Best Toddler Travel Bed Guide 2023

When you’re traveling as a couple any hotel room will do, as long as there’s a double bed. Obviously, when you travel with kids the sleeping arrangements require a bit more planning. Once your kids are old enough to sleep in a regular bed, you only need to make sure you can get an extra bed in the room. But while they’re still young, bringing a travel toddler bed is usually a cheaper and better option. Choosing the best portable toddler bed for your child isn’t an easy task, there are many different types available. This detailed buying guide will make your choice for the best travel bed for toddlers a lot easier.

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Toddler travel bed: a comfortable and safe place to sleep for young kids

Most often you don’t have to pay for kids up until a certain age when using the existing beds. In other words, young kids often get to stay for free in their parent’s room. Bringing your own kids travel cot gives you the option to book a regular double room and still have a secure place for your kids to sleep. This opens up a much wider (and cheaper!) range of accommodations to choose from.

What is a toddler travel bed? 

A toddler travel bed is a toddler portable bed, made especially for travel purposes. It is lightweight and easy to transport. We’ll discuss the many different kids travel bed options and our choice for the best travel beds for toddlers later in this article. There are several types of toddler travel beds. You can choose between a fold up toddler bed, a toddler blow up mattress or a pop-up toddler bed. Travel with kids really is much easier with the right gear! The pros and cons of each type of travel beds for kids are discussed in the ‘Choosing a toddler travel bed’ section below.

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Also check out our other travel bed guides
– Find the best baby bed for travel in our Best Travel Bassinet Guide
– Interested in the best travel cribs? Check out our travel crib recommendations in our Best Portable Crib for Travel Guide

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While kids are flexible and generally easy to travel with, they like routine and predictability. It really helped our son to have his own portable child bed. A small space in an unfamiliar environment that was his and always the same. A kids portable bed is made specifically for travel. Kids travel beds are compact, lightweight and easy to carry. And a portable bed for toddler use creates a secure sleeping area for your little one.

Click here to see the best travel toddler bed >>

Do you need a toddler travel bed?

There are only three situations I can think of when you might not need a portable travel bed for your kid(s):

1. you’re used to co-sleeping at home and will also do so while away
2. you don’t mind spending lots of money on expensive family rooms (in which case you might still want to take portable bed rails for travel)
3. you’ve pre-booked all your hotel rooms and are 100% positive they all provide a suitable sleeping solution for your kids such as a portable cot bed or a kids camping bed.

In all other cases, I would definitely check out the best portable bed options for toddlers. The only con of traveling with a foldable toddler bed or a toddler blow up bed is that you have to carry an extra piece of luggage. Other than that there are a lot of pros:

• Very often a toddler travel bed, especially inflatable toddler travel beds, are a lot less heavy than portable travel cribs
• Your kids have a safe and familiar place to sleep
• You can choose from a wider range of accommodations and don’t have to restrict yourself to the ones that offer family rooms
• You save money, because you don’t have to book expensive triple rooms or family rooms (which leaves you with more budget for fun stuff!)
• You have a spare fold out toddler bed to use at home

Toddler travel bed comparison table

Check the comparison table below for a quick overview of the best toddler beds for travel. You’ll find information about the travel bed such as well as the weight, the age range, the ease of use and a price indication. Further on in this buying guide, we’ll discuss the best travel toddler bed in more detail and provide toddler travel bed reviews for each of the models mentioned in the toddler travel bed comparison chart.

Choosing a toddler travel bed

When looking at the best toddler travel beds for your child, there are a few factors to take into consideration, such as the type of travel bed, the ease of use, the weight of the portable kids bed and the age of your child.

If your little one is really active or you need a more contained safe area for them, a travel crib might be more suited. When a less contained sleeping solution is an option, the first choice you need to make is which type of portable child bed is best for your son or daughter.

Types of toddler travel beds

Basically, there are two types of portable toddler beds, the inflatable kids travel bed and the fold-up cots for toddlers. Subtypes of the inflatable toddler bed are the toddler ready bed and the toddler blow-up mattress.

Inflatable toddler bed

As the name implies toddler inflatable beds require inflation (and deflation when you need to pack it). Compared to a regular air mattress for toddlers, a proper toddler inflatable bed offers a bit more containment. The best inflatable toddler beds are portable toddler beds with rails, they have raised sides that form bed bumpers to prevent your child from rolling off the mattress.

Our choice for best inflatable toddler bed: Shrunks Toddler Travel Bed

An inflatable toddler travel bed is a popular choice for families that prefer to travel by airplane or backpacking families. The mattress or blow-up toddler bed deflates to a compact and relatively light package. There’s a bit of a risk though, if the inflatable bed becomes punctured it’s virtually useless. So don’t forget to bring the puncture kit that comes with the mattress!

It’s important to let your child test sleep on the toddler blow-up bed to see if it is comfortable enough, especially if you’re traveling for longer than a few days. Even though most kid’s air mattresses discussed in this post are free of nasty chemicals, even the best air mattress for toddlers can be a bit smelly, so make sure to inflate it and check. If your new inflatable travel bed does have that new plastic smell, leave it inflated for a day or two before first use.

Air mattress for toddlers

A regular kids inflatable bed is an option if your child isn’t very active in the night as it has no protective side bed rails. This type of travel bed would not work for our little one. He often ends up with his feet on his pillow! An inflatable travel bed can be very comfortable. You could use an adult size inflatable mattress, but there are also kids sized options in attractive, bright colors. An option for an extremely lightweight twin size air mattress (only 17,5 oz!) is the X-Lounger Ultralight Sleeping Pad.

Our choice for best inflatable mattress for kids: Intex Child Air Mattress

Folding toddler bed

Apart from a travel mattress for toddler use, you can also choose a folding travel bed for toddler use. There are two types, a fold out toddler bed that requires no assembly and a toddler camping cot that has a tent-like construction with loose poles.

A folding bed for kids is really easy to set up as it only requires unfolding. It’s also very practical during the day, because you can easily fold it back up to save space. Fold up cots for toddlers with loose parts can be a bit of a puzzle, but practice makes perfect. We had a toddler travel bed tent, similar to the KidCo PeaPod portable beds for toddlers, but with separate tent poles. After a few weeks of constant use we became real pros at setting it up quickly (under 5 minutes!).

Our choice for the best travel cot for toddler use: Regalo My Cot

A fold up toddler bed, also called a toddler camping bed, can be quite comfortable, but it’s more suitable for slightly older kids as it has no protective sides. If your child is very active in the night, a kids folding bed is not the best portable toddler bed for you. Another downside of a toddler folding cot is that it’s bigger than an inflatable toddler mattress. Fitting a toddler folding bed inside your airplane carry on luggage is next to impossible and you might be hard-pressed to fit it into your suitcase. Which doesn’t mean you can’t take a travel cot for toddlers when you travel by air! We often tied our son’s travel bed to the side of our backpack and then placed the backpack in a flight bag for transport. That setup worked really well for us. Not only for air travel but also when taking a bus, train or boat.

Toddler nap mats

A toddler nap mat is a portable travel bed for toddlers that comes with a built-in sleeping bag. It’s a kids folding mattress that has a slightly inflated pillow area, so you don’t have to bring a pillow or additional bedding for your toddler. This children’s folding bed is ready for your child to sleep in straight away. The bedding can be easily removed for washing and these beds come in a variety of designs. The mattress part isn’t very thick, so would probably be more comfortable on a carpet or with a blanket underneath. It can also be used in combination with a toddler travel cot. 

A toddler nap map is an easy combination of a sleeping map and built-in bedding. This SMTTW nap mat is a great choice. 

Toddler travel bed reviews

KINMAC Inflatable Toddler Travel Bed

Kids love to sleep in this awesome portable travel toddler air bed designed like a racecar. It’s made of a durable thick material, with strong double seams. The bed has a 4″ bumper frame, with the sides of the car serving as guardrails. The fun, colorful design is a hit with little travelers.

This inflatable toddler travel bed is made up of two parts. The removable inner mattress has a soft finish and is comfortable for sleeping. Being able to remove it, makes it much easier to make the bed. It has two handy side pockets that can be used to place a drink bottle or a snack. You can also remove the inner part and have the exterior function as a play area.

It comes with an electric air pump, a home and car adapter and a carry bag. Inflated in less than 5 minutes, it’s the perfect inflatable toddler travel bed with sides.

Check price and availability of this inflatable racecar bed on Amazon >>

 

Regalo My Cot

The Regalo toddler cot is a great kids portable cot, and definitely a good option for traveling families as it only weighs 7 pounds and folds easily. At 48” long the Regalo My Cot portable child travel bed can accommodate kids ages 2-5. Maximum weight limit is 75 pounds so you child can use the Regalo kids cot for a good few years. The advantage of a toddler travel cot over an inflatable toddler bed is that it’s much easier to fold and the Regalo travel bed is no exception. This toddler foldable bed for kids sets up in seconds so you can easily store it during the day and have space to walk around and play.

This Regalo foldable kids bed comes in three color options: pink, blue or gender neutral grey. A nice thing about this collapsible toddler bed is that it can also double function as a beach bed or a dry slightly elevated sitting space for sports events.

Because of the design a toddler cot bed has a bit of a dip in the middle, which makes sure kids don’t fall out easily. But if your little one moves around a lot while sleeping, a portable toddler cot might not be the best choice as it has no side guard rails. The Regalo travel bed sits quite low though. For slightly older or less active kids, the Regalo portable toddler bed is a great and very comfortable choice.

Check price and availability of the Regalo My Cot on Amazon >>

 

Intex Cozy Kidz Inflatable Airbed

This Intex kids air mattress can easily be used as an inflatable travel bed for kids. At only 4.3 pounds the Intex kidz travel bed is a great lightweight children’s inflatable mattress that’s perfect for traveling toddlers and preschoolers. Because it’s smaller than a regular twin air mattress it’s easy to fit the Intex inflatable kids travel airbed in a tent or next to your own bed in a hotel room.

If your child is very active in the night, a kids inflatable mattress such as the Intex inflatable kids bed, might not be the best idea. The Intex child air mattress has no side guard rails, so younger kids may roll off. It’s recommended to use the Intex kids air bed on the ground, so that if your little on does fall out of bed the distance to the floor is minimal.

The Intex kids air bed comes in a variety of bright colors that will inspire any child to sleep and an inflatable travel pillow. The waterproof flocked top offers extra comfort and prevents sheets of sleeping bags from sliding off. The Intex Cozy Kidz Inflatable Airbed is a great budget choice. Please note that it doesn’t come with an air pump. A kids blow up bed is especially suitable if you’re traveling at a slower pace. Do consider buying an additional electrical air bed pump to make your life easier!

Check price and availability of the Intex Cozy Kids Air Bed on Amazon >>

 

The Shrunks Tuckaire Toddler Travel Bed

The award-winning The Shrunks toddler travel bed is many parents’ choice for best travel bed for toddler use. This inflatable toddler bed weighs only 6.6 pounds, folds into a small package and inflates in seconds with the included electric pump. Both the toddler travel bed and the powerful pump fit into the included travel bag.

The Shrunks travel bed fits all standard crib sheets (a major plus!). The inner inflatable area of the Shrunks air mattress doesn’t detach from the bottom, but blankets can be tucked securely under the inner mattress. The inflated bed side rails create a toddler air bed with sides and make sure your little doesn’t roll out of bed at night. The waterproof flocked top of the inner mattress prevents the sheets from sliding and makes the Shrunks inflatable toddler bed very comfortable to sleep in.

The Shrunks indoor travel bed is a great investment that will last you a good few years. Once your child has outgrown the Shrunks toddler bed, you can move up to the junior size Shrunks Sleepover Kid’s Travel Bed.

Check price and availability of the Shrunks Toddler Travel Bed on Amazon >>

 

Hiccapop Inflatable Toddler Travel Bed

Like the Shrunks inflatable bed, the Hiccapop travel bed is a toddler air mattress with sides. Unlike its closest competitor, the flocked inner mattress is separate, making it easier to make the bed. Conveniently, the Hiccapop inflatable toddler bed fits all standard crib sheets. It’s a bit heavier than the Shrunks toddler bed, because it’s made of thicker high-quality vinyl (BPA and phthalate free!) with double reinforced seams. Compared to the Shrunks travel bed, the Hiccapop inflatable travel bed has slightly higher sides and a longer bed guard rail.

One major unique selling point for the Hiccapop toddler travel bed is that the manufacturer offers a lifetime guarantee. If you have any issues with this inflatable travel bed, just reach out to their customer service and they’ll replace it with no questions asked. Due to the higher maximum weight capacity than its competitor (300 pounds vs 150 pounds) you’ll be able to use this toddler inflatable bed a lot longer.

The Hiccapop Inflatable Toddler Travel Bed comes with a XL storage bag (one that actually fits the mattress, even when it’s not perfectly folded) and an electric pump. The toddler air mattress is inflated in 30 seconds, which means you can have your child’s bed ready for sleeping in under a minute. If you’re looking for a toddler travel bed with sides this is an excellent choice.

Check price and availability of the Hiccapop Inflatable Toddler Travel Bed on Amazon >>

 

Joovy Foocot Child Travel Cot

In general a folding toddler bed is a less expensive option than an inflatable toddler bed. And the Joovy Foocot kids folding cot is no exception. This fold up toddler bed comes in four bright colors that kids will love: pink, blue, green and orange. Compared to the Regalo Kids Cot, this model is slightly heavier and a bit more expensive, but it has roughly the same specs.

A portable toddler cot is perfect for slightly older toddlers and kids that aren’t very active at night. It definitely isn’t for our little one who often ends up with his feet on his pillow. Compared to inflatable toddler travel beds a kid’s portable cot folds up in a matter of seconds and hardly takes up any space. This can be a major plus if you’re staying in hotel rooms. The maximum weight recommendation for the Joovy travel bed is 75lbs (34kg).

The majority of people are very satisfied with this toddler fold-away bed, but we heard some instances where the middle is stretched too tight, creating a ‘bump’ in the center of the bed. The manufacturer offers a satisfaction guarantee, a two-year warranty and good customer service. So do reach out if you experience any difficulties with your portable child cot.

Check price and availability of the Joovy Foocot Child Cot on Amazon >>

 

Intex Kids Travel Bed Set

This Intex toddler air mattress is a little heavier than most toddler travel beds in this guide. You can take it in you checked luggage on a plane, but it’s mostly suitable for road trips, for overnight stays at friends or as a portable toddler bed for grandparents house. The Intex inflatable toddler bed set consists of two pieces, the frame and an inner mattress. This makes it very easy to make the bed and tuck in the sheets. If need be, you can remove the inner mattress of the Intex toddler blow-up bed to create an extra sleeping space.

What people love about the Intex toddler air bed, compared to other inflatable toddler beds like the Shrunks or Hiccapop is that it’s enclosed on four sides. With travel beds that only have bed guard rails on the sides, toddlers can still scoot out the top.

The Intex Children’s Travel Bed Set comes with a manual pump. Depending on how fast you can pump it inflates in about 6-8 minutes. For quicker inflation you can consider getting an additional electric pump.

Check price and availability of the Intex Kids Travel Bed Set on Amazon >>

 

KidCo PeaPod Plus Infant Travel Bed

The KidCo PeaPod portable bed for kids is a great option if your little one still sleeps in a crib at home. Once removed from the bag it just ‘pops up’ and your child has a space to sleep comfortably in seconds. We had a similar travel bed for our son and he loved his ‘travel bed tent’ as he used to call it. The tent design feels very secure for kids who are used to the confined space of a crib. And it’s good fun for older kids too and great for outdoor naps.

For a toddler, make sure to get the KidCo PeaPod Plus, instead of the regular KidCo PeaPod. The Plus version is larger and advertised for kids age 1 to 5. At only 3.5lbs (1.6kg) this travel bed is extremely lightweight and it folds up into a small package, making the KidCo PeaPod Plus travel bed one of the best travel toddler beds for plane travel and perfect for backpacking. Because of the enclosed design, you don’t need a mosquito net. We felt this was a big plus while traveling in Asia. A sleeping pad is secured to the underside of the floor. It’s not thick, but kids don’t seem t mind. We often put a thick blanket underneath for some extra comfort.

Check price and availability of the KidCo PeaPod Plus on Amazon >>

 

The difference between travel crib, pack n play & toddler travel bed

It’s important to make the distinction between portable toddler travel bed solutions, a pack n play, and a travel crib. The latter two are most suitable as a travel bed for 2 year old or younger kids. A toddler travel bed doesn’t have high sides and doesn’t really contain your child. So, it depends on your child’s age and their activity level which option is best for your little one.

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Also check out our other kids travel bed guides
– Find the best baby travel bed in our Best Travel Bassinet Guide
– Looking for a travel bed for 1 year old kids? Check out our travel crib recommendations in our Best Portable Crib for Travel Guide

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The best travel crib

A travel crib is the most suitable baby travel bed although you can also get a travel crib for toddler use. For newborns up to about 4 months old, you could also consider a travel bassinet. Basically there are two type of portable cribs, a pop up travel crib such as the KidCo Peapod and a portable travel crib such as the BabyBjorn Portable Traveller Crib. A third option is an in-bed co-sleeper which is a very lightweight baby travel crib solution. When we went to Egypt with our 3-month old we could borrow a co-sleeper crib, but otherwise I would have bought the BRICA Fold N’ Go Travel Bassinet. Of these three types, the PeaPod and the Brica are by far the most lightweight travel cribs. They weigh around 3 pounds. Compared to that the 13 pound Babybjorn folding travel crib is quite heavy. We had a travel toddler bed tent, comparable to the PeaPod, for our son and he thought it was the most comfortable travel crib in the world. But I heard from other families whose kids did not want to sleep in such an enclosed space. Ultimately, it’s a case of trial and error to figure out what travel crib solution suits your child best.

Our choice for the best travel crib: Chicco Lullago Travel Crib

The best pack n play

A pack n play functions both as a toddler travel bed and a playard or playpen. It also offers your little one a safe play area while awake. Often a pack and play can be combined with a bassinet insert, so it can also be used for babies or infants. Take into consideration that even the best pack n play is still bulkier than a baby travel bed. So they’re more suitable to take on road trips than as a toddler travel bed for airplane travel.

Our choice for the best pack n play: KidCO Travelpod Portable Bed

An alternative: portable toddler bed rails

If your kids are a bit older and don’t have to be contained as much, but aren’t yet old enough to sleep in a big bed by themselves, portable bed rails for toddlers could be an option. Basically, a travel bed guard turns any single bed into a safe place to sleep for your little one. At 18″ tall and 36″ wide the Munchkin Bed Rail can easily fit into any large suitcase. Portable bed rails for travel are a great lightweight alternative for a toddler travel bed.

Our choice for the best folding child bed rails for travel: Munchkin Sleep Toddler Bed Rail

There are three types of travel bed rails for toddlers: kids foldable bed side rails, inflatable bed safety rails and foam bed rails. The inflatable child bed rails are sometimes also referred to as ‘bed bumper’, ’bed rail bumper’ or ‘bed rail guard’. Picking the best travel bed rail for toddler use depends on your mode of transportation. For air travel and backpacking with kids, inflatable travel bed rails, such as the shrunks toddler bed rail, are your best choice. Foam travel bed bumpers can also be a good choice, especially since you don’t have the risk of leaks, but they tend to be a bit heavier and a bit bulkier. Foldable bed rails for kids are generally a bit taller and offer more protection against falling out of bed. We found the Shrunks inflatable bed rail to work really well for our son.

Our choice for the best inflatable bed rail for toddlers: Shrunks Inflatable Kids Bed Rails

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Also check out our Guide for the Best Toddler Bed Rails. With detailed info about the different bed safety rails options and reviews of the best brands. Or take a look at our post about the best travel bed rail alternatives for toddlers.

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Toddler travel bed FAQ

Do you really need a travel bed for your kids?
Technically, no, but bringing a travel bed solution does make travel with young kids a lot easier. Depending on your kids’ age, you can think about a travel bassinet, a travel crib or a toddler bed for travel.

What is the best toddler bed for travel?
Of course, this is very subjective so we encourage you to read our review sections for all pros and cons of the various available toddler travel beds. If you’re looking for the quick answer, we can recommend the Shrunks inflatable travel bed or the KidsCo PeaPod Plus.

How much does a kids travel bed cost?
Travel cots for toddlers come in different price ranges. You can expect to pay anywhere between $20 and $90. If you’re looking for cheap travel cots, either consider a basic blow up toddler bed or a simple child’s cot that folds.

What is the best toddler travel bed for plane travel?
For air travel both weight and (folded) size are important. There are different portable bed for toddlers types. Inflatable travel beds or pop-up beds are generally more suitable than a folding toddler travel cot. The KidCo PeaPod Plus is a great option at only 3.5lbs.

What is the best way to get a toddler to sleep in a hotel room?
We’ve found that having a familiar sleeping area, with their own travel bed, makes all the difference when traveling with kids. We traveled around a lot and slept in lots of different hotel rooms and Airbnb apartments, but our son’s bed was always the same, with his own bedding and cuddly toys. This helped him to settle easily and sleep well.

What are the best travel bed rails for toddlers?
For travel and based on weight and size, inflatable bed rails are by far the most suitable. Read all about travel bed rails in this post or check out Best Bed Rails for Kids Guide.

 

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