10 Toddler Travel Safety Items That Just Make Sense
Traveling with a toddler is equal parts magical and mildly terrifying. One minute you’re watching them squeal with joy on a hotel bed, and the next you’re realizing said bed is right next to a sliding glass door that unlocks way too easily.
After enough trips where I’ve said “I wish I had brought [insert random safety thing],” I finally made a list of the travel safety gear that’s worth packing — and it’s not just baby gates and outlet covers.
Here are the toddler travel safety items that just make sense, from one road-warrior, airplane-hopping, hotel-room-rearranging mama to another:
1. Portable Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detector
Hotels and Airbnbs don’t always have working smoke detectors — and CO detectors are even more hit or miss (especially abroad). Even five star resorts abroad — sometimes the last places you’d expect — might be missing something this important. Recent headlines only made this more important of an item for us to have along.
Now I bring a small dual carbon monoxide/smoke detector that can be plugged in and also holds a charge. It’s one of those things you hopefully never need, but the peace of mind is priceless.
2. Sliding Door or Window Lock
We love a pool at our resort, extra points if our room has its own. This is perfect for nap time or for when you just want your own space with your toddler to splash around or throw around a beach ball without bothering anyone. But is a toddler plus pool access a bad idea?
Enter the portable sliding door blocker — a small, lightweight wedge or bar that adds a second layer of security and keeps tiny hands from accidentally opening the door to the pool, balcony, or street.
Unfortunately it’s not always clear what kind of door you’ll encounter, so we travel with a few different lightweight and small types like this one and this one, that won’t leave a mark, require drilling, or are complicated to use.
3. Foldable Toilet Seat Cover
Public restrooms and unfamiliar hotel toilets can be…a lot. Especially when you’re potty training.
The foldable toddler toilet seat cover has saved us from many meltdowns (his and mine). It folds up flat, fits in the diaper bag, and lets my little guy sit securely without falling in or touching the gross stuff. Plus, it’s super small and easily fits in the bottom pocket of our favorite diaper bag of the moment, keeping it away from the clean stuff and easy to access.
4. Portable Bed Bumpers or Inflatable Guard Rails
We’ve graduated from the pack n’ play stage (but up until then we loved the Guava Lotus!), but hotel beds are still too high for my liking. Enter inflatable bed bumpers — basically small, grippy tubes you tuck under the fitted sheet. They keep toddlers from rolling out without taking up much luggage space.
Some versions are foam and fold up, others are inflatable and take 30 seconds to blow up. Either way, it’s so much better than trying to MacGyver a pillow fort every night.
*Pro tip: If the hotel you’re in love with only offers king bedrooms, consider bringing an inflatable toddler mattress with built in bumpers.
5. Choking Rescue Device (like LifeVac or Dechoker)
This one falls squarely in the “hope you never need it, but so glad you have it” category. Devices like the LifeVac or Dechoker are designed to help clear a blocked airway in an emergency, especially when the Heimlich maneuver isn’t working or you’re not trained in CPR.
They’re lightweight, compact enough to toss in your suitcase or diaper bag, and many come with masks sized for both toddlers and adults. It’s a bit of peace of mind when you’re traveling somewhere unfamiliar, especially if medical help might not be right around the corner.
While they’re not a replacement for CPR training, they’re an extra layer of protection — and for many parents, that’s reason enough to pack one.
6. Outlet Covers or Safety Plugs
Most hotels and Airbnbs don’t have outlet covers — and some have exposed power strips right at toddler height.
A simple pack of plug-in outlet covers (that make sense with where you’re traveling to – here are some EU covers) weighs almost nothing and takes seconds to install. I pop a few in each room as soon as we arrive.
7. Mini First Aid Kit (With a Few Extras)
You can buy pre-packed travel kits, but I like to make my own with:
- Toddler-friendly pain reliever
- Bandages with fun designs
- Alcohol wipes
- Tweezers
- Nail clippers
- Thermometer
- Children’s Benadryl (in a refillable silicone tube)
- Hydrocortisone for bug bites
It all fits in a zippered pouch, and I keep it in my carry-on.
8. Portable Baby Monitor
If you’re staying in a suite, Airbnb, or anywhere with more than one room, a portable baby monitor (ideally with Wi-Fi-free options – these are our favorite travel baby monitors) lets you relax in the living area or balcony while keeping an eye on naptime. Ours is audio-only, rechargeable, and packs flat.
9. Portable Car Seat
If you’re renting a car or taking taxis on your trip, a safe, portable car seat is a must. But lugging a giant convertible seat through the airport? No thanks.
The WayB Pico (read my full review) is a game-changer for travel. It’s forward-facing, FAA-approved for planes, and folds down small enough to fit in a backpack. At just 8 pounds, it’s way lighter than a traditional seat — which makes a huge difference when you’re also juggling a toddler, snacks, and six other bags.
It’s forward facing only and works best for kids over 2 and works with both cars and planes, so it’s ideal for city trips, road trips, or anytime you want your own gear instead of gambling on a rental company’s mystery seat.
(We still used a rear facing seat like the Cosco Scenera until he outgrew it, but the Pico is unbeatable once they outgrow it.)
14. Rent the Big Stuff with BabyQuip or Local Gear Services
One of my favorite hacks — especially for domestic travel — is renting the bulky gear instead of hauling it.
Services like BabyQuip (available in many U.S. cities) let you rent pool gates, cribs, strollers, high chairs, beach toys, blackout curtains, and more — and they deliver everything straight to your hotel, Airbnb, or grandma’s house.
It saves space in the car or on the plane, and it means you can still have the essentials (like a full-size crib or sound machine) without packing half your house. If you’re heading somewhere international, you can sometimes find similar local companies with a quick Google search (try “baby gear rental + [city]”).
Bonus: many of the BabyQuip providers are parents themselves, so they get it — and the gear is usually in excellent condition.
Final Thoughts
Will you use all of these on every single trip? Probably not. But having the right safety gear gives me a better shot at actually relaxing — and that’s half the battle when traveling with a toddler.
These days, I’d rather pack light on clothes than skip the carbon monoxide detector. Funny how motherhood rewires your brain like that.
Got a go-to travel safety item I missed? Let me know — I’m always looking for the next genius thing that just makes sense.
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