THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO THE BEST TODDLER CARRIERS FOR TRAVEL

Types of Toddler Carriers

Baby Wrap 
A baby wrap is the simplest of carriers for toddlers and is most often used for newborns or infants.  It is essentially a long piece of fabric that you wrap around yourself and your child.  Just because it’s simple in its design, doesn’t mean it’s the easiest! The complexity of tying the wrap can turn some people off. A woven wrap, as opposed to a stretchy wrap, is the safest and best option for a younger, lighter toddler.

Soft Structured Carrier
The most popular type of toddler carrier is the soft structured carrier. It comes with heavily padded shoulder straps and a padded waistband with a soft pouch to support your child. The ergonomic design and adjustable fit generally make them the most comfortable of all the carriers. You can wear the carrier with your child forward-facing or on your back. 

Toddler Backpack Carrier
Backpack carriers are the gold standard for hiking trips, but can also be used for long days strolling through the city.  Backpack carriers have a framed seat that your child sits in on your back.  The build of a quality backpack carrier allows for proper weight distribution, so your body isn’t in agony after a day of walking around.  

Shoulder Carrier
Shoulder carriers are toddler carriers that allow your toddler to sit on your shoulders safely with the support of a small seat and leg straps to keep them secured (and to stop them from kicking you!)  They are great for theme park days or exploring a city.  The shoulder carrier is perfect for active toddlers who aren’t content being closely strapped down to you or for toddlers who like to be able to see everything around them.

Baby Carrier Vs. Stroller

Although everyone likes to espouse the virtues of babywearing, choosing between a stroller vs. baby carrier is ultimately about personal preference.  If your child does well in a toddler carrier, then using that for your travel needs is going to be the best choice due to carriers being lightweight and easy to pack.  For us, our son is an extremely agile, high-energy kid who isn’t content being strapped onto us for too long. Often we needed a stroller as a backup to get us through tight connections in airports or long trips at an amusement park. We always opt to pack both a lightweight umbrella stroller and a toddler baby carrier, which I understand isn’t ideal for most people. Here’s what you should think about when deciding if you want to bring a baby carrier or a stroller.

• Where are you traveling? If you’re traveling to Europe, you’ll probably want to opt for a carrier, so you don’t have to contend with uneven cobblestone streets. If you’re going to Disneyland, a stroller might be more comfortable, so your child can easily hop on and off as needed. 
  
• How many kids are you traveling with? Carriers are ideal for families traveling with multiple kids so you can have your hands free to deal with runaway toddlers and such.
• Lastly, and I think most importantly, how does your child do in a baby stroller vs. a carrier? Every kid is different, and while people would swear up and down to me that babies LOVE baby carriers, my child refused them from the beginning, and it wasn’t until we started doing shoulder carriers that he wouldn’t squirm to get out.  So, how does your child do in a toddler carrier? What do they prefer? It took a lot of trying out different baby carriers to find the one that ultimately worked for our son.

If you don’t know what they prefer, I suggest you make use of a store like Amazon that has a generous return policy so you can test out what works best. 

Benefits of Using a Toddler Carrier For Travel

• Lightweight and a space saver – Toddler baby carriers can be easily worn through the airport or can be stuffed into a suitcase for when you don’t need them.
• Handsfree – The benefit of being handsfree is gold when rushing through the airport with luggage, navigating more than one child, or just plain old saving your arms from having to carry a toddler around all day.
• Easy to wash- Most carriers are machine washable so you can easily clean them when you’re back from your travels. Traveling through subways, airports, and populated hotels ensure your carrier is going to get dirty. The ease of washing it and knowing it will be germ-free when you get home is a definite perk.
• A place to fall asleep – If your child easily falls asleep in a carrier, it can be a great way to navigate sightseeing while still getting a power nap in.
• Nursing on the go – If you are still nursing your toddler, most carriers are built so that mom can nurse while still wearing the carrier.    

Traveling with a baby? Check out our guides

How to Survive a Plane Ride with a Baby.
15 Useful Tips To Enjoy A Road Trip With A Toddler

Choosing the Best Toddler Carrier

When deciding on the best baby carrier for toddlers, there are a few key things to consider.

1. Comfort- You’ll want a carrier that has a breathable material like 100% cotton or mesh. In addition, for the soft structured carriers, you’ll want one that offers extra-thick padding in the shoulders and waist.
2. Hip Healthy Design – Look for a carrier that holds your child in a way that is optimized for keeping their hip joints healthy. You want to look for something that puts their legs in a frog-like or m shape position. Most high-quality carriers are built with the health of your child’s body in mind.
3. Size limitations- You’ll want to check the size limits for each carrier to ensure it can fit the size and weight of your child. 
4. Machine Washable – Toddlers are messy beings. You’ll want a carrier that’s easy to wash and ideally machine washable.
5. Lightweight – The less you can carry while traveling the better, so you’ll want a carrier that isn’t a burden to have on you when you don’t have your child in it. 
6. Pricepoint – Most high quality baby carriers are going to range from $100-$200. You can get cheaper versions, but often at the sacrifice of comfort and support.  Considering that you can use a carrier for 3-4 years, it’s a worthwhile investment to get one that’s well made.
7. Uses for the carrier – Consider what kind of travels you will be doing and how you will be using the carrier.  If you’re an adventure family doing long hikes or long days sightseeing, a soft structured carrier can’t hold up to the build and frame of a shoulder or backpack carrier. If you’re lazing around the beach and doing short excursions, a large framed backpack carrier might be overkill.
8. Expectations – Baby carriers are fantastic tools to help free up your arms and distribute the weight in a more supportive way, but no carrier can erase the fact that you’re holding 20-40 pounds of squiggly weight.