The best travel accessories for family-friendly travel this summer

1. Doona Infant Car Seat - £339 | Amazon

The Doona is so genius that we consistently recommend it to every pregnant woman we know. The car seat that cleverly folds down to reveal wheels is a total game changer that can help you travel lighter. Suitable from birth to 13kg, it means you don’t need to bring a separate car seat and buggy on your trip, and it’s a lifesaver not to have to wake up a sleeping baby from the car seat to transfer them to their pram. It’s a doddle to use, babies are super comfortable in it and it even has an adjustable handlebar.  

2. Dinosaur Travel Pillow & Blanket Set £19.50 | M&S

Let your kids travel in comfort with a design they’ll adore, with this cute Dinosaur Travel Pillow & Blanket Set from M&S. The soft, snuggly pillow is filled with memory foam and has two pockets to keep your hands warm, and the included blanket can be stored inside the pillow when it’s not needed. There’s also a unicorn option if your child is obsessed with pink.   

3. Easy Sleep Portable Crib £134 | ergoPouch

The key to having a good trip is often just letting babies sleep when they need to sleep - but when you’re on the move, this can be tougher than usual. Step in the ergoPouch Easy Sleep Portable Crib, a lightweight folding crib for your newborn. Whether your baby is having a snooze, looking up at the world around them, or enjoying some tummy time, it’s a safe, secure, and super-portable place for your baby to lie. It comes with a mosquito net and mattress, and even fits into the overhead locker on the plane, making it a perfect travel companion.  

 4. JetKids BedBox by Stokke £169 | Stokke

A favourite with both kids and parents, the Stokke JetKids BedBox is brilliant for long-haul flights. The BedBox functions as a carry-on suitcase that kids can ride on or pull along themselves through the airport, but as soon as you get on the plane, you can use the box’s lid and included mattress to turn the plane seat into a bed to allow your child to comfortably lie down. It’s not cheap, but those extra hours of sleep on the plane are priceless! 

 5. Kids Travel Tray £26.99 | Amazon

A good tip for keeping kids entertained on a long journey is to present them with toys they’ve never seen before, and this clever foldable and portable travel tray will keep them entertained for hours. It comes with five drawing papers and six board pens, and unfolds like a table as they sit down to give them a surface on which to play, read and draw. Ideal for plane or car journeys, the travel tray can also be used once you’re home as a playing station on a normal chair or highchair. 

6. My Carry Potty £28.99 | Amazon

If you’re in the glorious days of potty training, a long trip will no doubt seem even more daunting. The clever My Carry Potty is there to make your journey a little less stressful. The portable potty, which comes in loads of fun, eye-catching designs, is comfy for kids to use, and when they’re done, it closes with a leakproof seal until it’s convenient to empty it. We can’t promise potty training will be easy - but this will definitely make doing it on the go a little bit easier.  

7. Nuby UV Steriliser Bag £132 | Boots

Take the stress out of sterilising and make it less time-consuming with this handy rechargeable UV Steriliser Bag from Nuby. The genius contraption uses ultraviolet light to sterilise your bottles, dummies and breast pump parts in just three minutes - no plug necessary, so no searching through all your suitcases for an adaptor. Sterilising can definitely be one of the least fun parts of packing for a holiday, but with this, you don’t need to lug your usual heavy one in the suitcase - it even has a carry strap for easy portability. 

8. StoryPhones £84 | StoryPhones

If you’re trying to keep your kids entertained without screens on your journey, StoryPhones are a great idea - there’s no WiFi needed with this smart, portable wireless audio entertainment device. All you need to do is pop a StoryShield disc into the headphones, and it will start playing stories, music and more for your children to listen to. With stories from Mickey Mouse and Frozen to the Lion King and Toy Story to choose from, your little one will be spoilt for choice. There’s also an option with relaxing noises to listen to for when it’s time to go to sleep.  

9. Portable Changing Mat £20 | JoJo Maman Bebe

Keep everything you need for nappy changes close by with the Deluxe Portable Changing Mat from baby brand JoJo Maman Bebe.  The handy pouch, which can be strapped onto your buggy or handbag, unfolds out to reveal not just a changing mat where you can hygienically change your baby, but also space to carry nappies and a wet wipe pouch to keep your wipes moist.  

10. Baby Travel Crib Changing Bag £65 | Bizzi Growin

As a parent, you’ll always be looking for products that combine the uses of other products so you can carry as little as possible. This ingenious Baby Travel Crib Changing Bag from Bizzi Grown allows you to cram in all the spare clothes, nappies, wipes, and bottles you’d expect from a changing bag - but it also folds out to reveal a crib perfect for daytime naps, and there’s even a mattress and mosquito net included. 

11. Airplane Phone Mount £17 | Amazon

So you’ve downloaded all your child’s favourite shows, you’ve finally made it onto the plane - and now it’s time for takeoff, you have to fold up your tray table and your toddler is having a meltdown because there’s nowhere to put the tablet. That’s why you need this handy Universal Airplane in Flight Phone Mount, which clamps down to the seat in front of you to make watching TV on your phone a better viewing experience - and hopefully reduce tantrums.  

12. Maomaoyu Packing Cubes £13.69 | Amazon

If you’re determined to pack light, avoid overpacking by being organised in advance and using this set of eight packing cubes. With enough space to cram in all your children’s essentials, you’ll be able to group them by categories, and there are separate bags for laundry, toiletries, and shoes too.  

 13. Helteko Car Seat Organiser £24.99 | Amazon

Got a long car journey ahead of you? Get some much-needed quiet from the backseat by keeping everything in easy reach of your kids, from their water bottles and toys to their tablets and snacks with these large car seat organisers. Plus, they’ll keep your seats free from footprints and mess too. 

14. Sensory Fidget Kit £26.99 | Keep Em Quiet

The fact this brand is called KeepEmQuiet tells you everything you need to know about the objectives of their Mega Sensory Fidget Kits. The included drawstring bag is packed with fidget toy such as pop its, fidget rings and bendy pipe pop tubes to keep your kids occupied (and quiet!) for hours on end.  

15. SnoozeShade Plus Deluxe £39.99 | SnoozeShade

Whether you’re trying to get your toddler to have their nap in broad daylight, or trying to keep your newborn asleep for as long as possible, the SnoozeShade is an absolute must-have for travelling parents. Not only does it block out light and keep air flowing to help your little one sleep soundly, but you can also use it to protect them from 97.5% of UV rays. It’s also so easy to use, fitting any single pushchair (there’s a double version too). 

16. Mini Micro Suitcase Scooter £109.95 | Micro Scooter

Fed up of having to carry all your kids’ bags as well as your own? This adorable mini scooter will make your kids excited to lug around all their stuff. With light-up LED wheels, adjustable handlebars and 13 litres of space to stuff all their toys, books and clothes into, this accessory is a win for both children and parents that fosters independence and helps to get to your boarding gate on time.  

17. Travel Snack Grazing Box £8.99 | Etsy

Ask any parent what’s the one essential for travelling with kids, and you’ll get one consistent answer: snacks, snacks, and more snacks. Make their snacking more fun with one of these cool personalised grazing boxes from Etsy, which you can fill with biscuits, sweets, vegetables, raisins or crisps. This will keep your child occupied far longer than standard packets of food, and there’s less to clean up too. 

18. Adventurer Child Carrier £150 | Little Life

For hands-free travel with a toddler, this fantastic Adventurer S2 Child Carrier will let you get up and go with your little one in tow. Suitable from six months to three years, this is a great solution for active parents who want to be on the go with their child. The carrier comes with plenty of pockets to store bottles and other essentials too.  

19. Glow Travel Sleep Easy £99.95 | Glow Dreaming

When you’re away from home, it can be tricky for children to fall asleep in an unfamiliar environment. However, this travel-friendly sleep device will help and it's based on the same red light therapy that NASA uses to help astronauts sleep! The compact, portable, and rechargeable unit also has pink noise, and a scent nebuliser to help your little one catch forty winks. Plus it's small enough to fit in a pushchair or car cup holder.

20. Travel Pillow & Eye Mask £12.45 | Amazon

Getting comfy in the car or on the plane is key to keeping kids happy when you're travelling. This cleverly-designed eye mask and travel pillow in one should do the trick. We love that it's hard to lose since the two pieces stay connected. Plus, it doubles as a cute plush cuddly toy once nap time is over.