Top Products for Travelling with Kids

So, the summer is almost over. It has been a lot of fun with lots of adventures and travelling around the UK. Now it’s time to think back about what are my top handy products for travelling with kids over the summer.

Earlier in the summer I posted the Back seat challenge about the best way to entertain kids in the back of the car, and I would recommend a small backpack filled with

small toys – Character figurines like Tree Fu Tom go down well with my boys
magazines – Cbeebies magazine is always great
colouring pens
stickers
a book or two
some snacks

A snuggly teddy is always great, especially if doubles up as a pillow! Mr R’s fluffy sheep above right is from Zulilly but you could also try Pillow Pets. The bag you can see in the pictures is a TrayKit designed specially for the car, which you can buy through presentsformen.co.uk among other retailers.

Sometimes, it’s temping to turn to gadgets to help you out with keeping the kids entertained if the journey is really long! You can get such cheap tablets these days – such as this Leliktec one we reviewed in the Spring, at only 40 quid! Can not really go wrong for that price. If you are looking for free apps to try out why not have a look at Trunki Paddlepak party app, or Jump Up and Join in (which also comes with a cd for the car) both recommended by Mary from Over40andamumtoone.

For the younger toddlers, you could go for an Innotab as there is a new Innotab 2 Baby version out now. Mr R was sent one of these to try out, and they are very user friendly for the little ones, as they won’t get frustrated with the controls. It also seems pretty indestructable, although I have been a bit disappointed with the battery life – so do make sure to get a pack of rechargeable batteries and a battery charger!

Vtech also have a Kidigo multimedia player which is suitable for age 3-9 years and comes with headphones in case the rest of the family do not wish to listen to whatever the child prefers! We have just received this to test out for the Rainbow Toy Awards. Full review will be along later, but first impression is good!

Listening to CDs can also be great entertainment in the car, I have some recommendations from fellow mums Kelly from Writing ramblings and reviews recommended these Disney CDs and Pippa from Red Rose Mummy has recommended Justin Fletcher. I also made a driving playlist of some of our favourites which you can see here – although it is more my taste than for the kids!

Some books and travel activities which have been recommended are

Brainbox Squiggle Dinosaurs – Again recommended by Kelly. we have the Squiggle Safari version. The Alphabet Squiggle version is recommended by Eileen from Et Speaks from Home to help learning while travelling.
Deadly Brain Teasers – Recommended by Tina at the Soupdragon Says, for slightly older children.
Chuggington Travel pack – Recommended by Mary at Over40andamumtoone

We were camping on our trip and once we arrived needed some things to keep the kids amused while playing outside. I took part in the 99p summer, which provided me with some really simple outdoor fun ideas like

skipping rope
chalk
picnic kit

I would say my #1 product for entertaining toddlers outdoors is hands-down the Toddlebike. You can see all my toddlebike posts here. It is really lightweight so perfect for travelling and is a lot of fun.Followed closely behind by the simple ball – also a must-have for keeping kids entertained on a camp site.
A Trunki would also be great, as it is the suit case and doubles-up as a ride-on! This has been recommended by Eileen from Et Speaks from Home and you can see the review here. This is something I am definitely meaning to look into getting for next time we travel.

Finally, not forgetting the really practical and handy products that give you extra peace of mind while travelling with little ones.

DryNites bed mats – We were sent some of these for our travels. While staying away in an unfamiliar bed, you really wouldn’t want to be guilty of letting the mattresses be wet in case of accident, so these give some peace of mind and are very small and convenient.
Kattoo – Temporary tattoos for children, with a space to write your phone number in case your child gets lost. This is especially reassuring for Mr T to have due to his Autism, he is not very verbal and he has no stranger awareness – not a great combination! Luckily, we never lost him but the kattoo gives a little bit of reassurance just incase, that if he did somehow wander off and someone came across him that they would be able to get in touch. It’s also fun for the kids to wear the temporary tattoos, so a double benefit. The pack is so small you can easily fit it into the suitcase!
Sun cream – Can’t forget this! I like the Sudocreme sun cream as it’s in an easy mousse format.

If you find half your suitcase is taken up with kids stuff, then managing to fit in a selection of different shoes for yourself can be a bit difficult. I came across some really handy shoes that solve this problem, from Slinks shoes. The come with one base which you can attach various uppers to, to easily change your look without having to pack more than one pair of shoes! The uppers are really quick and simple to change, as I have seen this demonstrated. They also look great – there’s a lot of varieties so likely to suit every taste. It’s not that often you see shoes which combine being really practical and looking really good at the same time, but Slinks have managed it

This is the luxury truffle travel set and can be mixed and matched which any of the other uppers you like.

Is there anything else you would add to the travel list? Let me know in the comments!

Disclaimer: some of the items mentioned were sent to me for review, and some affiliate links are included.

In The Playroom

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Anna Marikar, mum of four and seasoned blogger, has spent over a decade sharing her parenting journey and passion for kid-friendly crafts and free printables.
Her easy-to-follow craft ideas and practical parenting advice have transformed In The Playroom into a cherished resource for parents.