With the amount airlines charge to check luggage these days, there is no room in the suitcase for non-essential travel items. So here is our carefully honed list of family travel essentials that we never fly without.
From a genius inflatable travel booster seat to the best travel adapters, chargers and pillows, these are the family travel items that we think are worth investing in.
Note: We have purchased all these items ourselves and are under no obligation to recommend them – they are my genuine travel heroes! This post contains some affiliate links, which means we make a small commission at no extra cost to you if you make a purchase via our links.
Best family travel items
1.5m Selfie Stick Tripod – A lightweight solution for taking solo selfies or family photos on the go. Tall enough that you don’t need to prop it on anything but folds small enough to fit in your day pack. All my travel blogger friends swear by this too!
Foldable Travel 3 In 1 Wireless Charging Station – Perfect for Apple watch/ iPhone owners.
Kindle Paperwhite – The ultimate beach holiday essential, the Kindle Paperwhite is both waterproof and glare-free.
Worldwide Travel Adapter with USB C and A Port – The best travel adapter for charging all your gadgets at once.
LCD Writing Tablet – We love the versatility of this LCD tablet that’s great for doodling, writing and games of noughts and crosses. Can be a real lifesaver if your ipad or phone are running low on battery!
Amazon Basics Packing Cubes with Mesh Top Panel – If you aren’t a convert to packing cubes yet then why on earth not?! I packing cubes with mesh panels so you can easily see which member of the family they belong to.
Kidly foldaway bucket and spade – A quality, environmentally-friendly bucket and spade that we have used time and time again.
Bubble Bum Inflatable Booster Car Seat – I think this is my favourite family travel essential. It’s saved us a tonne of money on hiring car seats and is so handy for using in taxis while you’re away. Great value and great design – can’t fault it.
Swim Water Shoes – I’ve been caught out on shingly beaches far too many times so always pack water shoes for the whole family.
trtl Travel Pillow – Consistently voted the best travel pillow on the market. It’s spendy but experts reckon that supporting your neck and chin is the best way to get quality sleep on a plane.
Super Strength Magnesium Citrate Capsules – My husband swears by travelling with with melatonin and magnesium supplements that are helpful for relaxation and combating muscle stiffness.
This Works Sleep Power Nap Spray – I love a spritz of lavender on my travel pillow to combat nasty smells on an airplane and incentivise sleep. I’ve also been known to use this liberally in damp smelling Airbnbs.
Calpol Sugar Free Infant Suspension Sachets – Call me over-cautious but I pop a few of these Calpol sachets in all our luggage. They are great for hand luggage especially as you don’t have to worry about spills.
Do you have any hero travel items that haven’t featured on our list?
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