If you’ve read my About Me page, you’ll know I’m never knowingly underpacked. I’m a permanent ‘just in case’ packer – and a bit of a magpie, forever distracted by products which promise to be the answer to my travel needs, gadgets to make travelling with a child easier and a few more tempting odds and ends to squeeze into my suitcase.

includes review products and affiliate links*

Some have lasted one trip. A few disasters got chucked while I was away. But there are some which travel with my on trip after trip, which I consider my family travel essentials – the family travel products you really must pack.

This page is going to be constantly updated with new finds, and old favourites replaced. I’ll be including some products sent for review as well as ones I’ve bought myself, but all these are products I genuinely recommend for family travel.

You can also shop some of my favourites on Amazon – with a series of lists on my Amazon Influencer Storefront from travel toys for toddlers and children aged 5+, pool toys and travel essentials, as well as some of my favourite books for both kids and adults.

Click here to see the full set of family travel recommendations on Amazon.

Before you go

Make sure you haven’t forgotten anything essential, from planning to packing, with my trip planner – everything you need to prepare for your next escape in a downloadable 23-page planner, including travel journal, planning pages for your research, vital notes, packing lists, checklists and more

Travel essentials to pack

Portable battery charger

I’m rarely without one of these but while a pocket-sized one is handier than some of the big bricks, not all mini versions have the same power. My favourite is this Anker portable charger

Packing cubes

I never quite got how useful packing cubes could be until I tried then. Now I’m slightly evangelical about them and these packing cubes go wherever I do.

A first aid kit

You can buy readymade versions, like this Travel First Aid kit from Boots or make your own, but don’t leave home without one. For more ideas on what to include, check out my travel first aid checklist for kids.

A suitcase

No I’m not being sarcastic – choosing a good suitcase for family travel will help you avoid airline charges, strained muscles or losing it among a sea of black luggage. Cabin Max makes fantastic backpacks to suit Ryanair’s stingy carry-on limits, while Cabin Zero.also has some great light-weight but surprisingly spacious rucksacks for travel.

Baby travel essentials

You can download my packing checklist of baby travel essentials which has all the key items to remember (and tips on what you can afford to leave at home) but these also made my ‘must pack’ list.

• Muslins – we actually still have all my daughter’s baby muslins a decade after we bought them. They just get softer with time, and the colourful muslins from Faye & Lou did a great job of cheering up my day. One of our best multi-tasking family travel products was Cuski’s range: the Sweet DreameezZ muslin doubled as a blackout shade, while the Great Swandoodle range (including Heart of an Angel) has been used for more reasons than I can count.
  
• Milton Mini Portable Soother Steriliser – if you are using a soother or dummy (especially if you have a baby/toddler who likes to fling theirs far and wide), this little portable device was easy to use and carry – all you need is sterilising tablets and water (and 15 minutes) Available from Boots.
  
• Buggy bag protector – baggage handlers are not kind to luggage, and that includes your (often expensive) buggy. So even a cheaper buggy bag can help protect it a little. The Koo-di Pack It Storage & Travel bag (available from Amazon) folds up small and won’t cost a fortune, plus it kept the worst of the grime and rain off my Maclaren Volo umbrella stroller. The Kiddicare buggy bag with wheels which I used for my Bugaboo Bee was sadly discontinued by you can find more ideas of buggy bag for travel on Amazon

The best travel toys for kids

• If you’re travelling with kids over five – check out my daughter’s current favourites
  
• If you’re travelling with toddlers and preschoolers – check out some of our failsafe products which saw us through road trips and long-haul flights galore, and for more ideas on what to pack, check out my travel toys for toddlers checklist.
  
• If you’re looking for the best pool toys for kids, we’ve taken these favourites into swimming pools around the world.
  
• Find some of the best board games for travel with kids (plus ideas of card games and more to entertain children on holiday)

Suitcase essentials

• A scarf – I don’t think I go anywhere without a scarf. They double as everything from sarong to blanket for tired kids, head covering to emergency towel – and they keep you warm. My current favourite is from Ella Bella Scarves but any lightweight soft cotton scarf is ideal as they fold up small.
  
• A hammam towel – I’ve tried travel towels and they all seem pretty dire. So I take a hammam towel (on top of my trusty scarf) for unexpected beach stops – plus it also works as a sarong. Multipurpose family travel products always get my vote!
  
• FitFlops – I might not travel light (although I’m better post-daughter) but I make my packing work hard. FitFlops are my failsafe – comfy to walk in, you can get versions which are subtle enough for day and dressy enough for night, plus can be kicked on and off to go into temples/get on and off boats and so on. This Lulu style and the buckled Strata Whipstitch gladiators are among my favourites.
  
• Keen Verano sandals – our new favourite sandals for kids, these are waterproof (and child-proof!), incredibly comfy, with adjustable Velcro straps and come in various colours. You can see some more of my review over on Instagram, or they’re available from Amazon.

Beauty products for travel

• SPF – for years, my go-to product for both my daughter and myself has been Ultrasun. You can check out the full range here or read my review to discover why I’m such a big fan.
  
• Skincare – the products I use tend to vary (and I’ll snap up a travel size for a short trip to avoid carrying full versions of some favourites) but I never travel without Boots No7 Instant Illusions Airbrush Away Primer which can turn me from shiny-faced jetlagged mess to a rather more polished version with glowing skin. My other essential is Elizabeth Arden Eight hour cream, especially the little tins you can pick up at Duty Free.
  
• Haircare – with short hair which frizzes in the rain, humidity or after too long on a plane, I bulk buy John Frieda Frizz-Ease Forever Smooth Anti-Frizz Primer to leave it looking sleeker.
  
• Self-tan –  I have the kind of pale skin which goes from white to pink in a split second, only grudgingly turning a light brown with care, time and masses of SPF50. So I cheat. Well, obviously – it’s that or blinding people with the glare – with Dove Summer Glow Nourishing Lotion for Fair to Medium Skin gradual tanner, which builds up easily.

Pregnancy travel products

• Pregnancy is tough on your legs at the best of times: throw in the usual problem of swollen ankles after a flight and add any walking you might be doing on babymoon, and Mama Mio Lucky Legs cooling serum was fantastic. Refreshing, cooling, depuffing and it smells gorgeous.
  
• Dreamgenii pregnancy and breastfeeding support pillow – realistically this isn’t an easy one to pack in your suitcase, but if you’re travelling close to home, it was the only thing which helped me get comfortable. Available from John Lewis and Boots in the UK.

This list includes some products sent for review (and some which I replaced myself once the review product ran out) as well as some affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a few pennies. All opinions are my own – as are all suitcases stuffed almost to bursting.