The holiday season is upon us which means it's time to get the special people in your life something they'll love. I hope to take the stress of gift giving out this year with this comprehensive list of great gifts for traveling parents and their little ones. Happy gifting!
This is my favorite travel item of all time. For parents who travel with a little one under 55lbs, this stroller is so clutch. It fits in the overhead compartment on airplanes, it's compact, and light enough to carry by hand when it's not in use. We take this on every trip and keep it in our small trunk for day to day errand use.
For something that rolls up into a small ball and takes up little room in your suitcase, this piece of fabric is super effective and helpful. From visiting friends who don't have a highchair on hand, or traveling to countries where most restaurants don't have highchairs (we've been to a few), this seat is the perfect gift.
Parents can use this from the time their baby is a newborn until they're about 4 years old. With a lot of use that can be had with this baby carrier, it's the perfect gift for parents on-the-go. It's 360 because there are endless ways you can wear the baby using this carrier.
If you have an outdoorsy parent you are buying for (and you really love them because it's a little pricy), the Deuter Kid Comfort III is the best hiking carrier on the market.
This is a must for any family that enjoys picnics or camping with their little one. A perfect highchair and booster on-the-go!
For parents that are trying to pack light, but have a baby that needs entertaining, Indestructable Books are perfect. They are lightweight and water/drool resistant, cheap, and there is a wide variety. These books can be stuffed in a carry-on or put in a carseat, and you can assure they'll keep form for the next trip.
Similarly, you can also get a subscription to Highlights Magazine. They have magazines for every age, they are small and light, and have fun and educational activities that will keep kids busy on long car rides or on an airplane.
There are a few brands, but the BRICA ROLL N' GO CARSEAT TRANSPORTER hits the cost-effective/durable balance the best. It has wheels so it can roll and also backstrack straps for when your hands are full.
There are endless uses for a headlamp. It's a must-have for campers, hikers, and of course kids who like building forts and elaborate tunnel systems with pillows and blankets. There is a wide range of prices for headlamps, and unlike some items, a headlamp is something that the more spend, the better it is. We have this Petzl headlamp and it works great.
Ignite wanderlust, adventure, and knowledge of the world amongst little ones (ages 3-13) with a subscription to Little Passports. Each month, the child will receive a box in the mail with engaging activities about a region or culture of the world.
The Travel Book is made by Lonely Planet and could be for ages 4 and up (I would want this book, so I do mean UP). It goes through every country in the world, shows pictures, talks about the food and the culture, and will inspire wanderlust for any kid or adult.
Sometimes big bulky cameras are hard to bring on family trips, so phone camera accessories are the perfect substitution. Honestly, with portrait mode in the new phones, the added lenses can make a cell phone picture look professional. This kit comes with wide angle, fish eye and telephoto lenses, a tripod, and a bluetooth remote shutter for all your photo-taking needs. It's also compatible with most smart phones.
Like this page and want to save it? Pin it!
We almost exclusively use Airbnb when we travel (unless we're sleeping in a tent). It gives you an added in to local life wherever you're traveling and it's cozier than a stale hotel room. Give the gift of travel and experience with an Airbnb gift card.
For endless entertainment on rides, be them plane, train, or automobile, for parents and kids alike, gift an iTunes gift card so they can download songs, books, or movies (these can also be bought at most big box stores).
A nice stalking stuffer for traveling families. For us, we always seem to lose them and it's always frantic running around the house looking for them 5 minutes before we leave for a trip, so this is a great, cheap,. useful gift.
Fun activity for kids to see where they've been and where they want to go.
We're huge Jetboil fans over here. For families that love to camp, the Jetboil is a great portable cooking system that's fast and easy when you're in the great outdoors.
We fly a lot of red eyes because it's best to fly when the baby sleeps. It's not always dark on planes at night, and it always seems like your seat neighbor wants to read in the middle of the night and the overhead light is glaring directly in your eyeballs (or is that just me?) Black it all out with a sleep mask. It's a perfect stalking stuffer.
MAKE A TRAVEL KIT
If you want to go a step.further, a super cute idea would be to make a small travel kit for kids. This would be especially nice if the family you are buying for has a trip coming up. Put a small travel-sized pouch together filled with a few crayons, snack bars, coloring pages, lightweight books, and activities.
Give the gift of art on-the-go without the looming threat of paint on the seat or crayon chunks for a snack The AquaDoodle allows kids 18 months and up to draw on-the-go with water pens. It makes no mess, it's small and light, and it's perfect for kids who travel.
This is a good gift for kids or parents. There are beautiful ones on Etsy that you can search through. A great gift and support small business. Win win!
Help keep someone's most prized possession protected. Buy a beautiful passport holder with cool quotes, or personalize it for the one you love, be it a child or parent.
Possibly the greatest gift for a traveling family for the cheapest price. Don't let a dying phone prevent an Instagram worthy moment again! A portable charger will put a big smile on a traveling parent's face.
Teach kids some geography and inspire curiosity of the world with fun puzzles.. This Melissa and Doug puzzle is great, or you could go big with this Geo Puzzle, both for ages around 4 and up.
Give the little one in your life some independence by gifting this cool backpack to use on any trip.
A dry bag is a great item to have for an adventurous family. This one from Earth Pak has different sizes and colors, and also comes with a waterproof cell phone case that allows you to take pictures in the ocean or lake without the fear of ruining your phone.
We take our Swiss Army Knife everywhere, and use it often. From camping in the woods, to preparing Zay food on the go, to opening a bottle of wine after the babe falls asleep, a Swiss Army Knife is a practical and helpful gift.
A traveler's best friend. These e-readers take up little space in a backpack and can carry a whole library of books. A perfect gift for the one in your family who travels and travels light.
If they already have a Kindle, let them start out 2018 with a new set of books with an Amazon gift card. Make it personal by putting together a list of suggested books for them that you think they'll like, or a list of their friends' favorite books. Amazon gift cards can be found in most big box stores.
A perfect stocking stuffer for the wanderlust type on your shopping list. They're cheap and useful, and you can find a lot of different styles, from plain leather, to luggage tags with cute designs and quotes, to fun ones for kids. Wanna get fancy? Check out these custom luggage tags on Etsy and support small business.
Airplane travel can be tough with babes on your lap, so give a parent in your life some comfort with a Trtl Neck Pillow. To be honest, I have never tried one myself, but it has great reviews and it's super compact for people who pack light or people who's luggage is 95% diapers.
I'm known for my clothes explosions once we hit our destination. Clothes and toiletries are instantly strewn about. Not all people thrive like that and would like some organization when on the road, especially when they're packing for more than themselves. These luggage organizers are perfect for keeping your sanity on the go by organizing you're luggage and knowing exactly where everything is. This one also comes with a dirty laundry bag.
And that's all! Happy shopping and happy gifting!
Transparency alert: Some of these links are affiliate links. In other words, if you purchase these items through my link, this mama gets a little extra holiday cash in her pocket at no extra cost to you.
