As a parent, it is your job to ensure your child is kept as safe as possible, and choosing the best portable car seat can help with that. Not only do you want a car seat that has all the best safety features, but you need one that is easy to use and simple to travel with.

You also need to consider a car seat that will grow with your child so that you don’t go through 3 different car seats by the time your child is 3!

For the family that travels often, a portable car seat really does make life that much simpler on the go; spending some extra time looking for the right car seat pays off.

To help you choose the best portable car seat for your 2-year-old, we have rounded up the ones which are really worth considering, as well as what you need to think of when making a purchase.

How To Choose A Portable Car Seat

There are some extra considerations you need to take when purchasing a portable car seat, compared to buying one which you will just leave to sit in your car. The car seat needs to be easy to carry around and small enough to actually fit on an airplane seat or in a taxi, but still with all the right safety features.

Here is what to consider:

Lightweight

The portable car seat needs to be lightweight. You are going to be traveling with the car seat and more than likely other luggage, and you will not want to carry around more weight than you need to.

The car seat should not weigh more than 15lbs. A good portable car seat will be lightweight but still able to keep your 2-year-old safe.

Ease Of Use

There is no point in purchasing a car seat for traveling that is an absolute hack to set up and then unbuckle. It needs to be able to strap up easily and clip in easily. You don’t want to spend ages trying to set it up on a plane or while getting into a taxi.

Long-lasting

You do not want to have to buy your toddler another car seat in a year or two. Budget well and invest in a car seat that will last until they do not need to use one anymore. It should be adjustable to grow with your child and be rear and forward-facing if possible.

Age & Weight Limits

Make sure to check that the car seat isn’t limited to a certain age or weight that will not suit your child. Try looking for a car seat that allows for a large weight limit and a higher age limit, but which can still accommodate your child now.

Comfort

Your toddler deserves a comfortable car seat to travel with! Make sure the car seat is padded well and that the harness will be comfortable for them to wear for extended periods.

The Best Portable Car Seats For 2-Year-Olds

Choosing a good portable car seat can be difficult – you want to find one that ticks all the boxes and which is still easy to travel with.

Here are our picks of the best portable car seats to use for your 2-year-old:

WayB Pico Travel Car Seat

The WayB Pico Travel Car Seat was made to be portable, and it is both car and plane approved. It is designed to be taken with you anywhere you go and can be used every day in so many different ways.

The slim design of this travel car seat not only means that it is perfectly portable, but you can fit 3 side-by-side along the back seats of a car, which is something not many makes of car seats can boast.

Whether you use the WayB Pico Travel Car Seat for traveling by air, in a taxi, or for running errands daily, you will love how easy it is to set up, how comfortable it is for your child, and how many different ways you can actually use it.

 

WayB Pico Travel Car Seat

Weighing only 8 pounds, the AeroWing design uses aerospace-grade aluminium, and offers incredible lightweight strength that will keep your toddler as safe as possible. The AstroKnit wool and polyester mesh fabric will also work to keep kids cool and comfortable when on the go.

When traveling, you can simply fold up the car seat to stow it away or carry it around, and it fits perfectly into overhead carry as well.

Lightweight and portable, safe and comfortable, the WayB Pico Travel Car Seat really is a great investment for your 2-year-old.

Click here to view similar product on Amazon.

Graco Tranzitions 3 In 1 Harness Booster Seat

The Graco Tranzitions 3 In 1 Harness Booster Seat was made to grow with your child. It helps to keep your child protected from toddler to youth, and stays as comfortable and as safe as possible for them throughout the years.

Starting as a forward-facing harness car seat, it can accommodate between 22-65lbs. After this, it acts as a highback booster seat to accommodate children between 40-100lbs.

The no-rethread Simply Safe Adjust Harness System allows for the headrest and the harness to pull together in one motion, making it so simple to strap in your 2-year-old when you are on the go.

Being lightweight and portable, it is an ideal seat for the busy, active family who wants something that travels easily but still provides ultimate safety and comfort.

 

Graco Tranzitions 3 In 1 Harness Booster Seat

To help grow with your child, the headrest has 8 different positions and can be adjusted with a simple one-handed motion.

Two cup holders keep your toddler’s drinks and snacks close and secure, and are easy to clean if any accidents happen. The seat pad, body support, and all harness covers are removable and machine washable, and all add extra comfort along your trip.

Open-loop belt guides allow you to properly position the seat belt with little effort and help you do so quickly.

Engineered to grow with your child and to keep them safe on your travels, the Graco Tranzitions 3 In 1 Booster Seat is such a great buy!

To view this product on Amazon, click here.

Cosco Apt 50 Convertible Car Seat

If it is simplicity and safety that you are after, the Cosco Apt 50 Convertible Car Seat is just what your family needs.

This car seat has 2 modes of use. It can either be used in rear-facing mode for toddlers up to 40lbs, or forward-facing mode for kids weighing up to 50lbs.

A 5-point harness keeps your child safe and in place, and has 6 heights to adjust as your child grows. There are 3 buckle locations possible with the harness to ensure that it sits safely and comfortably on your child when in use.

Both the rear-facing and forward-facing modes have side impact protection, keeping your toddler as safe as possible. The cover is removable and is machine washable and safe to place in the dryer.

Cosco Apt 50 Convertible Car Seat

For traveling, the car seat has been certified safe to use on aircrafts and fits snugly onto plane seats. This also offers your 2-year-old a familiar seat during their flight, which really does add comfort and security.

The lightweight design of the car seat means you can travel with it wherever you go without being weighed down.

From birth to toddler, this car seat will be your best travel companion!

Click here to view this product on Amazon.

Evenflo Sonus Convertible Car Seat

The Evenflo Sonus Convertible can be used as a rear-facing car seat for infants and toddlers weighing between 5-40lbs, and forward-facing for toddlers weighing between 22-50lbs. It accommodates your child as they grow and has all the features to see to their needs.

The Sonus car seat features an air-flow ventilation system that provides a temperature-regulated traveling experience, no matter where your journey takes you. It meets all requirements to be used as a car seat on an airplane comfortably.

An up-front adjustment allows for easy access to the harness, and there are 5 different shoulder strap positions to give a proper, safe fit. An additional head pillow is included for comfort, which comes in handy for those long-haul flights.

Evenflo Sonus Convertible Car Seat

Dual cup holders keep drinks and snacks safe and are all removable and dishwasher safe. They are sized to fit many different drinks and can even hold your drink on a flight if you need some extra space!

Lightweight and easy to travel with, the Evenflo Sonus Convertible Car Seat will make traveling much easier for you and your family and will provide your toddler with a comfortable and safe seat no matter where your journey takes you.

Check it out on Amazon by clicking here.

Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX Convertible Car Seat

The Cosco Mighty Fit car seat is LATCH-equipped and can accommodate infants from 5 pounds to toddlers weighing up to 65 pounds. This can be either rear-facing for infants or forward-facing for older kids.

The compact design makes it great to get through airport security checks easily and will be easy to travel with when rushing between gates and boarding your flights.

Even though it features a compact design, the car seat has a 5-point harness that adjusts in the front of the car seat, and which has 5 different heights and 3 buckle locations to suit your growing child.

The built-in side impact protection keeps your little one safe on their travels. The design of the car seat takes up less space when placed rear-facing on a plane, so you have more legroom sitting next to your 2-year-old.

Cosco Mighty Fit 65 DX Convertible Car Seat

Plush padding and premium fabric are used to make the seat as comfortable as possible, and the fabric is all washable, dryer safe, and super easy to clean.

Three of these car seats can fit one next to each other in the back of a car – showing how compact the design is – while still providing all the safety features you could want for your child.

Click here to view this product on Amazon.

Safety 1st Guide 65 Convertible Car Seat

The Guide 65 Convertible Car Seat was made to suit smaller cars, which means it is compact and portable, ideal for traveling. It is convertible, meaning it can protect your child in both rear and forward-facing positions. Children weighing between 5 and 40 pounds can sit rear-facing, while older children weighing between 22 and 65 pounds can use the forward-facing feature. Complete with 5 harness heights and 3 buckle locations, the car seat will fit your child as they grow, seeing to their ever-changing needs. The seat pad offers complete comfort on long and short trips and is removable for easy washing when your traveling is done. Comfort and portability come together in the Safety 1st Guide 65 car seat, to be everything you could possibly hope for when traveling with a toddler! To view a similar product on Amazon, click here.
Safety 1st Guide 65 Convertible

Frequently Asked Questions

When should you change to a toddler car seat?

You won’t find car seats suited to toddlers alone. Most are convertible and can be used for both infants and toddlers, or toddlers and older children.

It is recommended that you keep your child rear-facing until they are around 3 or 4 years old. Your child will most likely outgrow their infant car seat around 18 months old, or even younger, so it would be a good idea to look for a convertible car seat around that age.

Can I use a booster car seat for my 2-year-old?

It is not recommended that you use a booster car seat for your 2-year-old, even if they are big for their age.

At only 2, your toddler will not be strong enough to deal with a crash force in a booster seat alone, and a car seat is definitely the safest option.

Which car seat should my toddler use?

Your 2-year-old should still be using a rear-facing car seat. It might be legal for your child to use a forward-facing car seat after the age of 2, but to be safe, a rear-facing car seat is advised at this age.

Why do I need to travel with a car seat for my toddler?

Not only will a portable car seat make traveling with your toddler safer, but it provides them with comfort that will really come in handy when flying or traveling over long distances.

The Best Portable Car Seat For 2-Year-Olds

When choosing the best portable car seat for your 2-year-old, you need to make sure it fits into your family’s lifestyle. It should be easy to move around with, and it should have enough adjustments to last for a few years.

Make sure the car seat is comfortable enough to keep your 2-year-old happy when traveling!

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Rebecca Brown_One of the stuff4tots authors
Rebecca Brown

Rebecca Brown is a mom to two and writer on all things parenting. She has been focussed on content creation and article writing for the last four years, drawing on the inspiration she gets from her own experience as a mother, and the expansive research the job requires.

When not writing, you can find Rebecca outside with the kids, or hidden away enjoying a good cup of coffee!