Planning a trip where you’ll be flying with your toddler? Flying with little ones isn’t always the chaotic adventure people fear. With a bit of preparation and the right essentials, it can actually go pretty smoothly. We’ve taken a few flights with our son now, and each time we learn more about what we truly need—and what we can skip.
If you’re gearing up for a flight soon, here’s our go-to list of airplane travel essentials for toddlers. These items have helped keep our little one be comfortable, entertained, and well-fed in the air.
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🧳 Carry-On Essentials
1. Backpack Diaper Bag
Hands-free is key. Choose a backpack with compartments so you can easily grab snacks, wipes, and diapers. Bonus if it has a luggage sleeve to slide onto your carry-on! We use the diaper bag we already have at home and pack it like a travel-day survival kit.
Top picks: Freshly Picked, Itzy Ritzy, Ruvalino or any backpack-style bag with a structured opening and multiple pockets.
2. Travel Changing Kit
Keep a slim kit stocked with a few diapers, wipes, and disposable changing pads. We use a large ziplock bag to keep everything together and easy to grab. Airplane bathrooms are tight, so quick access is everything. Honestly, if it’s just a wet diaper, we find it easier to change our son at our seats.
3. Extra Clothes for Both of You
Accidents happen—spills, diaper leaks, motion sickness. We pack two outfits for our toddler and an extra outfit for ourselves in a packing cube.
4. Antibacterial Wipes
For wiping down tray tables, armrests, window ledges—anything your toddler might touch or mouth.
5. Small First Aid Kit / Toddler Meds
This is one area where I overpack—and I don’t regret it. I bring band-aids, fever meds, nail clippers, and allergy meds like Benadryl, all packed into a ziplock.
🍎 Snacks & Meals
6. Snacks
We fill a snack box with bite-sized favorites like fruit, cheese cubes, and crackers. We also pack soft-dried fruit, Pocky sticks, and dark chocolate in a ziplock bag for a treat.
Top picks: Bentgo Kids, YumBox, or anything you have lying around at home.
7. Spill-Proof Water Bottle
Bring an empty toddler water bottle through security and fill it post-checkpoint. Staying hydrated also helps with ear pressure during takeoff and landing.
Top picks: CamelBak Kids Water Bottle, Contigo Kids, or Skip Hop Toddler Straw Bottle.
🧸 Entertainment That Lasts
8. Reusable Sticker Books and Water Wow Pads
These are quiet, mess-free, and endlessly engaging—our son especially loves stickers.
Top picks: Melissa & Doug Water Wow, Usborne Little Sticker Books, wipe-clean activity books.
9. Small Toys
We pack a few lightweight, inexpensive toys like animal figurines and mini vehicles to keep our son entertained. After he turned two, his imagination really took off, so simple toys became even more engaging for him.
Top picks: Hot Wheels small vehicles, Tomy cars, small figurines.
10. Books
We pack two or three of our son’s favorite books for comfort and entertainment.
Check out our 20 Must-Read Books for Toddlers That We Love post for ideas.
😴 Sleep & Comfort
11. Soft Blanket
A small blanket can help make naps more comfortable. Planes can get chilly regardless of the season, so we always bring a sweatshirt and small blanket.
12. Travel Stroller
We bring a compact stroller that folds easily and can be gate-checked. It gives us flexibility at the airport and helps when our son wants to nap.
Top picks: Babyzen Yoyo, GB Pockit, or UPPAbaby Minu.
✈️ Optional but Helpful
Hiking Backpack Carrier
If you plan on hiking during your trip, a hiking backpack carrier might be an essential for you.
Travel Car Seat or CARES Harness
For toddlers over 1 year old, a FAA-approved car seat or CARES harness can add comfort and security—especially if your toddler naps better with support.
Wet Bag
We always tuck a reusable wet bag into our diaper bag for soiled clothes, bibs, or surprise messes.
Lightweight Bib
If your toddler still uses one, a roll-up silicone bib is great for in-flight meals and snacks.
✅ Final Tips
Bringing Milk
You can bring milk for your toddler through airport security, but be prepared—it often takes extra time for them to test and approve it. Make sure to allow a bit of extra time at security if you plan to bring milk, or consider buying it after you pass through security to avoid the wait.
Board early or late?
Airlines often let families with young children board early, which helps you get settled and find overhead space. But if your toddler is especially active, boarding later can mean less time stuck in your seat.
Prep your toddler for the trip
A few weeks before flying, we talked to our son about airplanes. We’d point them out in the sky and say, “You’re going to ride one soon!” Watching planes at the airport also helped him get excited.
Avoid red-eye flights if possible
We took two red-eye flights—one 5 hours, the other 10—and I barely slept because my son was on me most of the flight. It took days to recover. If you can, stick with daytime flights.
Stay calm
Toddlers feed off our energy. Even if things get loud or messy, most people on board have seen it all—or have been there themselves. You’ve got this!
What Are Your Travel Essentials for Your Toddler?
Traveling with a toddler is never totally smooth, but being prepared makes it manageable. These are the items we’ve come to rely on, and I hope they help make your next flight a little easier.
Have any favorite travel essentials for your toddler? I’d love to hear what’s worked for you—leave a comment below!
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