Traveling with kids changes what “safe” means. You’re not only thinking about pickpockets and taxis anymore. You’re thinking about car seats, a toddler who wanders off at the gate, a teenager with their own phone and plans, and what happens if someone gets sick at 2 a.m. in a country where you don’t speak the language.
This checklist is split by age, because a baby, an eight-year-old and a sixteen-year-old need very different kinds of planning. Use the parts that fit your family, and skip the rest.
Last reviewed: November 2026. This is general planning information. For medical questions, such as vaccines, medication doses or flying with a newborn, talk to your child’s doctor.
For every family: documents and paperwork
- Passports for everyone, including babies. In the US, passports for children under 16 are valid for five years, and both parents or guardians normally need to consent to the application. The State Department’s under-16 page explains the process.
- Check passport validity. Many countries want at least six months left on the passport. Kids’ passports expire faster than you’d think.
- A consent letter if a child is traveling with only one parent, with grandparents or with a school group. Some countries and airlines ask for one. Canada’s government, for example, recommends a consent letter for children traveling abroad.
- Copies of everything: passports, birth certificates (useful if surnames differ), insurance and prescriptions. Keep paper copies and photos on your phone.
- Travel insurance that covers every child, including medical evacuation, and that you’ve actually read. If you want a version you can tick off and print, the trip safety checklist covers the whole family’s documents, and my travel safety tips to sort out before you leave home cover the grown-ups.
Babies and toddlers (0 to 3)
On the plane. On US flights, children under two can usually fly on a parent’s lap, but the FAA strongly recommends a seat with an approved child restraint. Check that your car seat has the FAA approval label, and that it fits the airline’s seat width. The FAA’s flying with children page has the details.
On the ground. Car seat laws and availability vary a lot by country. Rental companies can supply seats, but quality and fit aren’t guaranteed. Many parents bring their own or book a taxi service that provides one.
In your room. Do a quick sweep when you arrive: balcony gaps, blind cords, unsecured furniture, the minibar, medication in bags on the floor and pool access. Pack a few outlet covers and a roll of tape.
Health. Pack a small kit with a thermometer, the children’s fever reducer your doctor recommends, oral rehydration salts, plasters and any prescriptions. Ask your doctor about vaccines and food and water safety for your destination well before you go.
Young kids (4 to 10)
The “if we get separated” plan. This is the one I’d prioritize. Before you go into airports, theme parks, beaches or markets:
- Agree on a meeting point you can all see, such as the information desk or a big landmark.
- Teach them to look for a person in uniform, or a parent with kids, and to stay put.
- Put your phone number on them, on a wristband, a card in a pocket, or written on their arm in marker.
- Take a photo of them each morning, so you have a current picture of what they’re wearing.
Water safety. Hotel pools often don’t have lifeguards, and beaches may have strong currents. Learn the local flag system, and stay within arm’s reach of weak swimmers.
Road safety. In countries that drive on the left, children (and adults) look the wrong way first. Practice “look both ways, then again” at every crossing.
Tweens and teens (11 to 17)
Older kids want some independence, and a bit of it is good for them. The trick is to agree on the rules before you’re standing in a busy square arguing about them.
- Phones: make sure their phone works abroad (an eSIM or roaming plan), and agree on location sharing for the trip.
- Check-in times and what happens if their battery dies. A small power bank helps.
- Money: give them a prepaid travel card or a small amount of local cash, rather than your main card.
- Scams and pickpockets: teens are often targeted because they’re distracted by their phones. Our guide to common travel scams is a quick, eye-opening read for them.
- Local laws: drinking ages, curfews, scooter rules and drug laws can be very different (and penalties very serious) in other countries.
- Emergency numbers saved in their phone, plus the address of where you’re staying, in the local language.
Where you stay
A few questions are worth asking before you book: is there a fence around the pool? Are the balconies safe for small children? Is there a crib, and does it meet safety standards? Our accommodation safety guide has a full list of checks for hotels and rentals.
If something goes wrong
Save the local emergency number, your embassy’s contact details and your insurer’s 24-hour assistance line in every adult’s phone. If a child is lost, tell staff and security immediately, and don’t wait. If you need medical care, call your insurer early, because many policies want to approve treatment. Our step-by-step guide to travel emergencies abroad covers lost passports, theft and medical problems.
For hotel and rental rooms with small kids who wander, a portable door lock is cheap peace of mind.
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The night-before checklist
- Passports, consent letters and insurance details are in one place.
- Each child has your phone number on them.
- Everyone knows the “if we get separated” plan.
- Medicines and the first aid kit are in your carry-on, not the checked bag.
- Phones are charged, with offline maps downloaded.
