Toddler Essentials for Traveling Abroad
Welcome back for Part 2 of the Research-Purchase-Review: toddler travel essentials. Last post, I researched the strollers and carriers that I felt were best suited for city travel abroad; I am getting ready to make some of those purchases soon, so stay tuned. This week, I’m going to be putting together my list of plane gear and daily life “must-haves” for eat, sleep, play etc. Since I will be flying by myself with my two boys, getting through the airports and the long flight will fall completely on me. I need to be prepared ahead to help make sure it goes as smoothly as possible…well as smooth as anything can go with two toddlers.
Toddler carry-ons:
Mini backpacks are great for toddlers! My boys each have the mini-pack from Pottery Barn Kids—Toy Story for Len and Mickey for Brin—and we love them! They are the perfect size for them to carry and manage on their own. I will be sticking some small toys, a few books, and their loveys in the packs, that way they can keep these items close by and I can put less in my own carry-on or the diaper bag.
Diaper Bag for traveling:
I am planning to use my Freshly Picked –
diaper bag for the trip, and I will be packing my mini version along too. When Brin was born, I decided to get a different style diaper bag since I wasn’t a fan of the one I used with Len. I purchased this bag based on a friend’s recommendation, and I couldn’t be happier with it. It’s so comfortable to wear, provides the most room, and is still very stylish. I will do a review for this bag later because I really can’t say enough great things about it! I do have a few other diaper bag suggestions in the The Perfect ‘Fit – Bébé section on the blog, go check those out!
Plane sleep solutions:
Most likely our longest flight will be about 10 hours, and even if it’s not an overnight flight, I’m going to want the boys to sleep at some point. They will need to start to get on Paris time (9 hours ahead of PST) as soon as possible just to make our lives a bit easier from the start. During COVID we didn’t fly at all, so for 20+ months I haven’t had to worry about any kind of plane-sleep plan. I know there are a few products out there now designed to make the seats more comfortable and help kids get a nap or even a full night’s rest.
Stokke- Jetkids Bedbox– $199, Ages 3-7, Rideable cart with a bed inside, designed for easy travel through airports. Fits between the seat edge and the seatback in front of you, has a fold out mat with bumpers, and space inside the cart for small toys, tablet, books, small blanky or pajamas. Can be purchased through their website jet-kids.com or many major retailers.
Pros: Having something my oldest can sit on while I pull him through the airport or be able to pull on his own is huge, it seems like it makes a secure and cozy bed space on the plane, and having a little extra storage would be nice.
Cons: It’s one more thing to have to carry along and it’s not the smallest item. Also, PRICE PRICE PRICE. If it wasn’t so expensive, I would seriously consider it but I just don’t think I have the budget to justify it.
Inflatable Footrest $18.95, Ages 3+, inflatable footrest that fits between the seat’s edge and the seat back in front of you. Fills in the gap making a longer seat space for small children to lay down or stretch their legs. Can be found on Amazon.
Pros: Foldable, compact, light, easy to travel with, and super cost-effective.
Cons: Having to blow it up by mouth or with a small pump on the plane, and having to deflate it before landing. Not the quickest to set up or take down, plus it could potentially pop.
Ultimately, I think with the price and compact size, this is probably the best option especially with trying to carry on so many things for 3 people. It seems like it would be easy to pack and keep track of.
PURCHASED- Stokke Jetkids
*I was very much on the fence about spending the money to purchase this, and to be honest, I really wasn’t going to splurge on it with all the other expenses we have this trip. Out of nowhere, I ended up finding a super amazing deal and bought it. I am excited for it to get here early so Len and Brin can play around with it. It will be helpful to have them practice how to ride on it and pull it around, hopefully that way it will be so easy for them to use by the time we travel. The end goal is for it not to be any kind of burden on me to lug around… fingers crossed. Review to come later!
Entertainment:
Two small kids on any flight is going to be challenging, especially with just one parent. Toddlers just don’t understand how to deal with the small spaces and their very wiggly bodies, lots of different people, and why they can’t freely move about as they please.It’s very challenging making them feel settled, calm, and happy the whole time—it’s damn near impossible. We will be traveling about 10 hours on our longest flight, which means there will be lots of time to fill. I know that screen time will monopolize much of the flight and I am okay with that, but hopefully they will get some sleep too. I’m going to also make sure I have some other activities too to help pass the time, keep both boys mostly content, and momma from ripping her hair out.
iPad / Kindle: Pre-loaded with movies and games. If you don’t have video subscriptions like Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or Disney+, it might be a good time to try a free trial or sign up for a month just to have access to your kids’ favorite shows. Disney+ offers a lot of variety for different ages and interests, at $6.99 I think it’s well worth it. You can download shows and movies ahead of time and watch them offline. This feature is a life saver in times when Wi-Fi isn’t available.
Coloring books: Crayola mess-free color pages and markers – Art that will leave no trace on the plane and requires no clean up.
Activities books: Imagination Ink, these little coloring books are great and come with a water marker so the kids can do the activities without any risk of drawing all over the tray table.
Playdough: Against my better judgement I will probably bring a small playdough because my 3 year old loves it so much. I am fully okay with it being a one and done activity that we may have to throw away at the end.
Small toys: Something for imagination play that can be easily wiped down with a Clorox wipe.
Food containers/utensils/bibs
Traveling with the boys’ favorite snacks will be essential not just for the flight but for life abroad. These simple home comforts mean a lot, even for me when I have been on long international trips. They will likely serve a meal on the flight, and generally a couple of them on those 10+ hour long hauls. I know I will need to have lots of the boys’ favorite snacks and treats as well as items to make eating easier and cleaner on and off the plane. I have listed a few of my favorite eating items that will definitely be on our trip.
Bapronbaby- Hands down the easiest bib to fold up, stick in the diaper bag and take with you. They are great quality, comes in 2 sizes, super cute prints, and are easy to throw in the wash. Each boy with have their own. Found on Bapronbaby.com and Amazon.
Mushie- plates and cups. These are some of my favorite dishes, not only because they are esthetically nice and come in soft colors, but they are also durable and the best quality! They are made in Denmark from BPA free polypropylene plastic, which means they are hard plastic but very light—perfect for traveling with! They also come in packs of 2 which is nice. Found on Mushie.com and Amazon.
Stasher bags–Reusable “plastic” zip bags for snacks. These are my absolute favorites. They are actually made from silicone, close easily, wash easily, and fold up small. Comes in many sizes and colors. Found on their website Stasherbag.com and on Amazon.
Bentgo kids– I’m planning to pack a meal for after takeoff in the boys’ Bentgo boxes. These are lightweight to carry on with us and will be nice to have in Paris for our days out and about. They have a few different styles, sizes, and even some with built-in ice packs. Found on their website Bentgo.com and Amazon.
Harness for eating- Booster seats are generally an important part of being able to dine out in the United States…all restaurants offer them in one form or another. In Europe, I don’t think this is as common, and in most Parisian bistros the small round chairs don’t seem too inviting for those clunky square boosters. However, I may be pleasantly surprised by the toddler accommodations I encounter. Just to play it safe I’m going to bring a toddler harness that slips over the back of the chair just to have some way to keep Brin at the table and not halfway down the Champs Elysees.
Rental places- Crib for apartment (always ask ahead what your accommodations might already have)
Brin will be about 20 months when we leave, so a crib sleeping arrangement will most likely still be a thing. When we went to Hawaii in 2019, the condo we stayed at didn’t offer a crib, so I was left trying to either buy a portable crib or rent one. I ended up finding a really great company on Maui that actually went to our condo and set up a full-blown crib the morning we got there so it was ready when we checked in! Once I knew we were going to need a similar set up for this stay, I set out in search of a rental company. I have had some luck finding places and items, but the prices are truly off putting. I understand for travelers who only need an item for 3-7 days it’s not as crazy, but I need it for a much longer stay. I found two sites that seemed to have easy options for cribs but ultimately, I may end up buying one on Amazon for $60 and paying $50 to have it shipped over because it will still be cheaper than either of those places. If I do end up buying one, I’ll be sure to see if my host wants to keep it, my Parisian friend would want it, or even see if a local Expat group could point me in the direction of a women’s shelter or organization that could find a home for it.
Babytems.com-Portable crib- $55/week
Familib.com-Portable crib- $100/month
Kidelio.com-Portable crib- $194 for 6 weeks, deposit required- $230
Monitor- I’ll be bringing along my basic HelloBaby monitor. It’s inexpensive, simple to set up, and a lightweight baby monitor I got from Amazon for traveling. My home monitor is an Arlo Baby, but I don’t like having to set it up on new Wi-Fi every time we go out of town, plus if the Wi-Fi signal isn’t strong in the boys’ room it won’t work…learned that the hard way. It’s nice to have quick and simple set up when putting together your out-of-town sleep arrangement.
Sound Machine– Both the boys sleep every night with a sound machine to help drowned out sound from around the house and outside. We don’t travel anywhere without it! My favorite, and I have tried a few, is the Hatch Baby. It can be used with your smart from from the app which is so nice because you don’t have to disturb the room if you need to turn it up or down for any reason. It has a choice of light colors and many different sound options.
Blackout solutions- I can’t leave the house on overnight trips without our blackout curtain because a lot of places don’t have the best window coverings, and at first light my children will be up and ready to go regardless of time. Most hotels have a decent blackout curtain, but Airbnbs are really hit and miss. I have the Amazon Basics portable baby travel window curtain. It folds up super easily into a small bag, covers most windows and even a good portion of a sliding door too. Really affordable and definitely worth having on any overnight.
Portable bath- I will just have my boys shower since our apartment doesn’t have a tub, but if my kids were a bit younger, I would also be adding an inflatable bath to my list. I know there are ones that you just blow up, place on the shower floor, and fill with water. They are very small so it’s really for one kid at a time and most likely only fits babies and small toddlers. These tubs are an easy item to pack and then just leave for the host or donate/toss after your trip.
Extras-
I have considered sending over a small scooter and helmet for my kids to share; I know they would enjoy being able to ride around at the parks. Because we will be over there for a while, spending $40+ to have a fun item they love from home to use there I think will be worth it.
That pretty much covers all the essentials when it comes to travel, food, sleep, and bath. I hope this was helpful in narrowing down the list of things you should consider bringing on any trip, especially longer, more complex travels. In Part 3, I’m going to talk about the clothes and toiletries I’m going to pack for my boys, where we like to shop, and how to get the most out of the items. If you have any questions or essentials to add, please leave them in the comment section below. I would love to hear of any other great and helpful items or products you all recommend!
Happy Travels!
She's gone to Paris 