These Are The Toddler Travel Essentials I'd Pack Again

Well, friends, Mark and I successfully made it to South Carolina and back to New Jersey by car, with a just-under-2-year-old. It was our longest car ride as a couple, and our first major road trip as a family. Would I do it again? Yes, but not without the toddler travel essentials I compiled in hopes that they would make our trip go smoothly. Spoiler: They did.

Last year, we were traveling with an infant. This year, we would be driving 11 hours with an almost-2-year-old to South Carolina and back. To say that I was intimidated would be an understatement. What would I pack for our 6-day trip? What would I pack to keep her occupied (and happy) in the car?

I’ve learned that what you pack for them can ultimately make or break your experience when traveling with a little one. Every item should have a purpose: If it’s not something you need (the bare necessities - clothing, toiletries, medication, etc.), it should be something your child will want, and that will be an asset to the trip (think: their favorite stuffed animal or comfort blanket or sound machine). It’s also better to overpack than to underpack. You’ll never regret bringing those just-in-case items, but you will regret not bringing them should said "just-in-case” situation present itself.

So rather than take a chance and wing it, I thoroughly researched what to pack for a toddler on vacation, toddler travel essentials, toddler travel must-haves, and toddler road trip essentials. I asked my sisters for advice, watched countless travel vlogs on YouTube, and combed through dozens of TikToks and Instagram reels for the products that came highly recommended by parents who’d done it before me. And then, I went on Amazon.

The compilation of products ahead are my toddler travel essentials. From luggage to car toys to hotel essentials, every item served a purpose and was used multiple times throughout our trip. Lauren loved them, we loved them, and so now I’m recommending them to you in hopes that they’ll make your trip feel just as easy-breezy as they did ours!

$295, noreceptionclub.com

My rating: 5/5

I was gifted the Hideaway Carry On Duffle from No Reception before our first road trip with Lauren. That was a significantly shorter trip (four days, three nights) and she was less than a year old at the time, which meant I was packing significantly less. These discrepancies did not matter.

This bag is an exceptional piece of luggage with abundant storage space and compartments that ensure you can fit everything your child needs and then some. (For reference, I’m an over-packer, and could have packed even more items than the plenty I had for our six-day trip). The duffle also features a removable packing organizer that I’ve utilized as a makeshift toybox on every trip with my daughter, and that has been a lifesaver. It gives us a place to store all of her toys, and she knows where they go at the end of the night so nothing gets left behind in the hotel.

$599, ternx.com

My rating: 3.5/5

Ternx was generous to send us a Carry On Luggage Stroller to put to the test during our travels this summer. The stroller is compact, so it takes up significantly less room than our Britax, which is excellent when we’re playing trunk tetris with all of our luggage. The fact that it can be broken down also came in clutch at restaurants that didn’t allow strollers. We just folded it up and stuck it under our table.

As for the attached carry-on suitcase, because we drove, I can’t speak to what it would be like on a plane. However, we used the compartment to store toys, books, and water bottles, which was a big help at restaurants and walking around the city.

Our biggest caveat with the stroller was the learning curve. Breaking it down and setting it up didn’t feel as seamless as the how-to videos made it look. We were only just getting the hang of it near the end of our trip, and even then it wasn’t automatic; we had to really think about what we were doing.

$24.99, amazon.com

My rating: 4/5

Lauren is going through a big building phase. She loves blocks and pulls out her set at least twice a day. Sometimes, I’ll be cooking, and she’ll lug the bag from the living room to the kitchen (they’re at opposite ends of the floor). So when my sister offered to let me borrow her sons’ magnetic blocks, I jumped at the chance. No surprise, they were a hit! The only reason I’m rating them a 4 instead of a 5 is that my daughter is also going through a throwing stage, so when she was done, she just tossed them all around the back seat.

$14.09, amazon.com

My rating: 5/5

All things ColorWonder from Crayola are an immediate yes from me. Lauren loves an art project (I’ve been painting with her since she was 6 months old — here’s the vegan, baby-friendly paint I started with), but she’s been scribbling off the page and onto other surfaces lately. These no-mess markers really are magic, and they even worked after a few days in the car without caps on them. I bought her blank pages so she could free draw, but I would buy virtually anything from this collection (and plan to for our next trip).

$19.90, amazon.com

My rating: 5/5

This is an awesome book for early talkers in general, but it was especially great as a road trip activity for my almost-2-year-old. Do the sounds drive you a little crazy as you’re confined in a car with a little one who requires repetition? Yep. But that’s okay; it kept her busy and happy and engaged.

$7.99, amazon.com

My rating: 3/5

I wouldn’t consider this poppable sensory toy an essential in Lauren’s travel bag. If she has it, she’ll play with it for a bit, but I won’t bank on more than a few minutes' worth of engagement before she’s on to the next thing. It mostly came in handy at restaurants because we could pop the bubbles with her.

$18, amazon.com

My rating: 5/5

I am obsessed with Noodle & Boo bath products. The shampoo and body wash make Lauren’s hair and skin feel incredibly soft, plus Mark confirms the products smell amazing. I also thought the familiarity of our bathtime essentials would be a source of comfort for our girl while we traveled so far from home.

$19.99, amazon.com

My rating: 5/5 stars

Mark and I love this toddler travel toy almost as much as our toddler. Lauren is obsessed with buckling. Buckling her car seat, buckling into her high chair — whatever can be buckled, she will buckle. So when she got her hands on the Bella Square, it didn’t surprise us that it kept her busy for a long time. The only caveat was that she can’t unbuckle yet, so there was a fair amount of reaching into the back seat and unbuckling the snaps for her. However, this really didn’t bother me, and the pros far outweigh the cons of this toy.

$14, amazon.com

My rating: 5/5

We’re a big fan of WubbaNubs in the Guerra house. Lauren’s down to her last one, Mackie the puppy, and I’m thrilled he survived the entire trip. She doesn’t need the pacifier as much as she finds comfort in the familiar toy. We also packed her elephant Wubb and penguin Wubb, both sans binky, so she could cuddle them on the long car ride.

$79.99, amazon.com

My rating: 10/5

The Toniebox is one of the best gifts Lauren has ever received. It moves all around the house with us day after day, and it came in clutch as a travel sound machine. I packed a handful of her musical figurines, and they were on constant rotation in our hotel room. Again, it was another toy she loves that was portable and could provide some level of comfort in an unfamiliar environment. It especially came in handy at bedtime when we used the…

$19.99, amazon.com

My rating: 5/5

The Disney Baby Lullaby Tonie sings Lauren to sleep for her nap and bedtime every day and every night. She loves the music and the songs are all quite soothing, so it was a no-brainer for me to pack it, especially given that, last year, Lauren was not a star sleeper on vacation and I was a little nervous about how she’d do this trip. The result? She slept, well, like a baby!

Prices vary, amazon.com

My rating: 5/5

Okay, friends. Let’s talk about The BOGG Bag. When I first came across a BOGG, I loved the look of the large tote. The designs were so cute! The colors were so vibrant. Then I looked at the price tag. $100 for a bag that felt like it was made of rubber?! My initial reaction? “Not worth it.”

But friends, I was wrong! BOGG was generous enough to send me a bag for review, and this is my honest feedback: First, BOGG bags aren’t made of rubber. They’re constructed from EVA (Ethylene-Vinyl Acetate), which is actually the same material Crocs are made from! The material is highly durable. It’s lightweight, but keeps its shape and is crack-, tear-, and even UV-resistant.

Second, the large tote carries a ton of stuff. I was able to fit all three towels, my sunscreen, Mark’s sunscreen, Lauren’s body and face sunscreen, and an extra-large beach blanket, and still had room for anything else we might’ve needed to pack (think a book or snacks). Plus, I was able to use the Top o’ the Bogg to Ya removable tray accessory, which is just an awesome feature if you’re someone who, like me, loves to pack a water bottle, seltzer, or pick up an iced coffee on the way.

Bottom line: This bag was made for moms! It’s a summertime essential, and I’m officially a convert. It’s extremely roomy, with more than enough space to fit all of your beach or pool needs, and it’s durable; it can hold its own, and it’s easy to clean should spills happen (and moms know better than anyone, they will). Bonus: You can buy accessories to further enhance your experience with the bag. The tray was the cherry on top for us snackers, but you can also purchase organization pouches, phone holders, and cooler inserts!

$20.99, amazon.com

My rating: 10/5

I almost forgot to include this item, and what a disservice that would have been to you, reader! This travel tray for toddler car seats is pure genius. It clips around the seat and comes with compartments to hold various toys and snacks. Lauren loved this setup because it felt like a makeshift play area. She had access to all of her toys, her markers and paper, and could pick and choose what she wanted to do at any given moment, which meant I could be less hands-on throughout the trip.