Thank you Amazon for sponsoring this post. Be sure to pick up your own Fire HD 8 tablet for your next adventure!
When I fly with my kids, they often become the priority. I check and double check to make sure I have everything I need to keep them happy while we’re on the plane. They have a lot of experience, but I always like to be prepared. As they’ve gotten older, I’ve realized just how important it is to make sure I have everything I need to be comfortable when we’re flying! I’ve got some tips for carry-on essentials that every mom should think about packing for her next trip!

Carry On Essentials for Mom
CARRY ON ESSENTIALS FOR MOM
Since we can all bring a carry-on on the plane with us, I’ve started packing the kids’ things in their own backpacks and then packing my very own travel bag with basics that help me be more comfortable too. Over the past few years, I’ve done a fair share of traveling on my own and have realized how much of a difference it makes when I think about myself a bit too!
1. THE BASICS
Making sure I have all of the basic essentials is the first thing I do. I get everything out and lay it out on my bed so I can see it all. This includes things like my wallet, medications, ibuprofen, lip balm, feminine products, and gum. When I travel I use a smaller wallet and I put all of these basics in a small purse or wristlet that fits in my carry on bag. It makes them easy to access and I’m not left digging around to find the things I need!
This one is a little bit about organization, but my mind is at ease when I can pull out my identification and other basic needs quickly when I’m at the airport.
When I travel with the kids, we usually check bags so I don’t worry too much about liquids, but there are two things I need with me when I travel. My two liquid carry-on travel essentials are:
- lotion
- hand sanitizer
Without them, I don’t have my usual comfort level. I need my lotion! So I make sure I have travel sized bottles and put them in a plastic zipper sandwich bag so they’re easy to access.
2. SOCKS & SWEATSHIRT
In the last minute shuffle, things can get left behind at home. Sometimes some of the most basic carry-on essentials are the things that are forgotten! Two things I always stick in my carry-on when I first start packing is a pair of warm, soft socks and a sweatshirt. I don’t want to forget them!
It can get chilly on the airplane and I like to be prepared! If we’re flying somewhere warm in the summer, staying warm on the plane is something that can be forgotten! So pack these important things early!
3. ENTERTAINMENT
When the kids are younger, taking care of them while flying can take up most of the time. But once they’re older, moms need to remember to pack books, magazines, puzzle books, and other things like that to entertain themselves too!
An even better solution to the entertainment issue is a space saver! The Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet takes care of everything I need to be entertained while we wait at the airport and when we’re finally in the air.
I love the 8″ high definition display because it’s great for doing everything I enjoy. Whether I am reading a book, playing a game, or watching a TV show or movie, it has a gorgeous display that I enjoy using!
I’ll admit that entertainment is my top priority, especially on long flights. Once we hit about two hours, if I don’t have things to keep me entertained, I start to get antsy.
Being able to use the 16 GB of internal storage that the Fire HD 8 tablet comes with to download episodes of my favorite shows and movies from Prime Video and Netflix makes it easy to have a variety of options when we’re in the air. The Fire HD 8 tablet also supports up to 400 GB of additional storage if you add a microSD card. That means I can have all of my favorite music and more than a few books.
I love having a variety of options for keeping myself entertained. It makes flights just fly by!
4. NOISE CANCELING EARBUDS & CHARGERS & MORE CHARGERS
To go along with the Fire HD 8 tablet, it’s important to have a good pair of noise-canceling earbuds or headphones. I want to be able to hear my music or the show I’m binge watching! I usually have two pairs with me just in case! There’s nothing worse than not being able to listen to a movie! (And my kids don’t want to share theirs!)
The other must-have that is always on my travel essentials list is a backup charger or two or three. The Fire HD 8 tablet offers up to 10 hours of battery life so you can use it while you wait to board the plane and during the flight. But you can’t go wrong when it comes to backup chargers because it can sometimes be hard to find an outlet to plug in your devices so having your own charger means you’re prepared for anything!
Being prepared is a mom thing and it’s important for us to make sure we’re prepared to take care of ourselves too!
5. REUSABLE WATER BOTTLE & MOM SNACKS
Staying hydrated while I travel, especially when I fly, is super important to me. If I get dehydrated, I run out of energy faster. Since we can’t take water bottles through airport security, I always bring a reusable water bottle. It’s cheaper than buying water at the airport and helps me resist drinking a lot of soda while we’re flying.
I do the same with snacks. I always get tempted by all of the chips and candy when I’m at the airport. I’ll let myself splurge a little, but when I’m packing plane snacks for the kids, I make sure I add in a few things for myself as well. It’s all about balance!
No matter where you travel this summer, packing a bag for yourself is a great way to make sure mom has a good time on the trip too!
My Fire HD 8 tablet is the newest addition to my carry-on essentials. It offers some Amazon-exclusive features that are perfect for travel including:
- On Deck offers a collection of shows that are pre-downloaded in case you’re like me and forget to download something for yourself to watch on the flight!
- Whispersync keeps track of how far you’ve read, watched, or listened. So you can always pick up right at the spot you left off! I love the convenience factor.
- Prime Video, Prime Music, and Prime Reading offer an amazing variety of entertainment options that are all included for Prime members. I love having so many options at my fingertips at no additional charge!
So as you’re planning your family’s next trip, don’t forget about yourself! We work hard in our mom lives and deserve to be comfortable and have a good time while traveling too! It’s easy to take care of the kids and ourselves by sticking to this simple list of must-haves!
Emma says
When I fly with my kids, they often become the priority. I check and double check to make sure I have everything I need to keep them happy while we’re on the plane.