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We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page. 27 Things Parents Will Want To Buy Now To Prepare For Holiday Travel With Kiddos Because while we all love Home Alone, you don't actually want to be dashing through the airport without having properly prepped your kids' bags... and, you know, your kids. 1. A set of three travel-size Poo-Pourri toilet sprays in festive scents that you spritz in the toilet before you go and uses ~magic smell science~ to keep any undesirable smells trapped in the bowl. It's like air pre-freshener, and this travel size is perfect for keeping in your bag! Great for kiddos who might be overly conscious of using the toilet for #2 away from home. 2. An airplane seat extender that one parent said was "like buying sleep"! Whether you're hoping for some extra shuteye or just to not worry about your kiddo toppling into the crevasse between their seat and the one in front of them, this handy foot rest hammock will surely make your fam the envy of the flight. 3. A portable Kanoodle 3D brain teaser game with 200 puzzles and instructions to carry kids from 7–107 through hours of brain-teasing fun. And best of all, it all folds up into a neat lil' carrying case for easy storage and portability. 4. A pocket-size white noise machine perfectly small and ready to help soothe your sleepy kiddo *without* making all your plane or train mates listen to white noise. (Though they might want to, because is there anything more soothing while in transit, tbh?) 5. A rideable wheeled suitcase that'll carry your toddler, your toddler's stuff, any gifts they're traveling with, and all the giggles that'll surely ensue from them and you as they ride their noble suitcase steed rather than beg you to carry them through the airport. 6. Or an Away Kids carry-on if they want to match you and your fab adult-size suitcase. 7. An ultra-chic Happ Levy backpack you'll literally never travel without again because it holds everything for your littles *and* yourself without making you feel bulky and meh. I ADORE how easily accessible the latch-top makes it to grab whatever my kiddo is asking for before shoving it back under the plane seat. Whether you have baby-babies, toddlers, or even bigger kids that need help hauling all their essentials, do yourself a favor and snag this for all your traveling needs. 8. A Where's Waldo? Santa Spectacular activity book filled to the brim with puzzles, stickers, and games to keep your kiddo in the holiday mood (and solidly out of Grinch territory) for a SOLID half hour at least. 9. A magnetic travel-size doodle board if you're tired of spending money *and* packing space on construction paper that gets a single mark on it, and then your kid declares it "all done." This way, they can make endless holiday-themed creations with no trees (Christmas or otherwise) harmed in the process and you don't have to haul along colors, pencils, and whatnot in your carryon. 10. A pair of noise-reduction ear muffs that'll cut back on the noise in your little's ears by 23 decibels and help muffle loud airplane sounds, train sounds, or any speakers blasting carols whether they're awake or asleep. 11. A set of bendy, moldable fidget Wikki Stix to give your kid's imagination room to roam, no matter the locale. (And at a much cheaper price than anything you'll find in that airport gift shop, let me tell you.) 12. A Casetify phone charm I recently used while traveling with my own human child, and let me tell you: This thing came in handy more often than not. It kept him from dropping my phone and helped me see my phone in the overly-full carry on. 13. A pack of disposable table toppers for airplane seat trays and restaurant tables at your destination. These make cleanup so much easier that you won't have to stress about de-sticking fruit snacks from surfaces abroad. 14. A set of three Speks gump stress balls I can ~personally~ testify will keep your kiddos (and you) happily squishing the hours away on the plane. Especially great for kids that skew a little older and already have a playlist of movies and TV shows queued up but could use some sensory fun while watching! 15. A digital camera FOR KIDS that not only will let your kid take their own pics once you get to your holiday destination, but is ALSO a truly excellent time passer en route to the festivities. (As exhibited by my own kiddo taking pictures of EVERYTHING out the window from other planes to clouds to... Literally nothing, but he was still so amused!) It can be connected to your computer to upload photos, has ~adorable~ stickers and frames in the in-camera editing software, and is generally a delight. 16. A travel lap tray to give your kids a flat space to color and play no matter *where* their seat is located. It includes a tablet holder, cup holder, and mesh storage pockets, while the top is a dry-erase board that can be doodled on or used as a snacking surface! 17. A latching snack box for all those Melties, puffs, and seasonal Wonderful pistachios you're gonna want to pack. I LOVE this snack box. It comes completely apart and is dishwasher safe, which, if you've had to use a toothpick to clean out icky residue from nonremovable padding, you get. This box will grow with you, too, and will happily accompany you on travel adventures now, and school snack times later! 18. Or a spinning snack container if your kid is old enough to want a "girl dinner" of options whilst traveling, and not throw them on the floor. Psst — this comes with dishwasher-safe stickers so your kiddo can decorate their snack spinner and get hyped for their trip! Promising review: "This thing is SUPER handy for plane and car travel with kids. We took one of these on a four-hour flight to California, and it kept my 1- and 4-year-olds enthralled for several minutes. My only regret is that I didn't have a second one so that each kid could have their own. They couldn't stop fighting over one. Highly recommend. I will be taking one or two on all future trips with the kids." —rwspoon Get it from Amazon for $29.98+ (available in three sizes and five colors). 19. A Coterie travel pouch with essential minis including a body wash, moisturizer, and "a bun balm" for baby's soft buns and rolls so you can take care of you little no matter what the on-the-go bathroom looks like. If you've heard of Coterie's ultra-famous diapers, you know the brand is beloved by parents with good reason: They're high quality and focused on making your life AND your baby's holiday as comfy as possible. 20. A two-pack of Haaka reusable baby food pouches that reviewers swear will save you a bundle on the premade pouches. These are perfect for on the go too, because if your new-to-solids baby's most fave form of nutrition is the squeeze-and-feed variety, you could bring along their preferred jarred baby food to make your life easier on all manner of planes, trains, and automobiles. No messy spoons with these, er, babies! (Fill with mashed sweet potato for an *extra* seasonal boost.) 21. A portable UV light sanitizer because you know the second you find the dirtiest floor of all your travels, that pacifier is going down. This will have your binky sanitized and ready to go again in just under a minute! 22. A lil' travel pillow for all manner of naps and relaxation and all manner of transportation. This was actually what we bought as my son's first-ever pillow, and he still uses it alongside a standard size, but we're keeping it forever for travel purposes, too! 23. A 26-piece Magna-Tiles travel set perfect for airplane tray tables at a fraction of the price (but not the quality!!) of the bigger sets. The most expensive part is when you get jealous and want one for yourself, too. Plus, they have a new winter-wonder-set version that you could totally throw in for a little 🎁holiday magic🎁 vibes. 24. Some Scent Theory hand sanitizer if you (and your kids) love the look and functionality of the Touchland mist, but you *don't* want that kind of price tag when your kid is going to ask for 100 sprays just between the seatbelt demo and landing. 25. An ultra-compact stroller that can fit in tight trunk spaces and overhead plane bins, so you don't have to haul your droopy kid from security to your gate in Home Alone-style. Give them (and yourself!) the gift of comfort first thing to avoid any unnecessary crankiness on the plane. It folds up so small that it was awarded a Guinness World Record in 2014 for the most compact stroller. It can hold kids who weigh up to 55 pounds, and it only weighs 9.5 pounds. Promising review: "This is a must-have for all parents with toddlers, especially if you are going on a trip. We went to a place where they don't recommend using a stroller because it’s too bulky and gets in the way. Well, using this was not a problem at all. People were amazed at how this thing works, and it’s really handy. Very easy to fold. Very light and not space-consuming in your trunk! Love it so much!" —Amazon Customer Get it from Amazon for $188.97+ (available in three styles and two colors). 26. Or a Liki Trike if your baby is approaching toddlerhood and wants to be more a part of the action. It also fits in overhead bins and gives your little one some more hands-on vibes so they can be happier not hoofing it and you can maybe avoid the dreaded, "I do it." 27. A Yoto mini that can literally do it all: It plays music, stories, educational activities, podcasts, soundscapes, timers, and can even be used to have beloved fam members and friends record stories for your littles to enjoy on the go! Plus, it has a headphone jack so they can listen in their own little happy Yoto world all plane-ride long without disturbing the peace of the other passengers. Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity. Why Trust BuzzFeed Shopping? BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way. Ashley Schumacher is a freelancer who has been writing for BuzzFeed Shopping for over two years with an emphasis on home goods, parenting items and toys, beauty products, and anything that can make your day-to-day life run a little smoother. When she’s not writing, you can find her reading too many books and traipsing about her North Texas home with her husband and son.
