If you travel frequently, you may already own a travel neck pillow and a few other travel accessories for kids. And if you travel with kids or toddlers, a neck pillow for travel would probably make their travel so much easier, especially since they are usually not tall enough to rest their heads on the headrest of most planes and cars. A travel pillow will go a long way in making trips a lot more comfortable. It will prevent neck pains, especially on a long distance or overnight travels. And a kid’s travel pillow will help your child sleep longer, something you might want especially for long-haul flights.
If you do get a kid’s travel neck pillow for your young one, make sure it’s soft, durable, and lightweight.
You want a pillow that can provide good support for that precious head. Avoid bulky pillows when possible, as they might not provide the right support. They might also not be cabin-friendly and besides, who wants to lug around a huge old pillow in an already crammed plane? And we know that the bulkier a pillow is, the more uncomfortable it’s likely to be.
Basically, you want a travel pillow for kids that has the right balance of firmness and softness.
Most kids travel pillows can double up as a kid’s neck rest, car pillow for kids, and so many other uses. A toddler travel pillow is almost similar to a kid’s travel pillow, but finding the best travel pillow for your toddler will depend on their age. The younger your toddler, the smaller the pillow or more flexible the pillow has to be to fit their small body frame.
Choosing a children’s travel pillow is not that difficult if you know what to look out for.
Remember to monitor your child when using a neck pillow or any pillow for sleeping, traveling, or just general use. Children can get into a lot of imaginative play and safe objects like soft pillows can become unsafe if not used properly. We know you won’t be going too far from your kids when you’re traveling on a plane, train, or a car so a travel neck pillow should be something you can use safely to make your travels more comfortable.
We’ve used a lot of kids’ travel neck pillows over the years as we travel the globe with our kids. We know what works for us might not work for you, but here is a list of what you should look out for when considering a kids’ neck pillow for your child:
1. Comfort
Just like your pillow at home, you want a neck pillow comfortable for your kid. An uncomfortable pillow will cause more discomfort for your child than not using a pillow. Since a toddler or child doesn’t have the same body proportions as an adult, the pillow that works for mom and dad might not work for your little one. You need to keep this in mind while ordering a pillow for travel. Remember, since your kid is growing every day, they might also outgrow their neck pillow, just like they will outgrow their car seats, eventually.
2. Support
The ultimate goal of a travel neck pillow is to support the neck during all sorts of travel including car, train, plane and any other travel. If the travel pillow you get for your child does not support the neck and head the right way, then there’s really no need for that support pillow. Since children are much shorter that adults, and their heads often doesn’t touch the headrest on cars, plane, and trains, so, a support pillow is really more important for them than adults who can often rest their heads on the headrest.
3. Durability
Travel can be demanding and gruesome, sometimes. You’re on the move between cars, airports, planes, cities, countries, hotels, etc. Your pillow has to live up to your lifestyle. If you’re a frequent traveler, you’ll want a pillow that can hold up to your family’s globetrotting lifestyle. If you travel once in a while, you might need a less sturdy pillow, but regardless of your travel style, the best neck pillow for kids should be durable and should last long enough without needing to be replaced every other day.
Credits: Wikipedia4. Fabric
The perfect children’s neck pillow is one made with breathable fabric. If it’s hypoallergenic, then you’re off to a great start. If you’re a parent, you know most kids are irritated by cloth tags as their skin is often sensitive. You’ve probably had to cut off cloth tags or buy tagless clothes just to avoid them tugging at their clothes all day. Think how much worse it’ll be when you place a pillow made of scratchy fabric around their neck!
You want to find a fabric that’s soft, breathable and non-irritating if you want your child’s travel neck pillow to last more than just one road trip.
5. Size and Weight
You are already carrying too much with just having a child traveling with you, why add more to your misery? Children’s neck pillow for travel should be small enough to pack without being considered a burden. It should also be light enough that younger kids can hang on to the pillows easily while you’re transitioning between hotels, and airports, and flights, etc – you get the idea. A good neck pillow for a child should be light and small enough for the child to manage without dragging them down. A good toddler neck pillow shouldn’t add too much weight to the stroller or car seat you’re probably already unwillingly lugging around.
6. Easy to Clean
You probably already know this and we can assume everything your child owns needs to be cleaned sooner than later. The best travel pillow you can get for your toddler or child is one that you can clean easily. Let’s face it. When you’re in that car, train, or plane for hours with your child, they are bound to eat and drink at some point and that pillow will be messed up. And if your child is particularly attached to their travel pillow and won’t let it go, then it’s bound to get dirtier, even faster. Our advice is to make sure you get travel neck pillows that are easy to clean so you’re not stuck traveling with germ-ridden and dirty neck pillows.
7. Affordability
Even if you have a ton of cash lying around, you want a pillow that is affordable in the long run because chances are you might need to replace the pillow a few times as your child outgrows or loses the pillow, or just plainly wants something different. Or even due to natural wear-and-tear. If you purchase a durable pillow, you won’t have to worry about the pillow being torn too soon. Keeping your pillow affordable means you can replace it as needed without feeling that you’re wasting money.
Now you know why a kids’ travel neck pillow is a travel essential, we hope you consider getting one!
Our Five Best Neck Travel Pilow
Disclosure: The post has links to our affiliate partners and when you purchase using our links, we will earn a commission to maintain our website but at no additional cost to you. We are an independent company, and our reviews are based entirely on our own opinions and experiences.
1. BCOZZY Kids Chin Support Travel Neck Pillow
This kids travel neck pillow is super comfortable and recommended for children ages 3 years old. It supports the chin, neck, and entire head area while keeping the head steady and relaxed. It is great for car rides and plane rides. It is also versatile, so it can be worn in multiple ways based on your need. Most importantly, it comes with a snap strap so your child never has to lose the pillow as you can secure it to your carryon luggage while on the move. At this time, it is one of the best parent-approved travel neck pillows for kids.
2. RESTCLOUD Kids Travel Neck Pillow
The first thing we love about this kids’ travel neck pillow is that it comes with a bag, so you can compress the pillow to make it easier for traveling and save space. It is super soft, yet ergonomic, so your child’s head is upright but comfortable during your travels. It is resistant to mold, bacteria, and dust mites – great for that super sensitive child. The designs come in various colors to match your child’s personality. This is rated as one of our best neck pillow for travel for being hypoallergenic.
3. CRITTER PILLER Kids Travel Buddy and Comfort Pillow
This kids travel neck pillow is, first, hypoallergenic! It is also cuddly, so it doubles as a travel companion and travel neck pillow so your young one can travel in comfort with a stuffed buddy. The pillow is machine washable and filled with recycled feather-soft microfibers, so you can help keep the environment green while traveling in comfort. It’s soft, cute, and will support your child’s head at the right angle. Critter Piller is also versatile and can function as a kid travel pillow, baby travel pillow, a kid car pillow, and a baby car pillow. It is recommended for kids 3 years and up. We have this on our list of best travel neck pillows for long flights for children.
4. DOT & DOT Memory Foam Twist Pillow
This travel neck pillow is more than just a neck support travel pillow due to its flexible joints that allow you to bend it into several shapes and adjust the pillow to fit your neck, back, head, legs, and other parts of the body. Because of its high versatility and comfort, Dot & Dot Memory Foam Pillow is loved by parents and ranked highly. It is exceptionally soft, safe, and built to withstand all the play you know will come with a pillow this fun. The main pillow is covered by a breathable cotton for more comfort. The pillow cover is also easy to remove and wash. The great thing about this brand is that the pillow can be used by both adults and kids due to it’s flexibility. It can also be used for car, plane, train, and other travels. This is a neck travel pillow that we highly recommend due to its versatility.
5. NIDO Nest Kids Travel Pillow Rest
This kids travel neck pillow is great for airplanes, cars, road trips, and sleeping. We like this neck travel pillow because of its cute little designs. This travel neck pillow is breathable and is filled with microbeads, which offers great support for children compared to a stiff foam pillow. The microbeads help support little heads, so they are not pushed forward but are supported firmly. The Nido Nest kids travel neck pillow is easy-to-clean, secures with a snap, and is lightweight.
Travel pillows provide comfort and support to the head and neck while traveling. If you don’t have a travel neck pillow for you or your child, consider investing in one before your next trip. It will make a difference to your travel comfort and satisfaction. And if you’re planning a long haul flight, get one of these best travel neck pillows for long flights to make your trip easier. And if you want to make your trip with your young one even more comfortable, consider adding more kids travel accessories to your travel essentials.
