Traveling With Kids

So, you’re going on a trip with your infant or small child.  You’ve made your hotel and airplane reservations and maybe a car reservation as well.  You’ve packed the clothes, diapers, books for bedtime and a few toys.  Your infant or toddler’s travel bed (PeaPod Plus Travel Bed , T2 Travel Cot, Child Portable Air Bed) is packed for your little one to sleep in!

So now the decision about whether to bring a car seat.  Bring one?  Rent one? Don’t use one?  Lugging a car seat or two can be a real pain. Not to mention that when checking a car seat they get dirty from the airport baggage carts,  the airplane’s luggage compartment and the airport baggage carousel.  Well, here are a few things to think about. 

If your set on bring a car seat and you plan to have your child use it on the airplane then consider adding the GoGo Kidz Travelmate car seat trolley to your travel gear list.  This ingenious product attaches to your child’s car seat and turns into a stroller for easy strolling through the airport.

If you’re not planning to use their car seat on the plane but still want to bring it with you, we suggest that you purchase a car seat travel bag.  The Wheelie Car Seat Bag integrates wheels into the bag so you can easily wheel the car seat to/from check-in and baggage claim.  Another choice is the Car Seat Travel Bag which offers protection for almost any type of car seat.

If you’re interested in buying a car seat that is FAA approved, forward and rear facing, and good for children from birth to age 4 and quickly and easily turns into a stroller, then consider the Sit ‘n’ Stroll Combination Car Seat/Stroller.  This is a product that does both things well - a very safe and comfortable car seat and a very functional stroller.

If you decide not to bring a car seat on your trip then consider getting the RideSafer Travel Vest which is a car seat that you can pack into your suitcase! That’s right, the RideSafer is a vest that can tether into a car offering your child a safe and secure car seat when on vacation.  It’s also great for use in taxicabs and buses equipped with seat belts. The RideSafer meets or exceeds all Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards and is designed for children 35-80 pounds.

So to answer the question….should you take your child’s car seat on vacation?  Well, that’s up to you, as long as your child is in a car seat whenever they’re traveling in a car - at home or on vacation.

p.s.  We also recommend that your child is secure on the airplane. Check out the CARES Airplane Safety Harness which is designed for children 22-44 pounds and up to 40″ tall and can be used on any airplane. It’s fabulous!