So now that we are a family of four, we just can't fit the kids clothes in with our luggage any more. I am thinking of getting my 4 year old his own suitcase. I've seen the ones at Pottery Barn Kids and wondered how they hold up. I was also looking at a rolling duffel at Lands End and wondered if that would be a better option, but it's not as structured as a suitcase. Any experience with either of these?
Update: It needs to be big enough for him to put his luggage in. Some of the suggestions I think are cute but not big enough, especially when you are packing winter clothes.
My son has a cute kids one from Target that has been on several vacations so far, but with winter clothes you'd need something a bit bigger...
I'd probably just get him a rolling carry-on in a fun color. It doesn't have to be a "kids" item.
HTH
T.
I want a trunki by melissa and doug.
My kids have always had regular carry-on suitcases with wheels that fit under the seat in airplanes. When they were younger, they could fit their clothing and their toys. Now that they are older, they fit whatever they are going to wear for the length of time we are going. We always travel "carry-on only". We never check luggage.
LBC
I have a suitcase that is about the size of a backpack with wheels. My 3 yrs old has claimed it as her own. It is the perfect size for her to wheel around.
In the luggage section at Target look for the compression bags that they have. They look like big ziploc bags. You put clothes in them, zip them closed, and roll them to press the air out. It is amazing how much I can get to fit. I can pack a week's worth of clothes for the four of us in two large suitcases. This summer that even included jeans, sweatshirts, and jackets since there was the possibility that we were going to be up in the mountains. The added benefit is that our clothes have been protected two different times from exploding shampoo bottles! With two kids (2 and 4), the less luggage we have the better. I made the mistake of taking small bags for us on a long weekend trip. By the time we threw in my purse, the diaper bag, a small cooler bag, etc, we had about 12 small bags to keep track of. The cuteness factor of seeing our daughter pull a small bagby herself was not worth the hassle of trying to keep track of everything. Travel is stressful enough with two kids!
My granddaughter has one that looks like a Owl and it has a handle and wheels. It holds a lot and is softsided. She has had it for 2 years at least and it is still in wonderful condition. I am not sure of the brand though.
Our son just got a fairly inexpensive one when he was 3 yrs old...and he still LOVES it. It looks like a Thomas the Train. You pull it along behind you. He is 7 and still loves that thing even though he has completely outgrown Thomas. One of these days we'll get him a quality suitcase/luggage but this one has been so much fun for him. So, I recommend you look for something fun like that. Something that will delight him. He's only a little kid once!!! :) (I saw little pull along suitcases called Trunki that you can sit and ride on.)
