Compact Blow-up Mattress for Kids Is Necessary for Family Travel

Trudging through the airport, dragging our suitcases and an overtired baby along, and trying to find the oversized baggage area is not a great way to start a vacation. But we had to pick up the bulky portable crib, which we had dragged with us all the way to Italy for our first vacation with my then-7-month-old nephew.

Now, with him a little older (and us a lot wiser), we have discovered a better solution: the hiccapop Inflatable Toddler Travel Bed with Safety Bumpers.

To buy: amazon.com, $70

This kid-size version of an air mattress is the perfect portable travel accessory to make sure your child always has a safe bed to sleep in without the heft of bringing a whole crib with you.

The bed, for children 18-months and up, is perfect for little ones who can’t sleep in adult beds yet as well as their parents who don’t want to haul a crib across the world (or even just across town to a relative’s house). The beds have extra-large built-in rail bumpers so children won’t roll out of bed, and the mattress fits all standard crib sheets and blankets.

The bed inflates in about 30 seconds with its high-speed pump. And the best part is it folds down into a small bag that easily fits in your carry-on suitcase making it easy to bring your young child on all your jet setting adventures.

At about $70, it’s not the cheapest travel option, but traveling with kids is hard enough so anything that can make it easier is worth it.

Getting ready for bed in a hotel in Portland earlier this summer, my sister blew up the mattress and settled my nephew in for bed all before I had finished brushing my teeth. We were easily able to roll it up the next morning before one last day sightseeing in the “City of Roses.”

And we’re not alone in finding this bed easy to use and convenient: it has more than 1,300 5-star reviews on Amazon.

“Fantastic travel bed!! We got this bed for a trip we were taking with my (just turned) 2-year-old. He's a big boy, and outgrew his pack n play a while ago… I would definitely recommend this!” deborah wrote. “We also have four dogs that have tried laying on it and my husband has gotten into it with my son many, many times to read books and it is still holding up great! It is very well-made and is very strong. We look forward to using this bed many times in the future for vacations and camping trips. This would work great for sleepovers too!”

Amy wrote that she bought the bed for her 3-year-old child who “slept comfortably on it every night for [a] week-long vacation. It's big enough that I think it would work for most kids in the 2-6 age range. I especially like that it came with a storage/tote bag that's actually big enough to hold the bed and pump easily.”

Jennifer P Wilson wrote that she bought this bed so that family would be easier.

“We ordered this since we are a family of six and hotels don’t always (affordably) have a set up that works for cranky kids after a day of driving. The intention was for our three year old son to sleep on it for an upcoming trip to Oregon,” she wrote. “My son immediately loved this bed that he kept referring to as his 'fishing pool'. We let him sleep in it last night and he really likes it and it didn’t deflate at all.”

And ARene wrote that it made traveling much easier. “No sharing a bed, no paying for a rollaway cot, or trying to make the kids share a bed (they won't). These were small enough when packed to easily bring them with us including their pump, and they inflated in minutes,” ARene wrote. “The kids loved them, slept and napped like [a] dream. Worth every penny.”

Get your hands on the hiccapop Inflatable Toddler Travel Bed with Safety Bumpers on Amazon.com for $70.