Travel with kids made easy
Holiday… celebrate! It’s that time of year, mamas, and the thought of escaping Dubai’s hot hot hooooot heat fills our hearts with so much joy. Until the thought of packing for four (or five, six, seven), dragging the troops and their personalities through the airport and screaming toddlers run through our minds. Ugh. UGH. What can you do to make it all better? Browse through our list of super handy travel accessories to help… we promise the dread will ease as you start putting together your shopping list!
You’re getting settled into your seat and trying to slot your buggy in the overhead compartment… and bam, it falls backwards and onto you and it’s literally lights out for mama. The Mountain Buggy Nano Newborn Bundle includes the super lightweight stroller, as well as the Cocoon, which is a carrycot great for newborns. The buggy folds down into a satchel size, and is easy peasy to open and close with one hand. Compact and small enough to fit on planes, trains and automobiles, we love.
Available from www.babysouk.com for AED 1,898
Read more: Babysouk.com – Travel With The Fam Sorted
Bags, luggage, toys… somehow when you’re on the go with kids, there’s lots of “stuff” that comes along, too. And that’s where a baby carrier is handy: you’ve got a good grip on bubba and you’re hands free. The Boba Air Lightweight Carrier is ergonomic, simple to use, and is great for mamas on the go. And you can fold, zip and stash it away when you’re on a long-haul flight and not using it.
Available from www.babysouk.com for AED 260
Picture this: your tiny tot gets a scratch on his hand and starts screaming the plane down… what a nightmare. Or you’re on that gorgeous family vacay and hubby eats some bad seafood and has become BFFs with the toilet. A first aid kit is a must when you’re travelling, and the Baby Aid First Aid Travel Kit has 33 items in it, from burnshield to plasters, thermometers all in a compact, handy pouch. It’s definitely worth packing this.
Available from www.babysouk.com for AED 120
Read more: 7 Tips for Long Haul Flights with Your Little People
Mamas of multiples know how important it is to keep the brood together without a mini running off somewhere. Get your tot feeling like a responsible grown up at the airport, in charge of their own stuff that they can carry, or in this case, wheel around. Trunki, the innovative ride-on suitcase for globe-trotting tots, has a variety of colours and characters to suit any style. Get the tinies to fill it with their “stuff” – activity books, soft toys and more for the plane and beyond.
The Trunki Harley Ladybug is available for AED 225 from www.mumzworld.com; other varieties are available too
Read more: Our Mumzworld Travel Picks
Did you think there would ever be a time you’d get to travel with an entire crib in your suitcase? We’re not talking about one of those massive wooden things, but a soft, comfortable, lightweight cot that doubles as a playpen for when you’re staying at a hotel. The phil&teds traveller travel crib weighs a measly 3.2 kgs (lighter than some newborns!), has mesh sides so you can easily keep an eye on your munchkin when they’re playing or napping, and ultimately safe. It folds up so you can fit it in a suitcase, backpack, or stowed in an overhead locker on a plane.
Available for AED 899 from www.philandteds.com
Read more: Best Travel Toys for Fuss-Free Flying
Getting on a long haul flight with a breastfeeding bubba makes any mama nervous – how will I breastfeed on the plane? Can I express? What if I need to sterilise everything? Medela’s sterilising bags steam cleans and disinfects breastpumps, accessories, breastmilk bottles, pacifiers and more in about 3 minutes. Yeah, seriously, these bags are super handy.
Available for AED 73 from www.mumzworld.com
Read more: 10 Hand Luggage Items to Pack When Travelling With Kids
Could there really be such a device for kids not to fall asleep across the aisle when on a long-haul flight? Or sprawl out fast asleep across the laps of you and hubs? What if you need to get up to use the washroom? Or top up that G&T? The geniuses at 1st Class Kid have created an inflatable travel pillow that sits on the floor by the seat so kids can lie down straight – or as near to straight as possible. Just before you disembark, deflate it, fold it up and pop it in your bag… voila!
Available for US$29.95 (plus shipping) from www.1stclasskid.com
Another awesome portacot that fits your little munchkin in comfortably is one from Sophie La Giraffe. A kiddo’s fave (and probably first) soft toy/character they adore, it’s cosy, comfortable, and quick to set up and put away. There’s a soft mattress and a mosquito net (yes please!) making it perfect for holidays and weekend trips!
Available for AED 335 from www.justkidding-me.com
Picture this: you’re on the flight with your mini… and there are 8 other families around you all requesting a bassinet for their bubs at the same time. And your tot won’t settle because let’s face it, being on a plane is a funny (and probably new) experience for them. The Deryan Air Traveller is a travel seat for kiddos under the age of 2 that need to travel on your lap while flying. AND it’s multifunctional: it can be used as both a seat and a bed, equally distributing the weight of your child. Don’t worry about any spit ups or spills: the cover is entirely washable. This little baby weighs as little as 1 kg and fits easily in hand luggage.
Available for AED 160 from www.justkidding-me.com
Having a seated dance party in the car with the kids is soooo much fun and a great way to pass the time on a long drive. For older kids aged 4-12, the booster seat from Kidsriver props them up a bit higher so they can see you in the mirror and also makes for more room in the backseat if you’ve got other minis in there taking up space. It’s light, comfortable, and easy to install with the three-point seat belt. Most importantly, it’s approved according to European safety standards.
Available for AED 175 from www.justkidding-me.com
Safe and practical, the Doona+ is a car seat that can be used both in and out of the car – how’s that for versatility! It’s got integrated wheels, folds easily and compact, one-touch brake and has a seat protector. The support cushion inside is made of memory foam with high energy absorbing qualities and additional side impact protection – see, safe!
Available for AED 1,986 from www.justkidding-me.com
Tablets are all the rage these days, and many kiddos (and let’s be honest, mamas too!) can’t leave the house or travel without it. For tiny eyes, the Manhattan Toy Travel + Comfort Tablet Wedge helps to rest the tablet on something, and also to bring it up to eye level, stopping kiddos from straining their necks. It fits the iPad, iPad Air, iPad Mini, and most tablets that are between 19.5cm and 25 cm wide. Also – this is handy to use at home too.
Available for AED 220 from www.justkidding-me.com
Make upright naptime sweet with this ergonomically shaped neck pillow. Lean it against something (like the inside of the plane when you’re in the window seat and struggling to catch some zzz’s), pop your head to the side, and voila. The Manhattan Toy Travel + Comfort Travel Pillow Cloud also has a velcro strap that you can attach to the handle of a wheelie suitcase or even to the handle of your handbag.
Available for AED 100 from www.justkidding-me.com
Featured image via Pinterest
