Photograph: Blake Meyer via unsplash.com
With spring on the horizon and the loosening of travel restrictions these days, it’s the perfect time to plan that next vacation! However, for some parents, just the possibility of cranky kids, lengthy queues and delays, and not to mention a long packing list might deter any potential holiday. But before you put a pause on those plans, take a look at our list of some of the most genius and creative items that will make travelling with young kids smooth sailing regardless of means of travel or destination!
Sometimes there’s just no space for a stroller, or the experience of being in a stroller isn’t as thrilling for the little ones compared to a ride on a carry-on. These days, both established luggage brands and children’s product brands offer rideable carry-on suitcases. For pre-walkers, there are even options with harnesses. High on our list is the award-winning Stokke BedBox.
Photograph: via jet-kids.com
Stokke BedBox has 3 functions: suitcase, a ride-on functionality, and bed. It’s spacious enough to store essential items. Kids can pull themselves along or be pulled. But what really makes BedBox stand out is that it can be converted into a bed. As a seat extension, kids can stretch their legs and sleep comfortably as though in a real bed! However, do check with your airline as not all airlines allow the bed feature during flight.
Photograph: via jet-kids.com
Photograph: via stokke.com
Imagine being in a crowded tourist attraction or airport and the little one just doesn’t want to sit or be carried. Not to worry. With a harness and leash, kids can roam around but still within their parent’s grip. Highly recommended is Skip Hop's Mini Backpack with Safety Harness.
Photograph: via skiphop.com
The backpacks, which come in a variety of cute animal designs, make toddlers feel more grown up. The “leash” is detachable and is just the right length striking a good balance between freedom and control. The bag itself is also durable and can withstand all sorts of crazy adventures (and tantrums) the kids experience.
Photograph: via skiphop.com
🚩 Suitable for 2-4 year-olds. 225RMB. Available at "Skiphop" WeChat official account, or at www.skiphop.com.
Dining whilst on the go can be tricky. Parents don’t always have access to a high chair. That’s why a product such as totseat’s Portable High Chair is pure genius.
Photograph: via totseat.com
It can be attached to any kind of chair (even the oddly shaped ones) and has safety straps to ensure toddlers remain safely seated. Made from 100% cotton and machine washable, once used, it can be folded and stored in a small bag, saving parents lots of luggage space.
Photograph: via totseat.com
🚩 Suitable for infants up to 30 months. 30GBP or approximately 250RMB. Available at www.totseat.com (international shipping available).
Kids are messy. Whether it’s eating or play time, something will be bound to spill or be stained. A must-have item when traveling is some sort of splash mat, which will ensure the floor/carpet or table in your hotel room remains in the same condition as it was when you found it.
Photograph: via bumkins.com
Bumkin's Splat Mat is a hit amongst parents because it’s light, waterproof, stain proof and just the right size (42”x42”) for any activity. Just place it on the surface being used and voila, eating and coloring can now be stress-free activities for the whole family.
Photograph: via bumkins.com
🚩 Suitable for all ages. 20.95USD or approximately 145RMB. Available at www.bumkins.com (international shipping available).
Some of the trickiest items to pack are toys. Too many toys and you run out off luggage space. Too little and your kid gets bored. The trick is to, therefore, choose non-bulky toys that can entertain them for hours, over and over again. Mideer's Reusable Sticker does just that! It’s perfect for cars, airplanes, hotels (or basically anywhere). Reusable stickers are made with no adhesives and instead cling statically to certain surfaces like glass and paper.
Photograph: via mideertoys.com
Mideer sells sticker sets based on a number of themes such as animals, busy town, and cars. In a pack, there are 4 sheets of uniquely designed stickers. Kids can also create their own fun stories by sticking them on to background sheets provided in the pack. Once it’s time to pack up, the stickers can be easily peeled off and do not leave any sticky stains.
Photograph: via mideer弥鹿旗舰店 Tmall official store
🚩 Suitable for 3 year-olds and above. 29.50RMB. Available at "mideer弥鹿旗舰店" Tmall official store.
Busy books (or sometimes known as “quiet books”) are a must-have because they are packed with activities and games that’ll keep the little ones busy for hours. Mideer offers different types of busy books, all nicely designed and light. Their “Can I do it?” collection challenges kids in different ways based on a variety of themes. Each page comes with its own tasks. The little ones can figure out which animal should eat which feed, which fresh food goes into which dish, how to sort trash in different colored recycled bins, etc. All the tiny parts in the book also stick on to the pages so no need to worry about misplacing them.
Photograph: via mideer弥鹿旗舰店 Tmall official store
🚩 Suitable for 3 year-olds and above. 59RMB. Available at "mideer弥鹿旗舰店" Tmall official store.
Kids getting sick while on holiday is a parent’s worst nightmare. A great item to have while traveling is a portable UV sterilizer, which can kill germs and bacteria that may find its way on to your little one’s accessories such as pacifier, eating utensils, bottles, toys, etc. What’s so special about UV sterilizers is they don’t rely on water, tablets, or drying. Instead, the technology behind it is ultraviolet light, which can kill microorganisms.
Photograph: via store.59s.com
And if you are looking for a bigger portable UV sterilizer to clean larger items, look no further than 59s’s UV Light Sanitizer Bag, which can fit 4 mobile phones and 6 baby bottles at once. It functions just like the NUBY and weighs less than a kilo, making it the perfect “cleaning product” to bring on your holiday. However, not all materials can undergo UV so always double check if they are UV safe.
Photograph: via store.59s.com
🚩 419RMB. Available at "59s旗舰店" Tmall official store.
An item that parents tend to overlook is the portable crib mainly because of how big and bulky they are. However, there is always the risk that your destination will not have the perfect crib for your child (too small, old, unavailable due to high demand, etc). To prevent sleepless nights, you may want to consider packing one.
Photograph: via babybjorn.eu
Weighing in at just 6 kilos, BABYBJÖRN's Travel Crib Light is one of the lightest portable cribs out there. It takes just seconds to set up and folds into an easy-to-carry bag when not in use. The crib comes with its own comfy mattress, too. With a snug and familiar place to sleep (or play) in for the little one, hopefully this will help parents relax and enjoy their holiday a little bit better.
Photograph: via babybjorn.eu
🚩 Suitable for kids under 3 years old. 2,300RMB. Available at "BabyBjorn精选商城" WeChat mini program.
