Saving money is really important to me because it means MORE funds for traveling. I go to dollar stores mostly for prizes for classroom parties, gift bags, and tissue paper, but there are dozens of items that are essentials for traveling with kids (or without). My son and I recently had a shopping extravaganza at a dollare store to look for items that we need for our next big trip (Orlando and five parks!). We found some awesome things on our list, and even some that we didn’t expect. Here are some must-have travel items that you can pick up at your local dollar store (US), Poundland (UK) or 6 yuan (China), sure to save some cash that you can add to your vacation bank.
Things to keep kids busy: No matter if you’re traveling by car or plane, it’s good to have alternatives to screen time. And as my 8-year old even pointed out, flight delays and even just chilling in a hotel room are good times to pull out some great items from dollar stores:
- Stickers and sticker books
- Activity and coloring books
- Puzzles
- Colored pencils, crayons
- Card decks
- We even found a cool origami kit!
Electronic accessories: Yes, believe it or not, many dollar stores have increased the amount of electronic accessories that they carry:
- The best one is a multi-plug power outlet: You can buy small ones that have 4 or 6 plugs, and are perfect for charging the many electronics that we travel with. Hotels are notoriously bad at having many cord-free outlets, so this is a great solution.
- Ear buds
- Phone and tablet chargers (cannot vouch for quality)
- Outlet covers (great for families with toddlers)
Toiletries:
- Travel toothbrushes – kids and adults
- Hand-sanitizer
- Hand wipes and cleaning wipes
- Travel tissues
Many travel-sized toiletries are cheaper than a drug store, but not all of them are better deals for a buck.
Lighting options:
- Nightlights: Nightlights are my “can’t leave home without” item. Being in a different sleeping environment, especially with kids, can cause sleep disruptions, bumping into walls, etc. So, I bring a nightlight, often putting it in a bathroom so that it’s not in the same room, but you still get the benefit of not being in complete darkness, and hopefully avoid toe stubbing or a broken nose from running into something.
- Flashlight: small ones are great for backpacks or purses
- Book light: I found some great tiny ones you can clip on your book and not disturb the entire hotel room if you can’t sleep and want to read
Other necessities:
- Eye mask: We learned this the hard way after being in Copenhagen in June – the sun doesn’t go down until 10:30 p.m. and is up again at 4:00 a.m. They are also helpful for when your hotel doesn’t have good drapes. There’s nothing worse than a neon sign glaring in your room all night.
- Ear plugs: not only for drowning out unwanted noise; use one in one ear to combat motion sickness!
- Clothespins or chip clips – use for hanging wet swimsuits, organizing cords, etc
- Zip-lock bags: We are trying to cut down on our plastic consumption, but bring a few for organizing outfits, storing wet clothes, carrying snacks, etc.
The nice-to-haves:
- Glow sticks, wands, and bracelets for the nighttime Disney parades
- Rain ponchos
- Mesh laundry bag or collapsable laundry basket
- Extra kids’ sunglasses
The best part is that if you lose one of these items or leave them behind, you’re only out a buck. My only caveat is on quality, although most of the things I’ve found have worked just fine.
Take this as a checklist of travel items from a dollar store. What are your go-to $1 items for traveling with kids?
