We travel a lot, and our daughter insisted on her "own" suitcase at about age 3. We first got a character one, but then pretty quickly moved to a regular carry-on size bag(much sturdier). She now (age 8) has a carry-on and a full-size suitcase in deep pink as her luggage. (We did a month-long trip this past summer, so needed more space).

My kids have had their own luggage since day 1. Each kid has there own now that they are a little older. Its easier for me to organize this way. No searching mine or DH's bag for the kids' stuff.

Could also just get packing cubes as a starter, kid helps to pack his/her own luggage in it and that goes into your family larger suitcase

I got a character wheelie suitcase from Target as an impulse by for my then 2.5 year old because we had a last minute flight for a funeral.

She’s now 5 and has used it on every trip since then so about 10 or so round trip flights, usually as a carry-on. She pulls it if she’s not too tired, or, since it has one of those sleeves/straps that can go over I put it on my bag.

It’s a lot lighter than our “adult” luggage, easy to spot, and she loves it. I sometimes put some of my stuff in it if it’s the only carry-on so I have something if checked bags are delayed, but generally it’s much easier to have our stuff separate when packing and traveling

Like a PP I have pics of her pulling it through many an airport.

I tried flying with 3 carry-on roller bags recently with my 8 yo, 5 yo and me. My 5 yo was a disaster. She was incapable of rolling the bag and fought with me and her sister about what bag she could roll (all three were slightly different). I ended up "making her a deal"/bribing and rolled two... Next time, we will check one large suitcase.

Ds was 4 when he got a small rolling suitcase and he was so excited to carry it through the airport. It had snacks, 2 changes of clothes, stuffed animal, blanket, and a couple of toys. So completely not necessary but he loved it

Around age 4, my kids began with a small rolling suitcase. They are now 4
6 and 4. and both capable of rolling it at regular walking speed throughout the airport. But you do have to keep an eye out to make sure they don't accidentally leave it behind when you stop somewhere. We just have the one s roller for the two of them and they take turns pulling it.

My 3.5 year old has her own suitcase. She rolls it 90% of the time by herself.

3 years old. It was a rolling backpack, and he rolled it all around NYC. Both my kids have been responsible for carting their own luggage from age 3.

As soon as they could pull a tiny suitcase behind them - probably age 3. Then as soon as they could handle a little backpack with wheels, we switched to that. Around age 7 they received a wheeled suitcase at birthday/Christmas which they're still using as college kids.

Anonymous wrote:We gave our 4 yo a small rolling suitcase that she could easily handle. She’s used it extensively for 5 years, and it’s just about time to get her a bigger one.

It was a great idea for us. She enjoys packing her own suitcase, it’s one less thing for me to juggle, and it’s a great carry on size. Between her own suitcase and a backpack, she carries all her own stuff.

My only thought/concern....what about in the airport when they get tired of it, now you have your own carry on and theirs?

We started their own luggage at that age (4). It's much easier for me in terms of organization to do it that way. Like another pp, we travel with carryons and backpacks only, even for international trips. Each child pulls and carries their own stuff.