After you have kids, packing is never the same. What once took an hour now takes half a day. And if you have an infant? There are so many things you need to pack, it’s insane. You’re bound to forget something – we do every time – so I finally sat down and created a master family packing list.
This list has everything you need for traveling as a family with babies and/or toddlers. I even included a page for pets if you plan to bring along a fur baby.
I’ve made this into a printable that can be checked off digitally. Download it to your tablet or phone and just tap the boxes to check them off! Of course, you can also print it and mark things off by hand. I hope this is helpful!
If I forgot ANYTHING, please leave a comment at the end of this article!
How to Digitally Check Items Off When Packing
If you’re a pen-to-paper kind of person, just print off the packing checklist and go to town.
However, if you prefer to go paperless, don’t have a printer, or just like using a tablet or phone, I did design this printable to be responsive.
As long as you have the Adobe Acrobat Reader app, you can tap the checkboxes to check them off and add new items to the blanks.
You do not need a paid Adobe subscription to do this – just the free app!
- Download Adobe Acrobat Reader on Google Play
- Download Adobe Acrobat Reader in the Apple App Store
- Download Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer
Once you have Adobe Acrobat Reader installed, you can open the checklist there and start checking off your packing items. 🙂
Alright, without further ado, here is the full family packing checklist with sections for babies/toddlers, adults, and pets.
Related: Top 10 Holiday Travel Essentials For Moms With Young Kids
Baby and Toddler Items
Changing
- Diapers
- Pull-ups
- Wipes
- Antibacterial or disinfectant wipes – I like these Babyganic travel wipes from Amazon
- Diaper rash cream – Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment for life!!
- Potty training seat cover – we love this one from Amazon (and it’s really affordable)
- Bags for dirty diapers
First Aid & Health Items
- Tylenol with syringe
- Bandaids
- Gas drops
- Snot sucker
- Saline spray
- Teething gel
- Thermometer – I’ve bought $100 thermometers and this $13 one that swipes from temple to temple is more accurate than them all!
- Infant nail clippers – This electric, gentle infant nail file was the best when my kids were newborns
- Any medications or creams
Nursing, Feeding, & Snacks
- Bottles and sippy cups
- Bottle warmer – I’ve tried 4 different ones and this one from Dr. Browns is the best
- Breast pump
- Storage for breastmilk
- Pumping parts sanitizing bags and/or wipes – the microwaveable Medela bags were my favorite
- Pumping bra
- Boppy or nursing pillow – I love the Boppy brand nursing pillows!
- Formula
- Bottle brush
- Nursing cover
- Seat cover (for high chairs and shopping carts)
- Portable feeding seat (like Bumbo) – we ended up choosing the Upseat and loved it
Nap & Bedtime Items
- Pack and play / Playard (don’t forget the sheet!) – if you don’t have the 4moms Playard, you are seriously missing out
- Baby monitor
- White noise machine – the battery-powered SNOObear is perfect for travel
- Swaddles and muslin blankets – the aiden + anais muslin swaddles are our favorites
- Bedtime items (stuffed animal, blankets, timer)
- Toddler toothbrush and toothpaste
Swim & Beach Items
- Swimsuits
- Swim shoes
- Swim hats
- Swim diapers
- Baby sunscreen
- Floaties or life vest
- Water toys
Bathing
- Baby wash & lotion
- Baby bath towel
- Baby washcloth
- Portable baby bath – the lotus style is great for newborns (fits in most sinks) and the 4moms cleanwater tub is great for newborn through 6+ months
- Baby hairbrush
Clothing
- Onesies
- Shirts, shorts, pants, dresses
- Pajamas
- Socks and shoes
- Baby mittens (for fingernail protection)
- Bows
- Hats
- Jackets, coats, gloves
Misc.
- Pacifiers
- Teething items
- Burp cloths
- Baby carrier or wrap – the MOBY Wrap is great for travel since it folds up nice and small; if you have more room, the ERGO baby carrier is one of our favorites
- Small swing or bouncer – the BabyBjorn bouncer is a mom favorite!
- Baby gate
- Stroller
- Car seat
- Toys and books for kids – I always pack some Lovevery toys for road trips
- Laundry detergent for baby
Adults
Clothing & Accessories
- Shirts, pants, dresses, suits
- Cardigans, shawls, wraps – I love a good blanket scarf for traveling, especially in the winter
- Belts, ties
- Socks, underwear, bras, panty hose
- Swimsuits
- Pajamas – the washable silk tee set from Lunya is probably the most worn item in my wardrobe
- Shoes (boots, flip flops, flats, heels, slippers) – Rothy’s slip-on, washable flats are perfect for travel
- Sunglasses
- Jewelry
- Coats, jackets, gloves, hats
- Extra clothes if baby is in a spit-up phase
Entertainment & Tech
- Tablet – we wouldn’t be caught dead traveling without our Fire Tablet for Kids (it’s pure survival sometimes, OK?!)
- Laptop – I love traveling with my iPad Pro and the keyboard attachment (lightweight and portable)
- Phone
- Chargers
- Books or Kindle – my favorite books this year have been The Nightingale, Project Hail Mary, and The Great Alone (yes, I love Kristin Hannah!)
- DVDs for your car
Toiletries
- Makeup and makeup brushes
- Makeup remover product or cloths – if you haven’t tried the MakeUp Eraser microfiber cloths yet, you are missing out!
- Contacts, contact solution, glasses
- Toothbrush, toothpaste, floss, mouthwash
- Q-tips, cotton pads
- Nail file and clippers
- Tide To-Go
- Wrinkle release spray
- Sunscreen
- Skincare (Cleanser, moisturizer, etc)
- Hair products (dry shampoo, detangler, hairspray, oils, gels, shampoo and conditioner)
- Hair brush, comb, teasing brush – the TANGLE TEEZER detangling brush has my heart forever
- Hair ties, scrunchies, clips, headbands
- Curling iron, straightener, blow dryer, airwrap – the Dyson Airwrap Styler is actually incredible (be sure to get the long barrels, even if you have shorter hair)
- Razor and shaving cream
- Feminine hygiene products
- Hand sanitizer
- Intimacy products
- Bath robe
- Vitamins and medications – Ritual vitamins are very high-quality (especially the prenatals) and for kids, the First Day gummies get my vote!
Snacks
- Puffs – I always bought Plum Organics puffs in bulk on Amazon
- Granola bars
- Pouches
- Cold snacks in cooler (hard-boiled eggs, cheese sticks, fruit, veggies & dip)
- Drinks
- Toddler plates, bowls, silverware – ezpz silicone plates and mats are awesome!
- Bibs
Luggage
- Duffel bags
- Weekender bag – the Petunia Pickle Bottom Live-for-the-Weekender Travel Bag is amazing
- Suitcases
- Toiletry/makeup bags – the Allie Glines makeup bag system is awesome
- Diaper bag – another vote for Petunia Pickle Bottom bags
- Purse
- Backpacks
- Coolers
Misc.
- Car keys (check this especially if you have a remote start car)
- Fast pass for tolls
- Cash, credit cards
- Driver’s license, passports
- Vaccination card
- Wallet
- Tickets, vouchers, itinerary
- Extra bags for dirty clothes
- Trash bag for car
- Beach towels
- Pillow
- Umbrella
- Water bottle
- Double check all cords (baby monitors, phones, laptops)
- Outlet converters
- Host gift if visiting family/friends
- Airplane bottles
Pet Items
- Collar
- Leash
- Pet food
- Water bottles
- Food/water dish
- Chew toys
- Blankets
- Treats
- Crate
- Safety harness
- Waste collecting bags
- Medications and supplements
- Vaccination records
- Dog bed
- Brush
- Pet first aid kit
- Litter box
- Flashlight (for nighttime)
- Frisbees and balls
Conclusion
Traveling is a pain, and packing is the worst of all. Download this family packing list to make sure you don’t forget anything essential!
