22 Clever TikTok Travel Hacks to Make Traveling with Kids a Breeze

A suitcase that doubles as a stroller, clever snack organization, and how to avoid a hotel cancelation fee

If there’s one thing TikTok is good at, it’s enlightening us on all the random tricks we should be using to cook, clean, pack, parent, and basically live an easier life.  So if you’re planning a family trip, why not try some of those amazing hacks? From using a baby bouncer in the aisle of an airplane (it’s adorable!) to using a Ziploc bag to make a seatback movie screen, here are some of our favorite TikTok hacks to simplify your next trip.

Keep Snacks Uber-Organized

Want to keep your little traveler happy? It’s all about the snacks! And, as this TikTok mom explains, keeping your snacks organized in clear plastic bags (with one “meltdown bag” ready for the right time) helps you zip through security and get to your destination with munchies ready to dispense when needed.

Keep Dirty Clothes Separated

Tired of your kids’ grimy clothes sprawled all over your hotel room? Next time you travel with your little ruffians, slip a pop-up laundry basket into your suitcase and pop it open at your destination so your kids have an easy place to put their dirty duds. You can get them at Dollar Tree or on Amazon for just a few bucks.

Know which Passport Belongs to Each Person at a Glance

If you are the parent in charge of all the passports, try this hack where a colored rubber band is wrapped around each passport. Each person knows their color and the passport opens to the photo page with ease.

Don’t Pay a Hotel Cancellation Fee

Have to cancel your hotel reservation but it’s less than 24 hours before your reservation? Try this easy hack to nix your room without paying the fees!

Don’t Lug Your Big Booster! Use This Instead

Don’t want to haul a booster seat on the plane or worry about it getting lost or damaged with your checked luggage? As this TikTok mom explains, this blow-up booster is perfect for traveling. It fits easily into your carry-on and is way more portable than a clunky plastic seat!  Get it on Amazon for $37.

On-The-Go Games Travel Hack

OK, so this one requires some major prep for parents, but all you need are magnets, LEGO bricks or puzzle pieces, and a metal tray (all from the Dollar Tree store) to make a genius on-the-go game board for your tiny road trippers. Check out this video to see how it’s done.

Note: This hack is best for kids who are past the swallowing-small-things stage. 

Related: Unplugged Road Trips with Toddlers: Your How-To Guide

It’s True: A Hanging Bag is the Holy Grail of Travel Hacks

Here’s why you need to buy a simple hanging toiletry bag (this one on Amazon is just $23) for all of your kids: Older kids can stuff it with headphones, handheld devices, and books, while younger ones can use it to hold crayons, LOL dolls and small toys. The best part? The whole thing can hang on an airplane seatback or car headrest, so your kids will have a treasure trove of stuff to keep them busy without everything sprawled all over the floor (though, sadly, it may still end up there. Sorry). Check out HomeSchoolMafia’s video to see it in action.

Get TSA PreCheck The Easy Way

Did you know you can get approved for TSA PreCheck at Staples?  It’s true! This hack will save you so much time, and is way more convenient than going to the TSA office at the airport—and TSA PreCheck is a must for getting through airport lines lickety-split. Let this TikTok user show you how it’s done!

Get Through Customs in a Flash without Global Entry

International travelers know that Global Entry is the way to get through passport control with ease. But recently the time to get an appointment for Global Entry approval has been months long. Enter Mobile Passport Control. If your entry airport offers this service, you can submit your whole family’s passports and customs info via a handy free app and it will allow you entry into a special line. It’s all explained in this video.

Related: This Free App Will Get Your Family Through Customs in a Flash without Global Entry

Make An Instant Seat Back Movie Screen

This on-the-go entertainment hack is perfect for entertaining kids on a road or plane trip. All you need is a seatback with a headrest and a Ziploc bag to create an easy place to put your phone or iPad so your kid can zone out en route.

In-Room Dining Table Hack

Is your hotel room lacking a dining table? Don’t want your kids to picnic on the bedspread? Turns out, most hotel rooms have a “hidden” dining table right in the closet! This TikTokker explains how you can use the in-room ironing board (!!) as a perfect bedside table. Why have we never thought of this?!

Hoping for Empty Seat Next to You on an  Airplane? Try This Hack

Want to up your chances that you’ll have an empty seat next to you on an airplane? If you’re traveling with an even number of family members, book the aisle and window seats only (leaving the middle seat empty). The middle seats are always the last to be chosen, so unless you have a jam-packed flight, there’s a good chance that middle spot will be open when you take off (especially if you choose a seat in the back of the plane, which is also always the last to fill up). Let the family-blogging Adventure Buddies give you the lowdown on this easy hack.

Get this suitcase that doubles as a portable seat and airport stroller

Navigating the airport with toddlers can be a challenge. One minute they’re right there; the next they’re darting toward the security doors. Keep your runaway tot happy and contained with this suitcase that doubles as a stroller seat (tired parents can use it as a portable seat, too—it’s sturdy enough!). See it in action here:

The One Travel Item You Didn’t Know You Needed

As this TikTok video shows, this adorable snack box also doubles as a matching game—a genius hack that keeps kids’ tummies full while also keeping them entertained. Get it on Amazon for $18.

Related: 16 Genius Gadgets That’ll Make Travel with Kids a Breeze (Promise!) 

Hacks to Keep Your Jetsetting Baby Happy

Whether it’s a stroller that folds into a purse (really!) or a game that requires only painter’s tape stuck to a seat back, traveling with a baby has never been easier with these amazing hacks from CraftyMoms.

Related: 14 Must-Try Travel Hacks for Trips with Babies

Travel Hack For Packing More Stuff

Got too much stuff to fit in your checked luggage? Use a pillowcase to pack extra clothes and you’ve got a soft place to snooze as well as a free carry-on. (Note: This works best for large clothing items like jackets and sweaters, since small clothing pieces may slip out.) See Craftymoms for the how-to.

Related: Packing and Travel Hacks to Try On Your Next Trip

Find a Clean Restroom On Your Next Road Trip!

Tired of playing restroom roulette with the gas station toilets? This TikTok user has a great tip for how to find a clean, safe bathroom during your next road trip.

https://www.tiktok.com/@learnandexplore_joline/video/6984490694803082502

The Genius Airplane Workout/ Baby Hack You’ll Want to Try ASAP

This hack will certainly earn you a fair share of (happy) stares on your next flight, but if you’ve got a baby who just can’t sit still, bringing a baby doorway bouncer on board is a great way to let your baby move while giving you a great workout. Check out the adorable video here:

Get Rid of “Are We There Yet?” with This Cute Game

A long piece of masking tape and a homemade stick-able picture of your family in a car is all you need to make this visual reference for how close to “there yet” you are. Check out the cute video here:

Use the Vent for an Instant Road Trip Bubble Party!

Need to liven things up on the road? Lighten up the mood by using the AC vents to blow a carful of bubbles into the air. It’s a hack that’ll turn any previously grumpy smiles upside-down! Check out the video here:

Tag Your Kids So You Don’t Lose Them!

This TikTok mom explains how AirTags are great for keeping track of kids while you’re traveling (or when you’re at theme parks, or playgrounds, or any other public place where your little Houdinis may wander off). Put them in a special watch or slip them into a child’s backpack—then use the Apple FindMy app to see where everybody is.

Make a Fall-Proof Toddler Bed

Does your toddler usually sleep with a bed rail to keep her from rolling off, mid-snooze? To keep her slumbers safe the next time you stay at a hotel,  push the sofa up to the bed to make a bed your kid can’t slip off of.  See how this TikTok mom does it here: