Packing for boys becomes much easier when you stop treating luggage as a storage problem and start treating it as a movement problem. The question is not how to fit every possibility. It is how quickly someone can find a layer, snack, charger or quiet activity when the airport is busy.
Use one personal bag and one shared bag
Give each child a small personal bag with four jobs: carry water, hold one comfort item, keep a quiet activity available and store a spare layer. Keep shared supplies in one adult carry-on.
Personal bags should be light enough for children to carry without help. That limit encourages better choices and gives boys a small sense of ownership over the departure.
Pack by moments, not categories
For family travel, moment-based packing is more helpful than grouping socks with shirts. Create a landing kit for the first hour, a sleep kit for the first night and a weather kit for unexpected changes.
The landing kit might include a snack, wipes, a charging cable and a light layer. When these kits are ready, you can reach the useful thing without unpacking the whole suitcase.
Leave a deliberate margin
A bag packed to its limit is difficult to close and almost impossible to use during the journey. Leave a little empty space for a wet layer, a book bought on the road or a small souvenir.
For families comparing luggage formats, a quick look at family-friendly baggage ideas can be a useful research step.
The best carry-on is a quiet assistant: easy to lift, easy to open and easy to trust.