What Medicine to Pack When Traveling With Kids: My Family Travel Medicine Kit
After traveling with my kids more than 20 times, one thing I always make sure is packed in my carry-on is a small medicine and first-aid kit.
I don’t bring our entire medicine cabinet. I just want enough with me to handle the common things that can come up when we’re away from home, especially the things I wouldn’t want to be searching for at an airport or in the middle of the night.
Right now, I’m traveling with a baby and a 3-year-old, so I also have to think about two different ages when I pack. I bring the medications we use at home, a few basic first-aid supplies, and some things for stuffy noses and diaper changes.
Here’s what I actually pack when we travel with our kids.
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A Quick Note Before We Get Into My List
This is simply what I personally pack for my family, not medical advice or a recommendation that every child needs these medications.
Talk to your pediatrician about which medications are appropriate for your child, especially for babies and younger children. Medication type and dosing can depend on a child’s age and weight. For a serious allergic reaction or other medical emergency, seek emergency medical care.
Infant and Children’s Tylenol
I always bring acetaminophen when we travel.
Because I currently have a baby and a 3-year-old, I pack the versions we use for each child at home. I also make sure the dosing syringes that come with the medications make it into the bag.
I don’t want to be trying to find a pharmacy after bedtime because someone suddenly develops a fever or isn’t feeling well.
Infant and Children’s Motrin
I also pack the ibuprofen products we use at home for my kids.
Again, this is one where parents should follow their pediatrician’s guidance about whether ibuprofen is appropriate for their child and what dose to use. Ibuprofen is generally not recommended for babies younger than 6 months unless a healthcare professional specifically tells you to use it.
I bring both Tylenol and Motrin because those are the medications we keep on hand at home, and I like having our normal options available while we’re traveling too.
Benadryl
I pack Benadryl as part of our travel medicine kit in case an allergy issue comes up.
This is another medication where I would absolutely talk to your pediatrician before traveling, particularly if you have a baby. Diphenhydramine should not be given to young children unless a healthcare professional has told you it is appropriate and given you dosing instructions.
It’s also important to know what your pediatrician wants you to do in the event of a serious allergic reaction. Benadryl is not a substitute for emergency treatment for anaphylaxis.
A Thermometer
This is one of those tiny things that is very easy to forget until you really need it.
I always pack a thermometer because if one of my kids feels warm or seems off, I want to know whether they actually have a fever.
It takes up almost no room, so this is an easy addition to the bag.
Frida Nose Sucker and Saline Spray
If you’ve ever traveled with a congested baby, you know why these make my list.
I bring our Frida nose sucker along with the saline spray we use with it. A stuffy nose can make sleeping and feeding harder for a baby, so I like having the same tools with me that I would use at home.
This is especially something I’d rather pack ahead of time than try to track down once we arrive.
Band-Aids and Antibiotic Ointment
Toddlers get cuts and scrapes, so I keep a few Band-Aids in our travel kit.
I also personally pack Neosporin and Polysporin because those are products we keep on hand. You certainly don’t need to bring two different antibiotic ointments. If you use one at home and your healthcare provider has recommended it for your child, you can simply pack that.
These are the kinds of items that I almost never need, but when I do, I’m happy they're already in the bag.
Diaper Cream
If I’m traveling with a baby in diapers, diaper cream always comes with us.
Even if diaper rash isn’t normally an issue, travel can mean longer stretches in a car seat or airplane seat, different routines and more time between diaper changes than usual.
I’d rather bring the diaper cream we already use at home than have to find it once we arrive.
Nail Clippers
This isn't technically medicine, but somehow I always seem to notice an impossibly sharp baby fingernail or hangnail when we're nowhere near our nail clippers.
They’re tiny, so I throw them into the medicine bag.
Don’t Forget the Medicine Syringes
Most of our children's medicine comes with a dosing syringe, so I don't buy special ones specifically for traveling.
The important part is remembering to actually pack them.
Having the medication isn't very helpful if you leave the syringe sitting in your medicine cabinet at home. I make sure the appropriate dosing syringe or measuring device stays with each medication.
What’s Actually in My Kids’ Travel Medicine Kit
Here’s my current packing list:
Infant Tylenol
Infant Motrin
Children’s Tylenol
Children’s Motrin
Benadryl
Digital thermometer
Frida nose sucker
Saline nasal spray
Band-Aids
Antibiotic ointment
Diaper cream
Nail clippers
Medicine syringes
And, of course, if either of my kids needed a prescription medication, that would come with us too.
Where I Pack Medicine When We Fly
I keep the important medications and supplies accessible rather than putting everything in checked luggage.
Flights get delayed. Checked bags get lost. And if a child starts feeling sick halfway through a flight, medicine in a suitcase under the plane isn't going to help much.
I don't necessarily need every toiletry or backup item within reach, but anything I might realistically need during the travel day stays with me.
If you're wondering what else I keep in my carry-on, I put together my full What to Pack for a Flight With a Toddler checklist with the snacks, clothes, entertainment and other essentials I actually bring.
My Biggest Tip: Pack What You Already Use at Home
I don't think traveling with kids requires buying a giant pre-made medicine kit or packing something for every possible scenario.
I mostly bring the things we already use at home.
That means if someone wakes up with a fever, gets a scraped knee, develops a stuffy nose or needs diaper cream, I already have the products we're familiar with.
It also means I'm not standing in a pharmacy aisle in an unfamiliar place trying to figure out what to buy for a sick kid.
For me, that's the goal of our travel medicine kit: not preparing for every possible thing that could happen, but making the most common little kid problems a lot easier to deal with away from home.
Frequently Asked Questions
What medicine should I pack when traveling with kids?
I pack the fever and pain medications we already use at home, allergy medication that we've discussed with our healthcare provider, a thermometer, basic first-aid supplies, saline and a nasal aspirator. What your child needs will depend on their age, health and your pediatrician's recommendations.
Should medicine go in a carry-on or checked bag?
I keep essential medications in my carry-on when we fly so I can access them during the travel day and still have them if our checked luggage is delayed or lost.
Should I bring a thermometer when traveling with kids?
I do. A digital thermometer is small and lets me check whether my child actually has a fever rather than trying to guess based on how they feel.
Do I need to bring children's medicine if I can buy it at my destination?
You may be able to buy many over-the-counter products at your destination, but I prefer bringing the medications we already use. It means I have them immediately if someone gets sick during the flight, overnight or before we have a chance to get to a store.
Do I need a huge first-aid kit for traveling with kids?
I don't bring one. My kit is intentionally pretty simple. I bring the medications we use at home, Band-Aids, an ointment we already use, a thermometer and a few baby-care basics. I'd rather have a small kit I actually bring everywhere than an enormous one filled with things we rarely use.
This article shares what I personally pack for my family and is for informational purposes only. It is not medical advice. Always check with your pediatrician about which medications are appropriate for your child and the correct dosing based on their age and weight.
