What Should Kids Pack for a Family Trip?

How to use this list

This checklist is for children aged 5 to 12 on a trip of about a week. Use the “Print this list” button at the top of the page and give a copy to your child.

The list is grouped so you can split the work. Kids can handle clothing, entertainment and snacks. Parents own documents and health items. Going over the list together the night before takes about 10 minutes and catches most gaps, like a missing charger or the one pair of shoes that no longer fits. For a list tailored to age, trip type, climate and length, use the packing list generator.

Let kids pack their own backpack

Children aged 5 and up can pack their own travel backpack, and most do better on a trip when they have. It gives them something to be responsible for, and they know what’s in it when they get bored.

A simple method that works for most families:

1. Print the list and highlight the items your child is in charge of.
2. Have them lay everything out on the bed first.
3. Check the pile together, then let them pack it.
4. Have them carry the full backpack around the house once.

Under 8, expect to trim the pile. Older kids can pack most of their suitcase with a final check from you. Keep passports, tickets, money and medicine with an adult. Give each child a luggage tag with your phone number, and put a card with the same number in their backpack.

What people over-pack and forget

Kids over-pack toys, books and clothes they will never wear. Limit toys to what fits in their backpack, and pick clothes that mix and match. One pair of sneakers plus one pair of sandals or boots covers most trips.

What families forget:

• Headphones, and a splitter if two kids share a screen
• Downloaded shows, games and audiobooks, since Wi-Fi is unreliable
• A refillable water bottle, empty through security
• A light jacket for cold planes and air-conditioned buildings
• Glasses, retainers and any prescription medicine
• A copy of each child’s passport stored separately from the original

For what documents each child needs, read travel documents for children.

Carry-on vs checked

The child’s backpack is their carry-on. It holds the journey: water bottle, snack, headphones, a device or book, one activity and a layer. Keep it light. Around 10% of their body weight is a sensible rough limit.

The parent carry-on holds documents, medicine, chargers and a spare set of clothes per child. Checked bags hold the rest of the clothes, shoes and toiletries.

On US domestic flights, kids 12 and under can generally keep their shoes on at security, and children under 18 don’t need ID when with an adult. For flight activities by age, see keeping kids entertained on flights. If you’re crossing time zones, read our guide to jet lag in children. For everything else, start with our complete guide to traveling with children.