I’m going to be honest with you: I LOVE making lists. For holidays, planning, vacations, short trips, long trips, you name it. If it is a list, I’ve probably made it.
Lucky for you, I’m going to be sharing some of my most used lists in my arsenal: Road Trip Packing List for Toddlers (and Parents!). We’ve gone on a number of road trips with our son in the last two years. Before he was born, my husband and I traveled even more, whether it was flying or driving.
While there are lots of packing lists out there, I err on the side of being extra prepared. And even being extra prepared, I’ve still made lots of mistakes. Worst mistake? One trip, I managed to bring our son’s video monitor… but not the actual camera to put in his room so we could see him.
Hopefully these lists will help packing for your trip a little easier! I’ve listed a good chunk of what we pack for kiddo below.
As a bonus, you can download the full five-page printable packing checklists for toddlers and parents for free by clicking here!
Also, check out my best tips for going on a road trip with a toddler here!
Favorite items to make traveling easier with toddlers
- Snack container to fill with snacks for the trip’s entirety
- Packing cubes
- Favorite suitcase for toddlers
- Favorite carry on or car bag for toddlers (Comes in 10+ patterns!)
Packing list for the car or plane
- Lovey or favorite stuffed animal
- Blanket and/or pillow
- Extra set (or two) of clothing
- Diapers, wipes and changing pad
- Diaper cream like Resinol or Travel-Size Aquaphor
- Hand sanitizer
- Kids’ reusable water bottle or sippy cup
- Amazon Kindle Fire for Kids
- Charger for Kindle Fire
- Pro Tip: Download any apps, videos, music or books for offline use before you leave home!
- Coloring books (Magic ink books are amazing!)
- Gel clings for windows
- Favorite healthy snacks
- Special food treats they may not normally get
- These cloth diapers: We use them as burp cloths and to clean up any spills or messes!
- A few of your child’s favorite and new toys (great to grab at the dollar store!)
Packing list for toddler’s suitcase
General items
- Baby monitor (camera and video monitor, plus chargers and accessories)
- Small first aid kit
- Children’s pain relievers
- Allergy medicine
- Cough relief medicine
- Thermometer
- Nasal aspirator
- Nail clippers
- Bandages
- Itch or allergy cream
- Sunscreen
- Aloe
- Baby proofing items
- Outlet plugs
- Door knob covers
- Painter’s tape for outlet covers and to secure blinds cords
- Portable white noise machine
- Bed: Pack ‘n Play, toddler travel bed or bed rails
- Bedding: Pillow, fitted sheet, blanket
- Nightlight
- Portable high chair
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Body wash and shampoo
- Washcloth and towel
- Extra diapers and wipes
- Any feeding items
- Sippy cups, utensils, bowls, plates, snack cups
- Travel play mat for gross hotel or AirBnB floors, plus extra toys
Clothing
- One outfit per day, plus one extra outfit for every two days of your trip
- Two pajamas for every 3-5 days (Always bring an spare set!)
- One pair of socks per day, plus 1-3 extra pairs
- Bibs
- Two to four pairs of shoes, depending on trip location/activities
- Sweater
- Rain jacket
- Coat and mittens, depending on location
- Swimsuit or swim diaper(s)
Now that you have your toddler’s bag packed, let’s pack yours! I’ve created a comprehensive, five-page packing list for every member of the family exclusively for you.
Click here to snag the interactive printable.
