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Travelling with a child can be challenging at the best of times. If you’ve ever spent the entire duration of a flight with a screaming toddler, you’ll agree that any gadget or accessory that promises to reduce stress by even one iota is worth its weight in gold. I’m very much in the ‘throw money at the problem’ camp, and have spent an alarming amount on tricks and tools that promise to make travelling easier and calmer, and, if ever possible, even enjoyable. From disposable bottle teats that fit onto formula bottles to prams that you can fold one-handed, to nappy bags that promise otherworldly packing capabilities, I’m willing to try it all if it will help. As my toddler reaches a stage of actively wanting her own bag, I wanted to invest in a child-friendly suitcase, one that can be both luggage, seating, and even a toy.
This Jetkids ride-on sleep box by chic baby brand Stokke (I also have its oval cot, which is the envy of many a stylish parent) takes the fundamentals of the ride-on children's suitcase and builds on it, turning it into an in-flight bed. It comes with foldable padded blankets to make one streamlined sleeping area once you're settled on your in-flight seat. It also has adjustable straps allowing you (the parent) to carry the case over your shoulder, or for you (most likely the child) to pull the case on the floor behind you. The top of the case acts as a lid and is removable and invertible (for ‘tabletop’ mode) as well as being a secret storage compartment - particularly handy if you don’t want your child finding all the snacks on the first rummage.
First impressions
First of all, my daughter loved this. She’s just turned two and is obsessed with anything toddler-sized that she can push and pull around. Also, anything that is ‘hers’. The moment it arrived in our house she was obsessed – she referred to it as her ‘train’ and faithfully dragged it around our hallway for the best part of half a day. It’s also immediately a winning toy as it comes with stickers. Not just a few stickers - a full three sheets worth of fun colourful stickers, plus letter stickers for name writing. Her eyes lit up, and a glorious 45 minutes were filled with her sticking every possible sticker to every possible surface of the suitcase (and the surrounding area).
Packing
I was slightly underwhelmed by the packing capabilities. If you just want supplies for the flight, then this is adequate; it can house a change of clothes or sleep clothing, as well as a few snacks, a cup, a book, and a toy, the same supplies as you would carry in a nappy bag, but no more. Plus, the padded sheet extras do take up quite a lot of room. This doesn’t feel like it was designed for the over-packing parent. If you’re hoping this is all the luggage you’ll need for a holiday then this is certainly not for you. But if you’re looking for a more travel-friendly version of a pram bag, then this is great. Likewise, if you usually have a rucksack for all of your child’s essentials, but need to diversify your baggage for a flight, this is a super handy alternative.
Size
I’ve so far taken this on two flights; one with BA and one with EasyJet. For EasyJet I was worried; the case is slightly bigger than its strict carry-on size limit, while only by a centimetre or two, but it definitely wouldn’t fit into one of the metal size-discerning boxes at check-in. Luckily, I’ve never met a strict airport worker when travelling with a baby or toddler, so all was fine, however it’s definitely worth noting that it could be considered too big. Otherwise, it’s a good, compact size, and the vertical shape is surprisingly handy when you’re playing car vs luggage Tetris.
Airport
At the airport, this was a really handy piece of kit. My daughter carried (read: dragged) this suitcase the entire time, and it was certainly useful having all of her bits and pieces in one bag (as opposed to being spread between mine and my partner's bags or hidden in pram pockets). We travelled with a small, collapsible pram as well, which was mainly used to carry our bags, as my daughter insisted on walking. It also makes security easier as you can keep all of your oversized liquids together and put all the milk and snacks in one tray. My daughter didn’t make use of it as a seat but it's definitely helpful to know that that is an option.
What I would say, as useful as it was to have her own bag which she carried, if I had been travelling by myself I’m not sure I would have been so convinced. If you’re travelling with your partner or family, ie you’ll have more than one set of hands per child, then it’s fine to have separate bags, but for solo travellers, I would want just one bag for all of our things - there’s no way I could have managed this case on top of extra bags and a pram. Especially as you need to carry children for a vast portion of the airport process.
In-flight
This is where the case really shines. It fits into the legroom area like a glove, and the ‘lid’ compartment is height adjustable, making for one seamless seating area. You can invert the lid so it’s flat, in line with the seat, and then put the padded sheets on top to make a bed. If you’re travelling long haul this would be really invaluable.
However, do note that you can’t keep the suitcase in this position for take-off or landing if it blocks a path (i.e. in any seat other than the window). Also, if your child is lying down fully, which the suitcase does allow, it means that they can’t simultaneously be wearing their seatbelt, which is also not allowed for take-off and landing, or of course, any time during turbulence, which is slightly defeats the purpose.
Summary
Overall, it’s certainly helpful to have a small piece of luggage that your child will love and carry themselves, as well as one container for all of their essentials. If you’re travelling for a family holiday, this is really great, and something that children will really enjoy. I’ll certainly be using this for family holidays in the future. For in-flight sleeping, this would be hit-and-miss, but always good to have the option where possible. For solo-parent travels, I wouldn’t recommend it as you couldn’t carry your child, plus this case (plus pram and your own luggage) all at once.