Toddler Travel Sleep & Safety Essentials: 3 Must Haves for Simplified Family Travel

As seasoned travelers and parents, we know that traveling or making an international move with kids is both exciting and challenging. One of the biggest worries we had was how to get our children to sleep on a plane, in a hotel, and in a new home. Many toddler travel sleep and safety product lists are long and overwhelming. We’ve tried so many of the “best” kids travel and sleep products on the market and whittled our essential list down to just these 3 products below. If you have an upcoming vacation, holiday travel, or overseas move with young kids, these products will become your “can’t leave home without” essential items for ensuring smooth sleep and safe car rides for your family.

Here are three must-haves we recommend to any families with young kids for car safety and peaceful sleep.

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1. Travel Car Seat Vest- RideSafer

Have you lugged around a gigantic, heavy car seat filled with disgusting gold fish crumbs while cursing and sweating through airport check in? I have and I can tell you that the RideSafer vest has been a game changer. It turns any seatbelt into a 5 point harness and weighs less than 3 lbs. It packs down small in a tiny carry bag and fits in our carry on backpack.

We’ve used this travel car seat vest in our travels domestically, Europe, and Africa and it has made such a huge difference in not having to lug around a giant carseat. It comes in a variety of sizes and colors too.

My 5 year old started using the size small at 4 years old, but there is a size x-small that can be used for kids as young as 2 years old and weighing at least 20 pounds.

Why we love it:

Compact Design: Unlike a car seat, the vest fits into a small carry-on bag, making it ideal for travel, ride shares, or taxis.
Versatility: It’s perfect for kids ages 2 and up and works in nearly any car with a standard seatbelt. If you are transporting 3 kids in one car row, the ride safer vest takes up way less space than bulky car seats.
Peace of Mind: You don’t have to worry about whether your destination will have safe, reliable, clean car seats available.

A family of two adults and a child sit in the back row of a taxi. The man and child are sleeping, the child is wearing a travel car seat vest. — Squished in the backseat of a taxi in Budapest. The RideSafer vest is lightweight and compact enough for us all to fit in a one row.

2. Portable Toddler Bed

When you’re moving overseas or traveling long term, reliable sleep arrangements for your little ones are critical. Whether you’re staying in temporary housing, visiting friends, or setting up in a new home, a portable toddler bed ensures your child has a familiar, comfortable place to sleep which often means being in the same room as parents. If you’ve ever slept in the same bed as a toddler and been woken up too many times by a kick to the face or a punch to the belly, this travel cot is for you.

This portable toddler bed folds down compact and fits easily into checked luggage. We’ve been using it for almost two years now, starting when our child was 3. We leave it folded up near our bed and if our 5 year old has a nightmare, wakes up at night, or just wants to sleep in the same room as his parents, he will unfold the cot and go right back to sleep near our bedside. The beauty of this set up is that he won’t wake us up climbing into our bed and we won’t be woken up by a kick to the face by a sleeping child.

This cot has helped so much during big transitions in our life such as moving, having a second child, sleepovers at grandparents house and more. It helps our 5 year old have a comfortable place to sleep near us without causing unnecessary wake ups for the grown ups. I’ll be honest, we keep this cot near our bed at all times, even months after we’ve settled into a new home.

We’ve also tried inflatable travel mattresses and the inflatable bed rails, but truly, when you’re tired and jetlagged, blowing up a bed rail manually or pumping an inflatable mattress with a loud electric pump is the last thing I want to do. I love that this one folds up quickly and can be stored in a corner or under the bed.

One thing to to note, the weight limit for this toddler travel bed is 80 lbs.

Why we love it:

Consistency: In new environments, kids thrive on familiarity. A travel cot can become their go-to sleep space, no matter where you are.
Portability: Many models are lightweight, compact, and easy to set up—perfect for parents on the move.
Versatility: Whether your child is napping at your new house or spending the night at a friend’s place, you’ll have a safe and clean sleep option.

A young child with dark hair lies on a portable toddler bed. This one is grey and folds up small, a perfect toddler travel sleep option for on the go. — C has used this foldable cot for years. It helps in new environments for him to be able to sleep in our room without waking us up. He says it’s very comfortable!

3. Blackout Tent- SlumberPod

Jet lag, noisy neighbors, or bright equatorial sunshine can wreak havoc on sleep routines. The SlumberPod is a blackout privacy tent designed to fit over a travel crib or pack-and-play, creating the ultimate sleep haven for your child. If you don’t have a travel crib, this is our favorite, as it’s lightweight and way easier to fold than a pack and play.

Prioritizing a calm, dark, safe sleep place for our baby is a must. We have tried it all- sound machines, black out curtains, etc. This SlumberPod is our go to for travel and moving because it’s lightweight and involves minimal set up. If you can build a camping tent, then you can quickly build this item.

One thing to note, the poles are long (which is great as it makes the SlumberPod tall) but it does require a bit of space to set up. Also, because of the dark color and because it’s essentially a tent, it does heat up so don’t place it near a window and be mindful of the room temperature. We use this when we know we can control the room’s temperature with an AC unit.

Why we love it:

Blackout Capability: Block out light to help your child adjust to a new time zone or sleep peacefully in unpredictable environments.
Privacy: Especially helpful when sharing a room with your child—it creates a cozy, separate sleep space that feels like a mini-bedroom.
Compact Design: The SlumberPod packs small and is lightweight, making it easy to bring along on trips or an international move.

Black and blue sleep tent for babies to sleep in a dark space. It fits well over a travel crib such as a pack and play. Perfect for baby and toddler travel sleep. — The SlumberPod fits perfectly over a travel crib!

Toddler Travel Sleep & Safety Reflections

Traveling or moving overseas with kids is a big adventure, but it also comes with its challenges. By prioritizing safety and sleep with these 3 essentials, you’ll set your family up for a smoother transition. These items provide peace of mind for parents and comfort for kids, helping everyone adjust to a quick vacation or a new space after a big move.

What other must-have items have you discovered for your travel or overseas moves? Share your favorites in the comments below—we’d love to hear from you!