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The difference between a "vacation" and a "trip" depends on how prepared you are. Let us help you find a little more relaxation.

Promising review: "Out of a haul of toys we purchased to keep our two very active young boys busy on a flight, this was hands-down the most loved. They are satisfyingly tactile shapes. The pieces fit neatly back into the tin, and it is so easy and compact to slip into a backpack pocket! Would absolutely recommend — awesome toy." —Alexis P

Get it from Amazon for $19.97+ (available in three styles). 

Promising review: This was perfect for a mini family road trip with my 6-year-old. It was nice to see her take a break from the tablet and let her imagination go wild. They were easy to wash off my seats since some of them lost their lids. Luckily, they still clicked into the case even without the lids." —Asia

Get it from Amazon for $13.17+ (available in three versions). 

Promising review: "I bought these as an additional item to keep my kids busy on our long car ride this past summer. They were a hit with our 9-, 12-, and 16-year-olds. I'm not ashamed to admit my husband and I also both enjoyed tinkering with them. There are so many movable parts; they aren't terribly noisy when you move them, which is good for quiet, enclosed spaces. For me, personally, I struggle with small noises, so these little fidgets were great." —Shelby B

Get them from Amazon for $9.98+ (available in various colors and pack sizes).

Promising review: "This surprisingly fit a ton of clothes and some toys for our toddler, she loved sitting on this through the entire airport. Had my sweater wrapped around her since it was cold, and people didn't even notice she was sitting there as we were walking until after she said something. It was fun for her and helped us be pretty hands-free. It's super durable and fits perfectly overhead. This luggage turned a lot of heads, and we got so many comments about how cool it was. Wheels glide and are super easy to push around. Great item for the price. Will be using it more as it's made our trips easy. Bonus, she loved putting stickers all over it. The were stickers included." —celina

Get it from Amazon for $179+ (available in two sizes and four colors).

I bought this beautiful thing last summer before visiting family in central Florida. This thing was a true lifesaver. Not only could I walk around more comfortably — and therefore be less grumpy — but my kids also took turns cooling off. Since it stops when it hits something and it doesn't hurt, I didn't have to worry about tears. Once we got home, I brought it to swim lessons, sat with it outside, and otherwise made it my warm-weather BFF. 

Promising reviews: "Love this portable fan for travel! The flashlight is a useful feature. Lightweight, battery lasts a long time. My kids also use these in the car at home when they feel hot or motion sickness — it seems to help." —Jessica

"I purchased these little beauties when I took a trip to Disneyland with my family. Especially with long wait lines and for it being the summer months, this was a lifesaver, each child had their own fan, it was nice that it has a recharging USB port and it comes with a small short cord for recharging the device itself. The fan has three levels, and it is compact. I highly recommend getting a fan." —Lisa

Get it from Amazon for $14.39+ (available in three colors).

Promising review: "I bought this for our road trip, desperate for something to keep our kids entertained. This was super fun! My husband, I, and our 5-year-old had fun playing it together. My 3-year-old was trying, but is a little bit too young for it. The pictures are fun and engaging. I honestly had a great time and would recommend this to other parents looking for something to keep their kids busy!" —Heather

Promising review: "Bought three of these for a road trip for my 2-year-old, 3-year-old, and 10-year-old — should have bought five, cause man oh man were they a hit. My 1-year-old and 13-year-old kept fighting with the other kids over who would take turns. They are super lightweight and amazing to use. The erase feature is awesome — kids treat it like magic. It was way more fun for them to draw with this than with normal paper and crayons, and whiteboards are just no fun. They came with an extra battery for the erase feature, also, which is so convenient! Will be buying more of these as gifts!!!" —Allison Rangel

Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in four sizes and six colors).

Promising review: "Bought this to keep my toddler entertained during a seven-hour road trip, AND IT WORKED. Easy to set up quickly, stores away flat, great size, and convenient pockets to hold the dry-erase pens and eraser (included). We did lots of coloring, but also used it as a stable table to play with other toys and eat snacks. Definitely recommend getting one!" —Chloe Young

Get it from Amazon for $25.99+ (available in 11 designs and in a two-pack).

When we discovered that my oldest had motion sickness, it was a race to find help prior to the road trip home. She's a hard sell on medicine, but LOVED these bands — and they work for her! She now wears them on long car rides and on airplane rides and gets total relief in about 20 minutes. I keep them in the car in case she needs them, and they're so handy. 

Promising review: "These have helped my daughter so much. She has had motion sickness issues for as long as I can remember. On long car rides, she uses these. She also used them on her first plane ride for a family trip to Disney. Just making sure she has them on for any carnival/fair rides is a must because if not, she has issues and feels sick. These have helped her to be able to enjoy things that she normally would not be able to if she didn't have these. I am so thankful I found this product so my daughter can still enjoy long trips and rides with her friends." —Kim

Get them from Amazon for $9.99+ (also available in a two-pack and in four colors).

Promising review: "So glad I ordered this in time to receive it before the six-hour road trip I took with my just-turned-1-year-old! It made the trip so much easier for us. It fits perfectly in my son’s car seat without the adapter or grip, and it matches it perfectly. My son had a great time snacking and using the tray to put his toys when not snacking. His Dr. Brown’s weighted straw cup fits well in the cup holder, and he can sip his water whenever he wants. It also fits the Munchkin brand weighted straw cup. I dropped it on the way to my car, and it held up just fine. I washed it and let it dry in my dish rack before first use, and was wiping it down with baby-safe disinfectant wipes on the road. Couldn’t recommend this product enough!" —AC

Promising review: "I've been using this car seat travel backpack for over a year now, and it has truly been a game-changer for every trip I've taken with my toddler. As a parent, the convenience of being able to carry a bulky car seat without juggling it with luggage or attending to my toddler is priceless. The backpack design frees up my hands, which is a lifesaver when traveling solo.

The durability is impressive. Despite frequent use and being tossed around during air travel, the backpack has held up remarkably well. It provides excellent protection for the car seat, preventing damage during loading and unloading on the plane. It's clear that the design is meant to protect not just the car seat, but also the stress of traveling with one.

Overall, this travel backpack has made airport travel so much smoother, and I would highly recommend it to any parent traveling with a car seat. It’s a reliable, practical solution that has made my trips easier and less stressful." —customer review

Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in eight colors).

Promising review: "I love this thing! Not only is it great for holding your phone/iPad on flights, car rides, or anywhere, but it also makes for a great toy for kids. My son used it as a 'hill' for his car for half the flight. He also would park his cars underneath it. It provided a lot of entertainment, and the possibilities for what you can use it for are endless. The best part about it is it doesn’t slide around since it’s made out of a rubber/silicone-like material." —Shelby Hartzler

Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in three versions).

Promising review: "We have had our SlumberPod for two years now, and it's still one of our fav baby items. It is so useful for staying in hotels, sleeping at grandparents', traveling, etc. It folds up compactly and weighs very little, so it's great for packing in a suitcase, and it fits nicely over our Joovy playard, which is pretty large for a Pack' N Play. It could easily accommodate most Pack n' Plays. 

It really does block out any light, and it's very breathable, so even in the summer, our daughter sleeps comfortably at the cabin. It fits anywhere her Joovy fits, so we set it up with her sound machine placed inside. Once we zip it up, I think she feels like it's a cocoon in there because she falls asleep very quickly and soundly. 

I can't say anything negative about it. It's very simple to set up and take down, basically like a mini tent that only has two rods. It holds up even if your kids get rowdy in there. We always take it with us when she can't be in her crib at home. If you are staying in a hotel, you can use their Pack' N Play, and all you need is this to create a private space for your baby. This has been the only way for my husband and me to stay up past our daughter's bedtime when we're in a hotel room. Even if she's in a separate room, this helps her feel safe because her sleep surroundings look the same. 

There are so many random baby things we've bought, and this has been one of our best purchases. So worth the money if you plan on sleeping somewhere other than your house." —Jenny C.

Promising review: "I love this cot. It is so easy to set up and put away. It's perfect for frequent travelers. We have a camper that isn't really toddler-friendly for sleeping, and we use ours when we're staying in ours. This is also wonderful for those that may stay away from home more often. I love the design of this cot because it supports my child easily, and that says a lot about how sturdy it is, because she is a little rough with it at times. The small size makes it functional for many areas, keeping things out of the way. I love that it folds up easily and can be put in a corner or closet, and be out of the way. I bought this one and then found another for sale at Goodwill and bought that one as well. Now we keep one in the car for travel and one in our camper. I do recommend using the sheet with it because if your child is easily woken, they may not sleep well without the sheet or something covering the cot." —Stephanie R. Williford

Get it from Amazon for $29.98+ (available in three sizes and six colors).

Promising review: "This chair is great to bring on trips for our little one. We flew with it in checked luggage, but it would also fit in a carry-on, and we bring it on all of our road trips. It pops up easily, and the fabric is easy to remove and wash. The lever that removes the tray table broke after about 8 months, and I reached out to customer service. They sent a replacement tray within about a week. Overall very pleased!" —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $37.99+ (available in three colors).

Promising review: "After trying every traveling 'hack' out there, we found these and got them before a cross-country trip. They are a game-changer and made our flight so much easier. Snacks? Accessible. Drink? Right there. You need to pee? iPad in pocket. Stuff on the floor? Nope. Need to deboard? Packs up teeny tiny in your bag. Absolutely my favorite item for traveling with kids." —Katie

Promising review: "We grabbed this Charmast portable charger because someone in our family always seems to hit 5 percent battery at the worst possible time. This thing has already earned its place in the backpack. The built-in cables are super handy. I don’t have to hunt around for a charging cord or worry about forgetting one at home. You just plug in and go. 

It holds a ton of power. We’ve gotten 2–3 full charges out of it before needing to plug the charger back in, which has been great for travel days and long outings. It is a little heavier than the tiny pocket-sized chargers, but that makes sense given its capacity. I’d rather carry a little extra weight and know I am not scrambling for an outlet.  

It charges phones and tablets at a good speed, not instant, but definitely faster than those older, cheap battery packs. The built quality feels solid, too. Nothing flimsy or rattly. Overall, this has become our go-to backup battery for trips, kids’ activities, and just everyday life when batteries run low at the wrong time.

We bought four of them, one for each person in our family, and they have all been working great for the past few weeks." —John Thao

Get it from Amazon for $30.99+ (available in six colors).

Promising review: "This is between the captain's chairs in our second row. I use it to store a box of tissues, baby wipes, fidget toys, headphones, etc. I love that my kiddo can reach everything he needs, and it keeps everything contained so it's not rolling around in the backseat. It feels very sturdy, and I'm sure it will last a long time considering it just sits and doesn't get moved." —KR

Get it from Amazon for $21.95 (available in three colors).

Promising review: "We bought these for our tiny humans last July as we made the Uncle Sam-mandated journey from Alaska to South Carolina in the absolute worst heat of the summer. They kept our little Alaskan babies cool (for the most part) all last summer and this summer. These guys may be little, but they are mighty! A year later, they’re still going strong! Today I left my car door open for 6 hours during a thunderstorm and rainstorm, came out, and my car was SOAKED. After blotting as much as I could with towels, I decided to put these little fans to work to help the rest air dry. And what do you know! In less than 30 minutes, they had most of the water gone!! (Maybe a little help from the SC heat, but it’s 11 p.m.! There isn’t a super ton of that out rn.) I will 100% be buying again if these lightweight, strong little guys decide to kick the bucket." —Denae Grimlaw

Get it from Amazon for $25.99+ (available in six colors).

If you're planning a road trip and can't risk a "Next rest stop in 70 miles" sign, check out this travel potty that's a total lifesaver!

Promising review: "I bought this for my toddler to use on a trip to Disney World. It worked on every single toilet in the Disney World parks that we used and it worked on the airplane toilet. Love that it suctions so it won’t slide around easily. Folds up well and fit in our diaper bag. It’s easy to wipe down to clean. Now that we’re back from travels I find it’s still nice to have in the car/diaper bag for emergencies. Very useful and I would recommend to anyone who’s got a child that isn’t quite confident on a 'big potty' yet." —M

Get it from Amazon for $14.95+ (available in five colors).

Promising review: "Best entertainment for the money! No assembly required, which is great for my little kids. Easy to pack up and go, small enough to travel. Amazing quality and overall great fun for all my kids ages 3–10." —abs

Get a 10-pack from Amazon for $15.99 (available in two versions and in a 20-pack).

My kids are particularly fond of the fashion-dress-up version of this book, and they have gotten literal years of play out of it. They love creating new outfits and scenes in their books, and I love how low-stakes the stickers are — and I am an outspoken sticker-hater.

Promising review: "We bought these for a recent trip, and they entertained my daughter for a few hours. We would bring them out occasionally throughout the trip, and she continued to enjoy them. Highly recommend!" —kelsie

Get a three-pack from Amazon for $18.95. 

My family is HUGE fans of these books — especially my 5-year-old. These are the exact same hidden pictures pages from the Highlights you'd find at the dentist's office when you were a kid, but some other kid hasn't already circled them before you could get your hands on them. If that sense of relief wasn't enough already, kids actually love these just as much today. My daughter can't find her shoes when they're two feet away, but she will spend a surprisingly long time searching for the hidden pictures in these books. I can only hope those seek-and-find skills will one day transfer to the real world, and she'll actually find her shoes one of these days. 

Promising review: "Kids had a blast on the road trip — something other than technology!" —Bash

Get four books from Amazon for $17.99+ (available in four versions and a version for younger kids).

Promising review: "Fun little game for travel! Kept the kids (and me) entertained on a long road trip. There’s plenty of puzzles to do and lots of different levels of difficulty to keep my kids (8 and 11) entertained, and even some that stumped me!" —CanyonG

Promising review: "Bought these for air travel and they did not disappoint. My son loved building towers with them and sticking them to the airplane's window. They go back into the container easily, and you really can just rinse them with water, and they are clean and still sticky." —Suzy E.

Promising review: "Got it for a long car trip and it was fantastic. Excellent size for traveling, and different ages had a great time using it." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $9.84 (also available as a two-pack and in a Bop-It combo pack).

Promising review: "MY kids love this product. It's totally mess-free and easy for them to use. It's also great for when dining out. It is compact and can be easily taken for travel. IT'S very well-made and holds their attention for a decent amount of time." —Amazon Customer

Promising review: "This is a GAME CHANGER for the summer. I had it saved for a while, but was hesitant to buy it at the price for something that didn't include sunscreen. I'm so glad I finally purchased it. The container is easy to fill and holds an entire tube of our sunscreen. The roller/sponge made it easy to apply to a squirmy toddler, and only needed a tiny bit of rubbing in after using. Will be phenomenal for using on the playground and beach this summer — and my husband has asked for one for the grown-ups in the house too!" —Kate

Get it from Amazon for $15.98+ (also available in 12 other colors).

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Plus, tips for traveling with a carry-on, a guide to the best luggage brands, road trip essentials, packing cubes, finds for frequent travelers and travel-friendly strollers, bags, and perfumes.

Reviews for this post have been edited for length and/or clarity. 

BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.

Raylyn Paquin is a freelancer who has been writing for BuzzFeed Shopping for two years, with a focus on products that make parenting just a bit easier — and hopefully more fun — home decor, kitchen gadgets, and whatever deals she can scope out.