Best Toddler Travel Essentials: What I Actually Pack When Flying With a Toddler

Traveling with a toddler does not require an entire suitcase of toys, gadgets, and “must-have” travel products. In my experience, the more we travel with our kids, the less I bring.

My son is three, and at this point I know what actually makes traveling with him easier. I also know what sounds useful in theory but usually ends up becoming one more thing for me to carry.

The airport itself is entertainment. He can watch airplanes for what feels like hours. Snacks are entertainment. The random magazine in the seat-back pocket is entertainment. Add a few favorite shows, a couple of toys, and plenty of food, and we are usually good.

If you’re wondering what to pack when flying with a toddler, these are the toddler travel products I actually use, plus a few things I intentionally leave at home.

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My Toddler Travel Essentials

YOYO Travel Stroller

I love the YOYO because it is incredibly compact and easy to collapse. It can fit in an airplane overhead bin, although I usually don’t bring it that far.

Instead, I typically put it in its travel bag and check it with our luggage. The bag can be worn as a backpack or carried over your shoulder, which makes it much easier when you already have your hands full.

At this age, my toddler is perfectly happy walking through the airport or sitting on top of our roller suitcase when he gets tired. Now that I’m also traveling with a baby who has her own stroller, I definitely don’t want to maneuver two strollers through the airport.

I also don’t automatically bring a stroller on every trip. If we’re going somewhere where we’ll be walking all day, absolutely. If we’re visiting family or going somewhere where we won’t be doing much walking, I’ll leave it at home.

WAYB Pico Car Seat

If we’re traveling somewhere where we’ll need a car seat, I bring our WAYB Pico car seat. It is lightweight, folds compactly, and fits into a backpack-style travel bag.

I prefer bringing a car seat I already know how to use instead of relying on a rental car company. Rental car seats can be an option, but you may not know exactly what seat you’re getting, and you’ll typically need to install it yourself.

We’ve also gotten more use out of our Pico than just traveling. My sister, friends, and I have all used ours as a second car seat, which helps justify the price.

Important: The Pico is a forward-facing car seat and should only be used when your child meets the manufacturer’s current requirements. Always follow your car seat manufacturer’s instructions and applicable child passenger safety guidance. For younger children who still need a rear-facing seat, we have used a Diono as a travel option.

Dagne Dover Backpack

My Dagne Dover backpack is essentially my diaper bag and personal item in one.

This is where I keep the things I need to be able to grab quickly: pull-ups or diapers, wipes, an extra outfit, snacks, my toddler’s bento box, and our collapsible travel potty now that he is potty trained.

I also keep plastic bags or diaper doggy bags in there. A Ziploc works perfectly well, too. You just want something you can use for a dirty diaper, wet clothes, or an outfit covered in whatever your toddler managed to spill on himself.

My Toddler’s Own Backpack

My three-year-old gets his own little backpack, but I don’t use it for clothes or other necessities. It is purely his entertainment bag.

My rule is simple: if it fits in his backpack, he can bring it.

He usually chooses a book and a few little toys. His headphones and Fire tablet also go inside. Giving him his own bag makes him feel involved in packing without resulting in me hauling a giant collection of toys through the airport.

The “Airplane Computer”

My son calls his Fire tablet his “airplane computer” because he only gets to use it when we travel.

That has made it genuinely exciting for him. Before a flight, I download some of his favorite shows and make sure both the tablet and his headphones are fully charged.

And when we travel, I do not worry about screen-time limits. Travel days are about getting to the destination. If watching his favorite shows makes a flight easier for everyone, I am all for it.

A Bento-Style Lunchbox

I do not rely on the airport or airplane to have something my toddler will eat.

No matter what time your flight is or how recently your toddler ate, somehow they will be hungry. Always.

I pack a bento-style lunchbox with at least one safe option that I know my son will eat. That might be a simple cheese quesadilla or a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, along with easy snacks.

Freeze-dried fruit, clementines, appropriately prepared grapes, and other familiar foods are great options. I’m more careful with foods that need to stay refrigerated for long periods, especially on longer travel days.

And then I bring more snacks than I think we could possibly need.

Lollipops are another travel-only treat for us. We don’t typically have them at home, but on a flight they can buy us some quiet time while he watches a show or starts winding down. Obviously, I supervise him closely while he has one and make sure it is out of his mouth if he starts falling asleep.

On travel days, my philosophy is pretty simple: unlimited snacks, unlimited food, and unlimited screen time. We just need to get there.

Hatch Sound Machine

I like recreating some of our normal sleep environment when we’re away from home, and a sound machine is one of the easiest ways to do that.

We use the Hatch for white noise, which helps drown out unfamiliar sounds at an Airbnb, hotel, or family member’s house. I also love the red light because I can actually see where I’m going at night without turning on bright lights.

You definitely do not need to pack your full-size sound machine, though. A Hatch Go works, and honestly, you can use white noise from your phone if you want to pack even less.

Nanit Monitor

The Nanit is a must-have for me, but I would consider this a personal preference rather than a universal toddler travel essential.

If we’re staying at an Airbnb or my in-laws’ house and my toddler is sleeping in another room, I like being able to see him without constantly going back to check on him.

I also let him bring his favorite stuffies and sometimes a familiar blanket. The blanket can be especially helpful on an airplane because cabins can get surprisingly cold.

A Travel Medicine and First-Aid Kit

This is one area where I would rather be overprepared.

I bring the medications and basic first-aid products we normally use for our child, such as children’s pain or fever medication, allergy medication, diaper cream, antibiotic ointment, and a nasal aspirator. I also personally travel with a choking rescue device because it gives me peace of mind.

Medication needs and dosing vary by child and age, so ask your pediatrician what belongs in your own travel kit and how to use it. A choking rescue device should also never replace learning evidence-based infant and child choking first aid and CPR.

Collapsible Travel Potty

Now that my toddler is potty trained, I keep a collapsible travel potty in the diaper backpack.

You may never need it. But when a three-year-old suddenly tells you he has to go and there isn’t a bathroom nearby, you’ll be very glad you have another option.

What I Keep Under the Airplane Seat

I do not put anything I expect to need during the flight in the overhead bin.

My toddler’s backpack and my Dagne Dover stay under the seat. That means I can immediately reach his tablet, headphones, toys, books, snacks, lunch, wipes, pull-ups, potty, and change of clothes.

My own headphones, phone, and book stay nearby too, just in case I miraculously get a few minutes to myself.

What I Don’t Pack: A Toddler Suitcase

I know the tiny roller suitcases are cute. I don’t bring one.

At three years old, nine times out of ten, I know who is eventually going to end up carrying it: me.

Instead, I put my toddler’s clothes into a packing cube inside our large checked suitcase. I keep one backup outfit in my diaper backpack for spills, accidents, or travel delays.

His backpack is the only bag he is responsible for, and even that is small enough that I can easily carry it when necessary.

You Probably Need Less Toddler Travel Gear Than You Think

If this is your first time flying with a toddler, you do not need to buy every toddler travel product you see online.

Think about the trip you’re actually taking.

Will you be walking miles every day? Bring the travel stroller. Mostly hanging around your parents’ house? Maybe skip it.

Will you be riding in cars? Figure out your car seat situation ahead of time. Does your toddler sleep fine without a monitor? Leave the Nanit at home. Don’t want to pack a sound machine? Use your phone.

The things I consider truly essential are the products that solve real problems: a safe car seat when we need one, a well-stocked diaper backpack, medicine and basic first-aid supplies, a change of clothes, familiar food, lots of snacks, and a little entertainment.

You do not need 15 airplane toys.

My toddler can spend forever watching airplanes through the airport window. He’ll snack. He’ll watch a few shows. He’ll flip through the magazine in the seat-back pocket.

Sometimes the easiest way to travel with a toddler is simply to bring less.

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I pack when flying with a toddler?

At minimum, I keep snacks and familiar food, a water bottle, entertainment, headphones, wipes, pull-ups or potty supplies as needed, a change of clothes, and our travel medicine kit accessible during the flight. Your exact list will depend on your child and destination.

How many toys should I bring on a plane for a toddler?

I bring very few. My toddler chooses a couple of small toys and a book that fit inside his backpack. Between those, snacks, his tablet, and everything happening around him at the airport and on the airplane, we usually have plenty of entertainment.

Should a toddler have their own suitcase?

Mine doesn’t. At three, I know I’ll probably end up carrying it. I put his clothes in a packing cube inside our checked suitcase and let him carry a small backpack with his entertainment instead.

Do I need a travel stroller for a toddler?

Not necessarily. I bring ours when we’ll be doing a lot of walking or when I know my toddler will eventually ask to be carried. For trips where we’ll mostly be staying in one place, I often skip it.

What should I pack for a toddler to eat on a plane?

I always pack at least one familiar meal I know my toddler will eat, plus plenty of snacks. I like simple, relatively mess-free options that travel well. I never assume the airport or airplane will have something he wants to eat.

What should go in a toddler’s airplane backpack?

My toddler’s backpack is just for entertainment. He usually has his Fire tablet, headphones, a book, and a few small toys he chooses himself. I keep essentials like food, wipes, clothes, and potty supplies in my own backpack so I know exactly where they are.