Tested: Viral TikTok Hacks and Products That Actually Work When Traveling With a Toddler

For example, putting a hamster water feeder filled with chocolate milk on your car window — something that puts the “should you leash your kids or is that treating them like a pet” argument to shame. Or putting multiple bins in your car to “organize” three snack packs. Other videos prove that the absurd concept that every unvetted idea and bit of common sense is a “travel hack” isn’t limited to general travel — putting diapers in a plastic laundry bag or the game-changing tip to change a diaper immediately before boarding. Or the joke to “bring grandparents.”

It’s easy to feel like the people who make these videos in the name of helping traveling parents just really love having extra things. It’s consumerism on hyperdrive, often in ways that just take up space despite space being at a premium when traveling. There’s no getting around the fact that packing lists are much longer with a toddler, there’s no need to add useless extras.

Often, the most helpful things we’ve found for traveling with a toddler are ones we didn’t find on TikTok. My daughter loves her Buddha Board, for example, and these Curvd earplugs block out just the right amount of sound. Our gb Pocket Air All Terrain stroller folds down small enough to fit in a plane’s overhead compartment and has been put through endless abuse on trips to Alaska, Jamaica, and more. Few things are as entertaining to my daughter than paging through the in-flight magazine and playing eye spy with the pictures. And at the end of the day, a screen and some fun headphones are a god send that even screen-free parenting tactics can’t deny on long haul flights. Plus, she loves carrying it all around in her little yellow Fjallraven Kanken backpack.

Yet that’s not to say every parenting TikTok travel video is worthless. My wife and I dutifully tried some the most popular products and “hacks” to parse through what actually works (we drew the line at the hamster bottle).

These are the TikTok-made-me-do-it things that we found most useful when traveling with a toddler.

We hope you love the products we recommend! Just so you know, Matador may collect a small commission from the links on this page if you decide to book a stay. Listed prices are accurate as of the time of publication.

SlumberPod Toddler Sleeping Tent

This isn’t the first time I’ve recommended the SlumberPod. We came across a TikTok about the SlumberPod at the right time and the purchase came in a moment of desperation. Our baby slept just fine in whatever crib a place had for about the first year of her life. After that, we became accustomed to zero sleep on the first night in a new sleeping environment — especially if her crib or pack and play was anywhere close to our bed. The SlumberPod blocks out all light and creates a mini room where she can sleep as long as she likes. Plenty of ventilation holes and breathable fabric keep the tent from getting too hot. It’s also a breeze to set up. I’ve put it together in tight hotel rooms and camping tents alike. The only downside is the packing issue: it’s not exactly light or small. We’ve gotten around this by stashing it in a car seat cover, which then gets checked by the airline for free along with the car seat.

Buy: $179.99

Window cling stickers

What’s not to love about reusable stickers without a mess? Window cling stickers are incredibly easy to pack and leave room for imaginations to run wild. Depictions of planes are a nice go-to, and a set of animal window clings are always fun (if your child enjoys making animal noises as much as mine, though, it’s not necessarily the quietest option). These stick to headrest screens, closed tray tables, and windows. They’re by far the easiest way to distract a toddler for a short period of time.

Buy: $8.99

Suction cup bath toys

Even if these were originally designed for bath time, we’ve found the best use is while in transit. They suction to most hard surfaces, as well as to the other suction cups. They might take up more room than window cling stickers, but the range of tactile feelings and the many different ways to bring them together means they can hold attention for longer. They’re also easy to wash, which is an important added bonus considering how tempting they are to chew on as new teeth come in.

Buy: $9.99

Painter’s tape

For my wife and I, this was the original parenting TikTok travel hack. It seems too good to be true: a roll of basic painter’s tape that can solve so many problems. It’s like Duct Tape, but for child entertainment and baby proofing. My daughter can easily kill the time between boarding and take off, or landing and taxiing, with a couple of pieces of tape alone. The tape is also useful to make little toy car courses on the seatback tray. In hotels, the tape quickly covers sketchy looking electrical plugs. And since it’s designed to stick temporarily and not leave residue, using it doesn’t create a nightmare mess for any cleaners.

Buy: $6.49

Portable mini fan

I vowed to never be without a mini portable fan again after being stuck on a smoldering Alaska Airlines flight that for some reason had no AC in the middle of the hottest summer on record. In short, the tail end of the flight was the loudest, most prolonged cry session my daughter has ever had, even while stripped to her diaper and with a cup of ice on hand. A small fan works miracles. I’m not alone here — the New York Times called portable fans this year’s big accessory. With toddlers, just make sure to buy one that packs small while still having a guard around the fan blades (even if they’re soft silicon blades).

Buy: $8.99

Hanging shoe organizer

Keeping special outfits for the baby organized can be a struggle. It’s hard enough to keep track of each tiny sock, bow, and pair of shorts on long trips. No matter how well you pack, more than a few days of travel inevitably leads to small child clothes finding their way to hidden corners of your suitcase you didn’t know were there. A hanging shoe organizer makes keeping outfits together easy, and I understand why it’s one of the most popular viral travel hacks on TikTok.

Buy: $9.99