Planning a family trip is exciting, but packing and staying organised can quickly become overwhelming. The best family travel accessories are items that help you stay organised, keep children comfortable, and reduce stress while travelling. These include organisers, entertainment for kids, and practical carry-on essentials.
This Ultimate Travel Accessories Guide is designed to help families travel more easily this summer, with a focus on practical, family-friendly travel essentials that make a real difference.
What You Will Find Here
Why the right travel accessories matter
When travelling with children, having the right accessories can:
- Keep everything organised and easy to find
- Improve comfort on long journeys
- Reduce stress for parents
- Help children stay entertained
- Make you prepared for issues and ailments
From small organisational and safety tools and products to larger comfort-focused items, these recommendations are based on real experiences from parents who travel with kids.
Ultimate Travel Accessories Guide for Families
Whether you are planning a long-haul holiday or a short UK family break, choosing the right travel accessories can make your trip smoother, easier, and far more enjoyable.
The Big Stuff You Can’t Travel Without
The BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light
The BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light is a top-rated lightweight travel cot for babies, designed for families who want a safe, portable, and easy-to-use sleep solution when travelling.
It is a compact and portable travel cot that sets up in seconds, making it ideal for holidays, weekends away, and visiting friends or family.
Key features of the The BabyBjörn Travel Cot Light
- Lightweight (6kg) – easy to carry and perfect for flying
- Quick one-step setup – no complicated assembly
- Compact fold – simple to pack and transport
- Breathable mesh sides – improves airflow and visibility
- Sturdy mattress – keeps the cot secure and comfortable
Designed with busy parents in mind, this portable travel cot for babies offers a safe, cosy sleeping space anywhere. Its durable, foldable design makes it one of the best travel cots for holidays and days out, helping families travel lighter and with less stress.
The Nia Compact Travel Stroller and Carry Cot from Silver Cross is Perfect for Travelling
The Nia compact travel stroller from Silver Cross is a game-changer for modern family travel and the ultimate aircraft cabin-approved stroller with carrycot mode. Perfect for holidays, city breaks, and everyday adventures, it is designed to make travelling with a baby effortless.
We love how versatile and portable this pram is; it easily adapts from newborn carrycot to toddler stroller, making it a perfect lightweight travel stroller for families on the go. It folds with one hand, is cabin-friendly, and fits effortlessly into car boots and train storage.
Key features include:
- Stroller: From birth to 22kg (approx. 4 years), lie-flat seat with padded liner
- Bumper bar: Extra comfort and protection on the move
- Carrycot: From birth to 9kg, with bamboo lining and ventilation
- Car seat adaptors: Compatible with Glide Plus 360 travel system
- Rain covers: 2 included for stroller and carrycot
- Cabin Approved: Fold up small enough to carry on a store on a flight
Designed with real family travel in mind, the Nia travel stroller system combines premium comfort with practical functionality, making it ideal for everything from newborn days to toddler adventures. Its lightweight frame, smart folding design, and compatibility with all-in-one travel systems make it a standout choice for parents seeking the best compact stroller for travel, holidays, and everyday use. Whether you are navigating airports, city streets, or weekend getaways, Nia delivers smooth handling, convenience, and style in one complete solution.
What Makes the Aries Stroller Ideal for Travel?
The Aries Max Auto-Fold Stroller is a lightweight, affordable travel stroller designed for both everyday use and family adventures. We love this stroller because it is light, easy to fold, and perfect for travel, making it a great option for parents on the go.
The Aries lightweight travel stroller is built for convenience, comfort, and practicality. Weighing just 6.1kg, it is one of the lightest buggies in its category, making it ideal for days out, shopping trips, holidays, and everyday use. At the push of a button, the auto-fold stroller folds itself in seconds and locks automatically, making it perfect for quick getaways, storage, and travel.
Key features include:
- Ultra-lightweight (6.1kg) – easy to carry and lift in and out of cars
- Automatic one-button fold – quick, compact folding for busy parents
- Suitable from birth to 22kg – grows with your child
- Multi-position recline – from sit-up exploring to relaxed naps
- Footwarmer and rain cover included – comfort in any season
- Adjustable leg rest & bumper bar – added comfort and support
The Aries travel buggy is designed for real family life, offering a smooth, agile ride with suspension and durable PU wheels. While not cabin-approved, it is still a fantastic lightweight stroller for holidays, UK days out, and everyday errands.
The SlumberTot travel bed?
The SlumberTot inflatable toddler travel bed is the ultimate portable sleep solution for toddlers aged 2+, designed to make travelling with little ones easier, safer, and more comfortable. Perfect for use at home or inside the SlumberPod, it is ideal for holidays, sleepovers, hotel stays, and visiting family.
The SlumberTot inflatable toddler bed is a lightweight, portable mattress with built-in side bumpers, offering a safe and supportive sleep space for children on the go. It combines comfort, convenience, and security for stress-free travel sleep setups.
Why it’s perfect for travel and holidays
Designed for busy families, this inflatable toddler travel bed inflates in under two minutes using the included electric pump, making bedtime quick and easy wherever you are. It packs down neatly into a shoulder carry bag, making it ideal for family holidays, UK staycations, and overnight trips.
Key features include:
- Plush inflatable mattress – supportive and comfortable sleep surface
- Integrated side bumpers – added safety for toddlers
- Quick inflation (under 2 minutes) – with included electric pump
- Portable travel design – comes with shoulder carry bag
- Repair patches included – extra peace of mind for travel use
Essential Bags For Travelling
The KAOS Ransel is the Ultimate Travel Changing Bag
The KAOS Ransel backpack is more than just a changing bag for travel; it’s a stylish, versatile family travel backpack designed for everyday use and beyond the baby years. We love this bag for its smart design and functionality, and it’s also a great airport travel bag that I’ll be using on my travels this year.
Perfect for family holidays, flights, and days out, this multi-functional travel changing bag keeps everything organised while looking effortlessly stylish. It can be worn as a backpack or attached to a stroller, making it ideal for parents on the go.
Key features of the KAOS Ransel travel backpack
- 8 compartments for easy organisation of baby and travel essentials
- Padded changing mat included for convenience on the go
- Water-repellent, durable fabric made from recycled plastic bottles
- Unisex, timeless design with vegan leather details
- Can be worn or attached to stroller for flexible use
- Shoulder strap included for multiple carrying options
Red Equipment, Waterproof Tote Bag 33L
Designed for busy families, beach days, and everyday adventures, this durable waterproof tote bag combines practicality with style. Whether you are heading to the beach, pool, park, or on a family day trip, it is built to handle everything you need. We love how durable it is and how great it is for busy, active families.
Built with durability in mind, this family beach bag and travel tote is a reliable companion for everything from summer holidays to quick UK day trips. Its ultra-tough construction means it can handle the demands of family life, while the thoughtful design keeps everything organised and easy to access.
Key features of this family waterproof tote bag
- Large 33L capacity – ideal for towels, snacks, spare clothes, and kids’ essentials
- Waterproof and leak-proof design – safely carry wet swimwear or damp items without mess
- Structured, self-supporting base – stays upright and easy to pack, even when full
- Lightweight and easy to carry – perfect for parents on the go
- Multiple storage pockets – internal and external zipped compartments keep everything organised
- Waterproof stash pocket – separate wet and dry items with ease
Thermos Insulated Family Lunch Bag
The Thermos Radiance range is perfect for family travel, combining trusted insulation performance with a practical, stylish design to keep food fresh on the go. These insulated lunch bags and food containers are ideal for UK days out, staycations, and holidays, helping families enjoy fresh meals wherever they are.
They are also perfect for taking picnics on planes, making them a great choice for fussy eaters who prefer familiar food while travelling. The lightweight, durable design is easy to carry and keeps food organised and secure.
The Small But Essential Stuff
It’s not always about the big things; sometimes it’s the little things that you need just in case. And the little things to keep the kids happy.
Travelling Families Should Never Travel Without Sunscreen
P20 Kids SPF50+ sunscreen is an essential family travel sun protection product, offering up to 10 hours of protection and water resistance for up to 3 hours, making it perfect for holidays, beach days, and outdoor adventures. Specially developed for children’s sensitive skin, this kids’ travel sunscreen is suitable from 6 months+ and provides high-level UVA and UVB protection in a gentle, fragrance-free formula.
Fast-absorbing and easy to apply, it is ideal for busy family days on the go, whether at the beach, pool, park, or on excursions.
Key benefits:
- Up to 10 hours sun protection
- Water resistant for up to 3 hours
- Suitable from 6 months+
- Fragrance-free, dermatologically tested & AllergyCertified
- Reef-friendly formula, safe for marine environments
A must-have family holiday essential, P20 Kids sunscreen gives parents peace of mind and reliable protection for children during every outdoor adventure.
Pack A Holiday Survival Kit
A holiday survival kit is the passport to happy travelling kids, and something we have always done since our boys were little. For them, this was the event of travel day that took the boredom away. Each had his own travel bag packed with new things that they had never seen before, all to use on the trip. A few ideas of what to include in a holiday survival kit are…..
- Small Disney Character Kids
- Cars
- Uno
- Personalised notebook and pens
- Snacks
Kids Water Bottle From Thermos
I am in love with these Thermos kids’ water bottles. They are essential for family travel, designed to keep drinks cold or hot for hours, so children stay hydrated on the go. With a leak-proof and spill-proof design, it is perfect for flights, car journeys, school trips, and family days out. We used to take an empty bottle if flying to fill up abroad, and they are perfect for Disney and Universal Trips. I have a Minnie Mouse water bottle, and I love it.
The durable, lightweight construction makes it easy for kids to carry, while child-friendly lids encourage independent drinking. Its compact size fits neatly into backpacks and cup holders, making it ideal for holidays and everyday use. If you are looking for the best kids travel water bottle, a thermos bottle offers a practical, reliable, and mess-free solution for travelling families.
Underwater Camera For Kids
The Photo Creator Waterproof Camera is a great kids’ waterproof camera for holidays, making it an essential addition to any family holiday survival kit. Designed for young explorers, this fun and durable underwater kids travel camera captures every splash, smile, and adventure.
Underwater Fun: Waterproof up to 3 metres, perfect for beaches, pools, waterparks, and lake days.
Kid-Sized Design: Lightweight and easy to hold for ages 8+.
Creative Tools: 20+ filters and frames for fun photo personalisation.
Ready to Shoot: Includes 16GB SD card.
Compact & Travel-Ready: Ideal for carry-on bags and family trips.
The Little Dutch Campus Lunch Box, Perfect For Travel Snacks
The Little Dutch Campus Lunch Box is a cute and practical kids’ travel lunch box, designed to make snacks on the go, picnics, and family day trips easier and more organised. Featuring the beautiful Fairy Wonders print, it adds a fun, nature-inspired touch to every travel meal. I can’t tell you how adorable this little snack box is.
Perfect for travel snack storage for kids, this bento-style lunch box includes a removable insert and fork, making it easy to pack a variety of foods such as sandwiches, fruit, and snacks. The separate compartments keep food fresh and neatly divided, making it ideal for holidays, school trips, UK days out, and family travel.
Never Travel Without A Travel Potty
The Potette® Fold ‘N’ Go Potty is a compact portable travel potty for toddlers, and is such great value at £12.99. Designed to make toilet training on the go easy, hygienic, and stress-free. Perfect for travel, UK days out, staycations, holidays, festivals, and car journeys, it is an essential addition to any family travel kit.
This foldable potty seat is ultra-compact, folding down to just 1cm, making it easy to carry in a changing bag, buggy basket, or car. It pops up in seconds to create a stable, hygienic toilet seat wherever you are, making it ideal for travelling families.
The Potette® includes disposable, leak-proof liners that turn liquid into gel for mess-free use, giving parents confidence when toilet training away from home. Lightweight and easy to transport, it is suitable for children aged 15 months+ and supports everyday use during travel and outings.
Insect Repellent Bracelets are A Brilliant Idea
The incognito Insect Repellent Bracelet is a stylish and natural insect repellent for travel, designed to help reduce bites from mosquitoes, midges, horseflies, and other biting insects. Perfect for family holidays, tropical travel, camping trips, and summer evenings outdoors, it provides up to 18 days of localised protection where it is worn. And I love that the repellent is in a capsule in the bracelet and not directly on the skin.
This natural mosquito repellent bracelet for travel is made from sustainable wood and infused with essential oils, including Java citronella, lemon eucalyptus, and peppermint oil. It is suitable for adults and children aged 3+, making it a practical family travel essential for insect protection.
The incognito insect repellent bracelet for travel is a smart and stylish addition to any holiday survival kit, helping families stay protected from biting insects without constant reapplication. My advice would be size down as they do come up quite large.
Medical Essentials Not To Leave at Home
There are certain things we never travel without, because you never know what might happen when you travel with kids. So here are a few essential we always pack.
- Sudocreme, I always sake a small travel tub as sudocreme covers a lot of bases
- Plasters
- Blister plasters
- Calpol
- Aftersun ( Hopefully to come back full, but better to be prepared)
Eye Drops For Travel Weary Eyes
I never leave these at home. I am not sure if it’s the plane, sun cream or cruise air conditioning, but my eyes always get irritated when I travel. But I remember once having to sleep with a cool flannel on my eyes; they were so irritated and sore. So now I never leave the eye drops at home, and the times I have also had to share with friends who didn’t think to pack eye drops.
These soothing eye drops for travel are ideal for helping to reduce redness, dryness, and discomfort. TheraTears Irritation & Redness eye drops are an essential travel health product for flights, helping to soothe dry, irritated eyes caused by cabin air. Plane environments are notoriously harsh on the eyes, yet many parents overlook eye care when packing.
Why A Dental Repair Kit Is A Must-Have Travel Essential
This seems like an odd one, but trust me, as a mum whose child has broken his teeth on and before holidays, I can’t tell you how stressful that is. This year, my goddaughter is having a bridge fitted before our cruise, and her mum is terrified of it coming off, so again we will be taking a dental repair kit.
The DenTek Temparin Max Dental Repair Kit is a vital travel health essential for holidays, helping to secure loose fillings or crowns until you can see a dentist. Dental emergencies abroad can quickly ruin a trip, making this a smart addition to any suitcase.
This temporary dental repair kit for travel provides fast, effective support for unexpected dental issues, offering peace of mind on holidays, business trips, and family adventures. Small, portable, and easy to use, it is a must-have emergency travel kit essential for stress-free travel.
This post is syndicated from Minit Travellers
