Gifts for Families That Travel: Gifts for Every Age

Most families who travel (and a whole lot who don’t) will tell you that it’s the experiences that matter, and we tend to agree. But that’s not always an easy gift to give. It can be expensive, time consuming, and difficult to plan. Luckily, we’ve rounded up some of the best non-experience gifts for families that travel, no matter what the age.

Infants (under 12)

Muslin Blankets

There is just no item as versatile as a muslin blanket. In a single layer, it is thin enough to let air move while still keeping little bub’s skin free from direct sun. Folded over many a time, and its thickness becomes an added layer of warmth. It can be a nursing cover, a wrap, and a source of comfort to little one’s who recognize the smell of home. Maybe a burp cloth? Or a curtain to block the overstimulation of a sunny city day? It is flexible. And for that reason, it’s a gift any new parent is grateful to receive.

Light Booties that clip shut

Little feet never stop moving, which means those tiny piggies often escape into the chill of the air or the beating of the sun. With booties that clip properly shut, then those ten tiny toes stay hidden from the harsh elements, whether they’re wiggling around in a stroller or dangling from a carrier as they explore their world. And the reason a snap is so important? Well, we’ve all been walking along the road or sidewalk and seen a sad, lonely little shoe that has lost its owner. That snap is the key to keeping shoes from being orphaned in this great big world.

Portable Mobile

This little gadget has been a lifesaver for us–for each of our children. So much so, that the music of that little mobile recalls for me a thousand little memories of early mornings in hotels, strolls through sun-light parks, and crowded days at Disney. It moves from crib to car seat to stroller and it has mesmerized each of my children through the years equally.

Portable White Noise Machine

What happens when the sounds of the city streets keep the little ones from resting comfortably and taking that much needed sleep, whether it be outside their bedroom windows or surrounding them in their stroller as it bobbles over cobbled stone streets? What if the chatter in a restaurant would be too much for a baby to continue their peaceful slumber through? A little noise machine, or even an app, can help lull the little ones to sleep and help them stay that way through sudden bursts of noise. It is a peacemaker, for everyone involved.

Toddlers (1-3)

Light Up Toys

We don’t travel with a lot of toys for our little ones, but we do bring with us a special little toy that has buttons and wheels and, most importantly, lights up. In those winter roadtrip nights when the sun sets early and it’s not nearly late enough to fall asleep, what’s a rear-facing kiddo to do? Well, hand out the little piece of magic that has some lights that flash here and there (but always remember you did this otherwise you will spend a considerable amount of time panicking because you think a policeman is pulling you over).

Bristle Blocks

Bristle blocks are fun to feel and equally fun to chew on (apparently). They’re big enough that a little one won’t swallow them and will handle them with ease. The bristles provide enough intrigue that a single block or three can manage to keep tiny hands entertained for quite some time. Add in a few more and even the older ones enjoy them. They’re a perfect surprise for cars and planes. The blocks are larger so clean up is simple. And that simplicity carries over to hotel rooms and home rentals.

Tegu Travel Block Sets

Magnet blocks have always intrigued my children, at nearly every age. They appear in our playroom a few times a week, scattered across the floor or shaped into the rooms of a hotel for matchbox cars. But they are not entirely easy to travel with even though they provide so much joy. But the Tegu Travel Block sets are the perfect size for packing into a bag and heading out.

Mess Free Art

Almost no explanation is needed here, right? Kids love art. Grown ups love art. Kids love making a mess. Grown ups don’t love cleaning a mess. The obvious solution is to find a way to make some art, even some art that appears a little messy, but doesn’t leave a mess. The bonus is it is easy to pack and quite light. Great for on the road and great for off.

Young Children (4-6)

I Spy Books

We spend many a travels playing “I Spy.” We do it in the car, at the pool, in museums, around town, on the plane, in waiting rooms. Every. Where. And for good reason. But honestly? This momma doesn’t really love it. Some times I want to take a few moments for myself so I can think of…well…grown up thoughts. These books allow the little ones to keep playing a “game” they love, but on their own.

Scavenger Hunts

Back when my big one was a little one, I would make scavenger hunts for her. This, naturally, turned into an obsession. An obsession that has not wained in all these years. I’m talking, like, constant begging for me to set one up. But it takes a lot of work and a lot of memory (which is something I don’t have much left of these days). So not so long ago I was walking the aisles of our local Target when Boom! I spotted a little set of Scavenger Hunt cards. Game changer. Now we bring the cards with us in the car, in the restaurant, in the house, in hotel rooms, in airports, in lines, in shops, in pretty much every location. The kids search and seek. And, most importantly, stay happy and busy, even in the most seemingly of boring places. This is always high on my recommendation to anyone looking for gifts for families that travel.

Blanket/Pillow/Stuffed Animal Combo

My kids are snugglers and cuddlers. They need to travel with lovies and some stuffed animals from home. While I consider them great travelers who love to pack up and head out, they really do still need to be surrounded by their creature comforts now and again. We’ve found that having a little travel companion that also serves as a pillow and blanket meets our needs. It’s a travel buddy who brings comfort in any form they decide to use it in. And when you’re traveling, anything that serves more than one purpose is like finding a nugget of gold.

Flat Stanley Books

Flat Stanley is an iconic series that focuses on journeying around the world and introducing children to different places. It’s a great way to help little ones learn about where they’re going or help them remember where they’ve been. They’re also a lovely way to inspire them to come up with their own bucket list of places they want to go. As an off-shoot of the Flat Stanley Project, kids can make their own Flat Stanleys and photograph them in places along their journey, creating a scrapbook of all the places their Flat Stanley has been, making memories all the way.

Children (7-9)

Ticket to Ride

Our biggest one loves to pull out this game and play it when friends are over. There are a number of versions of the game, but the basic premise is that each player must work to travel from city to city via rail. The boxes are beautiful as well as the graphics and kids get to understand the layout of a city, country, or area that the particular version of the game focuses on.

Kindle Paperwhite

As a former English teacher, I am all about real books. I want the smell of the ink on the paper, the feel of the turning a page, the memory recognition of those “Wait I remember reading that back on that other page” moments. So, I am not a huge advocate of reading on a tablet. But I do think a Kindle Paperwhite can get the job done when you simply cannot drag 20 books with you when you’re traveling. There’s a great selection for kids, and it still appeals to that need for electronics that seems to be prevalent. What’s more, it makes a great gift for families that travel because you can all use it.

Instax Mini

The Fujifilm Instax Mini is a great way to help little ones start to journal their travel days. They can collect pictures, their pictures, of all the places they found that they felt were special and then create a “What I Saw” collage at the end of each day. It’s a great way for them to collect their memories and help recall those scents and sounds of the moments they got to live while traveling to new places.

Head torches

My little ones are a bit timid at night. They don’t like darkness, especially when it is complete. The head torch allows them to have access to light, even in the darkest of places, while also giving them use of their hands. We can be walking back to a hotel or they could just be lying in bed reading. Also, my kiddos look a little silly in them, which makes them all the more happy to wear them. Because who doesn’t like to get a good laugh now and again?

Tween (10-13)

Hydroflask

This popular water bottle can be pretty heavy, but during the tween years, there’s not much more they need to carry around as they adventure. So, a solid water bottle that can help keep cold things cold and hot things hot for extended periods of time is a great investment. Bonus points for being trendy.

Mini back pack

And where would you put that Hydroflask without a mini back pack? There’s no need to take a giant bag around only to collect more and more unnecessary items that can add strain to a tween’s back. A simple mini-back pack should do the trick in keeping all the needed things together and the unneeded things away. And, besides, they’re also a little fashionable, and what tween doesn’t want a little fashion?

Noise-canceling headphones

The last thing a tween wants to hear is the sound of everyone else around them, especially while they’re trying to listen to their music, watch their movies (probably YouTube really), or play their video games. And, when they can appropriately tune everyone out, they’re going to need some good noise-canceling headphones so they can cover the sound of the woman snoring across the aisle or the man briskly discussing his investments pacing by the door.

Portable Gaming System

Gaming is eeking it’s way into our world, and our little ones aren’t even near their tween years. But they’re there. All over. On T-shirts and backpacks. My little ones know who and what they are, and they’re already taking a liking to some of the characters (Yoshi, man, he is apparently the most amazing little creature). Anyway, if you’ve made it this far without a portable gaming system, congratulations. But it is a great way to keep kids entertained when they’re stuck on a layover or trapped indoors by rain. And if not a system, then a game to add to the collection they already have.

Teen (13-15)

External Battery Pack

Kids use a lot of cell-phone battery. (Just joking. Everyone does. It’s not just kids.) Imagine a long day when your teen runs out of battery at just that pivotal moment when they need to snap that last selfie as the sun slips behind the mountain? What then? What about texting and instagram and all those other ways teens keep in touch. It’s an important part of what and who they are, so having the external battery pack is a great way to allow them a little extra time to take those pictures or send that last text of the evening.

Reusable utensils

Traveling can be harsh on the environment and kids are doing a great job of recognizing their own impact on the world. One of the ways they can be more conscious of their role in the future of the earth is to provide them with a set of reusable utensils. Rather than taking a plastic straw or silverware, they can come with their own. It’s a step towards empowering them to be better, more cognizant travelers.

Head Buff

They can keep your head warm when it’s cold, keep you out of the sun when it’s midday. They keep your hair out of your face, your neck warm, your sweat from dripping into your eyes. This little piece of stretchy cloth can has so many uses across any climate. It’s also light and easy to pack. Kind of impressive for a itty piece of fabric isn’t it?

Light Scarf

Traveling with a scarf is an essential for any weather. Of course they’re perfect for those days when it’s a little breezy and you just need to cover up your neck (especially if you’re like me and your entire body freezes up and avoids working at all if your neck gets cold). Some days when we’re on the plane or train, I tuck my scarf around me like a blanket to keep off the chill of the air conditioner. On beach days I can tie the ends together and make a quick beach cover up to keep the blazing sun off my shoulders. The real need though? When you’re hitting up some breathtaking cathedral or temple or any other religious site, respect is of utmost importance and that often means covering shoulders. What better way then to throw your scarf around your shoulders, take a reverent breath, and quietly head in.

Young Adult (16-18)

Packing cubes

Now that everyone is an age where they can pack for themselves (and maybe even set out on an adventure of their own), any bit of help with packing can make a difference. Packing cubes make everything easier. You can fit more items, you can focus on what you have, and you can stay organized. They’re an essential for any traveler.

USB Port

Young adults are at that age where technology swirls around them, and each of those little items come with their own special plugs. We’ve been in Airbnbs and hotels where we were desperate to find another plug to get just one more thing charged. With the USB port, a number of cords can be put into one little outlet. Just one. No more searching behind bed frames and in bathrooms to get an iPad charged.

Shampoo/Conditioner bars

Hotel shampoo and conditioner bottles are a ton of plastic that end up in landfills across the planet. Rather than contributing to those landfills even more so, consider giving your traveling teen shampoo and conditioner bars with zero waste. They’re simple to use, easy to pack, and encourage a sustainable mindset.

Journal

Growing up isn’t easy. Things don’t get figured out in a day or a week. It takes years, maybe even lifetimes. But with all that discovery of the world around them and their role in that world, documenting the moments and emotions can foster a better understanding of themselves. It’s also a great way to record their experiences so they can look back on them and see who they were and who they’ve become.

Adults (18+)

Scratch it off Map

One way we’ve documented our family’s journey has been through a push-pin world map. It hangs in our living room and we pin all the places we’ve been, are going, and want to go. As we learn about new places, we may add a pin. It’s a visual of all we’ve done together and it’s often the fodder of many conversations and memories.

Multi-tool

Need a screwdriver? A little pair of scissors? A bottle opener? A whooseit and whasit? A multitool is a great little gadget to slip into your bag and take with you on your adventures. There was a time when our big one was three and she had a plastic bracelet on from a fabulous night at Mickey’s Not so Scary Halloween party. It was late, and she wanted that bracelet off. At that exact moment. Nail clippers were an unacceptable alternative to the tiny scissors she demanded, and thus she wailed herself to sleep in the corner of a hotel bed, wrapped in a tiny ball. What would I have given just to have had a multitool with me then? (Of course don’t try to carry one onto a plane in your carry on bags as they also contain knives.)

Packable Backpack

I am averse to carrying things with me. I just don’t like all the stuff. But, inevitably, we end up with stuff as the days progress. So maybe we picked up a souvenir, which is lovely, but the bag it’s in is ripping and now it’s kind of a burden and I’m a bit bitter at its existence (not a nice way to start a relationship–even if it is just with a thing). How to combat this? A comfortable folding backpack. One that can get small enough to shove into a small shoulder bag and then voila, it opens to consume all the souvenirs in it’s lovely big pockets. And all the kids’ jackets they no longer want in the heat of the day. And all the snacks they’ve kind of finished until they decided they weren’t really finished.

Travel Jacket

We travel a lot during shoulder season, because of cost and weather among other reasons. We are not a family that travels well in heat. It just leads to sweat and grumpiness and even more sweat and a lot more grumpiness. This is why off season travel works so well for us. But one of the biggest frustrations of traveling during this time involves packing. Because it’s warm enough to not need a coat some days and then so cold you totally need a coat or two the next. An easily packed travel jacket for staying warm when the biting winds of the shoulder season make their presence known is of the utmost importance.

Maybe it’s not possible to give the gift of travel to someone, but it is possible to give them a little something to make those travel days easier. Whether you aim to help the traveler feel a bit more prepared, to inspire them to go to new places, or to remind them of all they’ve been able to see and do so far, there’s a little something that can get the job done for that special someone in your life.

If you’ve got a friend who is about to have a little one and a bit timid about the idea of traveling with them, help them out and check out our Must Have Gear for Traveling with a Newborn.

What else would you recommend as a great gift for families that travel?

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