One of the most difficult challenges in traveling with a big family or traveling with another family is figuring out where all the little ones will sleep. To be honest, most of the time, half of my kids end up in our bed, with feet in our faces, but I typically try not to begin my already limited nights of sleep that way.

My sister and I have 11 children between us, eight under age four, and we always travel with the Intex Kidz Travel Bed with hand pump. We have had the same six mattresses for a few years and the "boat beds" as our kids call them, have been able to withstand quite a bit of excess jumping. They inflate in about 7-8 minutes and have a nice, suede finish that doesn't make it feel like a raft. You can remove the actual mattress part and put a standard crib sheet around it to make it extra comfortable. They come with a convenient carrying bag as well. We got ours from Amazon although they aren't available on Prime as of today, but they are in stock. Click here to buy from Amazon. *I have a very tall seven year old who sleeps in this comfortably with room to spare.

Another alternative to the Intex is the Shrunks Toddler Travel Bed. The main difference in this bed is that this is designed more for toddlers as it has inflatable side rails that prevent a child from falling out. (The Intex version's mattress fits at the bottom of the inflatable perimeter. )You can find these on Amazon for $70 and they are available on Prime. Walmart also sells these online for $86 and you can purchase them here.

There is a final cheaper alternative to the above mattresses but at an average price of $10-20, you get what you pay for. Intex also makes the Cozy Kids Airbed however you have to blow these up like a regular pool raft so if you have a lot of children, this may not be a great option. It got mixed reviews on Amazon for losing air and the pump issue so buyer beware on the least expensive option.