27 Walmart Products You May Not Have Thought To Get Before Your Family Vacation

Buzz Feed

01-04-2025

We hope you love our recommendations! Some may have been sent as samples, but all were independently selected by our editors. Just FYI, BuzzFeed and its publishing partners may collect a share of sales and/or other compensation from the links on this page.
Consider this your packing checklist — it should cover everything that'll make trips easier for parents and kids.
1. A kids' travel tray, which is like their own little backseat workstation. The "desk" part is actually a dry-erase board, and there are dedicated holders for the two most important things for kids on long car trips: tablets and water bottles.
Walmart
Promising review:"Used this for my two boys driving over 2,000 miles for vacation and it was A HIT! They loved it and so did I! Very functional! Easy to unclip to go to the bathroom and clip back up! Keeps everything zipped up, and nothing spills over!!!" — Violet
2. A pack of four TSA-approved travel bottles for all of the lotions and potions that babies and kids require so you don't have to travel with all of those full-size bottles taking up extra luggage space.
Walmart
Promising review:"Absolutely perfect! They're easy to fill and come with labels. It's perfect for my busy traveling life!" — Morgan
3. A pair of foldable, wired and wireless (thanks Bluetooth) cat ear headphones that'll purr for up to 10 hours of listening time. The adjustable headband makes them comfortable, while the light-up kitty ears make them spectacular.
Walmart
Promising review:"I bought these for my daughter's 8th birthday, and she absolutely loves them. The setup was very easy, and she connected them to several tablets and my phone without an issue. Bluetooth connects quickly and doesn't have any issues disconnecting. The lights are awesome and charging is a breeze." — Rachel
4. A three-pack of kids' sunglasses so little eyes stay protected, and little hands can't break them with any twisting or bending. Plus, every baby looks cool wearing these!
Walmart
Promising review:"Wow. These glasses are better than I expected. The material is soft and flexible; it won't hurt your kid's skin. They are very well-made and polarized!! I have to say it's the best deal ever !! My kids love them." — Lan
5. An eight-piece packing cube set that's not just for organizing suitcases for family trips. Use these to store an extra set of clothes (kids are gonna kid) in your go-bag or in the car.
Walmart
Promising review:"These bags are perfect! They hold so many clothes. I bought these because they were machine washable. I've washed them a few times now, and they are holding up perfectly! I like being able to organize everything. It's so much easier to go through the luggage when everything is sorted into bags." — Kristina
6. A Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza card game (a personal favorite of mine) where players take turns calling out the words taco, cat, goat, cheese, and pizza (in that order) until the word matches the card. But watch out for those gorilla, groundhog, and narwhal cards!
Walmart
Promising review:"My kids and I really like Taco, Cat, Goat, Cheese, Pizza! You go around the circle, and each person says an item. If the card matches what you say, everyone tries to slap the deck. The last person to slap the deck must take all the cards. There are also action cards in the deck. This game keeps you on your toes, and there will be laughing!" — Lisa
7. A cordless, rechargeable car vacuum cleaner that'll clean every nook and cranny from the dashboard to the trunk for 20–30 minutes on one charge.
Walmart
Promising review:"I had a DustBuster years ago, but this outperforms that by miles! It has decent suction and is very easy to clean. I use this in the corners and spills in the kitchen, like flour, rice, oats, etc., or even on the counter or table for crumbs. — Jan
8. A rechargeable and flexible stroller fan with three settings so the kids (and you) can keep cool throughout your trip.
Walmart
9. A 12-pack of travel-sized Purell advanced hand sanitizer gels because you can never have enough clean hands, and there's nothing worse than catching a bug while on vacation.
10. A Graco Pack 'n Play so babies can nap and sleep comfortably anywhere when traveling. It's especially helpful if it's already used regularly at home because it creates a familiar environment for snoozing.
Walmart
Promising review:"This is the third Graco Pack 'n Play we've purchased. We tried other brands but this one was the best quality and price. It works great while opened and is easy to close and transport." — Walmart customer
11. An Anker PowerCore Select 10000 portable charger because one of the worst moments you'll experience while traveling with kids is when their favorite device runs out of juice at the absolute worst time. This power bank allows for simultaneous charging, so no fighting over it (hopefully).
Walmart
Promising review:"Good size, easy to handle and hold. I charged three phones, one charger, and two small fans, including one with light. It's great to have during the hurricane season and/or if you're in an area where the power now goes out for no known reason. Great price, too!" — Jaynie
12. A 3-in-1 multi-charging cable so you can cut down on packing an excessive amount of cords, always have the right plug, and be able to juice up several devices at once.
Walmart
Promising review:"Oh my gosh, this is the way to go when your devices are being charged with different cords. I can plug the one into the wall adapter and then plug it into all my devices. And I do mean I plug in my Apple phone, Kindle, and new iPad all at once instead of using three different cords and switching them out all the time. What a game-changer. Little things like this sure do help." — Debra
13. A pack of 80 DEET-free mosquito repellent patches for kids and adults infused with peppermint and citronella oil for 24-hour protection. Stick one on, and those bugs won't be bothering you.
14. A six-pack of Munchkin jumbo microwave bottle sterilizer bags so you can thoroughly disinfect bottles or breastfeeding equipment by eliminating 99.9% of the most common bacteria and germs. Just add water and pop it in the microwave for as little as 90 seconds.
Walmart
Promising review:"I love this sterilizer bag. Before using these I would sterilize all my bottles and pump parts in a pot of boiling water. With this bag, I just toss a bunch of parts in, add a little water, and in a few minutes, I'm done. You can easily dump out the water without opening the bag and avoid burning your hands immediately by handling the bag using the cool tab. I love the check boxes on the front to remind me how many times I've used each bag. These can be used up to 30 times." — sorrycharlie625
Price: $11.11
15. A machine-washable, 70 x 60-inch packable blanket made with 100% recycled polyester fabrics. It includes a sack for easy storage in the car or a carry-on and it's great for for impromptu naps, snuggle times, or general chilling outdoors, thanks to its durable protective bottom.
Walmart
Promising review:"Perfect camping or trip blanket that is easily stored and lightweight for travel, and honestly does its job well in keeping one toasty and comfortable. Not to mention, the colors are beautiful, making it an attractive blanket." — Yootuni
16. An inflatable bathtub because even though you're on vacation, you still have to wash that kid, and unless otherwise requested, most hotel/motel rooms don't have a tub.
Walmart
Promising review:"I bought this tub for my grandson because my daughter only has a shower. And it really helped a lot. Because he's a toddler now, and she can't give him a bath in the sink anymore. And he loves it. This isn't just for babies it can be used for a toddler also." — Valery
17. A 20-pack of disposable, hooded, button-down kids' rain ponchos for those times when you forgot to check the weather app (re: most of the time) or when a storm blows in unannounced.
18. A 250-piece first aid kit packed with bandages, butterfly closures, gauze pads, ointments, examination gloves, an instant cold compress, and more for any emergencies that don't (hopefully) require a trip to the emergency room.
Walmart
Promising review:"This is that kit you buy, put in the back of the car, go on a road trip with friends/family, and then thank yourself for later. The kit itself is fairly inexpensive, and the first aid gear inside of it reflects that. We chose it due to its ideal size and list of contents. It is just as expected. Let's just hope we don't have to use it too often." — Jasmine
19. A UPF 50+ sun-protective, wide-brim bucket hat to keep kids' heads, faces, and necks safe from that summer sun while the drawstring keeps it secured from blowing away and getting lost. The hat also folds up for easy on-the-go storage.
Walmart
20. A Philips Avent fast baby bottle warmer because babies want, nay demand, that their babas are above room temperature, and you know there will be hell to pay if they're not. Plus, most hotel rooms don't have microwaves.
Walmart
21. A set of two Drop Stop car seat gap fillers (as seen on Shark Tank) that'll keep you and the kids from dropping phones, crayons, loose change, or french fries into the deep, dark, unreachable voids of your car.
Walmart
Promising review:"These seat gap fillers worked GREAT! EASY to install and definitely do the trick! Terrific design makes it clear that they would fit almost any car model. We have a gap that isn't very wide, and this still fits down into it. The narrow gap makes it impossible to get your hand down the side of the seat to recover things, so the gap filler is perfect!" — SherryH
22. A pack of 120 dog poop bags because, now hear me out here, you're not going to be traveling with a Diaper Genie, but you're still going to have to deal with dirty, stinky diapers piling up.
Walmart
24. A Crayola Color Wonder mess-free coloring kit with markers that only work on the special coloring paper included. No more worrying about any "Redrum" happening to the walls.
Walmart
Promising review:"If you're looking for an item to keep your kids busy in the car or plane, you've found it! Easy to open, keeps all items contained. Great for traveling." — Erica
Price: $11.27
25. A waterproof car trash can with a lid and storage pockets for instilling just a modicum of hope that you might be able to keep the car somewhat cleaner than the house. Maybe.
Walmart
Promising review:"I got this for my car and it hangs over the back of the passenger seat. It is well-made, comes with bags, has side pockets, and is my new favorite gift to buy for people." — TopNun
Price: $20.70
26. A foldable Oxo Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty because when they gotta go, you know they gotta go! Like, right now! No bathroom? No problem; extend the legs, and voilà, you've got an instant roadside commode. This potty also lays flat on regular toilets for a more comfortable seat on the throne.
Walmart
Includes three disposable bags with absorbent pads and a travel bag.
Promising review:"This is perfect for keeping in the back of the car for travelling. Right now, we are potty training, and we can just pull over and have him go on the side of the road. It is also perfect for public restrooms, so he feels like he won't fall in. He likes it too, which is a huge plus." — debbie
Price: $20.99 (available in three colors)
27. An eight-count of grape-flavored Dramamine Motion Sickness chewables for kids so you can get through any car trip without stopping, scrambling for a plastic bag, and eventually having to clean up puke.
Walmart
Promising review:"My family truly enjoys this product. My kids get motion sickness when driving in the car for long periods. As long as they have Dramamine before our trip, they always do great. They love the flavor of these chewables! The little container they come in is great for travel. Highly recommend!" — Kady
Price: $4.57
Reviews have been edited for length and/or clarity.