up at night to soothe herself with our voices.
I also love that we were able to find content tailored to our trip, with a card on Ancient Greece and another on a journey through Europe.
Of course, we always travel with a few small soft-cover books. Here’s one that’s very hard to bring on a trip but so wonderful to read before leaving (for kids and grown-ups alike): Maps: Voyage Among a Thousand Curiosities and Wonders of the World by Daniel Mizielinski and Aleksandra Mizielinska.
For older kids: keeping a travel journal
For our 6-year-old son, I came up with the idea of having him keep a journal of our trip. I slipped into the suitcase: a nice notebook, pencils, glue, scissors, and tape. I also printed a map of Europe as well as a map of each country we’re passing through so he can trace our route. He can stick in tickets, make drawings, and write little notes.
At the last minute, I splurged and broke the low-budget spirit of this project. I bought him a kids’ camera, which can print (in black and white) only the selected photos — not every single one like a Polaroid. Here’s the model we chose.
Snacks: a family packing list essential
The number one tip from parent friends who traveled before us has always been to pack plenty of snacks. Pulling out the snack card when things start going sideways genuinely always works. So pack lots and lots of them, preferably ones that aren’t too messy (melting chocolate…).
For carrying your snacks, powdered milk tins make great containers to hand out between kids. I also always bring small reusable snack pouches, like these ones from the brand Laessig, who also make the best travel bibs we’ve ever tried.
The family health packing list
Sun protection
We all agree that the best thing is to keep kids out of direct sun. But when you’re traveling, staying in the shade at all times is often just not possible. The essentials for protection are hats, sunglasses, UV-protective clothing, and a good sunscreen.
Choosing sun protection is a sensitive topic, both for health and environmental reasons. This blog post covers it well and suggests safer products: Clean sunscreen comparison.
We use the Comme Avant solid sunscreen stick, which is pricey but has the major advantage of being approved for use from birth (while most sunscreens are only approved from 6 months).
Mosquito and tick protection
We always travel with a set of tick removers in different sizes, just in case.
To avoid using toxic mosquito repellents, we prioritize appropriate clothing: long sleeves and trousers in the evenings and in higher-risk areas.
During our round-the-world trip, we discovered mosquito-repellent clothing (also effective against ticks). We invested in one set per person: socks, leggings, a long-sleeved shirt or t-shirt, and a light jacket. The brand Insect Shield offers children’s clothing.
For any exposed skin (face, neck, hands, ankles), the Comme Avant solid mosquito repellent is also safe from birth. In countries where mosquitoes carry serious diseases, we’ve used chemical aerosol repellents as a complement (keeping use to a minimum). It’s all about calibrating your risk-benefit balance.
Filtering your water
Depending on the destination, filtering water may be more or less necessary. For peace of mind with kids, it’s a good idea to travel with a filtration system. It also means you won’t have to buy plastic bottles. Some filtration systems connect directly to the tap, which is very practical for washing baby bottles or rinsing toothbrushes with zero risk.
Having a filtered water bottle is also very useful. We travel with Water-to-Go bottles, our loyal companions since our round-the-world trip. [15% off with the code: VDM15.]
Travel insurance for families
Outside the European Union, good travel insurance is a must (even if we hope to never need it). We’ve been traveling for years with Chapka insurance, and you can get a 5% discount here.
Ultimately, our family travel packing list constantly evolves depending on the kids’ ages, the destination, and the mode of transport. Your guiding principles should be: comfort, practicality, flexibility — and light, because ouch, your back!
