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10 Most Purchased Travel Gadgets on Family Vacation Critic

See recent posts by Courtney Elko

We love to provide our readers with recommendations for gear, and our readers love to shop for products that make travel with kids just a little bit easier. Wondering what the most popular travel gadgets are for families? Read on to find out!

beach tent; Courtesy Amazon

1. Baby Beach Tents

Featured on our list of the Best Baby Beach Tents, Tagvo Pop Up Beach Tent stands out as the fan favorite. This beach tent shields from the sun with 50+ UV protection, and features three large screen windows so baby can stay cool. The second fan favorite is the Babymoov Anti-UV Tent. The fabric is also 50 SPF and features a mesh panel for breathability. The Babymoov is small and has a lifetime warranty, too.

Body Glove Paddle Pal LIfe Vest; Courtesy Amazon

2. Body Glove Paddle Pal Life Vest

Of course, water safety is a priority when it’s time for a trip to the beach or pool. The most popular life vest for kids on our site, the Body Glove Paddle Pal Life Vest is a chest floatation panel with arm floaties attached, and comes in several cool designs like planes and mermaids. It’s designed for children weighing between 30 and 50 pounds.

3. Speedo Kids Begin to Swim Arm Bands

Speedo Kids Begin to Swim Arm Bands; Courtesy Amazon

Similar to the Body Glove Life Vest, swim floaties are also a popular purchase for summer vacations. The Speedo Kids Begin to Swim Arm Bands are ideal for children looking to improve their swimming skills. They’re inflatable (and thusly easy to pack), and best for ages 2 to 12.

4. IKEA Shopping Bag

Ikea shopping bag; Courtesy Amazon

Believe it or not, the no-frills IKEA shopping bag is one of the most popular purchases by our readers. This large, inexpensive plastic bag is the ultimate beach bag. It can fit everything you need for the beach: towels, sand toys, diapers, life vests, goggles, snacks and more. It’s easy to wipe down; it can get wet; and sand doesn’t stick to it. No wonder moms are buying it!

Bag of Reindeer Farts Cotton Candy; Courtesy Amazon

5. Bag of Reindeer Farts Cotton Candy

We recommend a ton of holiday gift ideas and stocking stuffers to our readers each year, and one particular gadget gets a lot of attention: the Bag of Reindeer Farts. This fun gag gift is really just cotton candy, but kids who love potty humor love the gift of gas. Unfortunately, Santa and his reindeer have sold out of their bag of tricks (for now!), but we found something similar and just as fun: Unicorn Farts! The Bag of Unicorn Farts Cotton Candy is a funny gift for kids or adults any time of year.

Kids Headphones; Courtesy Amazon

6. Kids Headphones

A variety of different kids headphones are often purchased on our site. But the most purchased pair of kids’ headphones is the RiBox Cat Ear Bluetooth Headphones. These are the best kids’ headphones for little kids. They feature Bluetooth capabilities, but can also be wired if your child wants to watch a movie showing on the plane seat or if the battery is running low. But the coolest thing about the headphones is that they have glittering LED cat ears on top! Meow!

Related: The Best Headphones for Parents

Puddle Jumper Kids 2-in-1 Life Jacket and Rash Guard; Courtesy Amazon

7. Puddle Jumper Kids 2-in-1 Life Jacket and Rash Guard

The Puddle Jumper Kids 2-in-1 Life Jacket and Rash Guard has been a top seller, and we can understand why. This life vest does double duty as a rash guard! This life vest for children is designed for those between 33 and 55 pounds, and offers built-in 50+ SPF protection. Kids and parents love it!

Baby sunglasses; Courtesy Amazon

8. Baby Sunglasses

Babies and toddlers need to look cool at the beach (and be shielded from the sun’s harmful rays), too! That’s why baby sunglasses are a popular pick when it comes to beach gear. Two types of baby sunglasses stand out amongst the crowd on our site: the Baby Banz Ultimate Polarized Sunglasses and the BIB-ON Vintage Sunglasses. The Baby Banz Ultimate Polarized Sunglasses provide 100-percent UBA/UVB protection. The Baby Banz also come with a connected Velcro strap, which keeps them in place and makes them harder to fall off baby’s face. The BIB-ON Vintage Sunglasses offer 100-percent UV protection, are polarized, and come in a variety of colors.

TSA approved toiletry bag; Courtesy Amazon

9. ProCase TSA-Approved Toiletry Bag

The ProCase TSA-Approved Clear Toiletry Bag is basic, but gets the job done, and that’s exactly why our readers love it! This toiletry bag is TSA-approved, making airport security a breeze, and because it’s a clear bag, you can easily find what you need. This set of two toiletry bags can hold a ton of toiletries, too.

Travel power trip; Courtesy Amazon

10. Travel Power Strip

Plugging in and charging all of your devices while traveling is a necessity, especially with kids. So it’s no wonder this circular Travel Power Strip is a top-purchased product. It features three outlets AND three USB ports, and the cord can extend up to 15 inches. It’s one our favorite travel gadgets you can get for under $25.

Note: Our team of parents and travel experts chooses each product and service we recommend. Anything you purchase through links on our site may earn us a commission.

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Our team of parents and travel experts chooses each product and service we recommend. Anything you purchase through links on our site may earn us a commission.