Packing for a toddler is a different job from packing for a baby. A toddler is mobile, opinionated and awake for most of the journey, gets through clothes at a speed that surprises people, and may be in nappies, halfway through toilet training or reliably dry — which changes the list completely. This is the full checklist we use as the starting point for every toddler list in PackBaby, written to be read on a phone with one hand.
Travelling with a younger baby? See our Baby Holiday Packing List instead — it covers bottles, sterilising, sleepsuits and newborn changing volumes in more detail.
Before you start: what actually changes with a toddler
Most toddler packing lists online are a baby list with the bottles crossed out. That misses the four things that really shift between one and four years old:
They are mobile. Walking, climbing and running means grazed knees, muddy knees and wet knees, plus shoes that matter and a pushchair that may or may not still come.
They are awake, and they are bored. A baby sleeps or feeds through much of a journey. A toddler needs something to do for the queue, the taxi, the flight and the delay — which is why journey entertainment gets its own section below and a proper share of the hand-luggage space.
They eat what the family eats, on their own schedule. Familiar snacks and a cup they can drink from without help do more for a long journey than almost anything else in the bag.
Toilet needs vary enormously. A two-year-old in nappies, a two-year-old in pull-ups who is mid-training, and a three-year-old who is dry in the day but not at night need three genuinely different packing lists.
Because of all that, quantities on this page are deliberately left open. What you need depends on:
Your individual child — their age and stage, how messy meals are, whether accidents are still routine, what they will and will not sleep without.
How long the trip is — nights away plus the travel days at either end, which are usually the messiest.
The climate — hot, mild or cold pulls the clothing list in completely different directions.
The activities — a beach fortnight, a city break and a walking holiday need different footwear, swim kit and outerwear.
Laundry access — a washing machine, or even a sink and travel wash, can cut a clothing pile by roughly a third.
The journey — two hours in a car and eleven hours door to door with a connection are different problems, and the journey bag is where that difference shows.
Use the checklists below as a completeness check — a way of making sure no category has been forgotten — and set the quantities yourself against the six points above. If you would rather not do that arithmetic in your head, PackBaby works the quantities out for you.
Toddler clothes
Clothes are where toddler packing goes wrong in both directions. Pack per garment and you end up with a suitcase of tops and no spare trousers; pack for the worst case with no laundry and you carry three-quarters of it home unworn. The workable approach is to count complete outfits per day — top, bottoms, socks, underwear where relevant — then add a buffer for the days when two outfits disappear before lunch.
The core checklist
Daytime outfits — counted as complete sets, not separate garments
Underwear, if your toddler is out of nappies or training — noticeably more pairs than you would pack at home
Socks — more pairs than feels necessary, because they get wet
Pyjamas or a sleep suit, plus at least one spare set
Layering pieces: a cardigan, jumper, hoodie or fleece
Weather-appropriate outerwear — a rain jacket, warm coat or both, depending where you are going
A sun hat, a warm hat, or one of each for an unpredictable forecast
Swimwear, plus swim nappies if they are still needed
Shoes they can already walk far in, plus one alternative pair (sandals, wellies or trainers as the trip demands)
Something smarter, if the trip includes a meal out or an occasion
A complete spare outfit that lives in the journey bag, never the suitcase
A second spare outfit in the journey bag for a long flight or a toddler who is toilet training
Setting the numbers sensibly
Messy eater, or still in the throwing stage — push the outfits-per-day figure above one. Tops go first, so a couple of extra tops beat a couple of extra full outfits.
Toilet training or recently trained — add spare bottoms, underwear and socks specifically, since an accident usually takes all three.
Laundry available — pack for a few days plus a buffer rather than for the whole trip. This is the single biggest saving on the list.
No laundry at all — pack for every day, plus both travel days, plus spares, and be honest about whether you can buy a top at the destination if it goes wrong.
Hot climate — thin layers take almost no space, so spend the space you save on shade, swim and water kit.
Cold climate — bulky layers eat the case, so plan on re-wearing outer layers over fresh base layers rather than a complete warm outfit per day.
What a child should wear for sleep or for the weather is a health and childcare question, not a packing one. Follow the guidance of your health visitor, doctor or your national public-health service on room temperature, clothing and heat or cold. PackBaby is a packing tool and does not give health, medical, childcare or safety advice.
Nappies, changing & toilet training
This is the section that varies most between toddlers of exactly the same age, so it is written as three overlapping lists rather than one. Pack from whichever describes your child this month — and if you are somewhere between two of them, pack from both, because a new place, a late night and a long journey can move a toddler backwards for a few days.
For the quantities rather than the checklist, see how many nappies do I need for a holiday? — it covers nappies and pull-ups, and includes a calculator and worked examples for 3, 7, 10 and 14-day trips.
If your toddler is still in nappies
Nappies in the size they are in now — enough for the journey and the first day or two comfortably, and then a decision about whether to carry the rest or buy it at the destination
Wipes, split between the journey bag and the suitcase
A travel changing mat — a toddler-sized one, since the fold-out shelves in some baby-change rooms are outgrown
Nappy sacks or bags for disposal
Any cream or barrier product you already use at home
Swim nappies, kept separate from the ordinary ones
Reusable nappies, liners and a wet bag, if that is your normal setup and laundry allows it
Night nappies, if they are a separate product for you
If your toddler is in pull-ups or toilet training
Pull-ups or training pants for the journey, and enough for the days you expect to need them
Plenty of ordinary underwear as well — training away from home rarely runs at the home success rate
Spare bottoms and socks, more than you would normally consider
A travel potty, or the folding potty seat and disposable liners if that is what you use
A portable toilet-seat insert or trainer seat, if your toddler will not sit on an adult seat without one
The reward chart, stickers or whatever system is currently working, if it travels
Wipes and hand gel, because unfamiliar toilets are not always well stocked
Two or three wet bags for what comes off
Bed protection, such as a waterproof mattress protector or disposable bed pads, if you use them at home
If your toddler is reliably toilet trained
Spare underwear and one full spare outfit in the journey bag — long journeys and unfamiliar toilets create accidents that home never does
Wipes and hand gel, in a much smaller quantity than the nappy list
Night nappies or pull-ups, if nights are still not dry — very common, and worth packing without ceremony
A folding toilet-seat insert, if a big unfamiliar toilet is likely to be the sticking point
A couple of nappy sacks or small bags anyway, for wet clothes
There is no universally correct number of nappies or pull-ups for a holiday, and this page deliberately does not give you one — it depends on your child, the number of days, and whether you can buy more when you arrive. Only pack creams and medicated products your toddler already uses, and ask a pharmacist, health visitor or doctor about anything new. Toilet training itself is a childcare and health matter: PackBaby does not advise on it.
Food, drinks & snacks
A toddler on a journey is hungry at inconvenient times and unimpressed by unfamiliar food. Packing here is not about nutrition — it is about having something recognisable within reach when the trolley has not arrived, the restaurant is closed and the queue is not moving. Take the things your family already uses, in the quantities a delay would justify.
Journey and day-to-day checklist
Familiar snacks in more variety than you think you need — novelty buys minutes
A drinking bottle or cup your toddler can already use unaided, ideally one that does not leak in a bag
A refillable water bottle for you too
Reusable snack pots or small containers, so one packet does not become the whole journey's supply at once
A wipe-clean bib or a coverall, if meals are still messy
The cutlery, plate or bowl your toddler will actually eat from, if they are particular about it
A straw cup or spare straws, if that is the only way drinks work
Any milk, formula or drink they still have, in the form you normally prepare it
A small cool bag, if you are carrying anything that needs it
A portable fabric highchair harness or booster, if you cannot confirm what the accommodation has
A muslin, cloth or roll of kitchen paper for the aftermath
Bags for rubbish, because bins on a journey are never where you need them
Rules on liquids, drinks, baby and toddler food in hand luggage differ by airline, airport and country, and they change. Check your airline's and airport's current rules directly before you fly, and check the destination's customs rules for any food you plan to bring. PackBaby does not check airline or customs rules for you, and it does not give nutritional, dietary, medical or allergy advice — speak to your health visitor, GP, dietitian or pharmacist about anything of that kind.
Sleep
The most useful thing you can pack for a toddler's sleep weighs almost nothing: familiarity. A strange room, a strange bed and a strange amount of light are the three things that go wrong, and the items worth suitcase space are the ones that make the room feel like the one at home.
The comfort item — and, if an identical spare exists, that too
Pyjamas in a weight suited to the room, plus a spare set
A familiar pillowcase, sheet or blanket from the bed at home
The bedtime books, or whatever the routine actually involves
A nightlight or a small torch, so you are not switching the main light on
Your white-noise source, or the charger it needs — a phone app works if you can spare the phone
A blackout blind or blackout cover, if you use one at home and the room may be bright
A travel cot, toddler travel bed or inflatable bed rail, only if the accommodation has not confirmed what it provides
The mattress or cover that belongs with that travel cot or bed
A night nappy or pull-up, if nights are not dry
Waterproof mattress protection, if you use it at home
A sleeping bag or blanket of the weight your toddler is used to
Confirm the sleeping arrangement before you pack for it
Where a toddler is sleeping is the biggest single variable in your luggage, and it is often the difference between a suitcase and a suitcase plus a bulky bag. Ask the hotel, host or family you are staying with to confirm in writing what is provided — a cot, a toddler bed, a spare bed, a bed guard, bedding — before you decide what to bring. See what you may not need to pack.
Safe sleep, bed guards, cots and where a child sleeps are safety matters, not packing matters. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for any travel cot or bed you use, and the advice of your health visitor, doctor and the recognised safer-sleep guidance for your country. PackBaby does not give sleep, safety, childcare or medical advice, and nothing on this page should be treated as such.
Entertainment for the journey
This is the section that separates a toddler trip from a baby trip. A one-year-old may sleep through a flight; a two- or three-year-old will be awake, in a seat they cannot leave, for longer than they have ever had to sit still. The aim is not to fill every minute with something new — it is to have a handful of things that reliably buy twenty minutes each, and to be able to reach them without standing up.
How to think about it
Small, quiet and self-contained wins. Anything with lots of pieces will end up under the seat in front. Anything noisy will make the journey harder, not easier.
A few familiar things beat a bag of new ones — but one genuinely new, cheap item held back for the hardest hour is worth its weight.
Ration it. Handing everything over at the gate leaves you with nothing for the delay. Bring things out one at a time.
Count the whole journey, not the flight. Check-in, security, boarding, taxi and the wait for a bag are the parts people forget to plan for.
Journey entertainment checklist
Two or three compact familiar toys — small figures, a favourite vehicle, a fidget-type toy
A few thin board books or a familiar picture book
A sticker book or reusable sticker scenes, if your toddler is at that stage
Colouring or activity pages and chunky crayons or a mess-free pen set — the sort that only marks its own paper
A magnetic drawing board or wipe-clean doodle pad
A small pad of paper and a pencil, which lasts longer than it should
Reusable window clings or a magnet play set for a tray table
A comfort item — always in the journey bag, never the suitcase
A tablet or phone with entertainment already downloaded, if screens are something your family uses
Toddler-sized headphones, if you use a tablet — and a wired pair or an adaptor, since not every seat-back socket takes wireless
A charger and a power bank, checked against your airline's rules for carrying one
Something for the car or train specifically, if that is the long leg — audio stories, familiar music or a car-seat-friendly toy
A small snack held in reserve purely as a distraction
Download before you travel
Whatever you plan to watch, listen to or play, download it at home while you have wifi. Aeroplane wifi may not exist, may cost money and may not stream; roaming data at the destination may be expensive or capped. This applies to episodes, films, audio stories, music and offline games, and it is the single most common journey-entertainment mistake. Charge everything the night before, including the headphones.
Screen time, and whether to use a tablet at all, is entirely a decision for your family — this list simply includes it because many parents do. PackBaby does not advise on screen use, child development or behaviour.
Journey bag versus main luggage
This is the distinction that makes travelling with a toddler manageable, and it is the one generic lists get wrong most often. The suitcase can be inaccessible for eight hours without any harm — it is in the hold, or in the boot, or waiting at the accommodation. The journey bag cannot. Everything in it has to be reachable from a seat, in a queue, or one-handed while a toddler holds the other hand.
Journey bag / hand luggage
Reachable one-handed, sized for the journey plus a delay.
Nappies or pull-ups for the journey, plus a delay buffer
One pack of wipes and some nappy sacks
A compact changing mat, if you still need one
Spare underwear, if your toddler is out of nappies or training
One or two complete spare outfits — including bottoms and socks
A spare top for whoever is doing the carrying
A wet bag for whatever comes off
Familiar snacks, rationed, plus a reserve
The drinking cup or bottle, empty for security and filled after it
The comfort item — never the suitcase
Journey entertainment, downloaded and charged, plus headphones
A light blanket or extra layer for a cold cabin or a night arrival
Any medication your toddler needs during the journey
Passports, tickets and booking confirmations
Charger or power bank, and hand gel
A folding pushchair or carrier, if you are using one to the gate
Main suitcase
Everything that can wait until you are through the door.
The bulk of the clothes, pyjamas and shoes
The bulk of the nappies, pull-ups, wipes and creams
The travel potty, trainer seat and bed protection
Toiletries, towels and bath things
Familiar bedding, blackout cover and nightlight
Travel cot or toddler bed, if you are taking one
Swim kit, beach items and shade equipment
Warm outer layers and waterproofs for a cold or wet destination
Nail scissors, clippers and anything restricted in a cabin bag
Larger toys, and the spare of anything you would rather not lose
Split consumables across both bags rather than putting all of one thing in either. If the suitcase is delayed you still have a day's supply; if the journey bag has to be checked at the gate, you have not lost everything. Hand-luggage allowances, pushchair and car-seat handling, and what counts as an extra bag for a child vary by airline — check yours before you pack to it. PackBaby builds a separate journey bag list but does not check any airline's rules.
Swimming, beach & hot-weather trips
Heat does not shorten a toddler list, it shifts it. The clothes get thinner and smaller, and the water, shade and sand equipment gets bigger. Toddlers also want to be in the water rather than dipped in it, which changes the kit.
Two sets of swimwear, so one can be drying
Swim nappies, if they are still needed — and a spare set
A UV or sun-protective swim suit, long-sleeved if you use one
Armbands, a swim vest or whatever flotation aid you already use and trust
A wide-brimmed or legionnaire-style sun hat, and a spare, because hats get lost
Lightweight long-sleeved tops and trousers for covering up
Sun cream suitable for your child's age, in the formulation you already use
Water shoes, or sandals that survive being wet
Goggles, if your toddler will keep them on
A pop-up beach shade, UV tent or parasol
A pushchair sunshade or clip-on parasol — not a blanket over the hood
A beach towel or two, and a poncho towel for changing in the open
Sand toys — a bucket and spade bought at the destination weighs nothing in your case
A bag for wet and sandy things
Insect repellent suitable for your child's age, and a net for the pushchair or bed if you need one
A cool bag for drinks and snacks
Sun exposure, heat, hydration, sun cream, insect repellent and water safety are health and safety matters with real risks, and flotation aids are not a substitute for supervision. Follow the guidance of your health visitor, GP or pharmacist, of your national public-health service and of the destination's, on shade, timing, products and ages, and follow official water-safety advice. Do not rely on this page or on PackBaby for health or safety guidance.
Cold and wet-weather trips
Cold and wet destinations are a volume problem rather than a quantity one: warm layers are bulky, and a toddler who has found a puddle will need all of them. Plan around re-wearing outer layers over fresh base layers, and treat waterproofs as everyday kit rather than an extra.
Thermal or merino base layers — two or three sets
Mid-layer fleeces or knitted jumpers
A warm, weather-appropriate coat, or a snowsuit for genuinely cold conditions
Waterproof trousers or a puddle suit — the item most often left at home and most often missed
A waterproof jacket with a hood, if the coat is not one
Wellies, plus warm or waterproof boots if the trip needs both
Trainers or indoor shoes for heated buildings
A warm hat that covers the ears, plus a spare
Mittens or gloves — several pairs, because they disappear
Thick socks, and a couple of spare pairs beyond that
A scarf or neck warmer of the type you already use
A pushchair footmuff or cosytoes, and a rain cover
A blanket for the pushchair, car or train
Lip balm and a richer moisturiser for wind and cold
Lighter indoor layers, because heated buildings and cars run hot
Car seats, pushchairs and bulky outerwear interact in ways that matter for safety, and cold-weather care for young children is a health question. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for your car seat and pushchair, and your health visitor, GP or national public-health guidance on cold and wet weather. PackBaby does not give safety, childcare or medical advice.
Toddler toiletries
A small, cheap category that is easy to forget entirely, and awkward to replace at eleven at night in an unfamiliar shop. Decant into travel bottles and keep it to what you actually use at home.
The wash and shampoo you already use, decanted
Any moisturiser, emollient or cream that is part of your routine
Toothbrush, and the toothpaste your toddler will accept
A hooded or ordinary towel that is your toddler's, if the accommodation does not provide one
A flannel, and a bath toy or two — small ones
A soft hairbrush or comb, and any hair ties or clips
Nail scissors or clippers, packed in the suitcase rather than hand luggage
Plasters, in the character variety if that is what stops the crying
A thermometer of the type you already know how to read
Any medication your toddler already takes, in its original labelled packaging
A non-slip bath mat or bath seat insert, only if you have confirmed you need one
Take only the medicines your child is already prescribed or already uses, keep them in their original labelled packaging, and speak to a pharmacist or doctor about dosing, storage in heat, and whether anything you carry is restricted at your destination.
Travel documents & essentials
Documents are the one part of the list where being wrong cannot be fixed at the destination, so they deserve their own check the night before rather than being lumped in with everything else.
Your toddler's own passport, if the trip requires one — children need their own
Any visa, entry authorisation or travel permit the destination requires
Your own passports and documents
Tickets, boarding passes and booking confirmations, offline as well as on your phone
Accommodation address and contact details, written down
Travel insurance details, including whether your child is named on the policy
Any state healthcare entitlement card you are relying on
Your child's health or immunisation record, if you have been advised to carry it
Prescriptions and a note of any medication, with the medication in its original packaging
Your GP contact details, and the emergency number for the destination
Car hire and car seat booking confirmations, and your own car seat if you are taking one
Documentation for travelling without the other parent, where the destination expects it
Plug adaptors and chargers for anything you depend on
A little cash in the local currency
Entry requirements, passport validity rules, consent documentation for a child travelling with one parent, airline baggage allowances, hand-luggage and airport security rules, medication restrictions and customs limits are set by airlines, airports and governments, and they change without notice. Check the current requirements for your route and destination yourself, with your airline and with your government's official travel advice, before you travel. PackBaby does not check airline baggage allowances, airport or security rules, customs requirements or destination entry rules, and it cannot do any of it for you.
Things you may not need to pack
The heaviest items on a toddler packing list are often the ones already waiting at the other end. Before you commit space to any of these, ask the hotel, host or family you are staying with what they actually have — and get the answer in writing, because “we can usually sort something” is not the same as a cot in the room.
Worth asking about before you pack
A travel cot or toddler bed, and whether bedding comes with it
A bed guard, if your toddler is in a full-sized bed
A highchair, or a clip-on seat
Towels — including whether they are provided for children
A pushchair, if the accommodation or resort lends them
A bath, bath seat or non-slip mat
A washing machine, drying space or laundry service — the answer that changes the clothing list most
A fridge or freezer compartment, if you need one
A kettle, microwave or hob, if that affects what food you carry
Toys, books or a kids' club, in family-oriented accommodation
Blackout curtains or blinds in the room your toddler will sleep in
Plug sockets and adaptors, and whether they match your chargers
Things often cheaper to buy on arrival
Nappies, pull-ups and wipes, if your usual brand is on the shelves — carry enough to bridge the journey and the first day or two instead of the whole trip.
Sand toys, inflatables and beach paraphernalia, which cost little at the destination and take up a great deal of case.
Bulk snacks, once you have enough familiar ones for the journey.
None of this is a rule — a remote cottage, a self-catering apartment and a family-run hotel give three different answers, and a brand your toddler will accept may simply not exist at the destination. The point is to ask before you pack, rather than to pack in case. That one habit removes more weight from a toddler suitcase than any packing trick.
Why generic toddler packing lists lead to overpacking
A printed checklist has to work for everybody, so it is written for the worst case: the youngest toddler, the longest trip, no laundry, mid-toilet-training, nothing available at the destination. Follow it literally and you carry a fortnight of pull-ups to a city with three supermarkets, twenty outfits to an apartment with a washing machine, and a travel cot to a hotel that had one waiting.
The problem is not that the list is badly written. It is that a static list cannot know:
how old your toddler is, and what stage they are actually at;
how many nights you are away;
where you are going, and whether it is hot, mild or cold;
whether you will have laundry when you get there;
how long the journey is, door to door;
whether you are packing nappies, pull-ups or nothing of the kind this trip; or
whether swimming is part of the holiday at all.
Those seven answers are what turn a checklist into a quantity, and they are also what decides which items belong in the journey bag rather than the suitcase. Work them out on paper if you like — the sections above give you everything you need to. Or let the tool do the arithmetic.
Create your personalised toddler packing list
PackBaby asks a short set of questions about your child and your trip — their age, how many nights you are away, how long the journey is door to door, the destination and its climate, whether you will have laundry, and whether you are packing nappies, bottles or swim things — and then builds your list from those answers.
You get two lists, not one:
A suitcase list with quantities worked out from the trip length, a delay and accident buffer, and whether laundry is available.
A separate journey bag list sized from the door-to-door journey time, so what your toddler needs in the air or on the road is not buried in the hold.
PackBaby creates a personalised suitcase list and a separate journey bag list that you can print, save as a PDF, copy as text and save with your trip.
Free to build your first list. The quantities are practical estimates to adjust for your own child and trip — PackBaby does not give medical, health, childcare or safety advice, and it cannot check your airline's rules or what is available at your destination.
Common questions
What should a toddler wear on a long flight?
Comfortable layers you can add and remove without a full change, since cabins run cold and airports run hot, and shoes that come off easily. Whatever you choose, the useful part is the complete spare outfit in the journey bag — including bottoms and socks, not just a top.
How many nappies or pull-ups should I take?
There is no single right answer, which is why this page does not give you one. Work out a realistic daily figure for your own toddler, multiply it by the days including travel days, add a buffer, and then decide how much of that total you need to carry rather than buy on arrival. See nappies, changing and toilet training.
We are in the middle of toilet training. Should we pause it for the holiday?
That is a childcare decision for you, and one your health visitor can talk through — this page does not advise on it. From a packing point of view, the safe approach is to pack for both possibilities: pull-ups or training pants and plenty of underwear, spare bottoms, socks, wet bags and a travel potty or seat if you use one.
What do I pack to keep a toddler entertained on a journey?
A few small familiar toys and books, a sticker or colouring set, a comfort item, and a tablet with everything downloaded in advance if screens are something you use — handed out one at a time rather than all at the gate. The journey entertainment section has the full list.
Do toddlers need their own passport?
For international travel, children generally need their own passport, and some destinations also require visas or entry authorisation and have their own rules about passport validity. Requirements depend entirely on your nationality and destination, so check your government's official travel advice and your airline before you book.
Should I take a travel cot for a toddler?
Only once you know what the accommodation provides, and whether your toddler still fits one. Get it confirmed by the hotel or host first, because it is among the bulkiest things on the list. See things you may not need to pack.
Does PackBaby tell me my airline's baggage rules?
No. PackBaby builds a packing list from what you tell it about your child and your trip. It does not check airline, airport, customs or destination rules, it does not hold live destination information, and it does not give medical, health or childcare advice — check those yourself with the airline and with official sources.
My child is younger than this. Is there a baby version?
Yes — the Baby Holiday Packing List covers bottles and sterilising, sleepsuits and vests, newborn changing volumes and feeding on a journey in far more detail than this page does.