Travelin' With Tots Review and Giveaway! Diaper Change Travel Kit by Munchkin

I spend way too much time at Target. Way too much time. It seems like I always go for one thing and end up walking out $100 poorer. With a pre-schooler and an almost toddler in our house, I spent a LOT of time browsing the baby section, too. Over the past few years, I've noticed more and more innovative products from Munchkin with their bright attractive logo screaming "Buy Me!" from the shelves. We have lots of bath toys, and one of my top five favorite baby products ever is their Travelware Disposable Diaper Changing Pads. These pads are enormous, so much bigger than a traditional changing pad at 18” x 27 ¾”, but yet they fold up into a quart-size zip-loc baggie. Now, I know that many people prefer regular changing pads for their "green-ness," but you've never had to change one of my kids' dirty diapers. Having a disposable changing pad that doesn't take up and space in my diaper bag and can be tossed when it's so disgusting I can't imagine putting it back in my bag is AWESOME! Plus, in a major diaper-change emergency situation, the zip-loc baggie doubles as the bag to carry home any messy clothes. I really, really do love these things.

However, if you are not into disposable changing pads or gigantic diaper bags, Munchkin has a solution for you, too, their award-winning Diaper Change Travel Kit. Voted a 2008 Top Choice by Creative Child magazine, the Diaper Change Travel Kit is incredibly portable, yet still very functional. Sometimes you might just be running out for a cup of coffee or a quick trip to the park, and you don't need the gigantic diaper bag packed with stuff, you just need the essentials. The Munchkin Diaper Change Travel Kit has enough room for a couple of diapers, wipes and some spare clothes (BabySpareWear anyone?) All of these goodies get housed inside the pouch along with the attached changing pad. On the outside of the pouch, you'll find a zipper compartment to house all of Mommy's stuff like your keys, some cash and your phone. The best part of all this is that the kit also has a velcroed handle that you can use to attach the bag to your stroller, or to help you find it in an over-stuffed carry-on bag. We are totally using the Diaper Change Travel Kit the next time we fly. I always hate dragging our enormous carry-on into the airport bathrooms and putting it on the icky floors. Now, I can just grab the kit with all the essentials and leave the bag with my husband. If traveling alone, at least I won't have to dig around for everything anymore. It will all be in one convenient place. We've already been using it for our quick trips to the park, and I love not having to drag my enormous diaper bag around. I just easily attach the Munchkin kit to the stroller and we're off!

Munchkin doesn't just make changing pads to fill your travel needs. They have a whole range of products to choose from including one of my newest favorites, the Diaper Duck Travel Buddy bag dispenser. I keep spare "trash" baggies in my diaper bag for messy diapers, but they are all over the place, well, at least they used to be all over the place. I've replaced my old bags with the new dispenser and I'm much happier about the state of my diaper bag. The Diaper Duck is truly a "Travel Buddy" too because I hand him to Isaac to keep his hands occupied while I change his diaper. What a multi-functional product! There's also a clever little rewind feature that helps keep Isaac from pulling out and unrolling all the bags! One last little bonus: the bags have a nice, baby powder scent. It helps mask the odors in case the mess has to travel home with you.

Some of the other products made by Munchkin to ease your travel woes include sun shades for the side AND rear windows of your car, an auto seat protector to help keep muddy snow and ice off your seats this winter, safety mirrors for keeping an eye on your little munchkins and they also have the Deluxe Auto Bottle Warmer that plugs into your car adaptor outlet. It's insulated to keep cool bottles cool and warm bottles hot which could be a real lifesaver on a long, cold car trip this winter. It's also not just for bottles. It will warm standard-sized jars of baby food, too. Now Isaac won't have to suffer through a meal of cold peas, and we won't have to worry about burning his little lips on sweet potatoes warmed in the microwave at the convenience store. Munchkin is all about creating products that make your parenting life easier. You aren't going to find complicated products, just simple products that maybe you didn't even know you needed, but soon won't know how you lived without!

Here's my "official" review of the Diaper Change Travel Kit, based on a 4-star scale:

Functionality **** - The Diaper Change Travel Kit is perfect for parents who don't like big bulky diaper bags, or who find that sometimes they just need a diaper and wipes to feel comfortable on an outing. There is room enough for two diapers, a wipes case (which by the way comes with the kit. It holds standard-sized wipes.), and a non-bulky change of clothes. The velcro strap is so handy, and the fact that the changing pad stays attached is pretty handy. OK. I admit, I'm probably going to stick one of my disposable pads in the kit, too. I'm very anti-changing pad touching a changing station and then getting folded back up next to all my kid's clean clothes and diapers. I'm a little weird, maybe.

Style *** - Not a lot of choices. Just Tan with a tan interior, pink with a pink interior and black with a blue interior. Basic, but you're buying function, not style if you purchase one of these anyway.

Price **** - Only $12.99 at Amazon! What a steal for some people who might actually be able to function with this kit as their only diaper bag! You can find Munchkin products at Target, Babies R Us, Wal-Mart, or use their online store locator to find a store near you!

Overall Rating ***1/2 - Great function, even better price. Like I said, this is not a product I ever really knew I needed, but can't imagine how I'm going to live without it for our future airline travel. It's going to make diaper changes so much more convenient because I'll no longer be digging around in my bag full of toys, food, etc. to find a diaper and some wipes! It's also been great for those quick trips to the park. I like to be prepared, but don't always want to drag around my big bag. Definitely a product to consider, especially if you do lots of traveling!

The good people at Munchkin are giving away a Diaper Change Travel Kit in our airline travel giveaway. Keep reading our daily "Travelin' with Tots" posts and be sure to check back next Friday, November 14th for details on how you can win one of our two travel giveaway packages, each valued at over $300!
Click on Read More...to find your Travelin' with Tots giveaway question!

Here's your Travelin' By Plane giveaway question: Tell us another of your favorite Munchkin TRAVEL products, not mentioned in this post.

"Travel is glamorous only in retrospect.”(Paul Theroux) ...and we can help with that!