All the Baby & Kid Things that Helped us Thrive During a 2 Week Road Trip
Let’s be honest… traveling with young children is no joke. It’s not easy, but there are something things that can make it easier. I scoured Amazon, in search of anything and everything that would make our two-week road trip with a four year old and 10 month old less stress-inducing. I’ll share what was worth it below.
To shop this portable sound machine, click here
Portable sound machine - This was absolutely the allstar of the show. There’s not much to it… it plugs into the wall, there’s an app to download, and you’re in business. The best part (other than it being cheap and working fantastically) was that once you chose the sound and light preferences, the device remembered them, and all you had to do was press the little button on the front of the device instead of going into the app each and every time.
I bought mine at TJ Max, but you can shop similar here
Formula dispenser - I had never heard of these until I ran across them and I am so happy that I did! These dispensers have separate compartments that allow you to portion out formula for three different bottles. Way better than having to dig into a formula canister and hope that there isn’t a disastrous spill mid-turn.
Not exactly the thermos we have, but similar. To shop, click here
Thermos for keeping bottle water warm - Little miss Nora is a diva and needs warm bottles, otherwise we face hunger strikes. Bringing a thermos along to fill with hot water every day majorly helped.
To shop this baby utensil set, click here
Travel baby utensils - I didn’t want to rely on sharp metal or plastic utensils while away from home, but I also didn’t want to just throw a bunch of baby spoons in a bag a call it a day. This set worked out perfectly. Baby safe utensils + a case to keep them clean = a win!
To shop baby pouch toppers, click here
Baby pouch topper - These are amazing! I recommend these for travel or just hanging at home. Nora isn’t a huge puree fan, but will occasionally enjoy. Since we were traveling, we pushed the pouches a little more than normal just for the convenience and nutrition so there were plenty more opportunities for Nora to be covered in baby food. These little toppers virtually eliminated that stress. Purees cannot be squeezed out, unless being sucked out at the same time. Not only was it easier for me to feed her with these, but she could actually do it herself without the headache of having to use an entire pack of wipes to clean her up.
To shop these mats, click here
Baby food mat - Ok, we’ve been using these since Everett was a baby, they are so much more convenient than traveling with a baby plate. They fold down small and clean up easily.
These are the same ones we’ve had for three years. To shop, click here
Packing cubes - Another thing that we’ve been using for a while, but still worth sharing about. It’s so nice knowing that all the kids clothes are neatly packed and separated into their own cubes. I don’t have to go digging in a duffle bag for a piece of Nora’s clothes that may be tucked in with Everett’s. I knew exactly where to find what I needed, exactly when I needed it.
To shop this toiletry bag, click here
Toiletry bag - While this was super helpful for me, it also allowed me to pack ALL of the kids’ toiletries too. Literally, everything fit. Not only is it huge, but it’s super functional with various pockets and hanging ability.
This is the one we have, but there are “fancier” versions if that’s your thing. To shop, click here
Amazon Fire tablet - We could debate screen time for days, but when we’re road tripping… all bets are off. It’s full on survival mode over here, and you know what helps us all survive? The Amazon Fire tablet. Its totally child safe so I don’t have to worry about what he’s playing in the backseat.
To shop the kid binoculars, click here
Kid binoculars - This is silly, but Everett was obsessed with his binoculars on our trip. We got them mostly for the National Parks that we visited, but he also loved playing with them in the car. While that may not be recommended, you know, because of car sickness, that didn’t seem to be an issue for him.
These aren't the exact straws we have, but they’re similar. To shop, click here
Silicone straws as teether toys - This is something we just kind of ran across. Nora loves chewing on silicone straws. She will utilize these for WAY longer than any other teether toy.
To shop this no-inflating-required dog pool, click here
Dog pool - Ok, this one is a little out there, and it actually wasn’t something that we bought before the trip (but I sure as heck ordered it before we even headed home), but it did help while we were visiting my grandparents. While staying with my grandparents in Temecula, it was hotter than the face of the sun. The kids wanted to play outside, but there was only so much for Nora to do. My grandparents offered up their (new and unopened) dog pool and it was to perfect way to cool down and keep Nora contained. This thing is 100 times better than an inflatable kiddie pool and allowed for Nora to play and get energy out, while still keeping her safe and secured to one small area. This would have also been extremely helpful while staying with Jonatan’s parents. They have a pool in the backyard, and this would have been an epic place for Nora to enjoy the backyard without us worried that she’d crawl into the pool.
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