2024 Best Travel Gifts for Kids that they actually want!
Travelling with kids comes with many challenges and one of these is ‘what to pack?’
Aside from the obvious clothes, shoes, toiletries etc, we need to take a little moment to think about birthdays, Christmas and of course, leaving presents.
So to help guide you and buying travel gifts for kids we have created this epic list of presents that children actually want (and parents don’t mind either)!
Everything we have said on this list comes with a Boston kid seal of approval. These are the things we have used again and again and are happy to carry around with us.
The list of gifts below has been designed with the idea that there is either
1. Limited space
2. Limited weight
3. Needs to be functional and usable (and even better if it’s all three).
When packing to travel with kids, you need to make sure that you will use everything you are carrying around the world with you, space is precious.
So, this list is the most useful and fun travel gift list for kids.
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Best Travel Gifts for Kids
1. Swiss Army Knife
You may be surprised by number 1 but I think this is a great idea. Maybe not if you are heading off for two weeks around a hotel pool but what else screams adventure than a junior pocket knife.
There is a great Ted Talk on the benefits of exposing kids to dangers in a safe way. A good general age range for supervised penknife use is somewhere between 5 and 7 years old. Buy a first time knife, explain how to properly use a knife, and to begin with only let them use the knife while you are instructing and watching carefully.
2. Camera
A small, easy to use camera is a great tool for kids to document their travels and offer their own perspective to their travels. The opportunity to capture their memories can then be printed later into a photobook (just delete all the pictures of the finger before printing).
A few tips for finding the right camera. Make sure the buttons aren’t too small, look for a clear screen so the kids can see what they have taken pics of and finally having a Bluetooth feature means you can upload pictures much easier.
Whether you’re looking for a simple point-and-shoot camera or something more advanced, there are plenty of great options available that are both durable and easy to use.
For younger kids, you could consider something like the Vtech Kidizoom Duo 5.0MP Camera, which has lots of additional features like games and filters. They also have For a waterproof camera for little ones, check out the Vtech. But if you have a keen photographer I’d consider a model like the Olympus Tough TG-6, designed to survive drops and knocks, this is a great action camera and from a great brand too.
Check out our smartphone photography tips here and grab our FREE Photo Cheat Sheet PDF
3. Kid’s Travel bag/bumbag (fanny pack for our US audience)
Our kids have absolutely loved having a small bumbag to carry around their treasures, whether that be a yo yo, a family card game or some random treasures like shells, coins or old sweets. We loved that it’s a hands free option for them and it’s small enough to not be overloaded with ‘stuff’ when heading out. Go vibrant like these ones here so your kids are less likely to loose them (when they are right in front of their face)
4. Tablet with Cover
The options of what you can do on tablets is endless. Whether for education or fun, the Fire HD 10 tablet has it all rolled into one. Use the Kindle app and Audible too to access to books. Containing thousands of ad-free books, games, videos, apps and more, and made especially for younger kids, The tablet comes with 1 year of Amazon Kids+, parental controls, a Kid-Proof case, and a 2-year guarantee. We love this model with the additional keyboard.
5. Snorkel Gear for Kids
This snorkel set is a perfect travel gift for kids. If you are headed to the beach on your next family trip, the set includes everything you need for a perfect experience – just add water!
If you are considering a full face mask, check the safety features first as issues have been detected with CO2.
6. Card Games
UNO is just the start when it comes to card games. It’s very easy to learn and pretty much a game that is international- just clarify the doubling up on +2 and +4 before you start. Looking for some more popular card games?
Unstable Unicorns– a strategic card game that will destroy your friendships but in a good way. Build a Unicorn Army. Betray Your Friends. Unicorns are Your Friends Now.
Exploding Kittens– The card game that gave felines a license to kill.
Coup– a game of trust and deceit. Don’t believe anyone.
Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza– a game of quick reflexes, which means Jak loses 97% of the time!
7. Travel Board Games
There are a whole range of family board games available in magnetic minature size which make them great gifts to give to a travelling family.
8. YoYo
Going a little bit retro on you know but the Classic YoYo has been a big hit with our kids. After picking one up in Malaysia, they have been practising their yoyoing skills since. A great compact gift that fits perfectly in their bum bag along with their other day out bits and pieces.
9. Binoculars
Kids of any age love binoculars, choose a decent pair and the kids will get years of use out of them. Check the magnification and look for a stronger, more sturdy design. We like the child proof design of these.
10. Compass
A necessary gift for any decent explorer. A great world schooling tool too to learn about navigation and direction. A compass is an excellent gift for any kid who loves to explore!
11. Torch
Useful and fun, I think you get the gist!
12. MP3 Player and headphones
We wanted to keep reading and listening separate to the tablet and an MP3 is the perfect device to do this. Its small enough to fit into the kids bumbag too so they have access to it whenever they want to listen to it.
It’s been an absolute lifesaver on long journeys. We wish we could have saved our old iPods for this day but sadly not. We use this model. Its simple and basic but does exactly what we want it to.
13. Art set
For us. This is a small watercolour paint set, colour pencils and a sketchbook. We try and incorporate art into our travels and the kids love the opportunity to sit and sketch out.
Look at the hard paint, it is much more durable, we have a set similar to this.
Everything we have said on this list comes has been used again and again and sometimes even replaced.
Meet the author
Lisa is the founder of Boston Tribe Travels. She has lived and travelled abroad for the last 15 years, visited more than 30 countries and has done most of that with her husband and two children. As a full time travel family, they like to travel slow, worldschool and seek new adventures. From living in Borneo for 5 years to backpacking South America, Lisa shares a wealth of travel experience to empower more families to travel and learn together.
