For such small people, babies and toddlers need an awful lot of stuff. Travelling with kids can seem incredibly daunting, but luckily there are lots of genius products on the market to make the journey go that little bit smoother. From keeping your little ones happy, occupied and comfy there's a gadget out there for just about every aspect of your trip.

But, we only have space for the absolute necessities and packing light is a priority for us. So we trawled high and low and did a stack of research before we invested in the essentials. Our little ones have tested these products day-in, day out for almost a year now making them our most brilliant buys for life on the road with kids.

1. Littlelife Arc Travel cots:

The girls adore their tents. Simple as that. The Littlelife travel cot has been a firm family favourite of ours for over 4 years. Weighing in at a teeny-tiny 2.5kg it's the ultimate in lightweight travel cots. Highly portable it provides a cozy, familiar place for our girls to sleep and play while on the go. A handy sunshade means they can double up as an outdoor playpen for days at the beach and, if you're lucky, poolside naps! Mesh panels keep pesky insects at bay.

It might seem a bit bonkers to go around the world with your own travel cot, but it's given us peace of mind and saved a small fortune. Charging for extra bedding/cots is the norm and finding them anywhere off the beaten track is unreliable. The upmarket resorts will usually have them (with a hefty accommodation price tag) but often they won't guarantee availability. Most importantly we all get a good nights sleep (no rolling off beds or midnight mossie attacks) and the girls love the familiarity of their “tents” as we move around from hotel room to villas.

2. Boba Baby Carrier Lite:

After 9 months of schlepping our bulky 3-wheeler buggy across Asia and then barely using it (other than as a handy luggage trolley) we decided to take the plunge and ditch it. I'll be honest we felt a bit naked at first but we've quickly got used to it and there's no looking back now.

Instead, we've invested in the wonderful comfy Boba Baby Carrier. It is our absolute favourite purchase and much easier than faffing with a buggy. It gives us the freedom to pop Millie on our backs (or fronts, or sideways) and ferry her about on foot or even on the back of a bike. With footrests and a sleeping hood, Mille is so happy and snug she often takes her naps on the move. We all love this carrier!

3. Bambinoz Anywhere Chair:

This soft fabric harness is fab for securing to any type of adult chair to create a safe high chair alternative. Small and lightweight it’s been a godsend to avoid wriggling toddler on lap mealtimes. Okay so Millie would probably disagree with this choice and would rather run amok in restaurants but hey-ho it means we (and other diners) have a more restful experience of dining out.....

4. Skip Hop Zoo BackPack

If your little one is old enough, let them help carry some of their things in a small backpack like this one from Skip Hop. It'll make them feel important, provides handy access, and allows you a little more space in your luggage. Jessica adores her mini backpacks and spends hours deciding what to pack in it on travelling days. Millie's version even has a handy detachable tether to keep our tiniest traveller safe in busy airports.

5. Grobags:

Our Grobag sleeping bags are lightweight and keep the girls comfy and cool in the warmer nights. The girls are happier as they don't get tangled up in a heap of sheets they are we have peace of mind they are safe and secure covered up from the pesky mossies.

6. Technology:

A tablet or smartphone is one of the easiest ways to entertain little ones on a plane or soothe a cranky toddler with some white noise/lullabies in your hotel. Just make sure you pack a robust travel case too. It provides a handy stand for round the clock CBeebies and helps to protect it from clumsy little hands.

7. Headphones:

Technology is great, but it's not much use in public without headphones that fit (unless you particularly relish the rolling eyes, tutting and glares of strangers). Jessica's are perfectly sized for little heads and has a cable that limits the volume to a kid-appropriate level.

We couldn't live without any of these incredibly useful bits of travel kit. They make our lives on the move so much easier, save us space and most importantly keep our little ones happy, comfy and entertained. They are thoroughly kid-tested and have travelled high and low with us and stood the test of time. We're always on the lookout for new bits of kit as our girls grow and our needs change - please keep sharing any top tips and your latest and greatest travel gear for kids.

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