19 Must-Have Travel Items

Function meets fabulousness with the fantastic Trunki ride-on tote bag. Pack away their necessities and put away the complaining about too much airport walking (and waiting). Literally made for kids, the Trunki line of products now offers a saddlebag that gives you extra packing space. Clip on to the suitcase during travel, then take off and wear when you get to your destination. Let them be their own sherpa for a change.

What's cute, weighs just under four pounds, and rolls around a lot? Expectant mothers-to-be might guess their burgeoning baby-to-be, but we're giving points to anyone who guessed the Samsonite Sammies kids' suitcase. With great durability, retractable handle and chunky zipper pulls for small hands, kids will love how cute they look and parents will love having one less bag to carry.

Help identify gear on the luggage carousel or hotel lobby with Toronto-based SwaggerTags. Personalize (with a photo, image or logo) the tag on the outside, and keep your personal information private on the inside.

Part seatbelt, part constraint to keep them from running up and down the airplane aisles (OK, we added the second benefit), the Cares Restraint is now approved for use by Air Canada and most US and European airlines. Designed for kids 22 to 44 pounds, the restraint provides a safer flight experience for children than the standard airplane seat belt…and possibly a sanity-saver for you, too.

‘Experiencing the local culture' doesn't mean picking up everyone's germs and leftover food. Portable placemats make it easier, and more hygienic to feed kids on the go—wherever you go. Kiddopotomaus' Tiny Diner placemat is made from reusable PVC, it's latex and phthalate-free, wipes up easily and has a catch compartment for falling food. Just sayin'.

We know what you're thinking, another stuffed toy to pack? But Zoobies have it all going on. They are a plush toy, a blanket and a pillow wrapped up in one cute package. Unfasten the stuffed animal and it becomes a pillow, unzip it and a blanket comes out. Perfect for any sort of travel, even the short distance it takes to get from the kitchen to bedroom.

Spark up some conversation. Their imagination and creativity will soar with Spark Your Imagination Story Starters, designed for kids as young as four. Great for anytime and anywhere, each card offers the beginning of an imaginative scenario/event/journey that kids complete. Now available for download on Apple products, here's hoping the only outlandish stories on your vacation (lost luggage, volcanic eruptions, pirate attacks) happened in their creative minds.

Great card sharks are made, not born. Texas Hold'Em may be a bit beyond their years, but the simplest of card games and magic tricks, not to mention basic math and number skills can develop with a simple deck of cards—Snap, Go Fish, Crazy Eight's—the options are endless. One card game we recommend not playing in the car, airplane or bus? 52 Pick-Up.

The fairest baby mirror of them all is one which is easily transportable and entices their growing senses too. The Skip Hop Funky Farmyard mirror comes with a strap to wrap around the back of a car seat and also folds up flat for tummy time and easy packing. With cute farm animals and bright colours, it gives new meaning to the term ‘good' looking.

Listen up. The portable entertainment device you brought (DVD player, iPhone, iPad) is only as good as the headphones that plug into it. There's nothing relaxing about forever fixing earphones that keep falling out/falling off/are uncomfortable/not loud enough…you get the idea. These Sony headphones for children come in pink or silver and have their own volume control and soft cushioning for maximum comfort…which means minimal interruptions for you.

Baby plus giant diaper bag plus world's tiniest washroom makes airline baby changing an Olympic sport. Whether you are in the air, or on the floor of a highway restroom (and God help you if you are), the Goober Baby Change Mat and Diaper Tote will make things easier. The Canadian-made, oversized and waterproof change pad (made of cotton) has a slot to hold diapers and wipes and rolls up easily.

There are a few guarantees in life. Experiencing a diaper explosion at the worst possible time (read: a long flight) is one of them. Keep calm and carry on with the help of the Planet Wise Wet/Dry bag that can handle the wet stuff without leaking, and has a dry pocket for a new diaper or onesie. It's perfect for swimming, potty training and more. When you're not using it for wet items, it's a great tote for dry items—diapers, change of clothes, cosmetics and anything else.

Wouldn't it be great if there was a pack ‘n' play that only weighed a few pounds and fit into an overhead compartment? Hats off to Phil&Teds, the smart New Zealand company that develops the most portable parenting products around. Their Traveller Play Pen will fit into any trunk and most overhead compartments. Look for Phil&Teds portable high chairs, too.

Sleepovers away from home will feel like great fun when they get to jump into Melissa & Doug's Sleeping Bags made from dense polyester. Six feet long, these cute animal and creature-themed sleeping bags may get them excited about bedtime…or not. Regardless, it'll keep them warm and will require little space in the trunk or overhead. Sleep on that idea.

Keep it clean on a family vacation. Hand washing may not always be available when you need it, but we all know the benefits of having a handy bottle of sanitizer around. Stock up on this sanitary necessity—we like CleanWell All-Natural Hand Sanitizer Spray because it's alcohol-free and will take up little room in your purse, making it airport security-size approved.

Chew on this: moving the jaws around during take-off and landing does, anecdotally (if not scientifically) work. Ontario-based Pür gum, an aspartame-free, sugar-free gum, is made without any artificial flavours. In three delicious flavours—Pomegranate, Spearmint and Peppermint—Pür will be great for guilt-free chewing during take off and landing.

Good weather is key...but the quality of a family vacation depends on the quality of sleep you all get. Tuck them into an inflatable, portable, suitcase-ready bed from The Shrunks that allows for standard-sized crib or twin sheets to be tucked comfortably into the mattress. The raised side bumpers, which can be purchased separately, will prevent the kids (it comes in both toddler and big kid sizes) from rolling onto the floor, and maybe even (if you're lucky) from getting up at the crack of dawn.

Sometimes it sucks to be little. When gum-chewing isn't an option, younger kids can help combat the ear-popping blues by sucking on delicious lollipops from Yummy Earth. Organic, gluten-free, peanut-free, tree-nut free and corn-syrup free, the only thing the kids will care about is the...wait for it…succulent taste.

The most important (but least exciting) part of trip planning is probably health insurance, if you are heading to the US or overseas. Purchasing an annual health insurance policy versus a single-trip policy for the family may save you money—even if you are only planning on travelling out of the country once in a calendar year. Saving money while on vacation? That's rich.