Family Trip Essentials: JetKids BedBox

Don’t Leave Home for a Flight Without It

As part of our Family Trip Essentials series, each day we will highlight one item we used extensively during our trip, from entertainment to necessities like food and water. Our three kids, at ages 11, 9, and 7, now pack their own travel entertainment bags and their clothes as well. Some items, therefore, were chosen entirely by the kids, while some we packed to make our lives easier. 

Despite the fact that our kids have long since passed the napping stage, I wouldn’t dream of boarding a flight without our JetKids BedBox. This item made the top of the list for both the adults and kids for our recent trip aboard. With a ten hour overnight flight, we didn’t have to put a moment’s thought into bringing it with us, though we take it for much shorter daytime flights as well.

The wheeled ride works great for traversing long distances between airport security and gates, and connecting flights. Since this trip was the first one we didn’t take a stroller, the JetKids BedBox gave us a lot of flexibility in letting kids ride without the hassle of gate checking a set of wheels. It went underneath the seat on all but one of our four flights, and easily fits into the overhead bin if necessary. Our kids like having it as a footrest underneath the seat in front of them.

Even though our oldest son, at age 11, is well past the weight limit, the other two kids still fight over who gets to ride on the BedBox and who gets to use it on board. It makes a great trade off when negotiating which kid gets what seat on board. We can balance window seats, preferred seat mates, and the BedBox to make everyone satisfied, if not downright happy.

Our daughter used the BedBox during our overnight flight, even though at age nine she can’t fit easily onto the bed surface any more. It gave her more room to spread out, and also allowed our seven year old to prop up his feet when sprawled across my lap and his own seat, without invading his sister’s seat space. It dramatically increased the number of different positions she could try for resting, sleeping, and just changing positions while on board.

We did not end up using the BedBox on either of the shorter two flights, but we still got a lot of mileage out of it as an extra seat near the windows at the gate and as a means of transport through the airports. All three kids will fight over who rides and who gets to pull it, so you know they love it. Add to all that the inside storage space for snacks, entertainment, and more, and it’s a no-brainer to bring along.

If you haven’t already made the investment in a JetKids BedBox, we’d encourage you to get one for your next flight. Although it’s meant for younger kids, we’ve gotten tons of miles out of our suitcase and I don’t see it getting retired anytime soon.