We’re getting ready to head out on a weekend trip, so I thought I’d share what we pack for our toddler. Having a 2 year old and traveling doesn’t always sound like it goes together… But we’ve gotten pretty good at knowing exactly what to bring with us! Especially after 3 weeks in Europe (including Disneyland Paris with the kids!), we have learned what we have to have and what we can just leave at home.
The Ultimate Weekend Trip Packing List (Including a Toddler Packing List for Parents)
Packing with a toddler along for the ride means you have to be strategic and organized about what you pack. I’m going to share with you some of my travel hacks, how we stay organized, and what essentials you need. Whether it’s a 2 hour road trip or a 12 hour flight, this post should have you covered! This post covers both a general weekend packing list and a toddler-specific packing list.
Weekend trip packing list for adults and families
Clothing essentials for a 2–3 day trip
- Choose your outfits based on trip length + weather
- If you’re going somewhere that is mostly outdoors (e.g. you’re headed to Disney World during rain season), or if you’re going somewhere that has weather that can change a lot, make sure you bring a rain coat just in case the weather changes
- Pack shoes based on what you plan to do. If it’s a beach trip, pack flip flops for your day shoes, sneakers for longer walks, and dressy shoes if you plan to go out. If it’s a hiking trip, obviously you’ll need hiking boots. Shoes are a very personal preference!
Toiletries and personal items
- Toiletry bag must-haves:
- Zip pouches are great to keep toothbrushes separated
- Travel hack: Bring just a few floss picks in each person’s zip pouch vs. bringing a whole bag of them
- Medications, vitamins
- Mini emergency kit with pain reliever/fever reducer, allergy medicine, tissues, bandaids
- Sunscreen
- Jewelry
- Hair ties, hair brush
Tech and entertainment
- Chargers, headphones
- Kindle or book
- Camera: We bought our kids small cameras that they love to take on trips. It’s a great car ride activity! I think it’s so fun to download the photos and see the trip through their eyes. I rarely bring a secondary camera since I have an iPhone and the camera is pretty good on it.
Travel documents and money
- IDs, insurance cards, reservations, cash/cards
Toddler packing list for a weekend trip
Toddlers can come with a lot of baggage – literally. Some of the items below will be optional (for example, if your toddler is potty trained you won’t need diapers). Some also depend on your travel plans. If you are going somewhere with laundry available, you won’t need as many clothes.
See my toddler packing recommendations on my Amazon Storefront >>
Clothing and shoes for toddlers
- 2 outfits per day unless you’ll be somewhere with laundry available – then 1 per day (or even 1 for every 2 days!) should be fine
- Pajamas (1 for every 2 nights)
- Swimwear if you’ll be near the beach or at a pool
- Sun hat if you’ll be outdoors
- Layers! I always travel with a light blanket for my toddler, which comes with us in the car or on the airplane. I also bring a sweatshirt, even in the summer, just in case we have a chilly night.
- Sneakers and a pair of sandals for dressier occasions, or if we are going to the beach I’ll pack sneakers and their favorite waterproof shoes
Toddler toiletries and health essentials
- Diapers/pull-ups, wipes, rash cream
- Toddler toothpaste and tooth brush
- Hairbrush and hair clips/hair ties
- Nail clippers
- Toddler-friendly medications (fever reducer, allergy medication) and our trusty forehead thermometer
- It’s annoying to have to bring all of this extra stuff, but when you need it you’ll be glad it’s there! I’ve had to use Benadryl in the past for nasty reactions to bug bites, and I was so glad I had it with me.
Food, snacks, and mealtime gear
- Non-perishable snacks
- Sippy cups or a leak-proof water bottle, depending on what your child drinks out of. We bring our water bottles with us on the plane or in the car, and that is what we use/clean/refill for the trip.
- Bibs, utensils are both optional, but they’re nice to have in case you don’t have them wherever you’re headed
Sleep and comfort items
- Favorite blanket, lovey, or stuffed animal – which always comes with us in the car or on the plane
- Portable sound machine or white noise app. I wrote about two popular sound machines for travel in this post where I compare the Hatch Rest Go vs. SlumberPod SlumberCalm
- Travel crib/pack-and-play if needed, plus a sheet. I also always bring our blackout cover! (You can read here my honest thoughts on the SlumberPod and what I use instead.)
Entertainment and toys
These also come with us in the car or on the plane. I pack a small bag for each child. It might have:
- Small toys, books (2 books), coloring kits (we love the Color Wonder markers!) or coloring book and crayons
- Screen time setup (tablet with headphones) for the older kids- our toddler doesn’t have this yet, but you may bring it if your child uses one
- Toniebox and Tonies – my kids travel with theirs all the time
Packing tips for traveling with toddlers
How to pack smart
Many people swear by rolling clothes or using packing cubes. I’m 100% in team packing cubes. I have a different color set for each person in the family, and I put outfits together in their packing cube, pajamas and swimsuits in another, and then underthings and socks in another. I always separate toddler vs. adult gear.
Keeping essentials accessible on the trip
Bring a backpack/diaper bag with snacks, wipes, toys, and anything else you’ll need. I keep a wet bag in my carry on, as well as a roll of dog waste bags. (They work for tiny trash bags to collect snack wrappers!)
I always pack a small packing cube (or just a ziploc bag) with a couple of diapers and wipes that I can grab easily. For longer trips I pack 2 or 3 of these bags – one in each of our carry ons, plus one in my child’s backpack. That way if I need a diaper and wipes, I know I can find it easily wherever I look. It might sound over the top to pack that many, but let’s face it: I’d much rather have too many than not enough!
Final thoughts on weekend travel with toddlers
A few final notes on traveling with toddlers…. It gets easier every time you do it, first of all! You’ll figure out which ways of packing worked or didn’t work, and you’ll find ways that make it easier for you and your family.
Keep in mind that the more you have accessible, the less stressed you will be. Invest in items that make your trips easier for everyone involved. Maybe that’s a SlumberPod (or an alternative) or a lightweight toddler car seat for travel. Maybe it’s a high-quality sound machine, or maybe it’s a travel stroller you can fold with one hand. These are all things we have found to make our trips less stressful. And at the end of it all, just remember that you’re all learning together!
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