(Image from Budget Travel)

Budget Travel  had a slideshow on Essential Travel Products for Kids in June 2012 that I found pretty interesting. At the time, most of the items on the list were not suitable for Lucas so I decided to save a link to it for future reference. 

With Kim and I recently celebrating Lucas’ 1st Birthday, I thought it was time to look over this list again. For all I know, some of these products might be useful for us on upcoming trips!

Here is the List:

1. Uppababy G-Lite Stroller– The lightest full size stroller on the market plus it stands on it’s own when folded.
2. KidCo Peapod Plus– a pop-up tent with blow up mattress. It also has UV protection
3. Laugh & Learn Apptivity Case– kid friendly iPhone case
4. City Walks With Kids Cards– Comes in sets of 50 cards for 5 cities. They list “family- friendly routes, mixing classic sites with tot friendly eats, playgrounds and tales to keep the little ones engaged”.
5. GoPicnic Ready-To-Eat Meals– “Healthy riffs on lunchbox classics- have no trans- fats, high- fructose corn syrup or artificial flavors.” 
6. Play Visions LEGO Headlamp– A headlamp made especially for kids. The lights are on the feet of the posable LEGO Man.
7. gogo Kidz Travelmate– If you’re bringing a car seat, the gogo Kidz “sets your seat on wheels for easy in- airport maneuvering.”
8. My Little Seat– If a restaurant doesn’t have a high-chair then this sounds like a useful product. “A washable, fabric harness, turns nearly any chair into a safe baby perch.”
9. Travel-Tot Childproofing Kit-“Pack peace of mind… the kit includes foam corner guards, outlet covers, cabinet locks, finger pinch guards and more”.

• gogo Kidz Travelmate– On the two trips where we rented a car, we brought a car seat on one of them. Now that Lucas is using a convertible car seat, I would not bring it unless we had something to wheel it with. The gogo would make that possible.
• Play Visions LEGO Headlamp– I bring a headlamp on every trip that I take. I also love LEGO so I’d love to get this headlamp for Lucas when he is a little older.
• GoPicnic Ready-To-Eat Meals– This sounded to me like a healthy, kids version of Lunchables. Sounds like a great idea if you are planning long days/ car rides while traveling.
• City Walks With Kids Cards– These cards sound like a great way to have kids take some control of a trip. I’d love to see what kind of activities are suggested and use them as a guide for one.

For more information about each product, check out the slideshow from Budget Travel HERE