great travel toys for 6 year olds

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Top 10 Kids’ Travel Toys for Road Trips

Let’s get straight to business. If you’re traveling with children soon, you probably don’t have time to read my eloquent introduction with adorable anecdotes about how amazing my children behaved, and how patient and entertaining I (the mom) was on our 8-hour road trip to Ohio for holiday travel. It’s possible, of course, that I don’t have these lovely stories to tell…but that’s not the point. You need novel stuff to entertain your kids…and you probably need it fast. This I can help with.

*For my most up-to-date article on the best travel toys for kids — tech and non-screen time — which just dropped May 2021, go here . The post links here have been updated for 2021, but check out the comments at the bottom of the post from 2018 and 2019—so many AWESOME ideas!*

Traveling With Kids: Toy Prep Tips

1.  If you are flying, go to  this post for a full guide of what to pack in a kid carry-on bag .

2.  Even if you aren’t flying, I recommend packing the exact same toy categories in the kid backpack for ALL travel…makes things simple.

3.  For road trips, I throw in some extra toys (besides the backpack toys ) that are especially good for car travel (from the Top 10 list below). This is the perk of road tripping, right? You can just throw in a bunch of fun stuff that might come in handy (even if it’s bulky).

Road Trip Prep: Best 10 Toys For Kids

• Car Seat Tray   2.  Plus-Plus Play Tube   3.  Easy Origami Book 4.  Mini Squigz   5.  Puro Headphones   6.  Travel Bingo   7.  Magnetic Drawing Board  8.  Brainstring   9. Schylling Sports Video Game   10.  Robot Claw 

1.  An Organizing “Toy”

Okay…these aren’t toys, but I do think it’s important to have a thing or two to help keep toys organized in the back seat. To start with, it’s often helpful to have a surface to play on. A surface with an edge is even better, so little pieces or pencils or whatever else they’re playing with doesn’t slide right off immediately. It’s also helpful to have places kids can put “stuff”… this could be plastic cups that fit nicely in the cup holders (which can hold pencils and little building toys) or a full-on back-seat organizer that the super-organized kids may have more fun organizing than playing with the toys themselves. Or if you have two kids, a cooler in-between them (filled with healthy stuff they can eat on their own any time they want) can also serve as a joint play surface. Don’t forget someplace to put trash — how cute is the little trashcan below that fits into a cup holder!

2.  A Building Toy

For building play in the car, I’ve found the key is to have enough building materials that when the pieces fall on the floor (because they WILL fall on the floor) the kids don’t freak out. Besides having a largish quantity of building materials, it’s also important to make sure the materials are pretty much all the same (so there’s no way they can drop the one specific part they need to complete their engineering masterpiece). We sometimes set a timer and see what creation everyone comes up with during a set amount of time. A big set of WikkiStix , a ton of pipe cleaners , or a big tube of Plus-Plus works really well for open-ended building play on a hard surface or even in laps. If you have never played with Plus-Plus, stop and order them right now. They are SO fun and so addictive.

3.  A Crafty Toy

You have more space in the car than in the airplane bag for creative craft kits, but it’s bumpy and supplies are going to drop on the floor, so again….having a lot of the same materials is important.  Origami is great for older kiddos (just make sure to pack a ziplock for the paper) . Or put kids’ extra time to use making holiday gifts with a potholder set . I’m not usually a fan of these types of “have to follow directions” kits, but my son was super into making these potholders for EVERYONE a few years back. He was so excited to be able to make something that grandparents could actually use. A reader suggested finger knitting during travel days, which is genius — I  don’t know how to finger knit, though, so my kids would need the guide below.

4.  A Window Toy

You can get a little more creative with the car windows (vs. the tiny airplane windows).  Window gel clings or a big set of reusable stickers are fun and there’s a bigger surface to work with in the car. For more elaborate window art engineering, get Squigz.  In the car, they are so fun on windows or even in laps, and once you’ve reached your destination they are awesome for restaurants or floors or bathtubs (If you have two kids, though, I’ve found it easier to buy two tubs…plenty of material for each window.) We use the mini ones , but they are small(recommended for ages 5 and up), so if you have a little one who still puts things in their mouths…this is not the toy for them.   I’m intrigued also by these funny spinner things made by Squigz. Even though they are made for babies, I think my kids would be thoroughly entertained by sticking these on the window and keeping them spinning.  Squigz also has a new version called 2.0 that offers more building versatility.

5.  A Listening Toy

One of my kids’ favorite activities in the car is playing DJ. We rotate selecting one song at a time. It’s amazing how much time this takes up and of course how fun it is to at least try to appreciate everyone’s taste in music. For those times that I’ve had enough of appreciating everyone’s musical taste, headphones come in handy. We used to use these, but based on my good friend V’s advice (an expert family road-tripper with 3 kids), we switched over to Puros, and they are totally worth it. There’s also a newer noise-canceling version that look fantastic. Audiobooks from Audible or free audiobooks from the public library ( Libby App ) are also an amazing car activity (the kids can enjoy some passive chill-out entertainment, but still look out the windows and appreciate where they are in the world).

6.  A Car Specific Game

It’s fun to play at least one car-specific family game.  We usually play a range of alphabet games…finding things that start with letters of the alphabet, finding license plates using the whole alphabet, signs, etc, but the games below look really fun too.  The Melissa and Doug game has those flaps that I love from the airplane guide  that are fun for kids to fidget with even if they aren’t actually playing the game.

7.  A Drawing Toy

I love the little drawing sets and boogie boards in our airplane guide that fit nicely in a backpack or purse, but here are a few more options for something a little different. I like keeping white boards in the car, even for shorter trips. The kids can draw, write notes, and use it as a play surface. Plus, they come in a pack of 6, so you can leave a couple in the car, a couple in their rooms, and have one in the kitchen too. They come in very handy. I find the click dry-erase markers easier in the car so the tops of markers don’t get lost.  Etch-a-sketch , of course, is a classic, and it’s especially fun for kids who don’t have one that they play with regularly. Folks love the travel-sized Magnatab from the airplane guide , but below is the bigger one that would add some additional fun for the car.

8.  A Puzzle Toy

NOT traditional jig-jaw puzzles…no way…road trip disaster. I’m talking brain puzzler puzzles. My 10-year-old loves his Perplexus, but this size is a little better for the car. Easier mazes are great for little ones as are those fun little water “pusher-upper” things.   Riddle books can be a great brain puzzler for the whole family.

9.   A Video Game Toy

You can of course go with the versatile iPad, but if you want to change it up a bit, there are several good options. I’m a huge fan of the Nintendo Switch for many reasons (I go in to more detail here ), but one of the reasons I love it, is it’s incredible for travel and now they have the Nintendo Switch Lite ! So good! My friend V shared with me the fabulous retro sports video games from Schylling below…she said her kids are obsessed, and they were a great road trip addition.

10.  An “It Dropped-on-the Floor, I Can’t-Reach-It…Help, Mom!”…Toy Grabber.

No more words needed. This was my 10-year-old’s suggestion, and I have to say…I think it’s quite brilliant and probably the best thing on this list.

And when you’re done here, b e sure to head to Holiday Central for more sales, style and gift ideas!

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17 comments.

Yes! Love this post and I have to say your 10 year old is brilliant. The toy grabber is in our car in a couple of weeks, for sure.

I think so, too, Sarah…I’m of course a tad bit biased, though.

Any ideas for a one-year old?

Sarah – I found that travel toy suggestions were kind of worthless until my kid reached 3, when his attention span got longer. My best bets were battery-operated noise/music toys (which other parents are only too happy to hand-down! (for 1 yr)). I also had a grab bag of things like plastic spoons, toothbrushes, compact mirrors, and assorted tactile things. At 2 we had matchbox cars and plastic dinos, but my kid didn’t put things in his mouth so we were safe with those smaller toys. But realistically, everyone I know just drove while their toddler/baby was asleep.

One universal item that we still travel with is a $5 cookie-baking tray. It’s the perfect surface for activities from drawing to Legos, it has a lip, and it’s MAGNETIC.

I’m so glad you replied Tanaya. It’s been a while since traveling with a one year old for me. I do remember the frustration that EVERYTHING was thrown on the ground with my kids at that age, so toys felt a little useless. Music was key for us…my kids took Music Together Music Classes and we played those CD’s over and over and over and over and over and over…you get my drift. And cheerios..lots of cheerios. Will let you know as my memories come back to me…I may have blocked them out for good reason. 🙂 .

Also meant to respond, Tanaya, that I love your grab bag suggestion. I totally forgot about that! We used to do that on the plane too….with just random household stuff….post-it notes, scotch tape, crinkly paper….and love the cookie-baking tray idea too. Thank you for chiming in.

Sarah- If you can reach the back, or have an older sibling, puppets are good too. I second the small musical/noisy/annoying toys for younger kids. and snacks. ALL THE SNACKS!

Thanks, Linzi! These are great ideas and I’ll be stocking up.

My son has started to want to bring legos in the car – just when running errands – which is just as bad of an idea as everyone over age 5 can see, so I think the “identical building materials” is brilliant. I’m going to get some for my car. (something childless me a decade ago would have thought was insane).

Strongly second Wiki Sticks! Surprisingly non-messy and works well for a very wide age range. In a car situation, doll them out gradually so that the entire stash isn’t on the ground within the first 15 minutes.

For older children (age 8+…), I recommend a ‘knot a quilt’ kit. Melissa and Doug, Alex, and Hearthsong have versions. For age 6+, clover spool knitters have been worth an hour or two.

We mainly do road trips, and one of our forehead slapping additions was ear muffs! Younger kids can use them at nap time. Older kids wear them when younger ones are screaming. Middle children can use them to be passive aggressive.

We also get a lot of use out of the old school car games: Road sign alphabet and 20 questions. Works best with 5+.

Take and toss cups in carseat cupholders for *everything*: snacks, crayons, legos-now-plus, etc.

Erin! These suggestions are GOLD! Thank you! Such a good idea to give out the wiki sticks a few at a time. And ear muffs?? Amazing. I will definitely be sharing some of these ideas in our next version of this post…too good not to share with everyone. Thanks!

Just started stocking up on all of these items during black Friday. Thanks again for all of the suggestions–especially those for a one-year old. And love the passive aggressive middle child ear muffs. Definitely have one of those in this family. He may even start wearing them on the regular.

Yeah, These are way more fun for the kids to play with. The problem is, what they are told to want and what peer pressure tells them — and usually it’s the kind of expensive toy that does virtually nothing to stimulate their imaginations.

These are great toys for children. It provokes and stimulates senses for babies

The best options for portable toys are ones that keep kids entertained, without being too noisy, messy or bulky. An added bonus is when the game appeals to kids of different ages and can be fun for the entire family.

We recently upgraded to Puro noise-cancelling headphones, and for anyone balking at the price–YES, they are that much better than cheaper kids’ headphones. And not just “nicer” better, but actually safer. I spent too much time researching children’s headphones and hearing damage, and found this article most helpful in making my decision: https://thewirecutter.com/reviews/best-kids-headphones/ . We went with the active noise cancelling set because we fly a lot and it was important to me to offset the engine noise; for car rides and around the house, I imagine the Puros linked here in the article would be totally sufficient (also not quite as expensive!).

Squigz are a family favorite! Getting the tube squigz to add to our collection and the toy grabber is genius! Also in my cart.

If you don’t have the time, money, or room to buy more STUFF, a box of foil and roll of painters tape for each child (with their name written on it) is something I take on every road trip. My boys (5 & 8) are little builders and love the versatility and “grown up” aspect to these materials they don’t usually play with. For younger kids watch out for the metal edge of the foil box; a parent might have to dispense the sheets for safety reasons.

LOVE this idea, Christy!

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30 Travel Toys to Make the Journey as Fun as the Destination

Travel with kids can be hard, but toys make everything better.

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So, you’re planning a long trip with children. Whether you’re traveling by car, plane, train, bus, or hot air balloon, this can be pretty stressful: Kids tend not to do super well cooped up in one spot for extended periods. And, to be honest, neither do adults, which makes handling antsy kids all the more stressful. So we’ve put together some of our favorite travel toys, because everyone deserves a journey as pleasant as the destination.

When coming up with ideas, we tried to keep a few main criteria in mind: Travel toys have to be compact or self-contained, reasonably quiet, and able to keep kids occupied for longer than a minute or two. We also wanted to try to find toys that were good not only during the trip but toys that were self-contained and traveled well. Fortunately, there was no dearth of great stuff out there that your child will enjoy well beyond their trip and wherever their travels take them.

Hasbro Gaming Guess Who?

This classic game uses the process of elimination to guess which of the characters your opponent has chosen. Ask yes or no questions to figure it out. Best of all, this updated version includes a more diverse array of characters to make guessing more challenging and fun! Compact and self-contained, it’s the perfect travel toy.

More: 15 Outrageously Entertaining Family Board Games for Screen-Free Fun

Mad Libs Mad Libs on the Road: World's Greatest Word Game

Are you even a kid on a road trip if you don’t bring Mad Libs along? This MVP travel toy lets kids (and their families) make their own silly stories by filling in strategically placed adjectives, nouns, verbs, and other parts of speech. Best way to learn grammar ever!

eeBoo Travel BINGO Car Game

Turn the landscape into a game, even from your car! Travel BINGO incorporates common sights you’ll see while driving — tunnels, trucks, tolls, and, of course, cows. Be the first to fill in your row and win! Includes four BINGO cards and pencils.

Hasbro Gaming Simon

The idea behind Simon is very simple: Watch the lights and listen to the sounds made by the machine, and then repeat them. As the game goes on, the patterns get faster and more complicated. A great travel toy for road trips, though maybe not on planes since it makes noise.

Blue Wave Press Activity Book For Kids

What is true of travel toys is true of everything else: Variety is the spice of life! This assortment of classic activities, like mazes, tic-tac-toe, connect the dots, coloring, and more will keep your kiddos busy during their trip. Ideal for children 6 to 8 years old.

SGILE Magnetic Doodle Board

A conundrum: Drawing keeps your child busy, but bringing a ton of art supplies on your trip is a pain.

A solution: the magnetic doodle board!

This fun travel toy allows kids to draw whatever they want with a magnetic pencil and stamps. When they’re done, just wipe their colorful picture away and start over!

Fisher Price Batman Batsub

Your child’s need for imaginative play doesn’t stop just because they’re going to be in transit, so “all-in-one” toys are really helpful. Hence why we love this Batsub, which comes with two action figures and an awesome submarine (bat-themed, naturally). And since this isn’t just a travel toy, they’ll enjoy it long after you’ve reached your destination!

Lusso Gear Fully Loaded Travel Tray

OK, this isn’t strictly speaking a travel toy , but it’s going to make your child’s trip a lot more fun (and convenient!). This contraption includes a detachable tablet stand for easy viewing, a dry-erase coloring surface, a cup holder, and a place for everything — because you don’t want to keep digging through your bag all trip.

Polly Pocket Space Explorer Compact

Polly Pocket is just the right size to keep your little one entertained for their trip. And with a convenient wrist strap, they can bring it along anywhere, from the plane to the car to a restaurant. This Saturn-shaped set comes with Polly, Shani, a removable space vehicle, and a new (green!) friend for the ultimate space adventure!

Melissa & Doug Water Wow! Bundle

Painting without the mess? Sign us up! Using a special, water-filled pen (which stores neatly in the cover), your child will reveal colorful pictures in three themed books with a stroke. Best of all, once it dries, they can do it all over again.

Made By Me! Weaving Loom

We all remember doing one of these at some point, right? But have you ever thought about what a perfect travel toy it is? Quiet, compact, tidy, and it takes a while to do — who could ask for anything more? Oh yeah, and it helps develop fine motor skills!

Brainquest Brainquest Q&A Cards

Your future Jeopardy! champion will enjoy this series of curriculum-based, age-appropriate questions that test their knowledge of reading and language arts, math, science, and more! Formatted as a connected deck of cards, each set comes in a compact flip-top box for easy portability and storage.

Play22 Toy Truck Car Carrier

Though it may not be convenient on the road, this truck is a great way to bring toys from place to place, and that’s a good travel toy in our book! The functional truck comes with six race cars and stores 28. It even includes a collapsible handle, so kids can carry it anywhere.

Klutz Cat’s Cradle Book and String

Back in the day, we didn’t have tablets and phones to entertain us on the road. We had string... and we liked it! We’re guessing your kid probably will, too. With this guide and some multicolored string, your child will learn the history of these games, as well as step-by-step instructions on how to recreate classic designs.

Workman Publishing Little Lacers 123

This book of lacing cards is designed to help children learn numbers. As your child looks through adorable illustrations (complete with whimsical, simple rhymes), they then wind the colorful laces through hole-punched numbers 1 through 10. It's the perfect combination of tactile, sensory satisfaction and educational value.

Coogam Rainbow Puzzle Ball

The premise of this unique puzzle is simple: Match the ball with the corresponding color slot. This will require strategy and thinking ahead since you can only push one ball into place at a time! Though, honestly, if they don’t feel like solving the puzzle, it’s still a truly excellent fidget toy.

Workman Publishing ‘Farm Fun Games and Puzzles’ by Patrick Merrell and Helene Hovanec

There’s nothing that beats travel boredom better than challenging your mind. With barnyard-themed illustrations, brainteasers, word games, puzzles, and more, this activity book is a great travel toy, mainly because there’s plenty to keep your kiddo busy for hours! Recommended for children 6 years old and older.

FAO Schwarz Princess Castle Carrier

This highly portable playset comes with a full court of princesses, princes, kings, queens, and even a few royal pets to keep your child entertained on the go or wherever their final destination may be. Open the case for multiple settings to imagine palace intrigues and adventures!

Daron NASA Space Shuttle

Prepare for liftoff! Some toys are just downright enjoyable to play with for reasons we can’t quite articulate, and toy rockets are at the top of that list. They’re just so much fun to swoosh around, and this toy will help the trip go by at the speed of light.

Foeses Erasable Drawing Book

This reusable drawing pad is the ideal travel toy for young artists. With 14 black pages, your child can draw whatever their travels inspire, and, when they want more room, they can simply wipe away previous drawings with a wet wipe. The pad comes with 12 vibrant watercolor pens and stores easily in any carry-on.

Jamie Kenney is a freelance writer for BestProducts.com; Her other work has appeared on Bustle , Parents , Playboy , McSweeny's Internet Tendency, the Takeout, and Romper, where she covers parenting, news, entertainment, and likes to help readers see the ridiculous (and hilarious) side of motherhood.

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The best travel toys to pack for your next flight

All products are independently selected by our editors. If you buy something, we may earn an affiliate commission.

With half of our family located in Scotland and the other half in South Africa , my two children have been flying long distance since they were a few months old. The first time we set out for the airport with a small baby in tow, I was wracked with nerves: What if she kept the entire plane awake for hours with her screaming? In the end, I needn’t have worried. The drone of the engine had her snoozing in her sky cot for the majority of the flight.

Fast forward a year or two and I discovered that flying with an active toddler is a whole different ball game. With some careful packing , though, it’s possible to minimise the stress for everyone involved. First on your list should be travel-friendly toys. Look for ideas that are mess- and noise-free, take up minimal space and don’t involve too many parts. Because carry-on space is precious you’ll only be able to bring a handful of options, so making sure each one is as engaging as possible is also key. Here are our tried-and-tested top picks for all ages from babies to pre-teens.

Sticker books

It’s a universal truth that kids love sticker books. They’re great for in-flight entertainment since they’re lightweight, easy to pack and can be used on little laps even when tray tables have to be stowed away. For younger children we love reusable sticker books like the Make-a-Face series from Melissa & Doug. Available in pet, farmyard and safari versions, they provide hours of educational fun as your little ones add facial features to their favourite animals. And for parents and airline staff , the fact that there’s no sticky residue to contend with is a major bonus.

Travelling with older children and don’t necessarily want them passing their flight time with four back-to-back movies? Creative pre-teens will love the challenge of Imagimetrics , a sticker-by-numbers concept that results in some truly beautiful multi-dimensional works of art.

Why we recommend: I've travelled a few times with the Melissa & Dough reusable sticker book. It is quite a large size, but there are a lot of stickers. My son is still too small to pick the stickers up himself, but he was able to choose an animal and tell me what setting to place them in. They are quite good quality and never ripped etc. Lauren Burvill

Activity books

From as young as two or three, children can be kept entertained for hours by a good activity book. Wipe-clean versions like the Zoo Activities book from Usborne are the best, since they can be used over and over again on your outward and return journeys. Activities range from spot-the-difference and maze games to join-the-dots and line tracing. All of them encourage focus and help to develop pen control. If you’re lucky, your child might be able to do some of them independently, giving you the chance to eat that in-flight meal in peace.

If giving your child a marker pen in an enclosed space sounds like a recipe for disaster, don’t worry – there are 100 per cent mess-free options as well. Like the iconic Where’s Wally books but better, these personalised Where Are You? books from Wonderbly enthral children with the novelty of finding themselves on each page.

Why we recommend: My daughter’s Where Are You? book is one of my tried-and-tested go-tos for long journeys . Even though she’s had it for several years and knows where to find herself, there are hundreds of other interesting things to look for on each brightly coloured page. Jessica Macdonald

Sensory kits

For little ones who need stimulus but are still too small for fiddly activities, pack a box of sensory toys to keep hands and eyes interested. You can, of course, create your own – a wash bag filled with ribbons and socks, for example. For a step above, there are plenty of compact and clever sensory kits on the market, designed for varying ages. Look for boxes with larger items that you won't easily lose.

Why we recommend: We took one of the Lovevery kits on a recent holiday, and my son absolutely loved each and every feature. Granted, they are not cheap, but the quality of the Montessori kits is the best I've seen, and because they are specifically designed and curated to suit a certain age group, I did notice my son was much more engaged compared to his usual collection of plastic toys. Not every part of these kits will be suitable for a flight – some of them are designed for water play etc – but a lot of them will be, with each element packaged in a box or bag. The kits come with handy books, too, that advise parents on how to use the elements for play and development. Lauren Burvill

Drawing boards

If your child loves to draw, tap into that passion for an easy way to keep them engaged at any stage of the flight. Obviously their standard pencil case and paper setup isn’t going to work in the tight confines of a plane seat, though (I’m imagining uncapped felt tips rolling unchecked along the aisles and reams of paper flooding over onto the neighbour’s tray table). Travel-friendly alternatives include digital drawing boards like this one from TEKFUN , which lets little hands draw precise, multi-coloured lines with an LCD screen and stylus. For toddlers, we also love the travel-sized Aquadoodle with its easy-to-grasp water pen and scribble-friendly pad.

Why we recommend: Our Aquadoodle kept our daughter occupied for several hours on a flight from South Africa to the UK, and was easy to refill with tap water from the plane bathroom. Jessica Macdonald

Organiser toys

My 18-month-old son isn’t interested in books and couldn’t care less about screen time. But he absolutely adores packing and unpacking everything around him; which makes trying to leave for the airport difficult, and any kind of organiser toy a veritable lifesaver. These stacking cups from Adalex are a particular favourite. I’m not sure if it’s the bright colours, the fun marine life shapes or the fact that they can be nested, stacked or clicked together to form a chain – but they provide a level of entertainment that seems completely disproportionate to their compact simplicity.

Shape sorters are another surefire hit with dextrous babies and toddlers. This cat-shaped one from Playskool is cute, collapsible (and therefore eminently packable), with shapes that come apart and click together again to help with matching and fine motor skills.

Why we recommend: The stacking cups were my son’s favourite time-waster on a recent trip to Greece, whether on the plane, in the terminal while waiting for a connection, or at any of the many restaurants we visited while we were there. Jessica Macdonald

Busy boards

If the goal is to get maximum entertainment from just one toy, then busy boards are a miraculous invention for children from a few months to a few years old. The ARVRI Sensory Busy Board offers 15 different activities in a book-style carrying case that’s just a tiny bit larger than an A4 sheet of paper. These range from a wipeable doodle board with four coloured marker pens to a page of buckles, buttons, zips and laces that inquisitive little fingers just can’t resist. Alternatively, if your baby is obsessed with the TV remote at home, this travel-sized Montessori busy board from SUNACE is the ideal switch-and-button-packed substitute.

Why we recommend: I've packed our busy board on a couple of flights with my two-year-old, including the long journey to Australia. It's a great one to store right next to a tablet and any books in your luggage. To make it even more engaging I've hidden little snacks and toys in the board too. Lauren Burvill

Fidget toys

The clue is in the name: Fidget toys are a win for restless children who just can’t sit still for extended periods of time. Deploy them at the right moment, and you might be able to save yourself a few late-night circuits of the darkened cabin. Push-pop toys are an obvious contender in this category. We love this frog-shaped option from Zayin , which upgrades the traditional push-pop experience by adding lights and (mutable) music to create four different playing modes. Competitive kids will be kept captivated by their attempt to achieve a new high score.

Why we recommend: My son loved these, especially when he was around 18 months old. I usually find that the flight is never as bad as you think it's going to be, but the journey from the airport is often an unexpected tricky part. When everyone is tired, and it's just that last little bit of time until you get to your destination. For those moments, I recommend saving a fidget spinner in your bag and pulling it out, just to give your little one something fresh and relaxing to play with. Lauren Burvill

Teething toys

Teething babies can be challenging at the best of times, let alone in an enclosed space several thousand feet above the ground. A good teething toy can give them (and you) some much-needed relief. In addition, encouraging your infant to chew or suck on a teether during takeoff and landing can help their little ears cope better with the change in cabin pressure. You could keep it simple with Nuby’s IcyBite Keys , which are colourful, easy for tiny hands to hold and filled with a gel that can be cooled in the fridge when you reach your destination. Or you could opt for a plush toy like this crocodile clip-on from MEERO LONDON, which serves as a teether, a fidget toy and a snuggly comforter for when your little one is feeling sleepy.

Why we recommend: The first time we flew with my daughter, I wasn’t allowed to breastfeed on takeoff. When she started to cry, her IcyBite Keys helped distract her and also probably assisted with clearing the pressure in her ears.

Traditional games

Sometimes the old methods are the best. If your children are big enough for board games, consider investing in a few travel-sized versions to keep them occupied through your next flight. For younger kids aged roughly 3 to 6, we love Little Bug Bingo from Orchard Toys. It’s ideally sized for playing on a tray table and features colourful, sturdy cards adorned with adorable garden beasties. Bingo is also a more compact option than Pairs or any other game that requires space to spread out. Our top tip? Bring along a Ziploc bag for keeping errant picture cards and counters contained.

For older children, teenagers and even adults, chess offers hours of in-flight fun. This compact travel set from Peradix is beautifully made, with a foldable board and magnetic pieces that won’t slide off if you hit a patch of turbulence.

Arts and crafts

When we’re at home, my default way to entertain my daughter is to tap into her creative side with a craft project. For years I didn’t think there was a way to translate this to air travel, given the amazing amount of mess these artistic endeavours usually generate. But then she was given a mosaic picture kit from Baker Ross for her fifth birthday: game changer! The kits come with sheets of adhesive foam tiles that children can peel and stick to colour-coded squares on the corresponding base image. Other ideas for mess-free, peel-and-stick fun include this stained glass kit from Melissa & Doug (especially great if you manage to score a window seat ).

Why we recommend: We haven’t had a chance to test my daughter’s mosaic kit on an aeroplane yet, but I can vouch for it keeping her entertained for hours at a time on a camper van adventure around the Inner Hebrides.

Let’s be honest: There are times when we win at keeping our kids entertained without resorting to a screen, and there are definitely times we don’t. And trust me, the middle of a long-haul flight is not the place to be stuck without access to your last resort. The Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet Kids Pro Edition comes with a robust kid-proof case, extended battery life and the ability to pre-load all of their favourite games, books, series and movies. For bookworm school-age kids and older you could also keep things simple with a Kindle Kids e-reader. Just be sure to download enough content for the flight ahead of time.

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21 Fun Travel Gifts for Kids (That They’ll Actually Use)

By Author Jurga

Posted on Last updated: January 9, 2024

If you are looking for gift ideas for kids , you probably already know how difficult it is to find a fun gift that they’ll actually like and use. What do you get for a kid who has so many toys already? In this article, we are sharing several ideas for travel gifts for kids that will make any kid happy. These are so much better than any toys, take my word for it.

This list contains many practical and affordable travel gift ideas for kids . While these are all related to traveling one way or the other, they can make a perfect gift for any child.

Some of these gifts are meant for toddlers or preschoolers , while most others – for boys and girls from 6 to 12 years old . You will find a few travel gifts for teenagers on this list as well. Read on!

Good to know: We have three kids and so all these kids gift ideas are based on our first-hand experience and lots of mispurchases… Our house is filled with toys and gifts that were very exciting on the first day but stayed in the box ever since. The kids gifts on this list are the ones that they actually use time and again. Find out!

READ ALSO: Best Family Travel Destinations Worldwide

These are some of the best travel gifts for children:

1. Binoculars

One travel gift for kids that you really cannot go wrong with is binoculars . Choose binoculars appropriate to the age of the child and they will love and use them for a long time.

I suggest you go for the better quality sturdy binoculars with decent magnification rather than toy binoculars.

For young children, I recommend sturdy kids binoculars that won’t easily break. For teenagers, it’s best to get decent, quality binoculars , that will last many years.

READ ALSO: Tips for Traveling with Kids

2. Kids Travel Bags

Kids travel bag, a rolling suitcase, or a backpack is a great travel gift for kids of any age. Young children love having their own bag to carry and for older kids, their own travel bag is simply indispensable on any trip.

Young kids will love ride-on suitcases or rolling kids luggage .

School-going kids usually love to have their own travel backpack, which also comes in handy for field trips and on other occasions. I can highly recommend this Osprey travel backpack – it’s a wonderful gift for any child and one they’ll use time and again.

If you are looking for a very practical gift for kids age 4 to 8, I can highly recommend Trunki BoostApak . It’s a backpack and a booster car seat in one and all our three kids have used these for years. We take them on every road trip abroad and we use them at home as booster seats as well.

READ ALSO: Best Travel Bags for Kids & Best Travel Booster Seats

A globe is a wonderful gift for all school-going kids, whether they are traveling or not.

You can find globes in all sizes, with or without a light, and even ones that have educational apps connected to them…

For young kids, a learning globe is a wonderful gift that will keep them engaged for years to come. 8 to 12-year-olds will probably appreciate a globe with the built-in light . For teenagers, I would suggest an educational globe with place names .

4. World Map or Scratch-off Map

A world map is an excellent gift for any child and encourages them to learn more about our world.

If you are looking for a very general map with the continents, check out this world map that’s more meant as a decoration for young kids’ rooms. A bit more educational, and perfect for young kids is this kids’ world map . Teenagers will probably prefer this high-quality classic world map .

For avid travelers, a scratch-off map makes a great gift. They can scratch off the places that they have visited and use it to dream about and plan new trips. There is a big variety of scratch-off maps available; here is one of the best-rated scratch-off maps that I found.

5. Kids Atlas

There is probably no better gift than a gift of learning. A book is always a great gift idea, but if you don’t know where to start and which books kids like, why not get an atlas instead. It’s such a great way to get the kids to read more, while at the same time also learning more about the planet we live on.

There are so many various kids’ atlases, so it’s not difficult to find one that suits any age. School-going kids will love this National Geographic USA road trip atlas or this Kids’ World Atlas by Lonely Planet .

READ ALSO: Best Travel Books for Kids

6. Waterproof Kids Camera

Kids want to be just like their parents and one travel gift they’ll really appreciate is a travel camera . There are some really affordable and good-quality cameras for kids, so you don’t have to worry about the budget.

For young children, I recommend choosing a more robust, waterproof travel camera like this .

Teenagers will be happy with an action camera and if you invest in a quality camera like a GoPro , they’ll use it for many years to come.

7. Travel Games

Travel games are fun, they don’t cost much, and they make for a great travel gift for kids.

Many of the all-time favorites are included in this 12-piece Magnetic Board Game Set . Other favorites are Travel Scavenger Hunt , UNO (or UNO Junior for younger children), and of course many more.

Pocket-sized creative story generator Story Cubes provides hours of imaginative play for all ages. Story Cubes are the perfect way to keep your kids busy and entertained not only during the trip but also at home.

UNO and Story Cubes are always in our luggage when traveling with kids.

READ ALSO: What to Pack in Kids’ Hand Luggage

8. Single-player Travel Games for Kids

Travel games are always fun, but our kids also love single-player games that require logical reasoning and planning skills. Our boys have some games from ThinkFun and SmartGames and it keeps them busy for hours.

There are so many single-player games that you will have no trouble finding one for a child of any age. Many of these games are very compact and easy to take with you and are therefore perfect to play at home or on the road.

For young kids, I recommend Rush Hour Jr , SmartGames Jump’IN , or Noah’s Ark Magnetic Travel Game .

For older kids and teenagers – games like Think Fun Tipover , ThinkFun Gravity Maze Marble Run , or ThinkFun Rush Hour .

Travel games are not expensive and are great for those looking for affordable kids’ gift ideas.

9. Travel Toys for Outdoors

We don’t often take many toys when traveling, but we try to take at least one toy for outdoors.

A ball is usually too big to pack on a plane but is something you can take when traveling by car. If traveling light, for example, a frisbee is a great alternative. It’s a perfect toy to keep children busy on any trip, and a foldable frisbee is so light to pack that you can always take it with you.

If there is one thing that our kids missed during our road trips when they were little, it’s beach toys. They are just too big to pack when traveling overseas, and so we never took any. However, recently I stumbled across this collapsable beach pail and shovel set that is so small to pack that it would make a great gift for any young traveler.

Other gift ideas for outdoor-loving kids include kids’ kites , fishing lines and nets , etc.

10. Twistable Crayons

If you are looking for a great gift idea for young children, I cannot recommend twistable crayons highly enough!

At home you can use any pencils, drawing markers, paint, or regular crayons, but when traveling, they are all pretty much useless.

Twistable crayons provide a frustration-free drawing experience for any young traveler. No broken crayons anymore, no paper to peel, no sharpener required, and the little artist’s hands stay clean.

11. Reusable Sticker Sets

Another great travel gift idea for young kids is a set of reusable stickers .

Young children love stickers and a fun reusable sticker set can keep them busy for a long time.

It’s a really great travel gift that is not just very affordable, and easy to pack. Plus, it also guarantees hours and hours of play fun for the little kids.

READ ALSO: Tips for Flying with Kids

12. Hand Puppets and Finger Puppets

Hand- and finger puppets make for another great travel gift for young kids.

Hand puppets are light to pack and can be very entertaining, especially for the youngest travelers.

Also finger puppets can be really fun for young children. They are even smaller to pack – perfect if you are traveling light.

13. Luggage ID Tags

If you are looking for a small, inexpensive, and original travel gift idea for kids, why not consider some fun luggage ID tags .

You can find luggage ID tags for Disney fans , luggage tags with monsters , Star Wars luggage ID tags , or some fun colorful luggage ID tags for teenagers .

14. Travel Journal

If you are looking for a gift for a child who travels, consider a travel journal . It’s such a wonderful way to document their journey and keep fun memories.

There are travel journals for girls and for boys , for younger children or for teenagers , and there are even some really creative ones .

No matter which one you choose, it’s a gift that they will keep and cherish for a long time.

15. E-reader

There is probably no better gift we have ever given our kids but the Kindle e-reader . They absolutely love their Kindles and they read so many books when we travel – something they wouldn’t be able to do otherwise, since packing a suitcase full of books is really not the best way to travel light.

In the car or on the plane, while waiting at the airport or even in the restaurant – an e-reader is such a great gift that anyone will use again and again.

We chose Kindle Paperwhite for our kids, which enables them to read in a dark room or in bright daylight. It’s a bit more expensive than most other kids’ travel gifts on this list, but they’ll use it for many years and it’s well worth the investment.

16. Swiss Knife Junior

A Swiss knife might not be the best gift idea for young kids, but a teenage boy will absolutely love it.

This original Victorinox Swiss Knife is a nice gift for a responsible, active teenager who loves to camp or spends lots of time outdoors.

17. Headlight or Pocket Light

Little adventurers just love to explore in the dark! Our kids are absolutely fascinated by their pocket lamps and it’s something they use just as much at home as they do when we travel.

There are so many pocket lamps available and even decent-quality pocket lights are quite cheap, so it’s no big deal if they lose one. This can also be a great stocking filler for kids!

A headlight is another really nice gift for kids who like outdoor activities like camping or hiking.

18. Digital Tablet

A digital tablet is probably the most expensive item on this kids’ gifts list and one that I think only parents should get for their children. After all, it’s up to them to decide when and how they introduce their kids to electronic games…

For young kids, I recommend very affordable and robust kids’ tablets . For older kids and teens – a digital tablet from Samsung . Samsung tablets are much cheaper than iPads, the battery lasts longer, and the price/quality ratio is excellent.

19. Luggage Scooter

If you are looking for a gift for traveling kids who have it all, a luggage scooter might be a fun idea.

Luggage scooters come in many different sizes and shapes, and the price tag depends a lot on the quality.

Here you can find some popular luggage scooters for kids .

20. Headphones

Headphones are a great gift idea for kids, from around 6 years and older. Not only will the kids love the idea of being able to listen to their own music, but parents will appreciate it as well. After all, we all have our own preferred music style, which is often very different from that of the rebellious teenager…

For younger kids, check out these headphones made especially for children . Teenagers might prefer wireless earbuds .

21. Reusable Water Bottle

Perfect gift for any traveler, a reusable water bottle is an environmentally-friendly gift that kids will appreciate as well.

Not only does it teach them to use less plastic, but it also encourages young kids to drink more water – good for the environment and for their health.

Choose a nice colorful model that suits the kids’ age and you have found a perfect gift that they will use every day.

So, these are some ideas for travel gifts for kids that you really cannot go wrong with.

Do you have some great, original gift ideas for children? Feel free to leave a reply below and share your kids’ favorites.

READ ALSO: Best travel gifts & Scandinavian gifts for everyone on your list

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Monday 22nd of March 2021

Thanks for these ideas. Globe is a great gift for kids older than 10 years old indeed! I have two tweens and got a globe for each of them. They both love it!

Tuesday 23rd of March 2021

I agree - our kids love it too! But I wouldn't say that a globe is only for kids over 10. I think that younger kids (6-7 and up) would already appreciate a gift like that, especially if they show interest in geography and travel.

Wednesday 25th of November 2020

Thanks for this selection, Jurga. It's so hard to find any gift ideas for my grandchildren, they seem to have everything and play with nothing. So I decided to try something different this year and will buy them a nice globe. Thanks again!

Friday 27th of November 2020

A globe is a great gift, Ruth! I'm sure they'll use it for many years and maybe it will even inspire them to explore the world later in life. ;)

Beth Bishop

Saturday 18th of November 2017

I love the idea of giving the kids (and adults) experiences as gifts! Creating special memories is the best kind of gift. We usually do a house decluttering and donations before the holidays to prepare. I’m definitelly using some of your ideas for inspiration. Thanks for sharing!

Sunday 19th of November 2017

House decluttering is something all of us should do more, Beth. Great idea to donate some of the unused stuff, we do it all the time too. We also try to get our kids more practical presents rather than toys, especially now that they are older. We find that books make great presents as well.

Monday 27th of March 2017

Great tips, I was thinking to buy a binocular for my kids because they love adventure and discovering new things in nature. :-)

Saturday 16th of July 2016

What great ideas for gifts for kids, especially traveling ones. I like some of them even for adults too. I am definitely a big fan of the globe and have been looking for ages to get one

Thanks for stopping by! Yes, indeed, many of these would make adults happy as well - a good pair of binoculars or a really nice globe...

Skye Gilkeson

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Family Travel / May 20, 2023

50+ Best Travel Toys for Kids, From Babies to Teens

Travel toys for kids can make the difference between a terrible trip and an opportunity for the whole family to relax and have fun. Y oung kids can be the most enthusiastic travelers. But, long-haul flights can feel like several days when you are struggling to entertain a child on a plane. Whether you are taking a plane ride with kids or a family road trip we have put together a list of the best travel toys for kids, from babies to teens.

Choosing the right travel toys for kids can transform your trip. © Skye Gilkeson

The Best Travel Toys for Kids

The beauty of long haul flights is that any premium carrier will provide personal entertainment screens. But, screen time isn’t going to offer hours of entertainment to your children on a long flight.

Not only does the novelty wear off fast, but there really are limited options for kids when it comes to airplane entertainment systems.

That’s why you need to make sure to pack a selection of toys and activities for each of your kids.

This is a comprehensive list of the best travel toys for kids.

Obviously, you don’t need to pack all of these items. But use this as a guide so you pick and choose those which you think would suit your own kids’ interests and ages. 

The Best Travel Toys for Babies

Sensory toys are perfect for babies and toddlers.

Not only are they great travel toys to help develop their fine motor skills, but they are also a particularly great distraction during take-off and landing when the pressure may be affecting your little ones’ ears.

A rattle or pretend keys . If you’re traveling with a baby and you have to use the insanely small change table in the airplane bathroom, keeping a small toy in the diaper bag is a clever idea.

These Hit The Road Activity Keys are a great toy that we carried on planes (anything with a mirror is a winner with babies).

We must have taken Sophie the Giraffe on at least 30 flights when Alaska was a baby.

Great for teething, chewing during take off if they won’t feed, or as a travel toy to entertain during the flight or car ride, this is one of our favorites.

Suction spinner toys are the perfect toys to stick to the plane window during take-off to entertain babies when they can get frustrated and tired of being in that infant seat belt.

A tummy time book with a mirror and teethers were one of my daughter’s favorite travel toys as a baby.

It was the simplest and easiest travel toy to carry in the carry-on , the baby backpack or to use in the hotel room for playtime. 

Musical pram toys. While most traditional pram toys are too bulky to take traveling, a small pram toy can be surprisingly entertaining for your baby during transit.

We would attach a pram toy like this one to our travel pram, then place it in the car seat of the rental car and use it again when exploring. It easily hooks onto a travel backpack for transit.

Picture books . I’ve mentioned my love of the chew-proof books the Indestructibles series, before. They are lovely and thin, colorful, and cannot be ripped by little hands.

Read Next | What to Pack for Travel With a Baby

Screen time will likely only occupy your kids during take-off and landing. Pack some fun travel toys as well. © Skye Gilkeson

The Best Travel Toys For Toddlers Aged 1-2 years

Toddlers love to build and flex their growing independence.

The best travel toys for toddlers are colorful  and tactile and help them master their hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills.

Soft toys are one of the best travel items for toddlers who can easily be overwhelmed by the intensity and unfamiliarity of a long-travel day.

Bringing a soft toy (not their favorite) from home is a really important comfort, particularly for little kids.

If you choose to buy a new soft toy for the trip, buy one that has either a keychain or a hook so you can attach it to the pram or bag while in transit or an educational soft toy that serves a double function – play and comfort.

Busy books are the perfect travel toy for toddlers. Small children love exploring with their hands so these books are ideal.

You don’t need a huge busy board, simply choose the right size quiet book that’s the right size for your carry-on.

A Melissa & Doug refillable water pen and coloring pad is a genius idea as there is no mess, no fuss and you don’t have to watch them like a hawk as you do if you carry markers or sharp pencils.

A magnetic play set will get their little fingers working and test their imagination as they design different scenes.

Animal playsets are the best toys for your toddler to take in the car, plane, or even the bath. You don’t need to pack a whole set, just throw a few in their pencil case.

A Duplo set is a double-duty travel activity as your toddler can build the scene and then use it for imaginary play.

Fingers puppets are a super packable fun travel toy for toddlers. Choose silicone or plastic as they then double as bath toys.

Popper fidget toys are a simple yet effective travel activity for toddlers. The mickey mouse poppers with a key chain are easily attached to your travel bag for entertainment while in transit.

A silicone coloring placemat sits neatly on their tray table and is another fun way for kids to color and draw and is reusable.

A collapsible bucket and sand set is such a handy toy to keep in the car for road trips or to squeeze in your luggage for a holiday.

They are underrated travel toys. But, we have taken beach toys to the beach, used them in the bath, or for park picnics.

Activity books and craft activities make the best travel toys for preschool and early school-aged kids. © Skye Gilkeson

The Best Travel Toys for Kids Aged 3-5 Years

Kids’ creativity and imaginative play really flourish at this age, meaning they have a much broader range of interests when it comes to play.

Dot books are a fun travel toy for preschool to school-aged children. They are a new take on a coloring book. Older toddlers will love these too.

Coloring books are the perfect travel toy for a budding little artist. If you travel or go out to eat frequently, I recommend you buy a pack in bulk and keep them in the cupboard. 

Twistable crayons are a great idea as there is less chance they will make a mess and you don’t need to carry a pencil sharpener.

They are suitable for toddlers to school-aged children and we’ve found they last a long time compared to regular crayons.

Reusable Sticker Books . Reusable stickers are a clever option over a single-use sticker pad as they can design the scene, pack up and start all over again.

Magnatiles are a great way to play with your child on the plane. You can build structures and shapes together and they easily pack away afterward into a ziplock bag or carrying case.

Suction toys are fun airplane toys but also double as bath toys once you get to your hotel.

A talking flashcards toy is one of the best travel items for toddlers for long road trips. This is a good way of entertaining and educating a toddler while they sit in the back seat as they can learn unassisted.

A small magnetic drawing board . Kids follow the pre-made pattern by placing colored magnets to create a picture.

A mini Etch A Sketch is great for small hands as you simply draw with the knobs and shake to erase.

Wikki Stix are bendable crafting sticks of twine that children can shape into whatever they like.

Both little kids and older kids will like getting creative with these and as they are waxy, they don’t require glue to stick onto surfaces.

An airplane tray table cover . A tray table cover is a simple way to keep your child’s snacks and hands on a clean surface (because we know they never keep their food on a plate).

This cover keeps the space clean while adding a couple of extra activities to their schedule.

A foldable travel tray . If you are doing a lot of long-haul travel or a big road trip, consider a tray table organizer. Your child can settle in and get set up and you don’t have to crawl on an airplane floor every five minutes in search of a missing crayon.

Simple, fun, thin books . Both of my kids love the School of Monsters series.

The Best Travel Toys for Kids Aged 5 to 7

Preschool and early school-aged children love to learn in a practical way. So, the best travel toys for 3-5 year olds are fun, educational, and creative activities.

Kids’ tablets can come in handy when you are on a long car ride or family road trip (or you’re flying with a budget carrier that doesn’t provide screens – check that before flying).

While it’s simple to download shows and movies onto your children’s tablet, they can be educational too by adding games like Reading Eggs, World of Peppa Pig, or the Grandma’s Garden series.

If you don’t have the budget for an Apple iPad , buy the top-selling kids tablet with built-in software, parental controls, and a shock-proof case. 

We have these kid’s wireless headphones for our kids to watch tablets or the inflight-screen. They are fun colors, the kids get stickers to customize them and they have a safe, maximum sound limit.

Don’t forget to grab a headphone adapter for flying.

Handheld water games are not only compact but can be quite challenging. These are the perfect game to keep your kids occupied while waiting in those long airport lines.

An activity book is the best travel toy for preschool and early school-aged children, particularly on long trips. T hey can do coloring, solve puzzles, answer questions, and draw.

We like activity book kits that come themed with their favourite characters and include stickers.

Mini Lego sets will keep those with a keen eye for building busy. There are so many different sets to choose from. These have small parts so be mindful of that if you are travelling with younger children.

Explorer Flash Cards . If your 5-year-old is anything like mine, they won’t be able to learn enough facts in a day and love to show off their reading skills.

So, these cards will be a fun learning activity to do with your kids. Choose one of the different themes for each international flight.

A Polly Pocket travel toy is a small play set that your child can get to play with in the lounge and carry on to the plane themselves with its necklace or fanny pack options.

Read Next | Qatar Airways QSuite Review: The World’s Best Business Class

There are so many simple travel toys and activities that will keep your kids engaged during the journey. © Skye Gilkeson

The Best Travel Toys for Kids Aged 7 – 12 years

The tween age group is all about self-expression and exploring their passions. Creative toys for travel are a great option to entertain your tween kids on your next holiday.

Card games . Older kids will enjoy card games like UNO, Memory, or Go Fish. These are also a fun way to pass the time playing together in an airport lounge.

Foldology is an origami-style game that challenges the brain and coordination by creating different shapes out of paper to reveal a photo.

Craft kits . Let them immerse themselves in some craft with a friendship bracelet-making kit .

Drawing Kits . Fashionistas will love trying their hand at designing with this fashion drawing kit including stencils and stickers.

A Rechargeable Game Activity Cube will test their problem-solving skills and enables your kids to play together too.

It includes arcade games, brain games, and disco lights with music for dance parties when you reach your destination.

Tween coloring book . The young artist in your family will love tween coloring and good quality pencils to keep them entertained on the plane.

Mad Libs is a fun word game that can be played with the whole family – perfect for a holiday road trip.

DIY designer water bottle . Let them get creative and decorate a brand-new water bottle that they can then use on their trip so they get a great travel gift too.

Travel Activities for Teens

A Kindle means your teenager can dive into their favourite new travel reads without having to weigh down their carry-on with paperbacks.

This is the perfect gift too for your teenager who commutes a lot between home and school.

A travel journal . Why not encourage them to record their travel memories for later? They can write, draw and scrapbook as they go.

These travel games will fit easily into their carry-on to ease the boredom when it hits promising hours of fun.

Road trip riddles . Get the whole family involved on your next family vacation with some brain-twisting riddles in this book.

Vlogging camera . Is your teenager an aspiring vlogger? Get them an entry-level vlogging camera so they can record your next vacation.

Activity books and craft kits are great travel toys for airport lounges. © Skye Gilkeson

Sticker books are always a hit when travelling. © Skye Gilkeson

Tips for Choosing the Best Travel Toys for Your Trip

Be smart about which travel toys you take.

You absolutely do not have to pack an entire suitcase full of toys for your kids to travel with.

A handful of different toys is the perfect amount. Be smart about what you choose to pack.

The best travel toys for kids are those that are dual-function (like a soft toy with sensory extras like teethers), reusable, compact, and easily washable.

Opt for Quiet Toys

Consider your neighbors on that flight, train ride, or airport lounge. The majority of toys should be quiet toys that don’t disturb others.

If your kids are using a tablet, ensure they have headphones plugged in. And, don’t use musical toys or loud rattles unless you are in the car or out in the open.

New Toys Are Key

New toys are key to keeping them engaged for longer. This doesn’t mean you need to spend a fortune or go overboard with how many you take.

Ration Your Kid’s Travel Activities

Be strategic about the way that you present the travel toys and activities you pack. 

You need to ration each activity out. Then you have an ongoing supply of surprise toys which is especially important on a long journey.

Make sure you have some travel toys in your carry-on and some in your checked baggage for when you arrive at your destination.

You may need them for the wait in the luggage hall, the transfer trip, or the hotel waiting area.

How to Pack Kids Toys for the Plane

Encourage each child to decorate their own packing cubes that will fit easily in a carry-on.

Make sure you have two separate bags or activities for younger and older siblings or a bag for each child, so you don’t risk arguments over who owns which toys.

Make sure each child (if they are 5 years old and up) knows they are responsible for their own travel activities, including packing everything away once they’re finished.

When you’re packaging up your toys into different bags, ensure anything that could leak is in a well-sealed snap-lock bag.

Ask For Inflight Entertainment

Don’t be afraid to ask the flight attendant whether the airline has any travel toys for kids.

Some airlines have great kids activity kits like the Qantas kids pack that contains a mini Etch A Sketch style toy.

We hope this comprehensive guide to the best travel toys for kids gives you some inspiration and helps you pack for your next trip with the kids.

More travel tips and inspiration:

4 Lake Como Towns You Must Visit

A Guide on Epic Things to Do in Queenstown New Zealand

The Ultimate Travel Guide to Banff

How to Spend Two Days in Zurich – Tips From a Local

Skye is the founder and editor-in-chief of The Fit Traveller.

She is a journalist, writer, photographer, intrepid traveller and a former personal trainer with a passion for helping others reach optimal health.

As a TV journalist and producer, Skye has worked for household names such as 60 Minutes, Sunrise, TODAY and Nine News. She has also written for Women’s Health, Fodor’s Travel and Yahoo7 Travel, among many others.

Equally comfortable in a 5-star resort or hiking a far-off mountain, Skye loves the unexpected and enriching life experiences that each trip brings and can often be found in a backstreet chatting to locals with her camera in hand.

Skye is based in Sydney, working to master the balance between motherhood and her appetite for adventure.

Read more about Skye’s story here .

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9 best travel toys that’ll keep kids entertained no matter the journey

Wave goodbye to backseat boredom with these child-approved toys and games for your little ones, article bookmarked.

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While family holidays are a great opportunity to create new memories together, the journey to your sunny destination can be stressful, sending even the most laidback parents into a spin.

Much like any daunting task – particularly where children are involved – preparation is key, and if games of eye-spy and singalong songs aren’t silencing the inevitable cries of “are we there yet?”, it could be time to pick up a reliable travel toy.

Whether you’re travelling by train, plane or automobile, the best travel toys are compact and easily packed away without faffing to find missing pieces. You want options that are quiet, so not to bother other travellers or you and something they can play with independently or in harmony with a sibling (one can dream, hey).

Although screen time may be the obvious answer, we tried to steer clear of typical technology in the hunt for simpler options, and gave bonus points to those that managed to be educational too.

No matter where or how you’re planning to venture with the kids this summer, these are our favourite travel toys to keep tantrums at bay.

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8 best family board games for hours of fun, from cult classics to new releases

6 best kids’ backpacks for school that really make the grade

10 best trainers for kids 2023: Sporty and comfortable styles for boys and girls

How we tested

Our four- and six-year-old testers tried out an array of travel toys on long car journeys and trips on the train. We also gave them a thorough testing when out and about, including when we were grabbing lunch, during downtime on the beach or enjoying picnics in the park. However, it’s safe to say for the favourites toys, the playing continued at home too.

The best kids’ travel toys for 2023 are:

• Best overall – Janod dinosaurs magneti’book: £18, Kidly.co.uk
• Best value for money – Fiesta crafts airport stickabouts: £5.95, Dottyhippo.co.uk
• Best for portability – Spirograph the original travel set: £10.99, Amazon.co.uk
• Best for learning a new skill – Galt travel learn to draw set: £15.99, Booghe.co.uk
• Best for older kids – Nexcube 3x3 classic: £8, Smythstoys.com

Janod dinosaurs magneti’book

• Best : Overall
• Type : Magnetic book

It looks like a book, but it’s so much more. From traditional toymaker Janod, the portable magneti’books are boredom busters for three- to eight-year-olds, and they can fit in most handbags. There’s over 15 themes to choose from, but we tested the dinosaurs version, much to our mini testers’ pleasure.

Kids of all ages are fascinated by the magic of magnets, and this rather sturdy box is filled with 40 magnetic cardboard pieces to play with. The magnetic board features a tropical Jurassic scene, which our testers loved attaching their magnetic dinosaurs to while adding their own sound effects along the way and comically mixing and matching body parts.

We were also super impressed with the quality of the materials and the fact that it’s wipe-clean. It encourages imagination and is great for siblings playing together on the go.

Fiesta crafts airport stickabouts

• Best : Value for money
• Type : Stickers

We’ve all been there battling the stickers that get stuck to our children’s fingers or everywhere other than the sticker book… here’s where Stickabouts steps in. Reusable, washable and glue-free, Stickabouts stick to any flat surface, including aeroplane seats and train tables, but fortunately, our mini testers were more interested in filling the airport scene with the 42 pieces.

Perfect for airport delays or long journeys, the set is recommended for three to seven years and is a purse-friendly, portable and pleasurable option. Our testers even used the stickers in the bath at the hotel.

Playfoam Go! squishy sandcastle

• Best : For sensory play
• Type : Interactive toy

If you’ve yet to discover the wonders of Playfoam, with that long journey ahead, now’s the time. Playfoam is the squishy, squashy, sculpting toy that offers sensory and creative play by the bucket load, or in this case, by the sandcastle load. Because Playfoam only sticks to itself and never dries out, it’s great for on-the-go fun.

It comes in a portable case with a handle and is ready to use from the offset with built-in shell moulds to sculpt and squish the Playfoam into seashell shapes. However, our six-year-old tester’s favourite bit was squashing the perfectly formed shapes and starting all over again.

Kudos to those who can encourage players to keep the colours separate. Lightweight, no mess and self-contained, plus you’ll get five animal friends, Playfoam Go! Squishy Sandcastle is a fun on-the-go toy.

Spirograph the original travel set

• Best : For portability
• Type : Drawing

The humble Spirograph filled us with all the nostalgic feels, and this travel set has nailed on-the-go creativity. The Spirograph studio has a built-in design ring, work surface and storage compartment for holding all the implements: six wheels, two pens, a 2-page pad, a design guide and, of course, any finished artwork. It was too advanced for our four-year-old, but our six-year-old tester – with a bit of adult help – loved seeing her different designs take shape.

Bigjigs toys holiday kit

• Best : For holiday role-play
• Type : Interactive toys

This nine-piece set from BigJigs is holiday vibes in a case and sure to get any jet-setter excited about an upcoming trip. Our four- and six-year-old testers loved discovering what was inside this pretend travel suitcase.

There are wooden role play toys such as sun tan lotion with a fun working pump, a pretend camera, a comb, toothbrush and toothpaste and some play spending money. Our testers saved the postcards to send while on holiday and enjoyed playing “holidays” with the passport and map. You’ll also get a handy red cap, stickers – which never fail to entertain – and four colouring pencils.

This set is perfect for drumming excitement but also when on the move. The testers temporarily argued over who got to carry the case, but we also managed to fit a few more, colouring books and small toys in too.

Galt travel learn to draw set

• Best : For learning a new skill

Time on your hands? Fill the void and learn a skill with this activity set from Galt. It is designed for on-the-go-drawing, and budding artists aged four+ can learn to draw in three easy steps using the 10 step-by-step drawings. Simply slide through the three discs that start with the drawing’s outline and progress through to the finishing touches using the pen provided (which handily slots in the back of the board).

The pen is a child-friendly size, and the eraser on the end means each drawing can simply be wiped off when your little ones are ready to move on to their next masterpiece. This toy is brilliantly portable and great for car or train journeys. It kept both our testers entertained and stimulated – sharing, however, was questionable.

Tonies starter set

• Best : For story lovers
• Type : Audiobook

If you’re trying to steer your young ones away from screen time this holiday, we believe we’ve found the answer with Tonies. The device is a child-friendly audio player that is geared towards independent play for children as young as three years old – just the ticket for a long journey.

While it’s not specifically designed to be a travel toy, add a set of foldable headphones (£24.99, Tonies.com ), and you’ll hear no mutterings of “Are we nearly there yet?” or “I’m bored.” It’s worth bearing in mind, though, that you will need to connect to wifi initially, but once you’ve placed on the Tonie, the story is downloaded.

Encouraging a love of audio learning and reading, our little testers enjoyed adjusting the volume using the rubber ears and swapping stories by placing the Tonie figurines on top of the cube. There’s a vast offering of stories to choose from, including the hugely popular Peppa Pig and The Gruffalo , and even Disney classics, but at £14.99 a pop, we’d suggest going for their favourite character.

In the starter set you’ll get a Toniebox, a Creative-Tonie, which has 90 minutes of space for you to upload online audiobooks, music or even recordings of your own stories and messages, and a charging dock. We can’t deny it’s a considered purchase, but can you put a price on a peaceful journey? Plus, it’ll be your child’s companion way beyond the end of the holiday.

Aquabeads deluxe carry case

• Best : For craft lovers
• Type : Crafts

If you have a child that’s pleaded with you to take their Aquabeads on holiday, your prayers have been answered. The newly released Aquabeads Deluxe Carry Case allows creative play to continue wherever on the horizon. New to the phenomenon, our six-year-old tester’s eyes lit up when she saw this – quite possibly due to the shiny buckle – but the excitement continued as she opened the case.

The portable carry case comes with more than 1,400 solid, star and jewel beads in 4 colours. There’s a built-in tray to make creations on the move and a double-sided Aquabeads pen for execution – we found this worked well on a train table where there’s a little more room. If you’re familiar with the craze, you’ll know water is required to stick the creations together.

There’s a spray water bottle provided, but you’ll need to fill it up, and it’s worth remembering that creations take an hour to dry. It’s certainly something craftspeople will enjoy beyond the journey, and the carry case design makes it transportable, even if you do require a still space for smooth work.

Nexcube 3x3 classic

• Best : For older kids
• Type : Puzzle

A fidget toy is the ultimate distraction, just what kids need on tedious journeys. You’ve probably heard of a Rubik’s cube, but let us introduce Nexcube, the world record-setting speedcube. They may look similar, but we found this brand less abrasive on the hands, and the movement has been ergonomically designed with a unique mechanism for smooth turns.

While our testers were below the recommended age for the Nexcube (eight years plus), they did enjoy twisting and turning it, and it’s a toy that’ll undoubtedly hold the attention of slightly older kids and, dare we say it, adults too!

The verdict: Kids’ travel toys

We love the portably playing possibilities that the Janod Magneti’books provide. We found it fun, suitably silly, great for siblings and affordable. Plus, there’s a great selection of themes to choose from to suit different interests.

From Star Wars to Harry Potter, we’ve found the best kids’ Lego sets

Voucher Codes

The Best Travel Toys For Kids To Get Some “Me Time”

Are you looking for the best travel toys for kids but not sure which would be the best?

If you are, then today, we will share the best travel toys for kids that you can bring anywhere . These activities aim to stretch your kids’ imaginations while providing you with a bit of downtime.

In this article, I’m giving you:

• the best options depending on your kids’ age
• lots more inspiration to know what to pack toy-wise for your next family trip , and finally
• what you should look for when selecting the right travel toys for your kids.

P.S. For this post, we’re looking at the best travel toys for kids aged roughly 2 – 8 years old .

Disclaimer: Just a heads up, this free article contains affiliate links . If you purchase after clicking one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost . Also, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Your support helps me continue to provide helpful and free content for you .

Our Top Best Travel Toys for Kids (Breaking Down By Age)

• Best travel toys for 1 year old: Felt Quiet Books
• Best travel toys for 2 years old: Melissa & Doug Water Wow Coloring Pads
• Best travel toys for 3 years old: Reusable Sticker Books
• Best travel toys for 4 years old: Magformers
• Best travel toys for 5 year old: LCD Writing Tablet for Kids
• Best travel toys for 6 year old: Travel Scavenger Hunt Game
• Best travel toys for 7 year old: Lego sets
• Best travel toys for 8 year old: Books

Get Your Road Trip Activity Book Journal (Only $9.99)

We’ll start with a “no-brainer.” Puzzles are an excellent activity for young kids. Plus, they’re diverse enough that you can find puzzles for your kids’ age.

Puzzles are an EXCELLENT travel toy for kids. Here are our favorite puzzles for kids aged 2 – 6.

• 1 24-Piece Colorful Wooden Puzzles for Toddler . This puzzle pack is perfect because of the different-sized puzzles, so it’s fun for multiple ages. It comes with 6 different puzzles. The puzzle set is rated for age 3 to 5.
• Melissa & Doug Natural Play Wooden Puzzle . This puzzle pack is perfect for toddlers and babies. There are 4 sets of 4-piece puzzle.
• Ravensburger World Map 60 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle for Kids . This puzzle is perfect because it’s a map of the world 😉 But it’s also a beautiful one. It has 60 pieces, so it’s more suited for older kids.

2. Transformers, Action Figures & Cars

When we use the term “transformers,” we really mean things like “action figures.” But we’ve noticed that our kids love transformers in particular. I think they realize they’re getting a 2-for-1 deal even at an early age.

Or they’re fascinated by the idea of something magically turning into something else. Whatever the case may be, we’ve enjoyed watching our kids play with transformers and other action figures (like plastic animals).

• Toddler Mini Transformer Set . This set of mini transformers is perfect for toddlers. Plus, they transform in cars.
• Transformer Heros & Villans . This set of transformers is perfect for old children who LOVE superheroes.
• Animals Figurines . Animnals figurines are a must-have when traveling with kids. They are perfect for flying with kids, when road tripping with kids and even to bring at the beach or on family hikes.
• Bakugan Jumbo Transforming Figure . If you DO decide to take a transformer, we’ve found these little guys keep our boys plenty busy (they’re not technically transformers, but you get the idea). They are fun and can be good for introducing what magnets are.
• MagFormer s . MagFormers are another great game to bring when traveling. Kids can build different things with the colorful magnetic forms. Kids of all ages can have fun with those.

While action figures are fun, they may not be the best travel toy if you move around a lot. They can get lost, be expensive to replace, and may not entertain your child long enough to make it your best option.

3. Sport Equipment

The hard thing about long-term travel is that your kids may get a late start to organized sports. While you may not mind too much, there are plenty of parents who fear their kid will be “left out” when they come home and re-integrate with their school and friends.

That’s why I think it’s important to travel with some kind of sports equipment that can be used anywhere. This usually means a soccer ball, basketball, baseball (and a mit), or an inflatable “kickball”).

Those are harder to pack when flying, but if you’re taking a road trip, definitely toss a ball in the trunk. It can provide hours of fun for the whole family, and distract kids long enough to give you a break. That said, if you are going abroad and won’t have a lot of room, this kind of thing may be better if you buy it at your destination.

We could pitch you some of our favorites, but that feels silly. If you want some kind of organized sports equipment, chances are you know exactly where to go to get it.

4. Card-Based Games

We classify card-based games as any activity that uses a standard or a modified deck of cards. This could be anything from a deck of playing cards to Monopoly Deal to world trivia games.

Card-based games are perfect for road trips , but also for the long wait at the airport (or on slow evenings during vacation).

• Monopoly Deal

5. Arts and Crafts

Arts and crafts is a bit “broad” as a category. When we use that term, we mean things like markers, paints, coloring books, and so on.

We don’t really mean things that require glue guns or more in-depth tooling than some color pencils and some scissors. Let’s see how these rank.

• Melissa & Doug Water Wow Coloring Pads . Water Wow Coloring Pads are perfect when traveling. They are mess-free, but they can be used. They are amazing for toddlers, but even older kids can use them.
• Reusable Sticker Books . There are so many sticker books available in stores and on Amazon. We personally really like the reusable sticker books . It’s better for the environment, it’s less messy and it stays longer.
• LCD Writing Tablet for Kids . LCD Writing Tablets are a great alternative to pens and paper when traveling. One of our sons got one for Christmas to both boys ended up playing with it for most of the drive back home from California .

I think that every traveling family with kids should bring some kind of arts and crafts kit. This usually means a box of markers or color pencils, a few coloring books, and some blank pieces of paper. There’s A LOT of things you can do with those basic ingredients.

Here are our favorite items for an arts and crafts kits for travel for a DIY travel craft kit:

• Craft paper and white paper
• Coloring markers
• Glue and scissors
• Fun accessories: feather, buttons, chenille stems, …

Kid’s books are interesting. Personally, I converted to a tablet reader years ago. It started with the Kindle, but has progressed to the reMarkable 2.

And for the record, I was a HUGE book nerd who never thought I’d make the switch.

That said, I still haven’t turned my kids into eBook readers yet, and I don’t plan to any time soon. I think there are too many benefits for young kids seeing colors, touching the pages, and holding the book itself as they learn to read.

I may be a snob, but I think all families should bring some real, good ol’ fashion kids’ books with them on their trip.

Like arts and crafts, we think the right kids books are great for traveling families.

Also, we found a lot of Little Free Library (or the equivalent) all across Canada, so we were able to get new books here and there, by swaping with one that the kids where tired of reading.

Final Thoughts: Best Types of Travel Toys for Kids

And this list tends to make sense to us as we look back on it. While we were driving across Canada, it was consistently books, crafts, and puzzles that gave us the most down time throughout the week.

Our kids could do these activities on their own without much parental intervention for at least 45 minutes to an hour.

The sports equipment killed the most time, but often required us to get involved.

The action figures were great, but our kids ended up getting bored with them a few days into the trip. Then we had TONS of little figurines and transformers that our kids loved too much to throw out without having a meltdown, but not so much they played with them consistently.

And that’s it! We hope you found this post helpful.

Related Articles – Travel Toys for Kids

If you enjoyed this article, we think you’d also enjoy the following resources:

• 7 Travel Sleeping Solutions for Toddlers
• The Best Road Trip Snacks for Kids
• Best Type of Stroller for Travel

These articles will have everything you need to travel with young children.

4 thoughts on “The Best Travel Toys For Kids To Get Some “Me Time””

Interesting post Emilie! I don’t know if this one counts, but every time we go on travel, I always make sure to bring in my daughters building blocks 😀

Building blocks are great! They keep the kids busy for a while and they can also be used for counting 🙂 We have a small bag of LEGO, and the boys loved them.

Such a great article. Great ideas! I always try and remember that where we are going has toys too so if I bring less, I can always add a couple IF we need to. But this is great master list to work from, nice work!

That is so true! There are toys everywhere IF they need more and then it returns home as a souvenir 🙂 Also, we found out that many Airbnbs have a few toys. I’m glad you liked the post!

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Tips For Family Trips

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10 Travel Toys for Kids that Fit in ONE Backpack

Air Travel , Packing , Road Trips , Travel Gifts and Products / April 25, 2019 by Katie / 7 Comments This article may contain sponsored content or affiliate links.

Need a few travel toys for your next trip? Screens can be lifesavers on long travel days, but too much screen time makes my kids grouchy. Sometimes a classic toy is the perfect alternative to endless movies or video games.

New toys are also exciting for kids. Packing a new toy or two is a reliable trick that travel-savvy families use to make long travel days easier.

After years of family travel adventures, I've made a list of my top 10 tried-and-true travel toys for kids. These travel toys make the cut for me because they are

• affordable,
• on Amazon.com,
• they all fit in a child's backpack.

Here are my favorite travel toys for older and younger children.

1. Magnetic Play Books

2.  Travel Doodler

3.  Triangular Crayons  

Brilliant travel toy for kids.  These triangular crayons will stay put on your airplane tray table while your little artist works on her creations. See it on Amazon.com.

4.  Spot It Jr. Game

5.  Finger Puppets

6.  Rubik's Cube

Younger children will love messing them up, and mom and dad can learn how to solve one! See it on Amazon.com.

7.  Coloring books

I like dot-to-dot books for kids of all ages, but my 7-year-old son fell in love with this coloring book. See it on Amazon.com.

When he needed a break, his big sisters were delighted to give the book a try. If numbers aren't your thing, colored pencils and these prism design coloring books will entertain an older child for hours. See it on Amazon.com.

8. Wikki Stix

9.  Sticker Books

Love Hello Kitty or Star Wars? Find a sticker book that your child is interested in and enjoy plenty of quiet time. This is the one I just ordered for my truck-loving son. See it on Amazon.com.

10.  Stacking Cups

I love stacking cups as travel toys. You can use them to serve snacks, hide small toys or treats under, stack, build towers, sort by color, and many other wonderful activities. When you arrive at your destination, stacking cups are a great bath toy too! See it on Amazon.com.

We have used most of these ideas on airplanes, but you can use these tricks for road trips too. 

What are your favorite travel toys for kids?  I would love to hear what things your kids love!

Related:  5 Tips for Your First Road Trip With Baby  

Rleated:  10 Best Audiobooks for Family Road Trips

Thanks for Sharing!

Reader Interactions

Mariel @ Or so she says...

March 20, 2014 at 6:27 pm

These are all great ideas! My kids always love lacing cards, those Crayola Wonder Marker books, and the Picture Puzzle books. Pinned!

March 20, 2014 at 9:01 pm

Thanks, Mariel. Love those ideas! I’m flying in a few weeks with my five kids and I think I’ll give the lacing cards a try for my daughter. Thanks!

March 22, 2014 at 8:00 am

We’re always planning on long road trips with our 4 children. Thanks for sharing!

August 5, 2014 at 10:57 am

Please use a collapsible travel tray in the car as if there is an accident a rigid one could badly hurt a child.

Allison Laypath

August 5, 2014 at 1:44 pm

That’s an excellent suggestion. Thank you!

August 5, 2014 at 2:20 pm

Thank you for the good idea, Jenny!

April 4, 2017 at 11:40 pm

There are several Led Toys that can add on to the entertainment and end up in late night fun.

Have a question or comment? Add it here. Cancel reply

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The 50 Best Toddler Travel Toys — All Mom-Tested and Approved!

When we set out for family adventures with our two toddlers, toys are always a priority on our packing list. Although we’ve been known to travel with large toys like our daughter’s Fisher-Price Piano and our son’s Strider Balance Bike , it’s important to find options that are compact, lightweight, and engaging for little ones away from home.

We’ve rounded up the 50 best toddler toys for travel, all tested from our personal experience with two young children. 

The Best Toddler Toys for Travel Day 

From noisy musical toys to educational activities, here are our favorite toddler travel toys for the car, plane, or train ride (and they double as excellent entertainment once you reach your destination!):

Travel activities 

1. coloring books.

Coloring books are battery-free and budget-friendly. Bring a few along when traveling by plane, like these Mickey Mouse or Frozen themed choices that include sticker pages. 

2. Non-rolling crayons

If your toddler is coloring on a plane or train, crayons that don’t roll down the aisle are a must. Try this triangular pack from Crayola, or these princess or truck sets from Melissa & Doug.

3. Sticker books

Sticker books , sticker sets , and activity books are great ways to keep toddlers entertained on road trips, airplane rides, and restaurant nights . 

4. Doodle board

An LCD writing tablet or a doodle board is the perfect way to let youngsters create and erase over and over, without the mess. Just make sure you have fresh batteries loaded up for your trip!

5. Etch-a-Sketch

Try a full-sized Etch-a-Sketch to maximize space for creativity, or opt for a pocket-sized version to keep in your diaper bag or purse.

Slinkies and other fidget toys are ideal to have on hand for travel. Just be sure to pick age-appropriate products that are safe for your child.

7. Busy board 

Our son loves to undo the latches and buckles on his busy board . He even carries it through the airport like a briefcase. 

8. Dry-erase cards 

Help your toddler practice the alphabet in flight with these miniature dry-erase cards , or invest in a dry-erase activity book and markers . 

9. Melissa & Doug Poke-a-Dot Cards

I almost always include Melissa & Doug’s Poke-a-Dot cards and books on my lists of favorites for toddlers and babies. They’re simple and educational, and the novelty of their satisfying popping sound doesn’t wear off for young tots.

10. Melissa & Doug Water Wow Books

Another winner from Melissa & Doug is its collection of Water Wow Activity Books . Each book comes with a refillable water pen that toddlers use to reveal hidden colors and objects on each page. Once the page dries, they get to do it all over again. The brand makes Wow Water books in a range of themes, including animals , sports , and children’s shows like Blue’s Clues and Paw Patrol .

Sound-making toys

11. fisher-price smart purse.

Although sound-making toys aren’t the best for trains or airplanes, they’re lifesavers on road trips. This interactive purse comes with a set of small toys inside and talks to toddlers when opened and closed. 

12. Learning Journey Wheels on the Bus Toy

If your toddler can’t get enough of the “Wheels on the Bus” song, they’re going to love this button-activated singing toy from Learning Journey. Just make sure you’re ready to hear the same lyrics on repeat in the car! 

13. Melissa & Doug Vroom & Zoom Steering Wheel

Help your young one feel like they’re behind the wheel with this creative pick from Melissa & Doug. The interactive steering wheel toy has music stations, classic car controls like turn signals and flashers, and a steering game all incorporated into its design.

14. Phone toy

Let’s be honest — your toddler sees you holding your phone constantly. Offer them their own cellular or corded telephone with buttons, lights, and music. 

15. Fisher-Price Counting Koala Linkimal 

Fisher-Price’s Linkimals are musical toys that sing in sync when placed close to each other. This adorable Counting Koala Linkimal is an excellent road-trip choice for toddlers learning their numbers.

16. Board books

If you’re looking for quiet activities for air travel, you can’t go wrong with board books . Opt for favorites your child already knows by heart, or invest in a boxed set . Toddlers will love going through each book in the group and placing them back in the box when reading time is finished. We love Richard Scarry’s Busy Busy Boxed Set and these cute Books of Kindness .

17. Lift-the-flap books 

To add an interactive dimension to story time on the plane or train, try a few lift-the-flap books, like Dear Zoo , Where’s Spot? , and Spot Goes to the Farm .

18. Ready-to-Read Books

As your son or daughter starts to crave independence, the Ready-to-Read book series is a road-trip gem. Each page has a corresponding button that children can press to hear the text read aloud. These books feature characters from favorite movies and shows, like Mickey Mouse , Frozen , Moana , and Spiderman .

Toys to snuggle

If you’ve planned to have your toddler sleep on travel day, it’s helpful to bring a few well-loved toys from home for them to snuggle. A classic babydoll and bottle helps encourage pretend play on the road and at your destination, and softer dolls make for great companions at naptime.

20. Stuffed animals

Plan to bring your kids’ favorite stuffed animals and blankets along for the trip, especially if they love to sleep snuggled up with them. Jellycat is a beloved brand for stuffed animal friends, like this adorable bunny , pig , and chick .

The Best Toddler Travel Toys to Bring for Your Destination

Having a variety of toys on hand can help keep toddlers entertained and happy when outside their familiar home environment. From puzzles and blocks to cars and games, we’ve rounded up our favorite toys to pack in the suitcase and bring along for playtime away from home:

21. Wood puzzles

Whenever we go on trips by plane or car, we always bring a few puzzles. They engage toddlers for extended periods of time without taking up too much space in the suitcase. For a few classic wood options, try these alphabet , numbers , and shapes and animals puzzles.

22. EeBoo puzzle pairs

Toy brand EeBoo makes lightweight puzzles with chunky pieces and simple pairings. Try these colors , numbers , and opposites puzzle pairs for some educational playtime.

23. Wee Gallery puzzles

We love the sturdy paired pieces in Wee Gallery’s animal-themed and dinosaur-themed puzzle sets. 

24. Kidoozie Peek ‘N Peep Eggs

The Peek ‘N Peep Eggs from Kidoozie have been a winner in our household for years. Each egg sports a different face expression and pops open to reveal a colored inside. The snap-shut egg carton doubles as a shape-sorter and offers almost as much entertainment as the eggs themselves. 

25. Clock puzzle 

Our son is at that curious age when he always wants to know what time it is. Help your child build on their interest in the time of day with a shape-sorting clock puzzle from Melissa & Doug or Fat Brain Toys .

26. Gear toys and puzzles 

Every toddler seems to love objects that spin. Try a simple gear toy like this colorful caterpillar , or add an engaging dimension with Melissa & Doug’s interchangeable gear toy or Fat Brain Toys’ wooden gear puzzle .

27. Block puzzles

Each cube face in Melissa & Doug’s block puzzles sports the missing piece of a different puzzle, adding an extra challenge to traditional wood puzzles. These sets come with six kid-friendly puzzles in one package, which helps to save space when traveling. Parents can choose from pet-themed , farm-themed , or Blue’s Clues sets, each of which comes with its own carrying tray.

28. Kidoozie Lights ‘N Sounds Shape Sorter

There’s something about Kidoozie’s noisy Lights ‘N Sounds Shape Sorter that keeps youngsters coming back again and again. This compact toy has catchy jingles, rattling puzzle pieces, and multiple modes of play.

Toys on wheels 

29. friction-powered trucks.

Toy cars and trucks pack a ton of fun into a compact package. These friction-powered monster trucks do hilarious stunts and spins when pushed across the floor, and they’ve been long-standing favorites in our family. We also love these sets of friction-powered trucks and construction vehicles .

30. Hot Wheels cars

Hot Wheels cars add up in weight in a suitcase, but at just over $1 each , they’re affordable and space-saving. Use household items to make creative jumps and ramps when you arrive at your destination. 

31. Cars with music and lights

If your child is more entertained by lights and sounds, try this set of music-making Hot Wheels cars with multiple buttons, sounds, and glowing colors.

32. Motorized Hot Wheels Car

Skip the bag of small cars and invest in one big one that’s sure to make your child smile. This battery-powered Hot Wheels car changes color and zooms across the floor with impressive speed.

33. Pull-back cars

If you’d rather not worry about keeping batteries on hand, classic pull-back cars make for great games between parent and child when away from home. 

34. Mega Bloks ABC Musical Train

For under $10, this Mega Bloks ABC Musical Train includes 46 blocks in a lightweight set. Just be sure not to leave any of the pieces behind when you pack up to head home. 

35. Lego Duplo Train

Lego’s Duplo Number Train combines your toddler’s passion for trains with their love for building, with chunky pieces and smiling characters. Check out the brand’s fire engine , tractor , and other building sets for more Lego fun.

36. Shape stacker train

Shape-stacker trains, like these from Melissa & Doug and Fat Brain Toys , offer an educational fine-motor activity for younger and older toddlers alike.

37. Remote-control cars

If you’re like our family and willing to travel with any toys to keep kids entertained away from home, throw these remote-control cartoon cars or construction vehicles in the toy bag. For older kids, try this smaller remote-control Hot Wheels car.

Building toys 

38. magnetic tiles.

Magna-Tiles and Picasso Tiles are on the heavier side, but they’re compact and offer endless building opportunities for growing minds.

39. SmartMax magnetic toys

SmartMax offers a whole suite of animal and vehicle sets that encourage creative play.

40. Learning Resources Preschool MathLink Cubes

Our son loves to play with his small, lightweight MathLink Cubes . Toddlers can build freely or follow the educational activity cards with an adult’s help. Also try the brand’s kindergarten math activity set and additional building cubes .

41. Bath blocks

If you’re traveling with young kids, be sure to remember some bath toys . These ultra-lightweight bath blocks (with mesh travel bag included!) let your toddler build something entirely new each time they sit in the tub.

42. Balancing toys

This clever toy set encourages children to balance the colorful animal pairs on the curved wooden ark without tipping it over.

Other toddler toys we love

43. window crayons.

Crayola’s window crayons and markers let families play games together or draw creatively on any glass surface when away from home. 

44. Fat Brain Toys RollAgain Ball Sorter

Our son received this unique game by Fat Brain Toys as a gift almost a year ago, and it’s been a mesmerizing toy for him and his sister to play with since. Place the colorful, rattling balls into the gradually widening track, and watch as they drop into their perfectly matched landing spots.

45. Melissa & Doug Bean Bag Toss

This foldable bean bag toss game is compact and lightweight for travel. 

46. Memory matching games 

If you’re traveling to visit family, Fat Brain Toys’ Ladybug Memory Game and Fisher-Price’s Make-a-Match Card Game are perfect ways for your toddler to play back and forth with loved ones.

47. Bead maze

If we’re traveling by car, we often bring our bead maze toy along. It’s lightweight and doesn’t include any loose parts that could be lost in transit or during packing.

48. Play-Doh

Play-Doh tubs are small and compact, and packing a Play-Doh set provides us with a nice family playtime activity when we have some downtime during vacation. 

49. Learning Resources Preschool Letters 

This Learning Resources Preschool Letters set comes with 91 pieces, including tiny letter beads, sturdy letter cards, strings for lacing, a color spinner for games, and multiple activity sheets to complete together with your toddler. If you’re worried about traveling with too many tiny pieces, opt for a simple lacing card activity instead. 

50. Popping tubes 

A set of popping tubes is one of our favorite simple toys for traveling with babies and toddlers. The tubes make silly noises when stretched and squashed, and children can connect them together to create various shapes and loops.

The Upshot: Choosing the Best Toddler Travel Toys

We hope our comprehensive list of favorites helped you find some winning toddler toys to add to your packing list for your next family trip. No matter which you decide to bring with you, sitting down on your toddler’s level, giving them your full attention, and using your imagination for dedicated, interactive playtime makes all the difference.

If you’re looking for travel toys geared towards younger toddlers and infants, check out our list of the 50 Best Travel Toys for Babies .

With a background in medicine as a licensed physician assistant, Christy is a freelance writer and mom of two young kids. As someone who loves to ski, run, and hike, she most cherishes introducing her son and daughter to the beautiful outdoors and spending time with her precious family.

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Product Reviews

Best travel toys for every age group – babies to tweens & teens.

As exciting as travel itself is for young kids, we all know that toys are still an important part of your travel arsenal.

Each age and stage is special so we have created a fully comprehensive list of all the toys we have loved over 13 years of flying long haul regularly with our three children from newborns to the teen years.

Best baby travel toys

Travel toys for toddlers, best travel toys for preschoolers, best plane toys for primary/grade school-aged kids.

Some golden rules when purchasing travel toys, especially for use on planes or public transport:

• Please parents – nothing too loud!
• Absolutely no tablets/electronics without headphones/mute option
• Nothing with lots of small parts that can get lost
• Avoid favourites that may be irreplaceable if lost

We will also point out that while some toys might be great for one age group, they may not be younger siblingly-friendly! You may need to take precautions when travelling with multiple age groups in confined spaces.

This post is part of our travel toys series – you can find more great travel with kids advice over here

When you’re looking for small items to keep baby entertained on the plane, think of toys that work as stimulation and distraction. Soft and easy to pack over hard clunky plastic that you normally might have at home is a bonus – and of course chewable and washable!

Here are some of our favourite baby travel toys:

Finger puppets have been an absolute winner for us, fun, colourful and imaginative play. Baby can have a turn themselves or you can make up little stories, hide and seek – one of the best distractor games we’ve found!

Sorting shapes, they are brilliant for your baby’s cognitive development and provide an opportunity to challenge themselves

A soft activity book with peekaboo flaps is a great solo activity for your little one, or read along and ask questions. Keep their fingers and their minds busy.

Quiet books do exactly that! Stimulating but also because they are concentrating hard you may get a few blissful moments on the move! We love these type that come in a little carry bag they can grip, suitable through to toddler age too.

Chewing keys are probably already in your baby bag arsenal but they are perfect just about anywhere! We suggest the type that don’t rattle as well if you want to keep peace with your neighbours.

Another classic from our everyday baby toy collection that actually came everywhere with us too! The Manhattan Toy Winkel is primarily a teething toy but lots of squishy hand fun too. It does have a small rattle in it but we found it quiet enough you can’t hear it over the plane white noise.

Great for using anywhere on the move Buggy Buddies little books are fun for little fingers to flip through, and attachable too so you’re not constantly picking things off the ground! (Until they get old enough to learn how to undo them!!)

More on baby travel:

• Baby travel essentials – all the best items we have bought and actually used for our babies (includes a downloadable baby travel packing list)
• Flying with a newborn for the first time – practical pointers on how you actually go about flying with a baby and what to expect in the airport and onboard.
• Everything you need to know about securing and using the coveted airplane baby bassinet
• 13 Top Travel Toys to Try with your 1-year-old – a further selection of toy ideas for your babies approaching toddler years and more curious about the world.
• Best baby toys for the plane – our favourite baby toys that work especially well for air travel
• All the best baby travel advice on our website

The trick with this age group it’s all about distraction for slightly longer periods and finding methods they can also self-entertain. Goes without saying toys still need to be large enough that there are no parts that can be swallowed, and also make sure nothing that can roll away or get trapped in seats. 

We love Buckle Toy Buster as he keeps little hands busy and is so light and easy to store. There are 6 different clasps to play with and he’s easy to wash.

Learn how to dress kitty a cute and fun toy idea for 18 months plus to work on those fine motor skills. With 11 different snap, tie, zip and button activities. (Also comes in learn to Dress Monkey if your little one isn’t too keen on the pinks).

Water Wow books are nothing short of amazing! Such a simple concept, where a chunky paintbrush is filled with water and as they ‘paint’ the pages and the picture magically appears.

An absolute favourite that has come all over the world with us is Alphabet Wate r Painting ! Very similar to the Water Wow-style books, but they come clipped in a little bundle together – we had both alphabet and numbers. You can fill up the little water pen anywhere. Honestly, you will get hours of fun with this one!

This one is a little dependent on the size of bag you want to take, but also works great when your child wants to carry around just one toy with them, highly educational and a lot of fun.

For more on toddler travel you can also read:

• Toddler travel essentials – big travel gear items that we actually used and loved with our toddlers
• What’s in my toddlers plane bag – we step you through one of our actual flight bags for Master J when he was 2.5 years old
• A detailed guide for 2-year-old toys – expanding on this list we give even more suggestions for travel toys that work well with the 2-year-olds
• Best travel toys for the beach – sand and imaginative play with water, dump trucks, squirting games, and more!
• Toddler headphones for travel – any sorts of electronic devices, in the car on the plane, what sort of headphones will keep little ears safe?
• Camping toys for toddlers – let them loose with wide open spaces and exploring nature with these perfect outdoor toddler toys
• 10 Toddler flying mistakes to avoid – There were plenty of times we haven’t gotten it completely right! A great guide to all the little things you might overlook as a new toddler travel family
• Terrific road trip toys for a three-year-old – keeping older toddlers engaged is not easy! Here are our top tips for travel toys 3-year-olds will enjoy
• All the best toddler travel advice on our website

The great news about this age group, their hand-eye coordination is rapidly improving and things like inflight entertainment and tablets with headphones can start to come in handy, woohoo! 

Don’t be lulled into a false sense of security though.  It’s still a tough crowd to please and each activity won’t last long. This age group especially love the excitement of a “new” toy for the trip, as well as mixing in some favourites from home.  

Alex Toys Little Hands Picture Mosaics are great for keeping hands and minds busy, with a masterpiece to keep! Best suited to your 3-year-old + crowd. The box includes 5 pictures and over 900 separate stickers so plenty of hours of fun from each box, and they are super light to pack (though you may want a ziplock bag to keep the half-completed pieces, and be careful if you are travelling with an infant as well as small parts are involved).

Any budding artists in the family? Most kids love to colour, it’s keeping all their bits and pieces together when they’re on the move that can be tough. The Art Desk to Go is a great solution as it also has pockets to keep their crayons – read on!

The best type of drawing tools for kids is chunky crayons . It’s important to get them that they don’t roll – the best type we’ve found are triangular because you can also use them as a stacking toy!

I absolutely love the felt craft activities as there’s plenty of creativeness without the normal crafting mess! On-the-go felt friends is suitable from 4 plus, but my kids have enjoyed it even younger, though skills do improve!!

What kid doesn’t love stickers! Even better though for travel if they are the reusable stickers so they won’t be left stuck on unexpected surfaces. It took us a while to find one that was just the right size for their backpacks though, just watch for overall size with a lot of the reusable sticker book products. This one comes with 22 pages to play with and is 7.5″ (important to consider the size if they’ll be carrying their own backpack ).

Drawing and letter stencils are another great hand-eye coordination activity that involves some concentration so keeps them quiet, in a handy case for keeping all your pieces together.

Without a doubt, one of our best investments that will span age groups is the Kindle Fire for Kids . It already comes in the colorful casing (that they now even have a built-in stand for). They currently come in pink, purple and blue (we wish there was a little more range).

Don’t forget to subscribe to Kindle Unlimited for the best value and get things downloaded in advance if you’ll have no wifi (And be mindful whether these will work in your destination too).

For preschoolers, you can also read more

• Getting comfy on planes – using leg pillows or sleep devices, which airlines allow them and how exactly do they work?
• Kids travel pillows – the best neck pillow and seat belt comforters for helping kids sleep on the move
• Best travel toys for 4-year-olds – perfect for younger preschoolers improving their fine motor skills
• Best travel toys for 5-year-olds – ideal for those approaching school age
• Camping toys for kids – ideal games and toys for enjoying nature and wide open spaces, enhancing your families outdoor experience and back up plans for rainy days!
• Here are all the best alternatives to taking a stroller for your 5-year-old
• Best Family Beach Games – perfect activities to enjoy in the sand and water

You have no idea how great this age group is until you’ve gotten through those toddler and pre-schooler years of flying! Welcome to ‘the golden age’ parents!

Kids from around 5 years + really look forward to things like the inflight entertainment systems on the plane and can be kept busy for much longer periods of time with an engaging activity. You will still be dealing with copious rounds of “are we there yet?” but you can at least distract and occupy.

We’ve split this group into boys and girls as we found interests really started to diverge at this age – but of course many are unisex!

Best plane toys for girls

We love that a lot of the fun Melissa & Doug travel toys have expanded now to the older age group and a higher skill level. This stained glass activity kit has proven to be one of my daughters favourties and the work can be displayed when they get home. Suitable from 5+

What better than an on-the-go art table that you can actually decorate yourself too!

My daughter has a slight Mandalay obsession (don’t know where she gets it from!) so the classic spirograph set has been great for perfecting her technique. It comes in a great carry set but is slightly chunkier – so careful just how many crafty sets you pack altogether. The smaller parts also aren’t great for siblings.

Where would we be without good old Uno, right? A favourite we have found is the Splash version because they are waterproof , so perfect on the plane and next to the pool!

Best plane toys for boys 

I’ve tried to resist putty for years! I have similar feelings for it as I do play-doh! But alas, I have relented and kids really do love playing with “ thinking putty “. At your peril – it’s not nearly as sticky as play-doh in toddler fingernails but it has gotten stuck in hair before!!

To be fair Wikki Stix are pretty unisex but they have definitely been one of my son’s favourites since we discovered them in a restaurant busy bag one night! Plenty of creativity involved and completely reusable. They do fall into the lots of small parts category sadly, yes, but pack enough of them it doesn’t matter if a few escape.

Search and find books are a real hit with our Globetrotters. They often work in teams for the harder ones, or the challenge is on who can find things first! They get progressively harder as they get older, plenty of variety to choose from topics to suit your kid’s interests. My boy is Lego & Star Wars mad!!

The classic colouring book ! Always a new one for every trip along with a new set of pencils based on whatever the character of the year is!

And never forget printable colouring and activity pages, perfect for any type of trip I always keep a new set of travel printables in my paperwork folder ready for those “I’m bored” moments, along with a mini pencil set in my purse – an unbelievable lifesaver on many occasions!

Further reading for grade school-aged kids

• Best non-electronics toys – looking to avoid screen time, try these toys and tips for long-haul
• Gear to get your outdoor-loving kids – more for camping trips and little explorers
• Action cameras for kids – the perfect cameras for your kids to capture some of the holiday action
• Great kids education gifts – when you can’t always be travelling, educational travel-related gifts to inspire their wanderlust
• Road trips games & activities – great boredom-busting games that can be played anywhere on the go
• Terrific travel toys for tweens – perfect for your older kids to keep hands and minds busy
• Great Gifts for Adventurous Tween Girls – what sort of travel gifts can you get your little girls who are transitioning into tweens?

Final thoughts on flying with kids and airplane entertainment

You can find plenty more tips on our flying with kids home page . We also have detailed guides to entertaining kids on planes – taking you beyond just toys to other ways to keep kids calm and placated in the air (or when stuck on the tarmac!)

Found this helpful? Bookmark the page or save it to Pinterest

Disclosures: We are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. . You can read our full disclosure policy here

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40 Best Toys for 6-Year-Olds That Let Their Creativity Shine

Our kid testers loved playing with these DIY kits, games and coding toys — and they all make great gifts!

We've been independently researching and testing products for over 120 years. If you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Learn more about our review process.

When kids turn 6, it's cool to see them develop their own interests, be it art, STEM, writing or DIY kits. The best gifts for kids of this age nurture these newfound passions in a way that meets them at their level.

But that doesn't mean that all toys geared towards 6-year-olds are created equal — or that kids will like whatever you throw at them. To help separate the best of the best, the Good Housekeeping Institute tests toys with toy experts, parents and, most importantly, 6-year-olds themselves, with winners earning a Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award . This year, these rose to the top as the best toys and gifts for 6-year-olds in 2024.

Our Top Picks

• The Fantastic Bureau of Imagination Picture Book , $12 at amazon.com
• Air Hogs Zero Gravity Sprint RC , $20 at amazon.com
• 3Doodler Start+ Essentials , $39 at amazon.com
• Crazy Forts Master Builder , $60 at amazon.com
• Wonder Workshop Dash Robot , $180 at amazon.com

Whether you're looking for gifts for 6-year-old boys , gifts for 6-year-old girls or gifts for any other elementary schooler in your life, these are sure to be a hit!

Just My Style Tinsel Hair Stylist Studio

Now, kids can get in on the "fairy hair" trend without a trip to the salon. This kit comes with nine bundles of tinsel strands that are each 10 inches long, so they can be cut to fit. It also comes with some other fun add-ons, like hair beads, elastics, clips and hair pins. Good Housekeeping kid testers say they loved the way it looked! Ages 6+

Tightrope Game

This game involves balancing marbles on twisted rubber bands, which means it tests players' logic and hand-eye coordination. Good Housekeeping Institute testers say this game is truly a challenge and is great for those who like to flex those problem-solving muscles. Ages 6+

RELATED: The Best Board Games for Kids

Crazy Forts Master Builder

Let them build something they can actually crawl inside with this fort-building set. It comes with rods and connectors, plus plans to help them make structures like an igloo or a rocket ship if they don't want to come up with their own designs. You do have to provide the sheets to drape over them. Ages 5+

Skillmatics Storybook Art Kit

This kit helps kids realize their dreams of writing their own illustrated stories, and it includes helpful items to get them started, like prompts, suggested vocabulary lists, stickers and markers. Kid tester especially loved filling out the "about the author" section. It comes in different themes, including adventures , animals , space and unicorns and princesses . Ages 5+

Air Hogs Zero Gravity Sprint RC Car

This car may be small, but kids will be wowed when it drives up the wall and even onto the ceiling! And yet, it won't damage the paint on the walls. Ages 4+

The Fantastic Bureau of Imagination

With this picture book, kids are deputized to become special agents of imagination, sharing their creativity and stories with the rest of the world. The Good Housekeeping Institute testers were won over by the incredibly detailed illustrations. "My kids especially loved the labeled map of the imagination office,” one parent reviewer said. Ages 4 – 8

RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Best Kids' Book Awards

Hello Kitty Dreamland Sleeping Plush

It's Hello Kitty's 50th anniversary this year, and what better way to celebrate than adding another plush to a collection. This one is really big — 18 inches — which makes it perfect for snuggling up to at night. "It's so cute, big, soft and huggable," one kid tester said. In addition to Hello Kitty, there are friends available, like Kuromi and Cinnamoroll . Ages 0+

Fingerlings Adopt Me Animals

This toy combines two of their favorite things: Fingerlings and Roblox's red-hot Adopt Me game. Kids can now collect their virtual friends in real life. You can get either a puppy or a bat dragon , and each one has the 40-or-more reactions and sounds that Fingerlings are known for. Ages 5+

3Doodler Start+ Essentials 3D Pen Set

Introduce them to the world of 3D printing with this pen set. It creates plastic that hardens immediately but is not hot to touch! Kid testers really liked it, and even their parents noticed how much time they spent engaging with it . One note: Keep the end of the stylus clean, so it won't jam up. Ages 6+

Fun With DIY Puffy Charms

For kids who like to personalize everything, this kit comes with what they'd need to make more than 130 puffy stickers. They can then use them to make charm bracelets, decorate notebooks, dress up shoelaces and more. Ages 6+

Dash Coding Robot

Using one of five free apps, kids can code Dash to hurl LEGO bricks like a catapult, get it to act like an animal or drive like a delivery truck. As kids grow and really get into coding, they can do more advanced things using coding concepts like loops, events, conditions and sequences . Ages 5+

RELATED: The Best STEM Toys for Kids

Marching Band Two-Sided Puzzle

You get two puzzles in one with this jigsaw set: One side features an illustration of a marching band, while the other is a grid of the instruments used in that band, so they can show off their musical knowledge. It comes with 100 pieces, which makes it a good challenge for 6-year-olds. Ages 6+

LEGO 100 Years of Disney Animation Icons

Disney fans and LEGO collectors will both thrill to this Seal-holding set, which lets them make Disney-inspired LEGO art that they can hang on their walls. Builders can actually make 72 different characters from the included pieces, and they can make a nine-face collage for the wall and three individual plates for others. Then, they can swap out and re-build whenever they like! Ages 6+

Tech Deck Sk8 Crew 2-in-1 Transforming Ultra Sk8 Bus

If the Olympics got them all fired up about skateboarding, keep up their interest with this play set. This bus opens up to reveal three different ramps that kids can send the figure through, using the skateboard as a fingerboard. Kid testers like the colors, the build of the ramps and the fact that they could store the pieces inside to bring to relatives' houses. Ages 5+

Good Housekeeping Kids Cook!

The experts from the Good Housekeeping Institute test kitchens have developed more than 100 simple recipes that kids can try at home. They'll be whipping up everything from smoothies to lasagna based on the easy-to-follow instructions. Ages 6+

Sonic Tornado Biplane with Action Figure

Kids can take their Sonic adventures off of screens and into the real world with this airplane play set. The propeller spins, the wheels move, and the plane plays music from the Sonic series at the push of a button. They'll be so excited to receive it in the run-up to S onic the Hedgehog 3 this December. Ages 3+

The pieces of this DIY set are actually plastic tiles that interlock , kind of like a 3D puzzles, and building them can help improve fine motor skills as well as hand-eye coordination. The kit also includes LED string lights to make each creation glow in the dark. Each single kit (sold separately) can make three different projects, and when they're done, they'll love displaying it in their room. Ages 6+

Iggy Peck's Big Project Book for Amazing Architects

For kids who like art and engineering, this is an activity book with a city-planning twist. Modeled after the character in Iggy Peck, Architect , the activities encourage kids to think big (imagine a new cityscape, or what dwellings would look like on Mars) and small (design building details, like a gargoyle). Ages 4+

Genius Starter Kit

Pair this kit with a tablet to bring game pieces and play to life. No Wi-Fi is necessary to start playing the included games , you just need the app, the IRL tiles and pieces and a child who's ready to learn. They can play five games and improve their skills in numbers, Tangram puzzles and words at their own pace, since the games are designed with beginner and expert levels in mind. This kit is for the iPad, but Osmo also makes kits compatible with Fire tablets . Ages 6+

Pixicade Unlimited Mobile Game Maker

Kids step into the role of video game designer with a set that melds the real and virtual worlds together. First, kids draw out their levels — including characters, obstacles, hazards, goals and movable objects — on paper with markers. Then they can scan their drawing into an app that'll turn it into a playable level, which they can then tweak and add power-ups. Good Housekeeping Institute testers were amazed to see their creations come to life! It's for ages 6+, but kids younger than 10 probably need adult help. Ages 6+

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother . She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.

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Best Travel Toys for Babies and Toddlers

These travel-ready toys will keep your little one busy and entertained., by briana engelbrecht.

Some people love traveling—they live for long-distance road trips and collecting sky miles. Babies? Not so much. Being confined to a car seat without much of a view can be really frustrating, especially for a tiny, wiggly person.

Whether you’re driving, flying or even just going out to a restaurant for an hour or two with your baby or toddler, you’re going to want to bring something to keep your little one entertained. But you don’t want it to lug around an entire activity center. The best toys to take with you, whether on plane rides or road trips, are small and portable so you can easily fit them in your diaper bag and pull them out at a moment’s notice.

Our top tip: keep a special set of toys for travel that you only bring out when taking a trip or going out to dinner, to keep them feeling new and exciting for your baby or toddler.

Here are our favorite travel toys for babies and toddlers.

Best stroller toys for babies.

Stroller toys make the perfect travel toys since they are meant for taking on the go. These picks are super portable since they’re compatible with all the best strollers and top rated infant car seats —simply clip them to the handle, and your baby has something to keep them entertained for the ride. These are best for younger babies from 0-6 months and slightly older for babies 6-9 months .

Lamaze   Clip & Go Stroller Toy

Fisher-Price   Slow Much Fun Stroller Sloth

Skip Hop   Bandana Buddies Activity Toy

Manhattan Toy   Wimmer-Ferguson Infant Stim-Mobile To Go & Travel Toy Bundle

Tiny Love   Stroller Arch

Itzy Ritzy   Link & Love Activity Plush with Teether

Best tummy time toys for on-the-go.

While you can’t really take their bulky activity center or play gym with you on your next vacation, what you can do is pack a travel playmat and engaging tummy time toys to set up a safe space on the floor wherever you’re staying.

Toddlekind   Portable Playmats

Skip Hop   Farmstand Tummy Time Wedge

Fisher-Price   Grow-With-Me Tummy Time Wedge

Melissa & Doug   Take-Along Farm Play Mat

Wee Gallery   Activity Pad

Melissa & Doug   Flip Fish Baby Toy

Best travel books for babies and toddlers.

Books are always a great source of entertainment. From lightweight, soft busy books to a truly indestructible pick, these books are easy to throw in your carry-on or diaper bag.

Manhattan Toy   Llama Soft Book

Lamaze   Peek-a-Boo Forest Cloth Book

Indestructibles: Things That Go!

Little Park Ranger Board Book Set

First Words 12 Book Set

Sassy   Rookie Books Baby Box Set

Best baby sensory toys for traveling.

Sensory exploration has many developmental benefits (think motor skills development ). These picks are some of the best toys for babies in geneeral, but especially during travel since they both encourage learning and entertain.

Munchkin   Twisty Figure 8 Teether

Sassy   Do-Re-Mi Textured Tunes Musical Toy

Sassy   Crinkle Ball

pamexin   Silicone Pull String Activity Toy

Quark   Thiingy Teething Ball

Manhattan Toy   Wild Bear-y Plush Toy

Best travel toys for toddlers.

From a busy board to a portable shape sorter, these travel toys will keep their little minds and hands busy while en route.

Melissa & Doug   Take-Along Shape Sorter Baby and Toddler Toy

Sassy   Busy Bands

Hape   Little Copter

Esjay   Toddler Busy Board

ALASOU   Suction Cup Spinner Toys

Tegu   Pocket Pouch Magnetic Wooden Block Set

Best on-the-go activities for toddlers.

In addition to a couple of travel toys, these portable activities for toddlers will provide some extra entertainment on the way to your destination. If you’re taking to the skies, the airplane’s tray table provides a great spot for your toddler to get to work.

Melissa & Doug   On the Farm Reusable Puffy Sticker Play Set

Bluey   Aqua Art Water Doodle Book

Crayola   Peppa Pig Color Wonder Mess Free Coloring Activity Set

ORSEN   LCD Toddler Doodle Board

Skillmatics   Dot it - No Mess Sticker Art

Melissa & Doug   Tape Activity Book

Briana Engelbrecht

Assistant editor.

Briana Engelbrecht is Babylist’s Assistant Editor, where she brings her passion for early childhood development and the perinatal period, plus experience as a mom of two to Babylist articles and guides. She’s also a certified lactation counselor. A former preschool teacher, she loves children’s picture books, cats, plants and making things.

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Last Updated on 06/24/2024 by Regan P.

37 Terrific Travel Toys for Toddlers: Entertainment on the Go

Ultimate list of the best travel toys for toddlers (18 months to 4 year olds).

This post may contain affiliate or sponsored links. That means if you click and buy, I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you). Please see my full  disclosure policy  for details.

Keeping a busy toddler entertaine d during a long car ride or a flight can be a daunting task . Having a few great travel toys to keep your little ones entertained and engaged while on the go can be incredibly helpful.

Keep in mind that this list of the best travel toys for toddlers is very versatile . Many of these toys can be used in the car , on an airplane , in the stroller , at a restaurant , or wherever else you may end up with your toddler.

When it comes to travel toys for toddlers, there are several things to consider .

• Make sure the toys are age-appropriate & safe
• Choose toys that are compact & easy to pack
• Select toys that are durable and can withstand the wear and tear of being on the go
• Of course, we want to choose toys that are FUN and can sustain your toddler’s attention for a good amount of time
• Consider how noisy the toy may be (depending on the environment you will be using it in)

We have tried out dozens and dozens of travel toys with our two toddlers. Don’t worry, I will only share the toys and activities that actually keep my toddlers entertained for a toddler-appropriate amount of time.

We will go ahead and skip over the toys that got thrown to the side after 30 seconds 😉

37 Best Travel Toys for Toddlers

Please don’t feel like you need to go out and buy 37 toys for your upcoming trip with your toddler. Choose a handful of toys that can be your travel staples.

Consider buying secondhand or doing toy swaps with friends or neighbors to save money and space.

1. Toniebox

The Toniebox is definitely our #1 travel toy for my two toddlers. We bring our Toniebox in the car and on walks in the stroller daily. You could also use the headphone jack and bring it on an airplane.

If you aren’t familiar with a Toniebox, it is an audio box that plays music and stories when Tonies figurines are placed on top.

My toddlers love listening to the Tonie and also love playing with the Tonies figures and switching them out.

There are many different Tonie figures to choose from. My kids’ favorites are Cocomelon , Curious George , and Lion King .

If you will be bringing your Toniebox/figures on the go a lot, I would recommend some kind of carrying case. We have this one , but I think this one would be better for travel.

You can also get “ Tonies Creatives “, which is a little figure that allows you to record your own audio. You can record yourself singing or reading a story or add any other songs/stories your child likes.

My mom recently passed away, and I have videos of her reading and singing to the kids, so recorded those so our kids can still hear their TT’s voice, which is so important to me.

2. Yoto Player Mini

The Yoto Player is basically the same concept as the Toniebox, except that it uses cards instead of figurines.

A few pros of the Yoto Player vs. the Toniebox

• Yoto cards are cheaper than Tonies figures
• The Yoto Mini is smaller than the Toniebox and easier to carry around
• Yoto cards are more compact than Tonies figures
• There are 1,000+ Yoto Cards available vs. less than 200 Tonies figures

We do not personally have a Yoto Player, but my toddlers have used one before and definitely didn’t like it as much as the Toniebox.

I personally think that the Toniebox is much more engaging and entertaining for younger toddlers. In my opinion, the Yoto Player may be a better option for preschool or elementary-age kids.

Both are great for keeping kids entertained on the go and cutting down screen time.

3. Poppin’ Pipes

My son got a set of these for his 1st birthday. I had no idea what they were, but WOW my kids have so much fun with these.

Honestly, even our older nephews and adult friends/family like to play with them too. 😂

It is basically just a set of plastic tubes that can be stretched out and scrunched together. The tubes can be attached to each other as well.

My kids play with these tubes in the car, on walks, and at home.

They are kind of loud, so not the best option for an airplane or other public places.

4. Junyobee Educational Toy Cars Set

Most toddlers love playing with keys (mine included). With its lock-shaped vehicles and numbered keys, this set should keep your toddler entertained for quite some time. And it helps build those fine motor skills!

This key set may be difficult for younger children to maneuver, so it could cause frustration if you are not available to help your young toddler with it (i.e. if you were driving).

5. Toy Key Set

While we are on the topic of keys, we might as well include the basic key set.

We keep a set of toy keys in the car and my two toddlers fight over it every. single. time.

This set that we have makes noise (including a honking sound that sounds quite real) so keep that in mind if you bring them in the car.

6. Montessori Quiet Book

This little busy book is a great option for toddlers 1-3 years old. The elements are securely attached, so you don’t have to worry about pieces being dropped (or thrown) everywhere.

The book is safe for use in the car because it is soft and lightweight.

There are 9 different activities in this little book. It can usually keep my toddlers entertained for 10-15 minutes or so.

7. Pull String Toy

This pull-string toy is a great travel toy option for babies and young toddlers.

The bright colors, textured cords, and chewy silicone help keep your little one entertained.

My one-year-old loves chewing on this toy and popping the little buttons, and my almost 3-year-old still loves pulling the strings back and forth and listening to the sounds they make.

8. Dino Party Busy Board

This busy board will be a big hit if your toddler loves dinosaurs.

I don’t know about you, but my toddlers LOVE turning on/off lights, trying to plug things in, and pushing buttons.

This little board allows them to do all of that in a safe and compact fashion.

9. Melissa & Doug Poke-a-Dot Books

Books are a great way to keep your toddler entertained in the car, on an airplane, at a restaurant, or in the stroller – we use books often for all of these situations!

Regular books are wonderful, but we will cover books that provide a little bit of extra entertainment by incorporating sound or other features, starting with the Melissa and Doug Poke-a-Dot books.

There are many different Poke-a-Dot book options, but my kids love this animal one.

10. Touch and Feel Books

Touch-and-feel books are another type of book that adds extra entertainment.

Little ones love feeling the different textures and petting the animals!

11. Music/Sound Books

Books that play music or animal sounds entertain my toddlers the longest.

Because of the noise, they aren’t always the best option for airplanes or public places, but are perfect for the car or stroller as long as you can stand the repetitive diddys and sounds!

Here are a few of our favorites:

12. Lift-the-Flap Books

Lift-a-flap books are another engaging type of book that can entertain your toddler on the go.

Younger toddlers may be a bit rough on these books (i.e. tear the flaps off), but they are a great option for older toddlers.

Here are a few of my toddlers’ favorites:

13. LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Wo rds Book

The LeapFrog 100 Books are a fun and interactive way for your toddler to learn new words and sounds. The book says words along with exciting facts and sound effects when your toddler touches each picture.

A carrying handle on top makes it easy for your toddler to carry around.

There are multiple versions of the book, including 100 animals, 100 things that go, and a few other variations.

14. Me Reader Books

Me Reader book sets come with an electronic reader and 8 corresponding books. The Me Reader reads each of the 8 books aloud.

Your child will choose a book and press the corresponding book and page buttons on the reader to listen and follow along with the story.

My toddlers have a Paw Patrow Me Reader set, and they love it. I have to help them find the correct book and turn the pages, but older toddlers should be able to do it on their own if you teach them how.

15. Montessori Busy Board “Briefcase”

This busy board features multiple activities to develop fine motor skills and keep your kiddo entertained.

A flexible zipper allows the book to divide into 2 busy books and it comes with 4 detachable pages, making it very versatile and easy to switch up.

Activities include zippers, shoelaces, buttons, belt buckles, puzzles, and more.

The busy board is made of fabric and felt, making it safe for the car and lightweight to carry around.

I think this would also be a good idea for a plane ride.

16. Suction Cup Spinner Toys

What could be more fun than toddler fidget spinners?

The suction cup keeps the spinner secured. Put it on a table at a restaurant, a window in the car, an airplane tray table, or wherever else your toddler needs a little entertainment.

These little spinners usually keep my toddlers entertained for 5-10 minutes, so I wouldn’t plan on them playing with it for a whole road trip or flight.

17. Busy Book

This busy book includes many different activities and topics including numbers, the alphabet, colors, shapes, animals, foods, transportation, emotions, opposites, weather, days of the week, months of the year, and the human body.

My almost 3-year-old loves playing with his busy book. We use it as a guided learning tool and play with it with him, but he could definitely play with it independently as well.

The only downside of busy books like these is that they have so many little pieces that can easily be dropped/lost in the car/airplane/etc.

18. Car Set with Playmat Storage Bag

These cars are perfect to take on the go and to keep your toddler entertained!

Cars and trucks are a bit hit with my toddlers. The carrying bag makes it convenient to take this set on the go. It’s light enough for your toddler to carry it around.

This car set is pretty durable, but definitely isn’t the most quality toy we have. The wheels can be a choking hazard if they come off, so be aware of that.

19. Take-Along Shape Sorter

My toddlers love sitting and playing with shape sorters. We have one at home, but this one is perfect for travel.

The padded carrying case makes it easy to take on the go, and the crinkly flaps and textured blocks provide plenty of opportunities for children to learn and play.

20. Town Maze Magnetic Puzzle Game

This magnetic puzzle is self-contained, so it’s easy to pack and take on the go. You don’t have to worry about dropped or missing pieces.

My older toddler loves using the magnetic wand to navigate the city and help the colored balls find their way home to their matching color garage.

My younger toddler doesn’t really get the concept but still likes pounding it like a drum. 😅

21. WikkiStix

WikkiStix are one of the most open-ended toys out there! Get your toddler’s imagination and creativity flowing by making different shapes, numbers, letters, people, animals, etc.

Personally, I think these are the perfect travel toy for a long flight. They are small, quiet, and provide lots of entertainment.

I like to play with them with my toddler, and I am not sure which one of us gets more entertainment out of them. 😂

I recently found this alphabet card set that encourages your toddler to use the Wikki Stix to practice forming letters.

22. Magnetic Block Set

These magnetic blocks are perfect for building on the go! Whether in the car, plane, diaper bag, purse or at a restaurant, your toddler can build wherever you go.

The best thing about these blocks is that don’t have to worry about your toddler’s wonderful tower falling down (i.e. blocks flying everywhere and toddler meltdown ensuing).

The blocks are high-quality, non-toxic, and aesthetically pleasing (you’re welcome, mom). There are different colors to choose from.

Another open-ended toy that can be used in many different ways. Tegu has many other block sets available as well, and all of the sets are compatible with each other.

23. Reusable Sticker Books

There are many different types and varieties of reusable sticker books. The concept is genius – most kids love stickers, and these sets can be used over and over again.

We have used sticker books with “puffy stickers”, which are great for little fingers, but once these stickers get dirt, crumbs, or anything else on them (which happens often with toddlers, let’s be honest), they won’t stick anymore.

I prefer the “vinyl-like stickers”. They are more durable, last longer, and can stick to other things like windows or water bottles.

I always bring them with us on vacations because they are so small, and my kids love sticking them on the windows of the hotel room or vacation rental that we stay at.

24. Melissa & Doug Mix ‘n Match Dress-Up Puzzle

Some friends of ours use this as a “quiet toy” at church.

I think it would be great for long car rides or on an airplane as well (as long as your toddler isn’t the type to throw/drop pieces everywhere like my youngest is).

Your toddler can choose different outfits and facial expressions/emotions for the bears. All of the pieces are conveniently stored in the box, making the set easy to transport.

25. Magnetic Tiles

We have a set of magnetic tiles that were given to my kids by their older cousins. My toddlers love playing with them at home and on the go.

We have brought the smaller tiles on multiple flights.

We used this magnetic tin from a license plate game that we have to transport the pieces and use as a base for building.

26. Magnetic Drawing Board

A classic drawing toy for young kids.

This one has an attached pen, handle, and carrying bag, which makes it convenient to take on the go.

27. Etch A Sketch

Does it get any more classic than an Etch a Sketch? Bring your kids back to simpler times with this fun “magic” screen!

If you don’t remember how it works, you turn the knob in the direction that you want to draw. Simply shake to erase and start all over again!

I haven’t tried this with my toddlers yet, but plan to soon. They better love it as much as I did as a kid! 😉

28. Melissa & Doug Flip to Win Travel Game Board

This travel game board is a perfect road trip game.

The wooden frame has 25 flaps and sliding scorekeepers. There are 7 double-sided, laminated memory cards.

The little flaps are best for little hands, but you could still play the games with your child if you want to!

I would say this travel memory game is better for older toddlers if you want them to actually understand how to play, but younger toddlers could still have fun maneuvering the flaps and looking at the pictures.

29. Busy Cube

Busy cubes are great travel toys because they pack a lot of activities into one compact cube.

Those little hands will stay busy with all of the different fidgets these cubes offer.

30. Lacing Toys

Lacing toys are great for hand-eye coordination and are a great toy for travel.

Young children may get frustrated with these and need assistance. Older kids can likely use them independently.

There are many different designs to choose from.

31. Water Wow Books!

Another Melissa & Doug travel staple. Water Wow is basically a mini, mess-free coloring book that can be used over and over again.

You fill the pen with water and the colors appear when the water hits the page.

These are a great option for young toddlers who like to put writing utensils in their mouth and color all over surfaces.

32. Erasable LCD Drawing Tablet

Another great option for your little artist! This LCD doodle board is great for many different ages, from toddlers to elementary-age kids.

It is lightweight easy to use, and has a cute look to it. It does require batteries so keep that in mind.

33. Flash Cards

My toddler loves looking at flashcards in his car seat or during a long-haul flight. Definitely one of our favorite travel toys.

My toddlers will look at the cards independently, quiz us about what is on the cards, or we can talk and tell stories about the cards. They provide lots of entertainment for long trips.

There are many different themes and topics to choose from.

I definitely recommend getting a flash card set with a ring that will hold them together if you are going to be traveling with them.

34. “Talking” Flash Cards

This is a great tool to give small children the independence to “read” what is on the flashcards if you are not next to them to help (i.e. you are driving or busy with something)

35. Color Wonder Mess Free Coloring Pads

This is a similar concept to the water wow coloring pads, except that it doesn’t use water.

Colors from the markers appear only on special Crayola Color Wonder Paper, not on skin, clothing, or carpets.

If your child is a bit older and can be trusted to stick to the paper, a classic coloring book or art set would be a fun option for travel.

36. Melissa & Doug Take-Along Magnetic Puzzles

These magnetic jigsaw puzzles feature farm animals, but there are other designs to choose from as well.

The puzzles are designed with a compact, fold-out design, making them easy to pack and take on the go.

The magnetic puzzle pieces cling to the inside surfaces to help keep the pieces secure. However, it can be easy for the pieces to get dropped or lost when you are in the process of putting the puzzle together.

It might be helpful to have a separate magnetic surface to keep the pieces on while your toddler is in the process of putting the puzzle together.

37. Tablet or Other Electronics

I saved this one for last because we use it as a last resort! After we have exhausted all other entertainment options, we hand over the iPad.

We only let our toddlers use the iPad when we are on a long road trip or flight. So whenever they do use it, they are totally locked in, which leads to much more peaceful travel for everyone!

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The Best Travel Toys To Occupy Your Toddler On A Plane (Because Flying With Kids Is Brutal)

We only recommend products we love and that we think you will, too. We may receive a portion of sales from products purchased from this article, which was written by our Commerce team.

Having the right travel toys for toddlers on planes can be the difference between a happily occupied baby or an hours-long tantrum plus a plane full of new enemies. When you’re traveling with your kids, packing travel toys for toddlers might not be the first priority. You tend to pack your travel bag with the necessities first, like snack containers and kid-friendly hand sanitizer . You might be afraid of diaper blowouts or scary turbulence, but travel toys should also be top of mind. After all, the last thing you want to do at 30,000 feet is realize you have absolutely nothing to keep your child entertained. (Sorry but the corny jokes for kids don’t always cut it, Mama.)

As an adult, flying with (or near) small children is one of the top three most tedious experiences in life. If the child isn’t yours, you can order some snacks, turn on a loud movie, and try to power through it. But as a parent, there is no way around it. It’s going to suck, and I find it best to just accept that you will spend the entire flight wondering if you actually died on the way to the airport and the flight is you in actual hell. That way, if the trip just ends up being boring and long, it feels like a win!

In their defense, toddlers are just learning to walk and have super short attention spans, so being confined to a seat for hours at a time is literally torture for them. While no amount of in-flight movies or tiny bags of peanuts can help, the art of distraction can.

How do I keep my 2-year-old entertained on a flight?

The best strategy is to be sympathetic to their growing brains and limited patience and have plenty of toys on hand to keep them as calm and entertained as possible. (And snacks. Don’t forget the snacks .) The best plane toys for kids are anything that keeps them quiet, requires little to no cleanup, and can be stashed in a diaper bag or carry-on without taking up too much space (because checking bags is EXPENSIVE and I am CHEAP).

Below, check out the best plane toys for toddlers so y’all can conquer this treacherous journey in peace. Godspeed, my friend. See you on the other side.

Best Travel Toys For Toddlers On A Plane

With over 1,200 5-star ratings on Amazon, this educational Busy Book helps toddlers practice basic skills like buttoning and buckling, and it’s completely silent. The plush design and soft handle make it a great travel toy for travel, and if it gets funky from the airplane, it’s machine washable.

Giving credit where it’s due, Crayola consistently churns out winners, and these Stow & Go Sets are fantastic for travel. The mess-free markers mean you don’t have to watch your kid like a hawk, and the small case keeps everything contained. This kit comes with a 30-page drawing pad so your toddler has plenty of room for doodles or tic tac toe.

This egg sorting toy teaches both shapes and colors, helps develop motor skills, and all the pieces close tightly in their case for easy storage. It has over 24,000 5-star reviews on Amazon and it’s one of my personal favorite go-to’s for keeping little ones busy.

Magnets, betch! For free or guided play, this Magnetic Face Puzzle comes with 78 pieces so you could basically make a magnetic portrait of anyone on the plane. It also has a dry erase board and comes with a marker for doodling. It closes up into its own box for easy transporting, too.

For colorful doodling on the go, this 10-inch drawing tablet has a 6-month battery life and eliminates the need for tons of paper and loose crayons. It’s super lightweight and easy to use, and the best part: There’s no cleanup involved.

These silicone pipSquigz can stick to surfaces like your tray table or window and can be thrown in the dishwasher once you reach your destination. They come in a zippered travel bag and are great for teaching hand-eye coordination. Amazon Reviewer Noah Haftel loves them, saying, “These are perfect for my 1-year-old! Even my 7-year-old loves them! Easy to clean! Great for car rides, airplanes, high chairs, bathtubs, and so much more! I will be ordering another pack for my 3-month-old soon!”

Learn colors and numbers with this plush backpack buddy. With 12 colorful buckles and an easy zipper, your toddler can put those busy hands to work and carry some of their own crap for a change.

This set includes over 150 puffy reusable stickers and 3 different “scenes” — safari, farm, and chipmunk — for imaginative play. Little hands love the thick texture of these stickers, which they can place around each background to create art or even a role-play game. When they’re done setting up one scenario, the stickers can be removed and used again!

No, these are not actual toys. But once I drew “owies” on my arm with lipstick and my toddler spent almost 25 minutes patching me up with these. Was it adorable? Yes. Was it sorta wasteful? Also yes, but this is what happens when you’re stuck in the sky and out of ideas. Also, these are just great bandaids to have on hand in case there’s an actual injury.

For even the tiniest travelers under the age of 1, this 6-piece magnetic wooden puzzle is perfect for little hands and developing minds. It can be assembled to make almost 50 different shapes, and the magnetic design means you’re less likely to lose a piece.

Keep those hands busy and mouths quiet with this fruity lacing toy set, which is great if you have multiple tots in tow. The watermelon, apple, and pineapple boards come with little worm lacers to practice fine motor skills. The set fits easily in your carry-on or diaper bag so it won’t take up any precious cargo space.

For fashion and function, this Frozen-themed coloring purse comes with four markers and gemstones so your child can unleash their inner designer. It’s a great in-flight activity and they can use it to stash smaller toys, too.

These familiar characters are sure to soothe a fussy toddler. The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Friends set comes with over 40 magnets and 4 scenes so they can create their own stories or retell some familiar favorites. The cute hinged travel tin keeps everything in one place and is smaller than a standard notebook, so it’s easy to stash in your carry-on.

If your toddler is ready for dot-to-dot and maze puzzles, this Wipe Clean Activity Book has over 50 pages of activities that can be wiped clean and done over again. Amazon Reviewer Jackie thinks it’s perfect for beginners, saying, “I got this for my 3-year-old grandson and he loves it. It’s perfect for those just learning how to write. He can erase everything and start all over again and again.”

Have a budding artist on your hands? This Magnetic Drawing Board Set comes with both a large 15-inch board and a smaller 7-inch board in case you’re super tight on space. It also includes 5 magnetic stamps that stick to the board for easy access, 6 stencils, and a bunch of stickers. Bonus: You won’t have to bring a stack of paper and art supplies with you.

This pack of 36 Wikki sticks comes with 26 alphabet cards so your toddler can practice their letters on the go. The Wikki sticks are great for developing motor skills and can also be used for sculpting fun designs if your child doesn’t feel like learning (the goal is to keep them occupied, so who cares?). Plus, they’re super lightweight so you could pack a set for each kid.

These textured nesting balls are tethered together so you won’t lose any pieces while your toddler is trying to nest them. Each ball is sized and textured differently so it’s the perfect amount of trickiness for growing brains. It’s also BPA-free and teaches sensory exploration.

It’s like a portable safari! For the animal-obsessed, this colorful board book has over 50 flaps for your toddler to investigate — they’re organized by animal category to educate new learners. Plus, there are activities on each page for extra engagement.

These water-reveal activity pads have saved my freaking life on planes, car rides, conference calls — you name it. Simply fill the included pen with a bit of water, and as soon as it dampens the pad, color appears! They’re mostly mess-free, super easy for young toddlers, and small enough to throw a few in your carry-on. This set includes 6 different activity pads and chunky water pens for small hands. They’re also reusable – as soon the page dries, it’s ready to go again.

Don’t be a hero. There is no prize for who suffers the most. A screen is the ideal plane toy. You can pre-load their favorite games and shows, hook it up to headphones, and order a coffee or a cocktail. Even if your toddler has a shorter attention span, if this buys you ten minutes of peace every hour of the flight, it’s worth its weight in gold. This tablet has over 125,000 5-star reviews, and my guess is they’re all left by grateful parents who just survived a flight with their kids.

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This article was originally published on March 31, 2021