Buying gifts for traveling parents is tricky. They are always on the go and you don’t want your gift to just be left sitting in their storage closet at home. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if they could use your thoughtful gift while traveling? We are sharing a list of useful travel gifts for parents who travel with kids.
We’ve been traveling almost full time since our baby was 2 months old and now she’s almost 2! Throughout our travels we have found a ton of useful travel products that have been super helpful while we are away from home. The following is a list of great travel gifts for parents that travel with kids, a baby or toddler.
Not only will your person be super excited to receive your gift, they will most certainly get a lot of use out of it too. The list of gifts for traveling parents is organized by cheap gift ideas, more expensive and thoughtful gift ideas and gift ideas that will keep on giving.
Take a look! We hope you find something perfect for that special someone you are looking for.
Cheap gift ideas
Sunscreen
Sun protection is so important for the entire family. Once a baby is 6 months old, it is safe for them to wear a mineral based baby sunscreen and have a bit more time in the sun. There are a lot of great options online or in the stores for baby sunscreen.
If they have older kids a children’s mineral based sunscreen would be a better option. Adults need sun protection too. A great non-toxic sunscreen and face sunscreen is a thoughtful travel gift for parents.
Beach Tent
If the parents love beach vacations, a beach tent is a must for travel. Beach vacations with a baby or kids will look a little different. They will want sun protection and a beach tent is perfect for providing plenty of shade, keeping cool and minimizing sand.
Trust us, this set up is so much better than an umbrella and some towels and it’s one of the best travel gifts for parents you can give.
Look for a tent that is big enough for parents and a baby plus has some extra space to play. A tent that has screened windows is great for some air flow and keeping things cooler. Also, look for a tent that is easy to set up and take down. Their hands will be full, trust us!
Disinfectant Wipes
Let’s face it, germs are everywhere and it’s impossible to keep children from touching everything when they travel. Having disinfectant wipes handy while traveling with a baby or kid can help limit their exposure to yucky bugs. Gift these to the parents so they can keep some in their diaper bag for easy access.
They are so convenient for wiping down the plane seat and tray, diaper changing table, etc if they often fly with a baby or kids. As a parent, you can never have too many of these in stock.
EZPZ Plates, Cups, Spoon
EZPZ sells amazing plates, bowls, cups, and utensils for baby that promote safe and independent eating and they are great for travel. They have a suction feature base so they can be used on any flat surface, making it very convenient to throw in a diaper bag and head out to breakfast, lunch and dinner with a baby or toddler on vacation.
EZPZ products are made of 100% toxin-free silicone so they are safe and very easy to pack. They have a cute playful design and their products are thoughtfully designed with a Pediatric Feeding Specialist. The products are a bit more expensive than other options, but they are built to last so they will sustain through the baby’s entire feeding journey or even multiple children.
Portable High Chair
Once a baby is eating solids, a great gift idea for traveling parents is a portable high chair.
Look for a high chair that collapses small so it doesn’t take up too much space in a suitcase and one that is light so it’s not super heavy to pack. Also look for a high chair that is machine washable or easy to clean since eating solids gets very messy.
Some great options we use are:
Inglesina fast table chair & tray
hiccapop Omniboost travel booster seat
Portable Sound Machine
Every traveling parent needs a rechargeable and portable sound machine… or a few! Sound machines are perfect for drowning out background noise which is helpful if a parent has to room share while traveling with kids. They are great for helping calm a fussy baby, help kids sleep in different environments and recreating their home environment while they are away from home.
Look for a portable sound machine that can be strapped on their car seat, stroller or baby carrier so the parents won’t misplace it. This is one of the best cheap travel gifts for parents!
Snack Cups
Snacks just might be the most important thing to pack as a parent traveling with kids. They are the best form of entertainment on long travel days. Therefore, snack cups make for amazing gifts for traveling parents.
Snack cups are great for packing snacks and taking them anywhere. A good snack cup will be durable, spill proof, collapsible, easy for the kids to carry, dishwasher safe, and have a suction bottom. This is one of the best travel gifts for parents and it is one that will get lots of use!
Thoughtful Gift Ideas
Baby Carrier
A good quality baby carrier will make traveling with a baby so much easier. It’s very helpful for walking through the airport, boarding and unboarding a plane, hiking, shopping, walking, literally anything! A baby carrier makes it easy to strap on the baby and go exploring!
Plus a baby carrier is great for helping the baby nap on the go. Look for a baby carrier that has multiple carrying positions and one that will grow with their baby so they can get plenty of use out of it. Here are some great options!
Car Seat Travel Bag
Protecting a child’s car seat is very important when flying with a baby. Everyone knows airlines don’t treat baggage very gently and the last thing they want on vacation is to arrive at their destination and find their child’s carseat is damaged and unusable. A car seat travel bag is one of the best travel gifts for parents you can give!
Look for a car seat travel bag that is well padded to help protect a child’s car seat so it arrives safely at the destination. Having wheels or straps is a huge bonus and will make it so much easier to haul through the airport. Convenience is key when traveling with a baby or kids and a car seat travel bag will make a traveling parents life so much easier.
Child Carrier Hiking Backpack
If the travel loving parents enjoy hiking, a child carrier backpack would be an amazing gift. These type of backpacks can be expensive but they are worth the investment. A comfortable hiking backpack makes a huge difference especially when they are carrying an extra person on their back.
Look for a child carrier hiking backpack that is lightweight, well ventilated, easily adjustable to different sizes and has a built in sunshade. Also a steel frame that has a compact fold so it’s easy to pack but sturdy enough so they can set the backpack down without having to take the child out of the carrier is a huge plus. Here are 2 great options!
Pack n Play
A pack n play is one of the best travel gifts for parents that travel with kids. Traveling parents will absolutely need and use this everywhere they go.
A pack n play is a portable crib that collapses and pops up in a second to create a safe sleep space for their baby or toddler. No additional mattress is needed. As a bonus, a lot of airlines don’t charge to check a pack n play so it’s easy to bring with.
There are a ton of pack n plays out there. If their baby is still very young, one with an attachable bassinet or changing table might be helpful. If they go camping, the lotus travel crib is great because it can be unzipped from the side so their baby or toddler is easily accessible from a floor bed.
Not only does a pack n play provide a safe sleeping space, it can also serve as a safe space to put the baby or toddler when the parents are busy. Hotel rooms and airbnb’s are typically not baby proofed so having a space to set them is super important while traveling. Here are some great options!
Lotus Travel Crib – Great for compact size and light weight
Joovy – Budget friendly option
Graco – Attachable bassinet and changing table
Portable Bottle Warmer
A portable and battery operated bottle warmer is one of the best travel gifts for parents if their baby is bottle fed. A parent is allowed to bring as much breastmilk or formula on board to make it through the duration of the flight. Everyone knows a full baby is typically a happy baby. Give them a gift that will help reduce stress on the airplane by helping them feed their baby.
A portable bottle warmer is so easy to use and will have a bottle warmed in minutes. It can be brought on board and used right in their seat.
Slumberpod
A Slumberpod is this magical creation someone made which is basically a tent for a baby. But its magical power is that it creates a pitch black environment for sleeping. It’s safe for babies 4 months or older and is great for staying in hotel rooms with kids.
It’s super easy to pack, set up and tear down. Once they reach their destination, the Slumberpod can be set up in minutes. A pack n play is placed inside and they have a safe and separate sleep space for the baby or toddler.
It truly is a necessity and absolute life saver if they are staying in a hotel or room sharing. That way when the child is napping or goes to bed early, the parents can still enjoy their hotel room.
Travel Stroller
A travel stroller is a stroller that has an extremely compact fold so it can fit in the airplanes overhead compartment. This will help parents travel without worrying about their nice, big stroller getting damaged. Plus a travel stroller is easier to carry around and pack due to its small size and light weight.
When shopping for the ideal travel stroller look for the following. A large sunshade, a stroller that lays flat (or nearly flat) so their child can nap easily on the go, one that has a storage basket underneath, great suspension and durability for different terrains and one that has one full handle so it can easily be pushed with one hand. Here are some great options.
Gifts that Keep On Giving
Lovevery Play Kit Subscription
Lovevery play kits are amazing for so many reasons. New parents have a ton of research and things to learn and Lovevery takes the stress out of finding great toys for a child. Each kit comes with an awesome guide to inform the parent on how to use each toy.
They are toy kits developed with a specific age in mind therefore parents know they are using appropriate toys for their child’s development. The 0-12 month play kit includes 6 boxes that will be sent to their door every 2 months. The 1, 2 and 3 year kit includes 4 boxes that will be sent to their door every 3 months.
Not only are these toys great due to the convenience, but they make AMAZING travel toys as well! Most of their toys are small and durable so they are very easy to pack in a suitcase, diaper bag or carry on. These toys are great for traveling parents and kids.
TSA Precheck
Looking for a gift that keeps on giving? Consider gifting the parents TSA precheck. It’s $85 for a 5 year membership. That’s a cheap gift that keeps on giving for 5 years! Unfortunately, you can’t apply for the person so the only way to gift this would be to gift money and tell them what it is for.
However, TSA precheck is a must when traveling with babies or young kids. It makes going through security with a baby or kids a breeze. They won’t have to take off their shoes, belts and jackets or take out electronics and liquids. It’s easy to pop their bags in the x-ray machine and walk on through. Seriously THE BEST way to travel!
That concludes a list of the best travel gifts for parents that travel with kids and gifts for traveling parents. We hope you found something for that special someone. We know they will enjoy their gift!
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