Packing for a family holiday abroad always comes down to two piles: the clothes everyone actually wears, and the gadgets that quietly save the holiday. Most families spend hours perfecting the first pile and almost no time on the second, then wonder why day one turns into a scramble at the airport.
A good tech kit does not need to be complicated. It needs to solve a handful of predictable problems: staying connected, keeping devices charged, entertaining tired kids, and providing backups for just about everything. Here is what earns a spot in our bag on every international trip, and why:
Connectivity Comes First
Nothing derails a travel day faster than landing in a new country with no way to call a driver, pull up a map, or check into a hotel. Before we even think about chargers or headphones, we sort out mobile data.
For years, this meant hunting for an airport SIM kiosk with long queues or paying eye-watering roaming rates. These days, an eSIM solves the problem before the plane touches down. We set ours up before departure, and it activates automatically the moment we land. This means kids can watch something offline-adjacent on the taxi ride while you pull up directions on your own phone.
This matters even more on longer, farther-flung holidays where your network provider charges steep roaming fees. If you are travelling to, say, Japan itinerary, grabbing an esim coupon ahead of time means the whole family can navigate Tokyo’s train system, translate a menu, or send a quick photo home without hunting for Wi-Fi at every stop.
A Charging Setup That Actually Keeps Up
One charging cable per family member is not a system, it is a recipe for a 9 pm argument over whose phone gets plugged in first. A multi-port charging block and one solid portable power bank fix this instantly. I pack a power bank rated for at least two full phone charges, since airport layovers and long travel days drain batteries fast, and everyone wants their device topped up before the next leg.
A short universal adapter also earns its place, even for destinations that use the same plug type as home. Hotel sockets are often positioned awkwardly behind furniture, and a compact adapter with multiple USB ports means the whole family can charge from one spot instead of fighting over the two sockets near the bed.
Entertainment That Does Not Rely on Wi-Fi
Kids get restless the moment a flight delay hits or a train ride runs longer than planned, so I always load devices with offline content before leaving home. Downloaded movies, audiobooks, and a couple of simple games cover most stretches where connectivity is patchy, like mid-flight or deep underground on public transport. Headphones matter just as much as the content itself. Having a set per child means everyone can watch their favourite series, and your kids don’t disturb each other or nearby passengers on the flight.
If you are travelling with teenagers, who have their own phones or other devices, make sure you talk to them about staying secure online when travelling before you set off on holiday.
The Small Backups That Save The Trip
A few low-cost extras complete the kit and can save the day (literally) whether that’s preventing a meltdown or the kind of minor disaster that eats an afternoon of holiday time. These include cheap spares for items that often get left behind on planes or in hotel rooms or get frayed, such as headphones or charging cables.
Essential travel documents stored on your phone and/or laptop should be backed up to ensure they can be accessed from another device in the event your gadgets are lost or stolen.
Equally, if hold luggage is delayed or goes missing, a small stash of essentials in the hand luggage can buy enough time to sort things out on arrival without having to panic. Add a basic first-aid kit with kid-friendly pain relief, travel gum, and plasters to your tech kit, and you can confidently navigate unexpected delays and disruptions of your travel plans.
Building A Kit That Fits Your Family
Every family’s version of travel tech kit will look slightly different depending on ages of the children, holiday destination, and how much screen time feels right on the road. What stays constant is the order of priorities: connectivity first, power second, entertainment third, and backups to complete the kit. Once the tech bag is sorted, the rest of the packing list gets a lot less overwhelming.
Packing the other pile, i.e. everyone’s clothes and toiletries usually takes far longer than packing a tech bag ever will. To save time, having a packing list is essential. Take our ultimate ski holiday packing list, which breaks down clothing and gear by must-haves and non-essentials. For single mums and dads travelling solo, the focus might be on getting the right documents, travelling hands free, and ensuring kids’ safety. Check the rest of our blog out, we have lots of handy packing lists!
