Packing luggage is without a doubt the least fun part of traveling. This is even more so the case when you are accompanied by young children. Besides having to pack more items, traveling with children can be quite stressful due to their propensity to get agitated fairly quickly during the long waits at airports. Fortunately, there is a solution – getting a small and compact suitcase for your child. This will not only help you save extra storage space in the main suitcase, but it will also help keep your child distracted by involving him in the packing and luggage carrying process, it’s extremely useful in holiday destinations such as Varna or Corfu. There is nothing that children love more than acting like adults, and kids’ luggage plays right into that. In this guide, we will walk you through the process of finding the best kids luggage for your travel.
Best Kids Luggage Buying Guide
When it comes to kids’ luggage, the suitcase that you get should feature the essential qualities that guarantee comfort, ease of use, and durability. Below is a detailed look at the main factors that you should consider when you are in the market for a new kids’ luggage.
The design of the suitcase
It goes without saying that everybody prefers a stylish suitcase over a bland or generic looking one, but for children, the style and design of the suitcase have an even greater importance since it is the only thing that they pay attention to. It is advisable to opt for a suitcase that has flashy colors, and preferably, it should have a cartoon-themed exterior. A suitcase that lacks these features is unlikely to catch the attention of children and they will quickly lose interest in it.
Sturdiness and durability
Children aren’t known for taking good care of their items. If you get them a suitcase, expect a lot of rough handling throughout the duration of the trip. Furthermore, children love to sit on the suitcase and ride it at the airport, which could damage it beyond repair if it was not designed for those uses. That is why it is imperative to go with an option that provides tremendous durability. Ideally, you also want a suitcase that can double as a seat and has the capacity to allow children to ride it and steer it through the airport.
Compactness and lightness
This is a no-brainer, kids’ luggage needs to be compact enough to fit in every storage compartment and must be light enough for a child to be able to pull it or carry it without exerting a lot of physical effort. The ideal luggage for kids should never weigh more than a few pounds.
The spaciousness of the interior compartment
The suitcase needs to have enough storage space for a significant percentage of your child’s travel essentials. It should be able to handle various clothing items such as pants, shirts, and socks, and should preferably have an easily-accessible extra compartment where you can keep some toys and your child’s favorite snacks.
The mobility and portability of the suitcase
This factor is extremely important and should not be neglected. The suitcase needs to be equipped with certain features that ensure easy maneuverability. The handle needs to be soft and not too thick in order to provide a comfortable grip for the child. As for the wheels, they should be from rubber or nylon and must be able to glide effortlessly even when the suitcase is fully loaded. Additionally, the kids’ luggage should have a shoulder strap or a different type of mechanism that allows the parent to carry the suitcase when the child is not interested in doing so.
The price
Kids’ luggage is substantially cheaper than the models destined for adults. However, it is essential to keep in mind that a decent suitcase for children should cost you a minimum of $20. While you might be able to find some tempting options at a cheaper price, you should now that you will be playing with fire when it comes to the overall build quality. The level of comfort that these cheap kids’ luggage options are able to provide is questionable, to say the least. They are often made from cheap materials and are bound to break down after a couple months of use.
Extra features
Like we mentioned previously, children love to sit on suitcases and ride them through the airport. Opting for a suitcase that provides these options as built-in features can be very practical and convenient. This will help keep your child occupied during the tedious airport procedures and will ensure that they don’t lose interest in the suitcase.
The warranty
A warranty is a testament to the manufacturer’s confidence in the quality of their product. A long warranty is essential since it guarantees that the company will cover the costs of any problem with the suitcase for years to come.
Best Kids Luggage
Popular Kids Luggages Reviews
The Trunki Original Kids Ride-On Suitcase
This suitcase has the flashy design and eye-catching colors that are bound to attract the attention of your child. One of the first things that are noticeable in the Trunki is its efficient compactness. In fact, it is small enough to be used as a carry-on and can effortlessly fit in the overhead bin of an airplane. However, despite its small size, the suitcase is surprisingly spacious and offers more storage space than the average children’s backpack. Besides clothing items and other basic necessities, the Trunki provides you with enough space to pack your child’s books, pencil cases, and even toys. As far as the quality of the build is concerned, don’t be fooled by the lightness of the plastic. In reality, the suitcase is quite durable and was made using an effective and award-winning British style of design.
Since this suitcase is destined for kids, it was equipped with a multitude of features that facilitate maneuverability. It comes with an adjustable strap that adapts to the specificities of children, which allows them to pull it with relative ease even when it is fully loaded. If your child doesn’t want to pull his suitcase, you can simply attach the strap to the main luggage or put it on the trolley. It doesn’t occupy much space and its small size and light frame are almost negligible compared to the rest of your luggage.
Another major selling point of the Trunki Original Kids Ride-on Suitcase is the fact that it provides a function that is often neglected by manufacturers; kids can use it as a seat or ride on it. If you have ever traveled with young children, you should probably know that they love to use suitcases for everything other than their intended use. Trunki suitcase plays into that by providing the suitcase with a comfortable seating area and a set of horns that facilitate steering.
The pros
- The suitcase has a flashy and colorful design that appeals to children
- It is very compact and can be carried on the plane
- Children can sit on it and ride it through the airport
- The adjustable strap provides tremendous mobility and maneuverability
- It has a spacious interior compartment that can hold most of your child’s items
The cons
- The suitcase tends to tip over to the side upon contact with a bump
- The front wheels don’t pivot
The Stephen Joseph Classic Rolling Luggage
This kids rolling luggage comes with a wide array of features that provide convenience and practicality for you and your children. It is made from high-quality fabric that can withstand rough handling and unlike many options in this price range, it is easily washable. More importantly, its small size and lightweight build didn’t come at the expense of its storage capacity. In Fact, the Stephen Joseph suitcase can handle a surprising number of items thanks to the spacious interior compartment and the assortment of pockets that are included in it. Design wise, it features all the elements that tend to appeal to children’s taste and sensibilities; this includes the use of bright and eye-catching colors on the exterior of the suitcase and the incorporation of various animal designs such as dinosaurs, unicorns, and ladybugs.
The suitcase features an expandable telescoping handle that is designed to offer a secure and comfortable grip for your child. Additionally, it includes a pass-thru panel that enables you to carry the bag on top of your luggage. The wheels are made from heavy-duty materials and can effortlessly roll on most surfaces without requiring any physical effort from the child. Overall, the mobility and maneuverability are fairly decent, especially for the entry-level price point.
Another quality that makes the Stephen Joseph Classic such a good option is its remarkable versatility. Due to its roomy interior compartment and various pockets, its compact design, and the ease with which it can be rolled and carried, this suitcase can be used in a multitude of situations that include long travels, daylong school trips, or overnights stays with family members. For the price that you are paying, you are getting a lot of value and an excellent level of craftsmanship that is seldom found in this price range.
The pros
- The suitcase provides a great value considering the affordable price
- It comes with a good number of spacious pockets
- The interior compartment is roomy enough to hold most travel essentials
- The handle is quite sturdy and easy to grip
- The wheels glide smoothly across any type of surface
- The fabric that it is made of is easily washable
The cons
- The suitcase might be too big for children below the age of 4
- It doesn’t have back straps despite having the same design as a backpack
The ZincFlyte Kid’s Luggage Scooter 18
This suitcase from renowned manufacturer ZincFlyte is suited for kids between the ages of 4 and 8 and comes in different cute designs and color options that include pink, green, as well as various cartoon characters such as Snapper the shark, Polly the panda, Betty, and Sid the Cyclops. Despite having relatively narrow dimensions, the suitcase boasts an impressive capacity of 25 liters. This spaciousness exceeds the luggage needs of the average child which allows you to pack extra items like toys as well as a multitude of other accessories that you wouldn’t normally be able to pack in the vast majority of similarly-priced competitors. The fabric and plastic component is sturdy and durable despite their lightweight construction. Overall, the suitcase looks well made and robust enough to withstand the rough handling that your children will inevitably put it through.
One of these suitcase’s best aspects is the fact that it can be steered without requiring any strenuous physical effort from the child. The handle is comfortable and the stable steering system provides better support and more safety than most entry-level and mid-range options. When wheeling the suitcase, the items inside are secured tightly to the interior compartment with a durable strap that helps minimize shifting and ensures that everything remains organized.
But without a doubt, the biggest selling point of the ZincFlyte Kid’s Luggage is its ability to be used as a scooter. This feature comes in really handy when you are waiting for an extended period of time at the airport. In the situation, children can become extremely agitated and the scooter can serve as a fun distraction for them. Upon close inspection, the platform of the scooter looks quite sturdy and able to handle the weight of a child up to 8 years old.
The pros
- The suitcase can be used as a scooter
- The available designs are colorful and unique
- It boasts an impressive storage capacity relative to its size
- The suitcase is equipped with a safe and stable steering system
- The handle is comfortable and allows the child to steer the suitcase with ease
- It comes with a set of small screwdrivers
- The scooter can be accessed from the inside of the suitcase thanks to a zipper lining
The Cons
- Closing the scooter platform requires adult assistance
- The lock on the handle is not practical
The American Tourister Kids Hardside
American Tourister is one of the biggest names in the luggage industry. The company has been around for almost a century and has consistently maintained a high standard of excellence for several decades. Like all of their offerings, the American Tourister Kids Hardside luggage is a well-built piece of equipment that is specifically designed to provide the highest level of comfort, immense convenience, and relentless durability. The suitcase is made from a combination of ABS and PC, two materials that ideal for suitcase shells and other critical components such as the zippers, handle, and wheels appear to be just as robust as the exterior case. The overall quality of the craftsmanship is simply outstanding and it is right within what we’ve come to expect from American Tourister.
The available style and color options consist of a mixture of designs based on children’s movies and cartoons. These include; Disney cars, Disney Frozen, Nickelodeon Ninja Turtles, Star Wars, Mickey Mouse, and Minnie Mouse. As far as storage space is concerned, the interior of the suitcase has ample room for the majority of your child’s travel essentials and it can definitely be the best kids carry on luggage.
An important aspect of this suitcase is the quality of the wheels. They are made from premium nylon which allows them to spin smoothly across the floor without emitting the slightest sound. Thanks to their side mounted skate design, the wheels are able to spin in a 360 degree radius and provide the suitcase with tremendous mobility. This great mobility is further aided by the dual tube pull handle that makes steering the suitcase an effortless process.
As it is the case with most products from American Tourister, this kids hardside luggage comes with a very generous 10 year warranty. This showcases the company’s confidence in the quality of the suitcase and its ability to last for a very long time.
The pros
- The dual tube pull handle is comfortable and easy to use
- The nylon wheels are smooth and quiet when gliding across the floor
- The solid ABS/PC construction of the exterior case
- It is backed by a long warranty of 10 years
- The spacious interior of the suitcase
- Comes in a wide array of movie-themed designs
The cons
- Some users have reported scratching issues with the purple paint
- The handle takes up a significant amount of space from the interior compartment
The Skip Hop Kids Luggage With Wheels
When it comes to getting great value for your money, it would be very difficult to beat this suitcase from Skip Hop. It has a unique and innovative design that combines eye-catching colors with various animal designs. It is highly compact and comes equipped with several practical features that you wouldn’t normally expect from suitcases in this price bracket. For such a small suitcase, you would be surprised with how much the Skip Hop Kids Luggage can handle. The interior is large enough to store several clothing items while the front pocket can be used to keep snacks, toys, and other frequently-used items within close reach of your child. As for the durability, the suitcase is made mostly from poly-canvas fabric, a very sturdy material that can resist exposure to a wide array of elements.
The Skip Hop boasts a multitude of features that are geared toward facilitating the steering and carrying of the suitcase. The removable shoulder strap is well padded and can be adjusted to fit the size of an adult when the child gets tired of carrying or wheeling the suitcase. The lightweight build coupled with the quality of the wheels and comfortable gripping that is provided by the handle enables a child as young as 3 years old to pull the suitcase without exerting any effort.
Thanks to this suitcase’s great portability, the spacious pocket, and roomy interior, it is an ideal option for air travel. More importantly, its ability to fit in a stroller and in the overhead bin of the airplane is an extremely valuable quality that makes one of the best choices. With the Skip Hop suitcase, you are getting significantly more than what you paid for. This is perfect for those who are looking for a cheap kids luggage.
The pros
- The suitcase is easy to pull even for children as young as 3 years old
- It comes with an adjustable removable shoulder strap that allows adults to carry it
- The interior compartment has ample storage room for a lot of items
- The suitcase is made from durable poly-canvas fabric
- It is an ideal carry-on option
- It boasts a good amount of features for the relatively low price
The cons
- The handle is too small for an adult to pull it
- The quality of the zipper is questionable
Conclusion
Children aren’t exactly the most demanding customer base. As long as a product has flashy colors and cartoon-themed designs, they will be satisfied with it. However, as a parent, you are going to be tasked with picking a well made and durable suitcase that can provide them with a high level of comfort, and luckily for you, all the options that we reviewed in this guide satisfy those requirements. Involve your child in the decision-making process by presenting him with these options and go with the one that he likes the most.
Looking luggage for yourself? Read next – Samsonite luggage reviews and best travel luggage.
