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Ah, the days of traveling solo. You just had to worry about your one backpack and when and where you could get your first beer on vacay.
But alas, you now have kids in tow, are traveling with a toddler, and sometimes travel now seems to be more stressful than it is relaxing, often leaving you wondering why you even bother.
For many parents, sleeping arrangements and getting kids to sleep while traveling is one of the most stressful parts about traveling with kids.
Enter: The Best Toddler Bed For Travel!
Having a portable toddler travel bed can often be the difference between a full night’s sleep (ok, wait, does that even exist…EVEN AT HOME!?!?) versus feeling like you are sharing your hotel bed with an octopus who flails around all night long!
Quick Look Best Portable Toddler Bed Quick Recommendation By Age:
Winner: Portable Crib For Infant to Two-Year-Olds: Guava Lotus Travel Crib
Winner: Best Travel Bed For Toddlers 2 and Older: Intex Inflatable Travel Bed
Read on to see what travel beds I recommend for flights, road trips, and more!
^Pin It For Later!^
What You'll Find In This Artcile
- 1 Quick Look Best Portable Toddler Bed Quick Recommendation By Age:
- 2 What is a Toddler Travel Bed
- 3 Best Toddler Travel Beds Styles
- 4 Why Find and Take The Best Toddler Travel Bed While Traveling?
- 5 What To Look For When Buying The Best Travel Toddler Bed
- 6 So, Who Doesn’t Need A Travel Kids Bed?
- 7 Types of Travel Beds for Toddlers And What Kind Of Travelers They Are Perfect For
- 8 Inflatable Toddler Bed
- 9 Types of Inflatable Travel Beds For Toddlers
- 10 Foldable Toddler Bed
- 11 Toddler Travel Mattress
- 12 Portable Bed Rails For Travel
- 13 Other Traveling With Toddlers Tips
- 14 FAQs For Traveling With Toddlers And Sleep
What is a Toddler Travel Bed
While it seems pretty straight forward (it’s a portable toddler bed that you can take with your anywhere you travel), there are actually a lot of different KINDS of beds as well as different considerations when choosing from the best portable toddler beds for YOUR travel needs. (Are you driving to Grandma’s? Flying? Camping?)
While an actual travel crib for toddlers (lightweight, small, compact crib that is easy to pack and travel with) is the perfect baby and infant travel bed solution, a toddler travel bed is a slight upgrade for kids who have outgrown their small portable crib.
By the time they hit about 2, they are starting to outgrow the Pack n Plays or other mini travel cribs that hotels and frequent travelers have.
So, now it is time to start looking for more of an actual bed option vs a travel crib.
At A Glance: Best Toddler Beds For Travel Comparison Chart
| Bed | Weight | Extra Supplies Needed | Best For Travel Style | Great For Ages | Get It Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Intex Toddler Travel Bedset  | 9.45 Pounds | Travel Bag and Handpump Included. Need fitted sheet, blanket and pillow | Roadtrips, Grandparents, and Friends/Family Stays | 2 and Older | Check Prices Here |
Intex Toddler Airbed  | 4.6 Pounds | Inflatable Pillow Included Needs: Sheet StrapsTo Fit The Size and a Pump | Roadtrips, Grandparents, Friends and Family, Camping | 2+ and older | Read Reviews Here |
My First Ready Bed  | 3.22 Pounds | Nothing extra is needed | Roadtrips, Grandparents, Friends and Family, Camping | 2 and older | See It Here |
Regalo Foldable Toddler Cot  | 6.25 Pounds | Bedding and Pillow | Roadtrips, Grandparents, Friends and Family, Camping | 2+ and older | See It Here |
Leachco Bumpzzz  | 6 Pounds | Fitted Sheets and Pillow | Roadtrips, Grandparents, Friends and Family, Camping | 2 and older | Read Reviews Here |
Tri Fold Mattress  | 7.8 Pounds | Sheets/ Blankets and Pillows | Roadtrips, Grandparents, Friends and Family, Camping | 1.5 and older | See It On Amazon |
Pillow Stuffed Beds  | 1.46 Pounds | Several Pillows and a Blanket | All Travel Types (including air) | 1.5 and older | Get It on Amazon Here |
Toddler Nap Mat  | 1.5 Pounds | None | All Travel Types | 1.5 and older | See Current Prices |
Best Toddler Travel Beds Styles
I’ve found that typically, toddler travel beds come in three main styles (more on each of these below and who each of them are perfect for)
-
Lightweight Travel Crib
-
Folding Toddler Bed
-
Toddler Air Mattress
Why Find and Take The Best Toddler Travel Bed While Traveling?
Bedspace
When traveling, there just may not be enough beds for your toddler. Maybe you have older kids who have already claimed dibs on a bed or maybe you are visiting friends or family, who just simply don’t have enough spare beds for everyone. Portable beds for toddlers are a great way to give your tot his or her own sleeping space no matter where you at.
Safety
I don’t know about YOUR toddler, but mine wiggles and squirms like he has ants in his pants all night long while he is fast asleep. Putting him into an adult or hotel bed by himself is just asking for him to land smack dab on his head at 2am.
So, by bringing our own portable toddler bed for travel helps us not only get sleep without being smacked in the face all night long but we also know he’s in a safe space.
Another safety factor is the hotel’s portable baby cribs. Sometimes these come in the form of a Pack n Play, other times they are full-blown rolling cribs.
But either way, you can never really know how well these have been kept up, when the last time they were cleaned (kids are kinda gross sometimes if you haven’t noticed), or if that particular product has had any safety recalls or is outdated by safety standards.
Therefore, even when a hotel DOES have a portable crib for toddlers, I still bring my own!
Routine and Familiarity
We love having our own portable child bed, be it the best travel crib for toddler, a toddler blow up mattress, cot, or foldable bed whenever we travel so that our tot is familiar and comfortable with THAT particular bed.
At home, we have a very specific bedtime routine (which helps to keep continuity no matter where in the world we are- more on this below!).
He knows what to expect (routine) and has used the toddler bed so many times that it isn’t a strange, scary, new thing.
Expert Travel Tip: Have your child sleep in the travel bed for several nights before your trip at home. It’s the perfect transition!
Their Very Own Space
Toddlers want so desperately to be independent (if you see my 3 year old with his pants on backward AND shoes on the wrong feet, all at the same time, no, I haven’t lost my marbles. Thank you fiercely independent threenager!)
Lil B LOOOVES having “HIS” very own special travel bed. Granted, we talk it up quite a bit before our trip about how special getting his very own travel bed must feel like, how he’s such a big boy for being able to sleep in his super cool bed, etc.
Sometimes, I’m not sure if he’d sleep in a real bed while traveling, even if he DID have that option!!! He loves the “excitement” of the portable bed.
The Pros and Cons To Bringing a Travel Toddler Bed
Benefits to Bringing a Toddler Travel Bed
- If you travel a lot, or even just a few times a year (even just to Grandma’s) a kids travel bed is perfect so that they have a familiar place to sleep. This helps tremendously so that they can fall (and stay asleep!) easily in a comforting space rather than a new and scary location
- It gives the child a more “normal” bedtime routine and location, making sleeping in foreign places easier
- The right travel cots and beds are lightweight, easy to take and not much of a hassle
- You can save money by booking rooms with fewer beds/ bedrooms since you can put a portable toddler bed just about anywhere (see “Expert Travel Tip”)
- It’s Great to have as a spare at your own home for guests, sleepovers or late nights when you would rather not have to do a change of sheets after the kiddo gets sick (we’ve all been there before!)
- They are geared specifically towards kids, so it is easy to pick out a fun design (Paw Patrol My First Ready Bed anyone!?) to get them excited about it. (AKA- they’ll WANT to sleep in their own FUN infant travel bed, NOT Mom and Dad’s! ? )
- There are actually a lot of travel beds out on the market. Buying a specific travel bed for toddlers though ensures that it’s not too big (like ones for youth) or bulky (ones for adults).
Expert Travel Tip: Some locations around the world still require that you book your child on the reservation, due to safety laws. Even if you plan on your kiddo sleeping on the floor or your own bed, make sure you know if that country, state, or location requires that all guests are reported (Believe me, you don’t want to be turned away from an angry Italian right at bedtime just because you didn’t denote a non-bed sleeping kiddo).
More on this below in the TIPS section
Cons
- Just another thing to have to pack (but I think that is just kind of the life we resort to as parents, right? We EXPECT more STUFF!)
- May need extra supplies (fitted sheet for crib, air pump for inflatable bed, etc)
- May not use very long (after a certain age, throwing them on the floor with a pillow and sleeping bag can suffice). HOWEVER, If you have multiple children, it can be passed down and used for years
What To Look For When Buying The Best Travel Toddler Bed
Lightweight
This is honestly probably my own personal biggest criteria. Even just on a short weekend trip, we already have enough junk and stuff to pack.
Having to lug one more heavy item around isn’t ideal. If you are road tripping, then this may not be as much of a major concern.
But since we fly quite a bit, we do as much carry on luggage only as possible (damn you luggage fees!). And while lightweight for airline criteria is important, it’s also for the sake of my aging back! If I am lugging a piece of gear around airports and cities, it needs to be lightweight for my back’s sake!
Best lightweight baby travel bed: Guava Lotus Travel Crib
Best lightweight toddler travel bed for when flying: A Toddler Nap Mat (like this) or an ultralight camping sleeping pad (like this)
Packing Ease
The main reason you are even looking for the best travel toddler bed is to…well….TRAVEL! And when you travel, you must pack!
You want to consider a kids portable bed with plenty of positive reviews that not only say it has easy and quick assembly, like the Regalo Toddler Cot, but also ones that are super easy to pack back up. Whether that means that it is a compact toddler bed and can actually fit INSIDE other luggage, or means that the packaging is easy to carry will depend on your own personal travel style.
Durability
This is another huge factor for me personally. We travel a lot, which means our travel gear takes a good hit each and every trip. I don’t want to pay for something that is going to rip or pop on our first vacation! We also have multiple kids, so each child travel bed needs to last as many kids as possible!
Comfort
It’s actually quite surprising what a toddler will sleep on (have you seen some of the positions they fall asleep in!?) but I still believe that the more comfortable a bed for him, the longer he will tend to sleep in it (aka, won’t wake up and be getting in MY space in MY bed!)
For example, a toddler air mattress, like the Shrunks Inflatable Toddler Mattress, is going to offer more comfort than a nap mat.
Extra Supplies
If you’ve made the choice to pack a kids travel bed, you’ve already made the decision that it is worth packing one more thing.
However, you don’t want one more thing to actually add up to 5 more things!
While this criteria also depends on what kind of travel you do most (car trips vs plane vs hotel vs family/friends’ houses) it is still something to take into consideration.
For example
- Do you need an extra air pump or does it easily inflate on its own?
- Do you need to purchase an extra (possibly special sized) fitted sheet or do you have something that will easily pack into the portable travel bed (or better yet, have something on hand at home already)?
It is surprising how quickly your “packing light” dreams can be derailed when traveling with a toddler, especially when you aren’t prepared.
Precautions and Safety First
Just like at home, you want to make sure that your little one is sleeping safe (and sound). While the toddler air mattress styles are often the perfect travel bed for 2 year olds or older toddlers, due to some of the inflatable sides and crevices, it may not be best for your 1 year old.
Likewise, a toddler travel cot is often off the ground a bit and sometimes quite narrow, leaving a kiddo prone to falling off. Therefore, this is also good for older toddlers, but maybe not a younger one.
You can also get a foldable toddler bed. However, Depending on the structure of the bed, some can also easily fold back up (great for easy takedown….NOT great when your kiddo is sleeping in it!)
And then there is the crib for older toddlers who can crawl. Nothing like a child flailing over the top rail of the crib as he scales the sides like Mt. Everest!
At the end of the day (literally), you don’t want to be worried about the safety of your child’s sleeping conditions.
So, Who Doesn’t Need A Travel Kids Bed?
Even families that aren’t full time or frequent travelers often find themselves in a situation sometime during the toddler years where they aren’t sleeping at home. Maybe they are camping for a weekend, taking a short weekend trip, or Mom and Dad are going on an adult only vacation and are leaving the kiddos at Grandma’s for a few days.
So, the reality is, I think having a toddler travel bed on hand for ANY parent isn’t a half bad idea! Even those that aren’t regular travelers.
As frequent travelers ourselves, here are the only times we haven’t brought our own children’s travel bed:
1) We were flying budget airlines and were at our max luggage allowance
If you’ve ever flown on those SUPER cheap airlines you know that you are only allowed minimal bags, or risk paying a steep baggage fee. On these trips, we’ve knowingly chosen budget travel over comfort and just planned on Lil B sleeping with us.
2) If you always co-sleep at home
If you are a co-sleeper already and everyone is used to sleeping together, then it’s actually really easy to travel with (and sleep as) a family. When Lil B was a newborn, he only slept with us, so traveling was simple because he could just sleep wherever we did with plenty of room. Now that he is older, we all sleep better in our own spaces, though.
Types of Travel Beds for Toddlers And What Kind Of Travelers They Are Perfect For
Portable Crib
A lightweight travel crib is a great choice for people wanting a bed that will last from baby age through early toddler years. Most people generalize these and call them “Pack n Plays” but that’s Graco’s name brand for a travel crib.
A portable crib is, in my opinion, the best baby travel bed for infants and younger toddlers, as they are already used to a crib at home.
My Personal Favorite Travel Crib Is the Guava Lotus Travel Crib: See It Here
You actually have a ton of choices when it comes to toddler travel cribs though. Here are a few features to consider when picking the best portable crib for your travel needs:
Lightweight: This is my personal top factor that I needed in my own travel crib because of how often we do carry-on only luggage.
Easy To Carry: Are there easy to carry straps? Is it bulky and awkward?
Bassinet Insert: Some portable cribs even have newborn inserts, so you really can use them from itty bitty baby all the way to toddler-hood. While these are heavier, they are great choices for people not doing a ton of air travel, where weight is more of a concern.
Easy Set Up: Some travel cribs are so simple to set up (literally takes a few seconds!) while others are a bit harder. I like having one that I can have up in less than 10 seconds, since a crying child after a long day of travel is nothing I want to listen to longer than I have to!
Travel PlayPen: When traveling, having a crib that is also big enough to double as a safety playpen can be a great thing, especially when at an accommodation that may not be babyproofed!
Pros To a Travel Crib:
- You can find some really lightweight and easy to use travel cribs, like the Baby Bjorn Travel Crib
- They can last for awhile through a wide variety of ages (newborn through toddlers)
Cons:
- Not great for older toddlers (especially if you have tall kiddos)
- Can be hard to fit into smaller hotel rooms
Travel Cribs are Best For:
- Most types of travel (flights, camping, road trips, etc)
- People who want a kids bed that can last several years
- Children Ages 0-1.5
See My Favorite Portable Crib On Amazon Here
or skip below to read my own personal review on the Lotus
Inflatable Toddler Bed
Below, you’ll find the 4 main kinds of inflatable travel beds such as the:
- Toddler Air Mattresses
- Kids air mattress
- Ready Beds
- Sleeping Pads
The reason why I really like an inflatable toddler travel bed is because it’s not as big and bulky as a regular (adult) air mattress and also has great features that take little tykes into consideration, like elevated sides so that they don’t roll out of bed.
Pros To Inflatable Toddler Beds:
- This type of travel bed is probably the most comfortable of all the travel beds for toddlers
- Many are extremely compact and even the big ones can be shockingly smooshed down pretty well!
Cons:
- Cheaper ones are more prone to holes
- You may want a pump for the heavier duty ones that are more bed-like if you don’t want to pass out from blowing it up, meaning having to pack another piece of gear
- Can take up more space than other alternatives, making it hard in some hotels
Travel Styles Best For Inflatable Toddler Beds:
- Camping, Overnight Stays at Friends/ Family
- Great for: Older toddlers that won’t jump on (and pop) the mattress or roll into crevices
Expert Travel Tip: If choosing an inflatable kids travel bed, never travel without a puncture kit! Get a cheap, yet durable repair kit, like this one, for just a few bucks.
Types of Inflatable Travel Beds For Toddlers
Inflatable Toddler Beds
These inflatable beds, like the Hiccapop Inflatable Toddler Bed, take toddlers exactly into account. They have sides built into the inflatable bed so that your tot is comfy but also safe.
Best For Traveling Styles:
- Camping, when packing for airplane travel, hotel stays
- Great for children that no longer need the confines of a crib
Best For Ages:
- 2+
My Top Pick For a Toddler Inflatable Bed: Intex Kids Travel Bed
Click Here To Read Reviews On the Intex Kids Bedset
Kids Air Mattress
A kids inflatable bed is pretty similar to the inflatable toddler bed above, except these are even more simplified air mattresses that are specifically toddler sized. The biggest differences are the lack of sides, making it much less bulky.
Best For Traveling Styles:
- Camping or hotel stays
- Great for children that no longer need the confines of a crib
- Great for kids that do not roll
Best For Ages:
- 2.5+
We also LOVE kids sized sleeping bags, which pair perfectly with a kids air mattress.
Check Out Our Complete Guide To Kids Sleeping Bags Here
Ready Beds For Toddlers
These are pretty schnazy contraptions that has everything you need for sleeping in one product. It’s a toddler blow up mattress but also has:
- Inflatable Bed
- Pillow Included
- Sleeping Bag/ Blankets Already Attached
This is pretty darn handy when traveling because you don’t have to worry about packing all those other items.
Pros to a Kids Ready Bed:
- There are some pretty fun designs that can get kids excited about their bed space (which hopefully translates to them wanting to sleep well in them)
- Looks like a real bed, which is great for routine if your kid sleeps in a “big kid bed” at home
- Is an all in one-bed system, meaning you don’t have to pack anything extra
Cons to a Toddler Ready Bed:
- Like all inflatable mattresses, it can deflate over the course of the night or puncture easily
- Doesn’t pack down as well as other compact toddler beds due to the amount of stuff that comes with it.
Best For Traveling Styles:
- Road trips
- Sleepovers
Great For Ages:
- 2+
Inflatable Sleeping Pads
An inflatable sleeping pad is a great option for travel because there are some extremely lightweight and
Since adult sleeping pads already are on the smaller side, we find them actually ideal for a travel mattress for toddlers.
You can find our full Guide to the Best Sleeping Pads here if you want to see the top ones on the market.
Pros To Using An Inflatable Sleeping Pad:
- Ultra lightweight options available (less than a pound!)
- Many are extremely compact (think the size of a water bottle!)
- Most do not need a pump to fill up
Cons:
- Like any inflatable bed, they are more prone to popping or deflating
- Not as big as some of the other bed options
- Still need extra bedding (blanket, pillow etc)
Best For Traveling Styles:
- ANY! They are so small, compact and lightweight!
Great For Ages:
- 2+
Click Here To Read Reviews On Camping Sleeping Pads
Foldable Toddler Bed
The next common style of toddler travel beds is usually a style of a portable folding travel bed. Think things like a child cot or a trifold mattress.
Depending on the kind of travel you do, a fold up toddler bed can either be an incredibly easy and comfortable option or it can be way too bulky.
Kids Travel Cot
Essentially a laid down version of your outdoor folding chairs, these portable toddler beds are insanely easy to set up when you just get the straightforward versions, like the Regalo Toddler Cot. However, since they have metal rods, they can be a bit more cumbersome and larger, making it harder to travel and pack with.
There are fancier versions like ones with tent covers that are quite a bit more confusing, but offer more privacy, especially if your tot is used to his own room and is prone to distractions from others in the same hotel room.
Pros To A Toddler Travel Cot:
- Not a ton of padding, but still great support and surprisingly comfortable
- Easy setup
- Don’t need TOO many “extra” things (see cons for specifics)
Cons:
- Often bulky making it hard to travel with on flights
- Not as “plush”
- Cheap or wrongly set up cots can fold up on your child! (woops!!!)
- Still need a pillow and blankets (but depending on where you are at, they may have these anyway)
Types Of Travel Cots Are Good For:
- Road trips
- Camping
Fun For Ages:
- 2+
Click Here To See One of Amazon’s Best Rated Kids Travel Cot
Portable Bunk Beds For Kids
These bunk bed cots are the perfect kids camping cot when you have more than 1 little one!! Most versions of these can be used as two separate cots, or stacked on top to make camping bunk beds.
But it’s not just camping that these can be useful for. If you have more than one kid and are limited on hotel or accommodation space, stacking the beds to make bunks is the perfect solution!
Pros to Kids Bunk Bed Cots:
- Easy to transport in organized bags
- Great for families with more than 1 child
- Can use for a wide range of ages
- Can use for a very long time as children get older
Cons:
- High price point
- Can be tricky to figure out set up initially
- Bulky and therefore not ideal for certain travel situations
Perfect For Travel Styles:
- Camping!
- Staying over at friends and families when there are multiple children
- Small hotel rooms
Great For Ages:
- 2 (on lower bunk) through 12 years
Click Here To Read Reviews On the Disc O Bed Bunk Cots
Foldable Pods and Baby Travel Tent Beds
These foldable pod baby 
What this translates to is that if your kid wakes up in the middle of the night, all s/he’ll sees is the tent, instead of a scary, new room! Therefore, it’s great especially if you are moving from hotel to hotel on a trip and want some continuity. Once your kiddo gets used to the pod, then s/he should be able to sleep great, regardless of what strange, new place they are in.
Pros:
- Some, like the Peapod Plus Infant, are incredibly lightweight (3 pounds!)
- Many can fit kids ages infant-5 years! That’s great for longevity!
- Many can fit easily and compactly into a suitcase (even carry on)
- Most travel bed tents are instant pop-up assembly, so no poles or setting up required.
Cons:
- Smaller versions are only ideal for infants and younger toddlers
- Some kids don’t like not being able to see out and around
Perfect For Travel Styles:
- Camping
- Air travel (small and compact)
- Hotel rooms
Great For Ages:
- Infant to 5
Click Here To View What A Foldable Pod Toddler Bed Looks Like
Toddler Travel Mattress
There are a few options for travel mattresses for toddlers. Unlike the inflatable mattresses, these are more like actual mattresses. They can be easily rolled up for out of the way storage when not in use.
These are great for sleepovers or if you have a large trunk that you can toss more gear into. However, I don’t recommend this route if you are flying or moving around from hotel to hotel, as these can be quite bulky.
Pros To A Travel Mattress (not inflatable):
- No blow up required
- No risk of popping/ deflating
- More comfortable than an air mattress
Cons To A Travel Mattress:
- Heavy and bulkier
- Not ideal for flying or when you need to pack small or lightweight
Foam Travel Mattress
Another route you can go is to get a Kids Roll Out Memory Foam Mattress.
One thing that I actually really love about this mattress style is that since it is not raised much, you could easily put a younger toddler on it (maybe with a soft blanket on the floor?) and even if they did roll, it shouldn’t hurt.
That means you could essentially use this most of these kids travel mattress from toddlerhood all the way through young teens! Talk about longevity and usefulness!
Pros:
- No assembly required. Just unsnap and unroll.
- Carrying strap made for easy transport
- Just like sleeping on a mattress, so it’s super comfy
- Can use for a wide range of ages, meaning you can also use for a very long time
Cons:
- Need to bring bedding (pillows, blankets) in addition to the mattress
- Is not compact, so it limits certain travel styles
Best For Travel Styles:
- Road trips
- Staying at friends or family
- Camping
Great For Ages:
- 1.5+
Tri Fold Mattresses
These are great, super comfy and similar to the above foam travel mattress. It’s a three-part (tri) mattress that folds up into a square and has a carrying handle. These are perfect when you aren’t concerned about luggage space, such as road trips or sleepovers.
Pros:
- Comfortable
- Low to the ground (great for toddlers)
- Can use for a wide variety of ages
- Multi-functional (play mats at home, sleeping mattresses, lounge mats for movies, etc)
Cons:
- Bulky and big (not ideal for certain travel styles)
- Still need separate bedding (sheets, pillows, etc)
- Twin fitted sheets might fit awkwardly
Great For Ages:
- 11.5+
Floor Pillow Bed
These are actually a fantastic hotel option if you can get some extra pillows at the location of where you are staying (hotel, AirBnB, etc).
You can easily fold and pack up the fabric and then just stuff it when you get to your destination!
Pros:
- Can pack into just about any suitcase, meaning it is great for almost all types of travel!
- Really fun designs for kids
- Can use normal extra pillows to stuff for padding
- Easy to machine wash
Cons:
- Not worth the price if you can’t use pillows already on hand
- Is slightly less comfortable compared to the other kids mattresses just because of the “lumps” from the separate pillows
Best For Travel Styles:
- Any that there will be extra pillows at the destination (hotel, AirBnB, etc)
Great For Ages:
- 1.5 and over
Click Here To Add a Floor Pillow Bed To Your Cart
Nap Mats
You often see these brilliant sleep solutions at places like daycares because they are essentially an all in one portable napping bed.
They are a bit more cushy than just a sleeping bag because there is a removable pillow slot, covers for warmth, and a slightly cushioned mat but aren’t as big and bulky as a full travel mattress.
Depending on how much packing space you have, I actually really love these all in one sleeping nap mats!
Pros:
- Rolls up really easily
- Is easily washable
- Pretty Lightweight
Cons:
- Don’t expect significant padding/ cushioning.
- Self-inflating pad versions available
Best For Travel Styles:
- Camping
- Staying at Family or Friends
- If You Have A Lot Of Luggage Space.
Great For Ages:
- When they no longer are in a crib
Check Current Prices On Nap Mats Here
Portable Bed Rails For Travel
I actually have a set of travel bed rails for toddlers on my own bed at home because I think these are that great. I especially love the ones that pack down super small that can be used for travel.
Using portable toddler bed rails is great if there are enough beds where you are staying and you just want to make sure they don’t accidentally fall out in the middle of the night. These are great if we are staying at large AirBnBs or a friend’s house that has plenty of beds or if we are co-sleeping and I still need peace of mind for safety.
Inflatable Toddler Bed Bumpers
Inflatable bed bumpers for toddlers is the perfect option for portable bed rails for travel. It’s lightweight, compact, can fit in just about any suitcase, easy to set up, and perfect for toddlers! You just quickly inflate the portable toddler bumper bed rails and put on any bed.
Pros To Inflatable Toddler Bed Bumpers:
- Extremely easy to use
- Fits on any bed
- Lightweight and compact
Cons:
- Need bed space (or an extra bed)
- Like anything inflatable, they may be prone to deflating/ punctures/ leaking
Best For Travel Styles:
- Any that have bed space!
- Air travel and roadtrips
Great For Ages:
- Toddlers who can handle sleeping in a real bed
Click Here To Buy Portable Bed Rails For Toddlers
Other Traveling With Toddlers Tips
Tips For Getting Your Toddler To Sleep When Traveling
When Lil B (our first) was a newborn, I stressed beyond belief about how, when and where he would sleep. I made my packing list and checked it twice (ok, three or four times) I’d start getting twitchy if it was close to bedtime and we weren’t back to the hotel, campsite or AirBnB yet. Is there space for his travel crib, would it be warm enough, quiet enough….the questions went on.
Luckily, as time went on, I chilled out a bit and here’s what I’ve learned over time and my top tips for traveling with toddlers (sleep edition!)
1) Routine, Routine, Routine!
Folks, I can not stress this enough!!! If you don’t have a pretty strict (or at least predictable bedtime routine, start one now. It will SO help when on the road).
Toddlers crave predictability, it is literally in their nature. If you have a set routine that you do at home, try to replicate it as much as possible. This creates what sleep experts call “Sleep Cues.”
Once a baby or toddler sees their sleep cues, the hopes (and dreams) are that they will go to sleep much easier.
What is our bedtime routine?
Whether we are at home or on the go, here is what we do nightly with our baby and toddler
- Start winding down about an hour before bed. No screen time, just slowing down.
- Take a bath (if the hotel has one)
- Get in bed and read a few books together
- Sing Twinkle Twinkle
Incredibly easy, right!? (I’m not saying my kids are amazing sleepers! But I am saying that they know when we start to do this routine, what is coming up around the corner!)
I also love this routine because we can literally do it anywhere in the world!
2) Relax and Go With The Flow
Easier said than done, right???
Ok, yes, I try to stick to our routines, and that includes our usual bedtime. However, that doesn’t mean that over time, I’ve allowed myself to go a little more with the flow.
No bathtub? Ok, not the end of the world.
Later bedtime tonight? Not ideal, but we’ll all survive.
3) Practice At Home With Your Toddler Travel Bed
For several nights before your trip, have your toddler practice sleeping in it at home. This is so important so that you can work out a few kinks but also so that it is familiar to your toddler. That way, when you get to your new destination, sleeping in a new place won’t be as strange or scary.
FAQs For Traveling With Toddlers And Sleep
1) What Is the Best Way to Get a Toddler To Sleep in a Hotel Room
Gettings kids to sleep in a hotel room can be HARD. Here are a few of our own tried and true tips.
- If you can afford a suite (or even just a larger room), that is ideal. This way when the kids go to sleep, you have your own space as well.
- Don’t have a separate room? MAKE ONE! Bring along some command hooks and a shower curtain and hang up around a small corner of the hotel room to create a mini room within your room!
- Ask for the end of the hallway rooms. These have the least outside noise.
- Get comfy in the bathroom. Ok, I know….Ew. But until you have toddlers or babies confined to a small hotel room, don’t knock it ’till you try it! Once your kids are asleep, you may find you’ll do anything to keep them asleep! This may include grabbing a comforter and pillows and watching a movie in the bathroom.
- Put THEM into the bathroom! We’ve actually put our travel crib in the bathroom before which is ideal for giving us all our own space while still allowing us adults to have the hotel room to ourselves.
- PRACTICE AT HOME! I know I mentioned this above, but it is THAT important to mention again!
- White Noise Machines. There are so many apps that you can download now that can help down out the noise of a hotel.
- Get older kids out. If you’ve got older kids that may be a distraction, get them out of the room. Have one parent take them to the pool (shhh don’t tell your toddler), go on a walk, etc.
- Tire them out….but not TOO much!! All parents know that a TOO tired baby or toddler is actually HARDER to get to sleep (seriously, WTH!?) But a just right tired kid will happily zonk out. Right before your bedtime routine, go swimming in the hotel pool, run around the block, etc. Hopefully, your full day of travel will be tiring enough, but just be careful about pushing them TOO far.
What Are the Best Tips For Staying In AirBnB Properties With a Toddler While Traveling
- Use AirBnB Family. Use the filters to narrow down your searches. For example, be sure to have your infant or toddler count in, select “entire place” instead of a shared room, check off things like “crib” and “highchair” under amenities. This should drastically narrow down the options that are not kid-friendly.
- Make sure kids are allowed. Some listings will flat out say “No kids under (Certain Age).
- Try to avoid personal homes. There are many properties on AirBnB that are strictly rentals. We have found that real homes have a lot more “stuff” that tots can get into (and destroy), where the rentals are typically pretty bare bones, meaning a toddler can’t pull out all the tea bags or climb into someone’s personal clothing drawer
- Avoid homes with a lot of decor. This is similar to point #2, but nothing makes me more nervous than a bunch of fragile decor that my toddler can toss like a baseball across the room.
- How many bedrooms are available. We ALWAYS get a 2 bedroom AirBnB while traveling with toddlers. It just gives us all extra space and that way, we can stay out in the family room and watch a movie or relax after the kids have gone to bed.
- Nearby Amenities. We always check the map on AirBnB and see if there are any kid-friendly things nearby, like parks!
- Laundry. Depending on the length of your stay or how much you pack, this is typically a top priority for us if we are staying somewhere more than a few days, simply because we tend to pack light….oh….and toddlers are messy!!
- Read reviews for noise. Some listings are in locations that you wouldn’t THINK would be noisy, but they end up being across from a loud pub or the apartment itself has incredibly thin walls. Typically the reviews will clue you in on this.