Kids’ Luggage

Knowing my four kiddos, I knew I had to purchase a new suitcase for each of them for our upcoming adventures – typically I would have forced them (lovingly) to just use whatever bags we had lying around, but we already made them pack up most of their beloved belongings for this year adventure, so the giver in me said “buy them each a new suitcase”!  I quickly made a list of my “must haves” in a suitcase for each child (Eliana and Kirra’s lists turned out the same, as did Quinn and Niyah’s, so that made my search a tad easier).

Kirra and Eliana’s List:

• Four Wheels – for ease of rolling and moving about airports, sidewalks, houses, etc.
• Hard Shell – this was not my first choice, but the more I researched, the more comfortable I became in purchasing a hard shell suitcase that was dent/scratch resistant
• Lightweight – this was a MUST as we chose to fly with an airline who’s weight restrictions were much more, well, restrictive!
• Color Options – the girls did not want matching suitcases AND we have always steered clear of the most common colors (black, forest green, navy blue) so we can pick them out easily in baggage claim
• Backpacks – small is what we were going for here – nothing large like a school backpack, but something that would fit all of their essentials (Kindles, coloring tools, a book, etc.

Quinn and Niyah’s List:

• Animal Print – Quinn is our dinosaur expert and requested (*read: DEMANDED) to have a dinosaur suitcase and Niyah just loves anything bright, colorful, and animal related
• Four Wheels – this was a MUST as these two littles were most definitely going to push their cases through the airport (although I ended up forgetting this MUST when purchasing Niyah’s and ended up with two wheels – it was fine, but man, the four wheels would have been MUCH easier)
• Lightweight, but Roomy – we needed these cases to hold all of their clothing for the year, but still be light enough to take on the flight as a carry-on
• Hard-shell – knowing how rough these two are on their toys, I wanted something hard enough to keep their belongings safe in transit
• Matching Backpack Included – this was not a must, but definitely a bonus (one-stop shopping is my favorite!)

With all of that in mind, here’s what I found for the kiddos!

Niyah ended up with the set of ladybug cases.  The rolling case only has two wheels, which were a tad inconvenient (but not impossible), especially for a 23 month old wanting to do it her “seph”!  The mini backpack fits perfectly on her little back and definitely was able to hold much more than I had anticipated – two small stuffed animals, 3 board books, a fidget spinner, Crayola Twistables, a notebook, a deck of cards, two other portable games, and her headphones.  The suitcase held a good amount as well, including diapers, wipes, and most of her clothing.  All in all, it was a great buy and one that will hold up for many more miles!

Quinn ended up with the dinosaur set (no surprises there)!  This, by far, was my favorite luggage purchase!  His rolling case has four wheels, which made it super easy to wheel about the airports!  The handle is easy to use and the backpack has an added strap on the back that slips over the suitcase handle, so he was able to move quickly from gate to gate without having to wear his backpack!  Again, these cases held much more than I had anticipated!  Quinn chose 4 books of varying sizes, a ziplock full of mini dinosaurs, his headphones, fidget spinner, a set of Creator Legos, a pen and pad of paper, and a large stuffed panda!  His suitcase held most of his clothing and all of our families toiletries/liquids!  I am very impressed with the construction and functionality of this luggage set – and it’s darn cute!

Kirra and Eliana each chose their favorite color of the Samsonite Omni case (radiant pink and teal).  These suitcases are AWESOME!  The four-wheel design allows them to maneuver seamlessly throughout the airports.  The cases are very strong and have no signs of dents or scratches after several flights!  They have built-in TSA approved locks, which were very easy to set, and something the girls thought was pretty cool since they each got to choose their own combinations!  The cases are expandable, so we were able to fit heaps of our belongings in each of them without any hassle.  We did end up purchasing $5 straps from Target to wrap around them for a little extra protection, but I really do not think this was necessary.  I am considering purchasing two more of these cases (maybe in 24″ or 28″) for our travels home next year since I am so impressed by them already!

Kirra chose the Kavu Rope Sling Backpack – there are multiple colors and patterns from which to choose – she went with a black and white chevron.  It held more than I thought it would – her Kindle, an iPod, two books, a notebook, several pens, ear buds, and even a small packing cube filled with her overnight clothing!  I am super disappointed that I didn’t get one for myself, but I am sure Kirra will share (wishful thinking)!

Eliana chose The North Face Youth Recon, and boy do we love this pack!  It really is the perfect size for a child.  In fact, once we saw how much it could hold, we wished we would have purchased one for each kiddo!  There are multiple pockets and hidden compartments, which for Eliana, is PERFECT, as she is my collector!  We did not have any issues fitting all of her special belongs and small packing cube in this backpack for our recent travels!

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