Packing for a family holiday sounds simple… until you’re standing at the airport realising someone’s shoes are missing and nobody packed the chargers.
After travelling with kids more times than I can count – road trips, flights, long-haul holidays and short weekend escapes – I finally put together a family travel checklist that actually works in real life. Not a perfect, Pinterest-style list. Just a basic, practical one that helps you remember the important stuff and avoid unnecessary stress.
To make it even easier, I’ve turned it into a free PDF you can download and use for every trip.
Why you need a Family Travel Checklist
When you’re travelling with kids, there’s already enough to think about. A simple checklist helps you:
- Pack more efficiently
- Avoid last-minute panic
- Remember essentials for both adults and kids
- Start your holiday feeling organised instead of frazzled
This checklist is designed to be printed, ticked off, and reused, whether you’re heading away for a weekend or planning a bigger family adventure.
What’s included in the Family Travel Checklist
The printable checklist covers all the essentials, including:
- Important documents and travel details
- Clothing and everyday basics
- Toiletries and health items
- Kids’ essentials
- Tech, chargers and extras
- A final “before you leave home” section
It’s intentionally simple, easy to read, and practical with no fluff and no overthinking.
Download the free Family Travel Checklist
If you’d like to save yourself some pre-holiday chaos, you can download the free family travel checklist printable below.
Print it out, keep it on your phone, or use it as a base to add your own family-specific items.
How to use this checklist
I recommend:
- Printing one copy per trip
- Keeping it somewhere visible while packing
- Letting older kids help tick things off
You’ll still forget something eventually (we all do), but this makes it far less likely to miss something important.
Where to next?
📌 Save this article to Pinterest so you’ll have it handy when planning your own trip.
Let me know what you think!