For this post, I’m changing it up a bit. I tend to write about all my favorite things to pack when traveling with little ones. This time, I’m going to give you a few things you DO NOT need when traveling with children:

Pack ’n Play-

-When you have babies or toddlers, a concern can be where they will sleep when you’re not in your home. Normally, if you’re local, you’d bring your pack ’n play. This is an item you can leave at home if you’re going out of state or even abroad. 

Both hotels and Airbnb’s [should] have a pack ’n play or crib. My tip is to call ahead to be sure they have one available, and even if they’ll have it set up for you upon arrival. 

Full-Size Stroller-

-It may be tempting to want to bring your large stroller so your little one will be comfortable. For me, it’s way too bulky and heavy to bring and store while you’re traveling. There are plenty of compact/travel strollers that will be able to keep up with the riggers of travel. 

We used the Maclaren Globe Trotter with Ains all the time, and it held up very well across 3 countries in Europe. Once we had Lele, we upgraded to the double stroller of the same brand. I like this brand for the double, because it has a set of wheels in the middle, making it easier to steer. This was especially useful through the cobblestone streets of Dublin. 

Multiple Water Bottles-

-I constantly point out that you need to keep hydrated when you travel (helps with jet lag too). I’ve used these bottle caps to convert a regular water bottle into one a toddler/baby can use. You’re often provided with water bottles in your hotel room and can use these tops. They are such a space saver, allowing you to eliminate packing multiple water bottles. 

Lots of Bibs-

-For me, I always have bibs in my diaper bag. I do like to have them while traveling, so I use the rubber kind. Since they wipe down very easily, I only need to bring one for each kid.

Pump-

-When I was nursing and we went on a trip, I would normally pack my pump just in case. However, I wouldn’t bring my large pump because there are so many pieces, and you have to worry about the right adapters etc. Instead, I would bring a manual pump with just one set of the bottle and top. They also have battery operated ones if the manual seems a little too daunting 😉

Sound Machine-

-Both my girls use a sound machine in their room. I don’t bring their normal one from home when we travel; instead, I have a travel one that’s a lot smaller. There have been a few times I’ve forgotten it altogether, and in those cases I simply use an app on my phone that works just fine.

I know it can seem overwhelming when you think about packing for little children. I hope this helped to give you confidence that you don’t need to pack every little thing. Kids are adaptable and you don’t need to pack all the things to have a great trip 🙂 Can you think of other items you can leave at home when traveling with kids?