Top New Products for Travel with Kids in 2015

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It’s hard to believe it, but 2015 is coming to a close.  The year has been filled with lots of travels for my family and lots of new travel gear along the way.  As my son entered his toddler years and my 6 year old graduated from a lot of the “little kid” stuff, we’ve used and previewed quite a few new products for traveling with kids at various ages and stages.

(Trips With Tykes uses affiliate links.  See our full disclosure policy here.)

Here are my top 3 kid travel product picks that were new in 2015:

1. Cosco Scenera NEXT ($44, available at Walmart)

I’ve called this car seat the “perfect seat for air travel.”  The Cosco Scenera NEXT is the next generation Cosco Scenera that many family travelers have used for their kids the past several years.  It does it even better for just a few dollars more.  It’s $44 at Walmart, and is so light that I can actually lift it with my single index finger.  If you’ve ever lugged a heavy car seat through an airport or down an airplane aisle, you know how every pound counts.  Check out my complete review of the Cosco Scenera NEXT for full analysis of the pros and the (very few) cons of this car seat.

2. mifold Booster Seat ($39)

For older kids who no longer need a car seat but who still need a booster for car rides, help is on the way.  In 2015, the “mifold” booster seat launched its fundraising campaign on Indiegogo and parents went crazy.  The initial fundraising goal was met in days and now nearly $1 million has been raised.

What’s so great about mifold?  It’s too early for me to have gotten my hands on a sample, but I’ve watched the product closely and even pre-ordered one for myself.  This is going to be a must-have for traveling parents because the mifold is just so tiny.  It could fit in a purse or daypack for taking cabs around town while you are traveling.  It works differently than other boosters by pulling the seatbelt down to hit younger children in the right spot (rather than raising them up to fit like a booster would).  It is also slim enough to fit three across if you have more than one child of safety seat age.  I can really see this product being a game changer for those with kids ages 4 and up while traveling.  You’ll never have to gamble about going without a booster in a cab again.

3. Lugabug ($69 on lugabug.com; also newly available on Amazon)

Don’t want to take a stroller on your vacation but fear your child is too young for a long airport walk?  Lugabug is the perfect solution for kids in that in-between stage.  The product was developed by two parents who traveled a lot with their young kids, and it launched on Kickstarter earlier this year.  Lugabug is a nylon seat that attaches over the handle of your suitcase or carryon bag.  Your child sits in and you simply pull them along with the bag.

Lugabug is extremely light and compact and really doesn’t take up any extra luggage space.  It’s easy to tuck it in the front pocket of your carryon bag or just attach it on the outside.  Plus, it’s just darn fun.  What kid doesn’t want to ride along attached to mom or dad’s suitcase?  The entertainment value is huge.  I can definitely see wheeling my toddler around in it on a long layover or flight delay just to pass the time.  And the product serves a super-practical function when your kid just won’t walk any more and you are rushing to make a flight.

Lugabug is recommended for kids 2 years and up and up to a weight of 60 pounds.

What do you think about these 3 products?  Any others you’ve seen this year that you are excited about?

Need other travel gear recommendations for taking babies, toddlers, and kids on your next vacation?  Here are other gear guides you might enjoy:

Disclosure: Lugabug provided Trips With Tykes with a complimentary sample for review purposes. As always, all opinions are my own!

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