When traveling with kids, my advice is “Minimize and Maximize.” Bring the minimal amount possible, and maximize your travel gear so it’s doing double duty and making travel easier for your family. Each of these exciting new travel gear for kids items does just that! (plus a collection of favorite snacks at the end!).
Exciting New Travel Gear for Kids – 2017
Traveler’s Choice 2-piece Luggage
Of course, you’ll need to start by packing your kid’s luggage. Buying a 2-piece luggage set can be split between two children for a frugal choice (or parent and child. The flexible case design holds up to travel stress, and the expandable zippers make these cases roomy! As a mom who has flown with kids before, I appreciate the multi-directional spinner wheels, because it is hard to juggle kids and try to pull a suitcase that keeps tipping over because it has fixed wheels. Spinner wheels have been among the best inventions for travel, I think! And you can’t ignore the exciting multicolored paint splatter design. Kids will think it’s fun, and you will have no trouble spotting your luggage in baggage. Find this luggage set and more at BJs.com for $174.99. After $45 in instant savings, the price will be $129.99.
TravelEyez Glasses and Sundries Cases
Typically I lose my sunglasses before they break. TravelEyez cases not only protect glasses, but they also keep them handy. And kids have all manner of sundries to keep track of! Simply tuck their glasses (or earbuds, or other small items) into one of the velcro-closure, padded pouches (they come as a set of two cases), then zip the pouches together around a strap or handle. Now kids’ tiny gear is protected and they’ll always be able to find them. Attach multiple sets together for a larger storage caddy. Traveleyez come in two sizes, and a number of bright zipper colors! $24.95-$29.94
JBL Clip 2 Portable Speaker
Take the music with you! In my youth, the only way you could take your music with you was by jacking up the car stereo, or hauling a suitcase sized boom box (and a stockpile of D batteries). Life is so much easier, but not necessarily louder, with smartphones.
No worries, just connect wirelessly to the JBL Clip 2 portable speaker to turn up the sound! These clip on speakers are about the size of your hand, and round for easy handling. The built-in carabineer clips to anything so kids don’t have to hold it. And whoops, if they drop it in the pool (or take it in on purpose), that’s okay, it’s waterproof! Rechargeable battery provides eight hours of sound. All these features make it the perfect accessory for your kids to listen to their audiobooks and music all day long no matter where you travel! Find the JBL Clip 2 Portable Speaker in five colors for $59.95 each!
RunLites light up gloves
While these might seem like more of an athletic gear item, think about all the ways you can use light up gloves for travel. Find things in the car when your kids are sleeping. Kids read books late at night when you’re camping, or find their way to the bathroom on a dark trail without being worried about dropping a flashlight. And of course, using these light up gloves for biking, hiking, or running in the wee hours is a great option.
The LED light inserts are sold separately so they fit every glove style, and they recharge via a USB cable (included) so you never have to change a battery! The extra-small gloves fit children about ages 7+, and then there are sizes going up from there for the rest of the family! Find these fashionable and useful gloves at the RunLites website! Gloves start at $24.95 per pair and light sets are $19.95 each.
PROMOCODE: CT20 for an additional 20% off site-wide on www.gorunlites.com, through April 30, 2017. Free Shipping in the continental US.
SmartGamesUSA.com Magnetic Travel Games
You’ll need something to keep your kids entertained. I’ve already written about my favorite road trip activities for toddlers and road trip ideas for preschoolers, but I’ve got older kids now. So I’m adding a new item to my kids’ play bags: magnetic travel games from SmartGamesUSA (remember these cool full-sized games?). The magnetic versions are handy little books that snap open into a playing board, with magnetic pieces that make playing in a car or plane easier. The Noah’s Ark (affiliate link) game has forty-eight challenges for how to load the ark, while keeping the animals in pairs. Penguins Parade grid style puzzle offers more challenges for kids to complete. (attached to the game book). Buy on Amazon for $9.99. (affiliate link)
Fun Snacks for your Family Travel
I love packing easy to eat, healthy snacks for my kids when we travel. Here’s some great choices:
Plum Organics Snacks – You might know Plum Organics for their baby food pouches (which are amazing and come in a rainbow of colors and flavors), but they offer so many snacks for tots and kids too. Jammy Sammys are bar-like squares of jam and peanut butter or oatmeal. Mashups are fruit and veggie pouches that are always a hit with my boys. Mighty snack bars keep kids energized but not overly full, with whole grains, fruits, and veggies mixed in!
Nature Nate’s Honey Packets – You know I love honey as a real food sweetener. Taking along these travel packets from Nature Nate’s means you can either have one for a burst of energy, or use them instead of refined sugars in your tea or coffee while you travel! The small package is easy to open and squeeze, and easy to throw in your carry on. It’s an all-natural sweet treat without a big mess.
Munk Packs Oatmeal Squeeze Pouches – I love oatmeal and so do my kids. But how to make it on the go? Munk Packs are ready-to-eat oatmeal in a convenient pouch. Use them for a breakfast or snack! They have five delicious flavors: Maple Pear Quinoa, Apple Quinoa Cinnamon, Peach Chia Vanilla, Raspberry Coconut, or Blueberry Acai Flax. Munk Packs are perfect for an on-the-go breakfast or snack. Made with 100% pure maple syrup, quality organic oatmeal, chia, and/or quinoa, and delicious antioxidant-rich fruits. Also, they are gluten-free, vegan, kosher, and features 3G of fiber and only 90 calories per pouch.
What’s your favorite from this list of exciting new travel gear for kids!? What would you add?
Thanks to the brands listed for providing items to facilitate this post. All opinions are my own. Affiliate links have been used and purchases through these links may generate a small commission.
