best travel items for 1 year old

38 Best Toddler Travel Essentials (More Fun & Less Stress in 2024)

THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED LINKS. FIND MORE INFO IN MY DISCLAIMER.

Home » 38 Best Toddler Travel Essentials (More Fun & Less Stress in 2024)

Our process involves independent research, testing (by using it whilst we travel), and recommending the best products.  Click here  to learn more.

Looking for the best toddler travel essentials to ensure your trip goes as smoothly as possible? Look no further!

Traveling with young children can be stressful, but the rewards far outweigh the difficulties.

To keep your trip as easy as possible, we highly recommend bringing along a range of toddler travel gear.

The best travel items for toddlers will be the ones that keep them safe, comfortable, and happy (as much as possible while still being realistic that tantrums will most likely happen regardless).

Don’t have time to read? Here are the most popular items from our list.

• The Best Toddler Car Seat for Travel: Safety 1st Jive (Convertible, slim enough for plane seats and lightweight)
• The Best Toddler Stroller for Travel: Gb Pocket Air (Foldable & Lightweight – For kids up to 4 years of age)
• Airplane Foot Pillow: Make a little flat bed section for your toddler to sleep on the plane. See it here .

But how do you find the best toddler travel essentials? Without having to spend a fortune and without feeling like a packhorse as you struggle to take everything from home with you on this trip.

One way is to use the tried and tested products from those who regularly travel with their little ones. We started traveling overseas with our youngest when she was only 2.5 months old.

She has been to Bali, Lombok, Australia, Japan, France, Switzerland, Germany, South Africa, Namibia, and many other beautiful destinations.

Travel has been a big part of her life since she was born, and we have tried so many different products to find the ones that are the easiest to travel with, the lightest, the most comfortable, and the easier to get from point A to point B.

There are so many toddler travel accessories out there, that it can get overwhelming.

So before we start, think about what items you already have at home, that you could take with you. And then scan through our list of the best travel accessories for toddlers.

To make it easier, click on the category mentioned next to hop straight to that section of the article.

• Toddler Gear to Get Around Easily (Strollers, Car Seats & More)
• Toddler Plane Travel Essentials
• Toddler Packing Essentials
• Sleep-Time Essentials (Blockout Curtains, Crib/Bed & More)
• Travel Items to Keep Your Toddler Safe
• Toddler Travel Items for Car Trips
• Other Must-Have Toddler Gear (Toys, Toilet training, High Chairs, Beach/Pool Items & More)

Quick Guide: 5 Best-Selling Toddler Travel Gear

After a quick list of our best-selling toddler travel must haves? Here are the best items to purchase.

GB Pockit Air Lightweight Stroller

• Perfect for toddlers
• Lightweight (only 4.6 kg)
• Folds up so small that you can pop it in the overhead locker on a plane

Best Toddler Car Seat

• For younger toddlers (aged 1-3) we highly recommend the Safety 1st Jive car seat.
• Convertible, slim enough for plane seats, and lightweight

Best Toddler Travel Harness

• For older toddlers (aged 3 years+) we personally loved using a travel harness as it is just so much easier to pack and carry.

Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids

• Safe (with parental controls) tablet for kids aged 3 – 7 to use.
• Includes 1 year of Amazon Kids+ – a digital subscription designed for kids to safely learn, grow and explore. 
• 12-Hour Battery

Inflatable Travel Foot Rest Pillow

• We used these on so many planes to make a flat area for our youngest to sleep.
• Our trick (for using it on planes that don’t allow it) is to only blow it up when the lights go dark (and the flight attendants stop walking around so much). And then pop down the tray table (we pop our little one’s feet on the inflatable) over the inflatable to hide it.

Fun N’ Fly Foldable Travel Tray

• Such a clever way to prevent all your kid’s toys from rolling off the tray table on the plane.
• Fits most standard airline tray tables
• Mesh pockets for crayons and pens, a cup holder, and a folding front panel for comfort.

Best Travel Gear for Toddlers to Get Around Easily

Let’s look at travel equipment for 1-5 year-olds that makes moving from point A to B easier.

Here is a list of our favorite toddler travel essentials that you should not leave your home without.

1. A Lightweight Travel Stroller (GP Pockit) with a Gate Check Bag

You will definitely need a lightweight stroller. We all know that toddlers love their freedom and independence but also get tired quickly from running around.

One of the best travel strollers is the Gb Pockit Air .

This stroller is lightweight (it weighs only 10.4 lbs) and foldable (yes, it can fit in the overhead compartments on trains and planes). It is one of the smallest folded strollers that I’ve seen.

It is perfect for kids up to 4 years of age (or 55 lbs. in weight).

Not only do I love the price of this stroller (plus how small it folds up), but it also has a mesh back which is brilliant for hotter countries. It is breathable and helps to keep your little one comfy.

The stroller is easy to push (even with older kids in it). It’s a smooth ride (it has great rubber wheels) and turning the corner is easy.

And best of all, it is pretty affordable compared to competitor travel strollers such as the Babyzen YoYo .

I do think that the canopy is a bit smaller than what I personally like. And I really wish it had a stroller strap to make it easier to carry whilst folded.

But otherwise, this is such a great stroller and at a fantastic price.

It really is worth the investment!

Protect your Stroller With A Stroller Bag

The one negative of the GP Pockit stroller is that it doesn’t have an easy way to carry it whilst folded. So this carry bag is essential as it has straps so you can pop it on your back.

Too often these days do they take you out of the airport and make you climb up the stairs from the runway up to the plane.

So having the stroller on your back so you can carry your toddler is essential.

It is also handy if you might prefer to gate-check it.

That way, you don’t have to try to carry the stroller and your toddler together with your carry-on bags onto a plane (especially a hassle when you have to leave the airport and climb stairs to get into the plane).

We prefer to gate-check our stroller (when possible – check with your airline).

That means you can use the stroller throughout the airport and then check it at the ticket desk a little prior to boarding the plane.

Some airlines will have large clear bags that you can pop your stroller in, but they are thin plastic bags that don’t offer any protection.

We much prefer to buy decent bags, and this specific bag is so convenient as it has backpack straps so you can pop it on your back and have your hands free for your toddler.

This specific bag is compatible with the Gb Pockit strollers; it is airline certified and is available in black.

TIP: Not planning many trips in the future and don’t want to invest in a stroller specifically for travel? You can also rent a stroller in the destination you are visiting! BabyQuip is a baby rental company and they have all your baby travel needs sorted. Perfect if you are visiting Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Mexico, Caribbean and Costa Rica. Rent your baby gear by clicking here.

2. Tula Ergonomic Toddler Carrier

A toddler or baby carrier is a must for people who want to travel with a toddler.

While I’m not a big fan of having my toddler in a carrier (they are just so heavy, and of course, they want to be up and then down and back up again),  a carrier is essential if you visit a destination that has many stairs.

Tula is one of the few brands that manufacture special carriers, especially for toddlers aged from 2- 6 years (rather than babies), so this carrier is brilliant.

Tula’s Ergonomic Newborn Carrier is available in 38 colors and style options. There are multiple material options available, but my favorite is the 100% cotton ones, they are soft, comfortable and machine-washable.

Incredible I have a (huge) 16 month old and a 3 year old who both fit into this perfectly. It is so confortable and i can easily manage a hike with the 3 year old with this carrier. We also have a hiking backpack carrier which was quite expensive and the tula is so much more comfortable than that. I now feel that we can go anywhere and do anything without fear of my 3 year old asking to be carried. Alison B.   (Read More  Reviews on Baby Tula ) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

We especially liked how you can use this carrier as a back carry and front carrier. Your toddler’s body development will not be impacted, thanks to its thoughtful, m-position seat.

It is the best toddler carrier on the market!

3. Clevr Premium Backpack Hiking Child Carrier

The Premium Backpack Hiking Child Carrier from Clevr is made for those who love hiking.

It features a hip belt and padded straps to ensure safety without compromising comfort.

We especially like the thoughtful inclusion of a sunshade visor and stand.

You get multiple pockets for convenient storage, including an extra-large pocket for diapers.

Toddler Travel Gear for Plane Trips

Next up is the all-dreaded plane trip. Talk about anxiety and nervous feelings! Fortunately, the older your child gets, the easier this bit gets.

Our little one just turned 3, and life is already getting easier when we get on that plane.

Tip:  You might also be interested in checking out the best toddler toys for airplanes  here.

Here is a list of some fabulous airplane accessories for toddlers.

4. Travel Car Seat or Child Airplane Travel Harness

It is so vital for your toddler to be in a travel car seat on the plane. According to News.com , it is not just to protect your child from plane crashes, but it is so important for turbulence.

Not only will the car seat protect your child in the case of an emergency, but it will also help keep your toddler sitting still as much as possible (which is great for your sanity).

The best travel car seat we love is the Safety 1st Jive 2-in-1 Convertible Car Seat ( find a different portable car seat on our  best travel convertible car seat  guide here ) when traveling with a toddler on a car or a plane.

This car seat is lightweight (14.25 lb) and slim enough (18″) to fit on plane seats .

It can be used in rear-facing mode for toddlers weighing less than 40 pounds and front-facing mode for toddlers weighing up to 65 pounds.

Would Highly Recommend! I’m very impressed with this carseat. You can’t beat the price, and it’s the same quality as some of the more expensive carseats out there! My kiddo loves how comfy and soft it is. It isn’t bulky at all, and comfortably fits both cup holders on each side… Love it Alison B.   (Read More  Reviews on Walmart ) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

For older toddlers aged 4 years+, you could also consider taking along a travel booster seat (although these can’t be used on planes).

An alternative to a car seat is the airplane toddler harness mentioned below. I would only recommend the travel harness for kids aged 3 years+.

Also, if it is an overnight flight I highly recommend the car seat as our toddler found the safety harness a bit uncomfortable to sleep with. 

Tip: You may also be interested in checking out this foldable travel car seat for 2 year old and/or this car seat for a 3 year old .

Protect Your Car Seat With A Travel Bag

If you are buying the convertible seat, we recommend getting the Volkgo Travel Bag with it.

It is an effective and easy way to travel with your convertible seat. This bag will ensure that your travel seat stays clean (plus it is a great way to sneak in some extra toddler items like a blanket or diapers or clothes).

Also, it is made from nylon, making it water-resistant.

For Older Toddlers – Airplane Harness

If you are taking a flight with your toddler, aged two years or older , you could get a safety harness instead of having to drag a car seat onto the plane.

It takes less than a minute to install and can fit into small bags.

My only negative with the harness is that your toddler will need to sleep upright in their seat. We’ve tried this harness with our young year old, and it was uncomfortable for her, it was much better when she was over 2 years.

You can read our full  CARES harness review  here.

5. Travel Foot Rest Pillow for Kids

Here is a product we just can’t live without! It might just be one of the handiest flight accessories for toddlers.

We recommend you get the inflatable foot travel pillow if your toddler is going to be on the plane overnight or during nap times.

This inflatable airplane pillow can be placed in the leg rest area to offer a relaxing flat position for your kid to sleep.

Whilst you won’t be able to use the pillow on take-off and landing (and sometimes the air hostesses might ask you to pop it away), it can help your child sleep much better on a long-haul flight.

Note: Not all airlines will allow you to use this product, but we have managed to use it more often than not in planes and it has been a lifesaver.

6. Fun N’ Fly Foldable Travel Tray

The next recommendation for toddler flight essentials is a multi-purpose play space that fits perfectly on nearly all standard airplane tray tables.

It can fold and unfold in mere seconds.

The fabulous thing about this table is that it has side barriers, so it is great for toys and crayons, etc. And you can wash it and reuse it as many times as you want.

I got so sick of playing pick-up in the planes, so this truly is fabulous to make life easier.

7. ‘Tux’ Kids Travel Pillow and Travel Blanket Set

Roamwild offers a three-in-one accessory that functions as a blanket, a comfortable pillow, and a penguin toy .

This is so brilliant because the Tux can be used to transform any armrest into a pillow for your toddler, making it ideal for plane, coach & train travel.

We love to travel with our own blankets. If you want to find a blanket for yourself, then you might also enjoy our list of adult  travel blankets for airplanes  here.

8. Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Edition Tablet

The next product on our list is not just a travel accessory, but rather a full-fledged tablet.

The Fire HD 10 Kids Tablet serves as the perfect tool for young minds to indulge in more than 20,000 famous games, apps, books, videos, and other educational content.

A 2-year worry-free guarantee backs it. You also get a kid-proof case , which comes in three colors – yellow, pink, and blue.

The tablet is really helpful to kill time waiting in airports or to give you some downtime on the plane to catch a few breaths.

9. Anble Kids Headphones

For toddlers who are fond of listening to music, there can be no better travel accessory than the Anble Kids Headphones.

It features a standard 3.5mm jack, which is compatible with nearly all popular smartphones. 

We especially liked its 93-decibel volume restrictor to ensure hearing protection for toddlers.

And did we mention that it has a sharing interface on the right side?

Best Travel Accessories for Toddlers To Keep Everything Organized

Here is our list of some of the best kids’ luggage, bags, and organizers to make life a touch easier.

10. JetKids by Stokke BedBox (Best Air Travel Gear for Toddlers)

Stokke is a well-known baby and toddler brand, so their JetKids Ride On Suitcase is one of our favorite toddler travel accessories. 

What makes this travel suitcase so great is the built-in flight bed . The suitcase transforms in 5 quick and easy steps once the seatbelt is switched off on the plane.

The suitcase also has space for your toddler’s essentials, so you can pack them away for easy access when not used as a ride-on through the airport.

The suitcase has front swivel wheels, making it super easy to pull along and steer.

Trunki is one of the most reputed brands when it comes to products for toddlers.

Trunki is a durable and lightweight suitcase for kids. It is available in two color options –  Terrance (Blue) and Trixie (Pink).

Your toddlers can use it as a riding toy or for storing luggage, and it can hold up to 75 lbs (which should be more than enough to store your toddler’s belongings for a trip).

We only r ecommend this one for older toddlers , as a one-year-old might still be too little for it.

So if you are not sure this is the right pick for your toddler, then we have other fabulous ideas for kids’ luggage on wheels  here.

12. Travel Organizers with Laundry Bag

Have you ever found packing your luggage to be stressful? We’ve used packing trips for most of our trips. We use these in our luggage as well as our carry-on bags.

Shacke offers a pack of four space-saving packing cubes that allow you to organize and pack all your essentials systematically. You will no longer have to wrestle with your suitcase to fit in everything you need!

Each of these travel organizers is made from high-quality nylon. The pack is available in nine colors and comes with a laundry bag.

We typically pack all our clothes and items for all three (Andrzej, myself, and our toddler) of us into one suitcase, so I really LOVE to use a specific color for each person, that way I can pull out the right cube of clothes for any of us quickly.

We always popped three of these in our backpack diaper bag.

One was to store toddler travel toys (here is our list of the  best travel toys for toddlers ) and the second was for snacks organized for the plane trip.

And when she was in diapers, we also used a third cube as our diaper caddy – it is so much easier to take a cube into the small plane toilet cubicles rather than a big bulky diaper backpack.

You can read through all our packing cubes reviews  here.

It is one of those travel things for toddlers that no one naturally would think about, but that comes in handy in so many different ways.

13. Mancro Backpack Diaper Bag

One of those travel must-haves for toddlers – whether your toddler is toilet-trained or not.

We absolutely love the Mancro Backpack Diaper Bag for travel purposes.

Featuring 114 easy-access compartments, this backpack will let you keep all your toddler essentials in an organized manner. We use it on the plane and while exploring.

We especially liked its included changing pad, stroller straps, and padded straps, making it excellent for traveling. You need not worry about any quality-related red flags, as it comes with a lifetime warranty .

After something a bit more girlie? We have a list of other fabulous  traveling diaper bags  here.

Best Toddler Travel Gear for Sleep-Time

Next up are some fabulous nifty toddler travel items to help with sleep and nap time.

14. BabyBjörn Travel Crib Light or The Shrunks Toddler Travel Bed

Depending on your toddler’s age, you can choose to buy either a suitable toddler travel crib or an inflatable toddler bed (see info on that below).

One of the best portable travel cribs is the BabyBjörn Travel Crib. This crib is perfect for children up to three years of age. It is a lightweight crib (13 lbs) and comes with a carry bag.

It can be set up very quickly and folds back conveniently , making it ideal for travel.

You can also find our guide on the  best travel cribs  for your research here.

If your child is older than 2 , you can opt for the Toddler Travel Bed by The Shrunks.

It comes with a powerful electric pump so you can inflate it quickly. We especially liked the guard rails on the sides of this bed to prevent toddlers from rolling out.

15. Portable Window Blackout Blind Shades

The worst thing is when you arrive at a hotel or Airbnb and they only have sheer curtains.

You already know that your toddler will be awake at the first sign of light.

Fortunately, you can take this fabulous product along with you.

AmazonBasics offers the Window Blackout Blind Shades to block out sunlight and UV rays, thereby ensuring that your kid sleeps quietly during the day.

It is made from 100% polyester and features Velcro edges, which allow it to fit several window sizes.

It adheres with suction cups , so you can stick it onto any window YEAH!

Toddler Travel Accessories for Car Trips

For those who will be spending loads of time in the car on a road trip. Here are some fabulous items to help keep peace in the backseat. 

16. Kinder Fluff Car Sun Shade

Kinder Fluff’s pack of four-car sun shades is a must-have if you plan to embark on a road trip with your toddler. It consists of two transparent and two semi-transparent sun shades for your car windows.

You also get a free storage pouch.

We especially liked the fact that you can install it quickly and easily without any adhesives or suction cups.

They are so easy to pack, take up little room, and honestly will help your little one to sleep better during the car trip.

17. Car Seat Tray

Keeping kids occupied with toys, activity books, or food more oft than not is an arduous task.

EcoZen Lifestyle offers a multi-purpose travel tray that can be used in cars and planes.

Your child will be busy with his toys, books, and food with the help of this exceptional tray.

Its side and front pockets allow for convenient storage of various things.

18. Shynerk Baby Car Mirror

Shynerk offers the Baby Car Mirror, which is an effective way of keeping your toddler under surveillance.

It pivots a full 360 degrees to ensure that you have the best viewing angle.

I’m sure you all have one in your car at home, but this one is fabulous to pack and take along.

We especially liked how easy it was to attach it to the headrest of the backseat of our car.

You need not worry about your toddler getting harmed by it in case of a mishap because it is crash-tested and safety certified.

19. Lusso Gear Car Seat Organizer

Nobody wants to clean a mess of toys, books, and spilled food on vacation.

Traveling with a toddler in a car can be a messy affair, especially when they have a complete arsenal of things to throw around.

Lusso Gear offers the Car Seat Organizer, which prevents this most efficiently.

It consists of nine storage compartments for various toddler-favorite products.

We especially liked the ergonomic handles that make it easy to carry.

Best Travel Items for Toddlers to Keep Them Safe

We all know that toddlers are super busy little people. And boy do they love to have their own way. So it can be really tricky to move through crowded areas when your toddler wants to run this way or that

These products will help give your child a touch of freedom, whilst still keeping them within a safe distance.

20. The Stair Barrier Portable Baby Gate

Not only can stairs be a safety concern for toddler parents, but it can also mean that you will have to take your toddler up and down the stairs all day long (our toddler just loved new stairs and kept asking to go up and down).

If you know that the hotel or Airbnb you will be staying in has stairs, it would be worthwhile to take this Stair Barrier Portable Fabric Gate with you.

It weighs only 6 lbs. It ties up with 3 dual-sided release buckles, which won’t leave marks on the staircase.

It is available in two size options and 11 different colors.

21. Jolik Child Motorcycle Safety Harness

Jolik offers the Child Motorcycle Safety Harness for parents who want to take their toddlers along when they go for a ride.

Its belt length can be adjusted to fit most motorcycles, snowmobiles, and ATVs.

It can be used for kids aged 2 to 12 years.

Helpful when you visit scooter-heavy countries such as Vietnam, Thailand, and Bali.

I hate seeing little kids on motorcycles with no protection, this is worth every dollar (and don’t forget to take a bike helmet  along as well!).

We liked the thoughtful inclusion of a reflective patch to ensure your child’s safety in darkness.

22. Blisstime Anti Lost Wrist Link or Skip Hop Toddler Leash and Harness Backpack

If your toddler has a knack for running around and getting lost, you can use the Anti-Lost Wrist Link from Blisstime to prevent that from happening when you are traveling. It comes in three color options – rose red, orange, and blue.

Instead, you may choose to opt for the Toddler Leash and Harness Backpack from Yisibo. It allows you to ensure that your child does not get lost in a crowded place.

You can detach the leash from the backpack when it is not required. It is available in five different and fun styles.

Other Must-Have Toddler Travel Essentials

And if you thought we were out of items, you were wrong. There is even more. Some nifty ideas for making mealtime more enjoyable and just some fabulous products to have on have. 

23. Munchkin Brica Travel Booster Seat or Zicac Portable Booster Seat Cushion

Anybody who has traveled with toddlers will agree that one of the most common issues they face is the low height of chairs in public places.

Not all restaurants have high chairs, and things get too complicated when you try to keep them on your lap while eating.

Depending on your toddler’s age, you can choose from these two seat boosters. You can also find some other fabulous recommendations for a   travel high chair .

Munchkin’s Booster Seat works best for toddlers aged 1 to 3 years. We especially liked its built-in storage space for diapers and bottles.

Zicac’s Booster Seat is better suited for toddlers aged three years or above.

It features a high-density sponge and two straps to ensure that it stays securely in place on chairs.

24. BabyBjörn Smart Travel Potty or Gimars Portable Reusable Potty Training

One of the recurring tasks that a toddler’s parents must do is changing diapers. It may not be convenient to do that while traveling, so you should use these two products.

We recommend the Smart Potty for car journeys and the Reusable Potty Training for planes and trains.

The Smart Potty takes up negligible space and is very easy to clean. Its splash guard eliminates the chance of spills.

The Reusable Potty Trainer has six silicone pads that are non-slip, easily foldable, and washable.

It can be used to help your toddlers learn how to use lavatories.

25. Papablic Portable Baby Bottle Warmer

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if your toddler could get warm milk on the go?

Papablic’s Portable Bottle Warmer does just that! It features a waterproof seal and vacuum insulation, which keeps water or milk hot for an entire day.

It has a 100% money-back guarantee and can easily fit in most standard diaper bags.

26. OXO Tot Drying Rack with Bottle Brush

Cleaning up a toddler’s essential products like bottles, nipples, or breast pump parts can be tiring, especially while traveling.

OXO provides a compact cleaning solution consisting of a firm, soft-bristled brush, and a detail cleaner.

It opens up to form a drying rack with flexible tines and ventilation holes to enable quick drying.

27. ChooMee SoftSip Food Pouch Top

When traveling with toddlers sometimes you have to do meals on the go.

With the ChooMee SoftSip Food Pouch tops, your little one will have a mess-free meal from any food pouch.

Simply screw off the food pouch plastic top and place the soft tops over the top to make mealtime comfortable for your little one.

The ChooMee SoftSip tops are made from silicone and are 100% BPA-free. They are also dishwasher safe which makes it easy to clean after use.

28. Munchkin Snack Catcher & a Sippy Travel Cup

Why are toddlers always so hungry!? Traveling with toddlers becomes much easier if you get this pack of 2 snack containers from Munchkin.

You can choose from two color combinations – blue and green or pink and purple. These containers fit most of the standard cup holders in cars and strollers.

We especially liked these spill-proof containers because they are made from BPA-free, dishwasher-safe materials.

Also, don’t forget to pack your sippy cups. You can just use what you have at home, but if you want something new, we love these sippy cups for young kids here.

29. ALVABABY Waterproof Wet Bag

With our next recommendation, we are adhering to optimal waste disposal standards. You cannot throw away a used diaper on the move and storing it for future disposal can be a hassle.

ALVABABY offers a waterproof wet bag that is a much better alternative than plastic bags. You can conveniently keep wet waste or wet clothes in this bag.

30. Speedo Kids’ Classic Swim Vest

Toddlers typically can’t swim well yet and often they aren’t always aware of how dangerous water can be, so best to ensure that they are safe when surrounded by water.

Speedo offers the Classic Swim Vest for small children in two sizes – medium for ages 2 to 4, and large for ages 4 to 6.

You can choose from seven different color options. It features an adjustable buckle strap and a full front zipper.

Your toddler will not be harmed by the sun’s harmful UV rays, thanks to its UPF 50+ protection.

>>>  YES! My toddler would love this – Buy it Now

31. Bigib Toddler Kids Swim Water Shoes

One of the significant concerns that parents have after their toddlers go swimming is the risk of slipping down and getting hurt.

Bigib offers swim water shoes that are non-slip and dry quickly to ensure that your toddlers do not face that predicament.

Just recently on our trip to Malta, we watched a little child run around the pool and in no time at all he was face-planting on the floor.

Even though we told our little one to walk slowly as a result, she still managed to slip as well. 

These shoes are just so fabulous for little ones who love to run.

They are also great when you are visiting beaches that have lots of shells, coral, or rocks on them.

You can choose from 13 fun and exciting style options for these unisex shoes. You can also find a list of other  toddler water shoes  here.

32. Cocosand Baby Sunglasses with Strap

Protecting your toddler’s eyes from the harsh sun rays when at the beach or pool is just as important as protecting your own.

We love the Cososand Baby Sunglasses that offer UV400 protection. The sunglasses come with a strap to help keep them on your little one when out and about.

The sunglasses come in a variety of colors for you to choose from.

They are made from a soft and comfortable material that is lightweight and won’t squeeze the ears or the nose of your little one when they are wearing them.

33. Monobeach Pop-Up Baby Beach Tent 

This pop-up beach tent is not only a great sun shade but can also double up as a small splash pool to keep your little one cool when at the beach.

It comes with its own carry bag and folds up small and compact making it easy to store and carry when out and about. 

You also get 4 pegs to ensure that you can secure the tent in the sand or ground when using it at the beach or even in the park when having a picnic.

The pop-up tent has a sun protection rating of 50+ UPF ensuring that your little one will have extra protection when sitting inside this great pop-up beach tent.

34. Sesame Street Elmo’s On The Go Letters

The Sesame Street On the Go Letters has a carry case with 26 letters helping your toddler not only have fun but learn the alphabet.

By playing with the On the Go Letters your toddler will learn letter recognition as they snap each letter back in place in the carry case.  

If you want to start spelling words you can use the space at the bottom of the case to place and spell words.

35. Buckle Toys Blu Whale

The Blu Whale Soft toy from Buckle toy offers comfort, development, and educational aspects.

The Blue Whale helps your toddler develop fine motor skills, color recognition, problem-solving skills, and hand-eye coordination.

The whale has a zipper pocket, embroidered numbers & shapes, and six colorful buckles with different clasps.

36. Story Time Finger Puppets

Story Time Finger Puppets are a great toy that helps develop creative play and imagination.

With 20 different puppets, 14 animals, and 6 people family members, there are endless stories that can be created to pass the time when traveling.

The puppets are made from soft cloth felt and fit securely on your toddler’s fingers but are also suitable to fit on adult-sized fingers so you can create stories with your little one as well.

37. Montessori deMoca Quiet Book Toy

The Montessori deMoca Cloth Book is a soft cloth book created to help develop your toddler’s fine motor skills.

With 9 different activities, your toddler will learn colors, shapes, and even how to use snaps and buckles.

Made from cloth materials you can wash this book whenever it needs a cleaning and it even comes with its own zippered washing machine bag to ensure the book keeps its shape during washing.

38. Suction Cup Pop Up Fidget Spinner Toys

Fidget spinner toys are such great toys that all kids love to play with and keep them occupied for hours!

These suction cup pop-up fidget spinner toys are great as they can suction onto the table on the plane when seated to keep your little one entertained during a flight.

They stick on any flat surface so even if you are not flying you can still use them if there is a flat surface.

The suction cup fidget spinners are also small and compact enough to slip into your carry-on bag and take up very little space so are great as a travel toy for toddlers.

To read more about great toys for traveling browse our tried and tested best airplane toys post.

Summary Of The Best T ravel Essentials For Toddlers

Toddlers can get extremely cranky while traveling; the best travel gear for toddlers can make or break the trip. 

We have incorporated various toddler travel must-haves in our recommendations to ensure that there is something worthwhile for everyone’s needs.

Did you know that we also have other helpful guides? Browse our  best travel accessories for kids ‘ guide, our  best baby travel gear , or general  travel gear  guide here.

Till next time, travel safely! I hope you found our guide to the best toddler travel items helpful.

Further Reading:

• Click here to grab more information on how to travel with a toddler .

Jolene Ejmont

5 thoughts on “38 best toddler travel essentials (more fun & less stress in 2024)”.

I love it! i was just planning a trip with my family and i will take my one year old baby, many people point out that it’s not very good to travel with kids as they get stressed on the flight and may make a lot of sense to some extent, however i think it’s great that you wrote this because you don’t know how much help you’re going to do with this!

Allisson, don’t listen to other people and just follow what works for you. You know what, our little one LOVES to fly and out of 50 flights she was only unsettled on maybe 3. Kids are all different though, some personality types handle things better than other. But I’m sure your little one will LOVE all the quality time that they will get to spend with you once they are there. If you are on facebook, come and join us in our little family travel support group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/wsfamilytravelsupportgroup . You will find it is a great place to come and talk to other parents who can give you some insight into what it is like 😉

I read your tips for travelling with kids. This is one of the best ways to travel with kids and very easy and useful gadgets to carry. I am planning a trip with my family and now I’ll also carry these things with me.

This was possibly one of the most brilliant lists I have seen. Planning a major trip soon, and I’ve added so many of these to my must have list! Thank you!

Thank you very much for your kind words, and sorry for the much-delayed response.

Comments are closed.

2024 - Wanderlust Storytellers. All Rights Reserved.

About Us  |  Contact Us  | Work with Us  |  Privacy Policy  |  Disclaimer

* Disclaimer: Wanderluststorytellers.com is a participant 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 and other Amazon sites.

38 Best Baby Travel Gear Items for 2024 + What NOT To Bring

Hi All! My name is Lyric Fergusson. My husband, Asher, and I are the parents of two incredible babies named Kingsley and Aurora (pictured). Our little ones have been with us to France, Italy, Mexico, Belize, Honduras, South America, five Caribbean Islands & on a road trip to California and the Grand Canyon — and having them along has been amazing and mostly stress-free!

This said, as a mama, I fully understand how intimidating it can be to travel with a baby, especially for the first time.

We feel that having the right gear is key to making a family trip a truly enjoyable one, and we believe it is a large part of why we’ve had such wonderful travels with our babies. That’s why we created this guide for the must-haves and great accessories that will make traveling as a family way easier!

38 Essential Baby Travel Items

1. travel stroller.

Airport security rules state that any stroller that weighs over 20 lbs (9 kgs), is too bulky, or is non-collapsible must be checked at the ticket counter .

Mamas, this means if your stroller exceeds the weight limits, you will be schlepping your baby and ALL of your bags through the airport with no stroller. Suffice it to say, you’ll regret the decision to bring a heavy stroller.

This Summer Infant 3DLite is our top travel stroller pick. It’s inexpensive, durable, only 13 lbs, and has a multi-position recline that goes practically flat for an on-the-go nap. It fits in the smallest of trunks and we’ve even hauled it (pretty easily) up and down six flights of stairs in Paris. If the 3D Lite isn’t your bucket-list stroller, check out the Nova for luxury, the Summer Two-Seater , or a foldable wagon which is always a fun idea (especially if you’re hauling around more than one toddler or headed to a beach destination!)

View on Amazon.com ➜

2. Stroller + Car Seat Combo

You can compromise with the best of both worlds – opting for this 3-in-1 Trio system by Chicco . It is designed with travel in mind, helping you create a full-blown system that your kids can grow with. While in stroller mode, the canopy expands for UV protection, or you can push it down and click it into place to activate car-seat/booster mode. It quickly folds and unfolds to suit your needs and holds so much stuff like groceries, blankets, etc.

I will say, it’s slightly bulkier than some options, but that’s the trade-off of having an all-in-one piece, which means fewer items to carry around. Overall, it will make your baggage lighter and cut down on the amount of equipment you have to keep up with.

3. Convertible Travel Carseat

While the stroller + car seat combo is ideal for infants, this option is better for families needing more weight flexibility and a car seat for growing kids.

I would never put my baby in a car without a car seat. However, I cannot imagine lugging around our 35 lb one across the airport, let alone Europe! This one weighs only 12 lbs and works for children from 5-65 lbs (check the weight limits for each mode, forward or rear-facing).

Note: All airlines will check your car seat at the ticket counter free of charge.

4. Travel Crib (a.k.a. Travel Playpen)

In our experience, the Baby Bjorn Travel Crib is the best of the best when it comes to travel cribs. It’s only 12 lbs, really well-made, and you can put it together and take it down in less than 10 seconds (without reading any instructions!) The crib has an extremely cushy mattress pad that lays flat on the Earth, (unlike the Guava Lotus which we didn’t like ) and most other travel cribs where the mattresses hover above the ground and wobble whenever your baby shifts during the night (sounds comfy, right?)

It even comes with a chic, easy-to-carry case. Our little guy has slept beautifully through the night on every trip we have ever taken and I really think it is because of this crib. You can let them play and nap in it before you head out so they can become familiar with it. They will sleep so much better!

Note: All domestic airlines will check your crib at the ticket counter free of charge. I always check with international carriers about their policy prior to traveling.

5. Quick-Dry Travel Towels

Travel towels are one of the most versatile items you can pack. It can serve as a drool rag, seat cover, packing cushion, and much more. They’re also amazing for cleaning up spills! When we discovered these, we stopped bringing along bulky towels or trying to pack fluffy ones that the hotel provides when going on beach trips. This one dries 10x faster than cotton and weighs less than half a pound — perfect for in the diaper bag!

6. Travel Insurance for Your Trip

Since your domestic provider typically does not cover you outside of the country, the last thing you want to worry about is rushing a spouse or child to the hospital and having to pay out-of-pocket for a five-figure bill. Protect your vacation investment and your loved ones with travel insurance – it’s a small price compared to anything else you’re booking, yet will cover you for flight cancellations, delays, baggage loss, theft, and expensive medical emergencies.

We use Faye because they are revolutionizing the insurance game! While most providers make the process miserable with tons of paperwork and hoops to jump through – Faye reimburses you through their mobile app, making the claims process a cakewalk. Get a customized quote for each trip and traveler. It’s very affordable for young families since it goes up in cost with age and is worth it for the sheer peace of mind.

Get a quote in less than 60 seconds with Faye ➜

7. Diaper Changing Pad

My husband and I use the  Kopi Baby changing pad religiously during travel because it folds up easily into a small bag, keeping everything clean (wipes, diapers, etc.) even when we’re in seriously dirty places.

We have used it on the airport floor, in the Louvre, and in Caribbean bathrooms that had no changing tables. Yuck! It’s honestly the bomb and really worth the spend for travel.

8. Short-Sleeved Bib

These amazing bibs from Bumpkins are my favorites because they are wearable like a shirt. Simply latch the back and your kiddo’s outfit will have full coverage from even the goopiest of foods. It’s waterproof and therefore super easy to clean — even in small cruise ship sinks — while also drying quickly and saving you a lot of cleanup!

9. Hanging Toiletry Bag

Moms deal with more STUFF than basically anyone on the planet (wipes, tissues, first-aid, snacks, toys, oh my!) Use this hanging toiletry bag to organize all of your family’s toiletries in one bag instead of dealing with unhinged chaos all over the hotel room. This is a way easier system than piling tons of plastic sacks with liquid bottles that you’re trying to keep from leaking all over your suitcase.

We’re obsessed with this bag from Eco Sun, a sustainable company in Hawaii that is made by travelers, for travelers. It organizes all of our self-care routines (and thus, our sanity!) with a leakproof design and stain-resistant material. There are 4 pockets on the inside with elastic bands to hold your bottles and brushes in place, plus 3 external compartments for smaller items that you need easy access to. It’s an elegant and cohesive system for an area of my life that would otherwise be pretty stressful on the road.

10. Stroller Clips

Whether you are using a blanket to block out the sun or to keep your little one warm, stroller clips are awesome because they’ll secure the blanket just where it needs to be. That way, your baby can sleep peacefully — and you can push them easily (no more blankets getting tangled in the wheels, blown off by the wind, or dragged on the floor).

Stroller clips are also great for attaching the diaper bag, your purse, baby’s toys, or really anything else to the stroller.

11. Stroller Protector Bag

You will typically have to check your stroller at the gate between flights and this bag will save it from getting wet or damaged as the flight crew is literally throwing it on and off the belly of the plane. The Hap Tim Stroller Bag is extremely sturdy and streamlined, which is helpful when moving the stroller in and out of taxis, hotels, and rental cars, and it has a long set of straps that make carrying the stroller a piece of cake.

12. Wet/Dry Sacks

Poop can happen at any time. In case you don’t want to mess up your nicer diaper bags, having wet/dry bags on hand at all times is beyond useful. These are just as durable as your high-end bags but not so precious that you’ll worry about them getting ruined (about what you would spend on a week’s worth of ziplocks). It also is easier to clean in the washing machine and traps the stinky diaper smell so you’re not trapped in a stink bubble all day! Besides being leakproof, you’re helping Mother Earth by going reusable.

13. TSA-Approved Luggage Locks

After having items stolen out of our check luggage, we never forgo luggage locks. We bring a couple of sets for suitcases, city lockers, using backpacks in crowded areas, and more. Plus, these are TSA-approved so you won’t suffer through any hang-ups at security.

14. Insulated Food Jar

This jar has saved us so many times. If your baby is eating solids but is picky, likes warm snacks, or is just not into eating restaurant food yet (and you aren’t too keen on always giving them jars of pre-packaged food), I would bring along one of these. You can bake them a yam at grandma’s or order some steamed veggies at your hotel and throw the food in the Foogo Thermos , and it will stay warm for hours while you tour Rome or head to the beach.

15. Neck Wallet

When traveling with little ones, things can get hectic REAL QUICK while going through airports, taxis, and beyond. This neck wallet makes it super easy to keep track of where your family’s passports, phones, credit cards, cash, and plane tickets are while also preventing petty theft or sticky fingers. My hubby wears his with all four of our family’s passports and when we’re in crowded places, he conceals it under his shirt. This one also comes with RFID-blocking material to stop e-thieves from scanning your financial data.

16. Diaper Bag

For your full-blown Diaper bag, this bag is awesome for allowing you to have tons of storage in a waterproof case. This diaper bag from BabbleRoo is stylish, lightweight, and won’t break the bank. It also has 18 pockets to hold everything from diapers to a water bottle to your cell phone. And if you spill milk (or baby pukes on the bag), no problem! The wipe-clean material is super easy to clean. Bonus: It comes with a matching changing pad in case you forget your Kopi Baby !

17. Sleep Sack

We love the Woolino sleep sack! It is 100% natural, made from premium soft Australian merino wool, has an organic cotton outer shell, and is machine-washable. It also regulates the body temperature and is comfortable for baby from external temperatures as low as 60°F (16°C) to as high as 77°F (25°C).

It’s a great way to keep your honey cozy on an airplane, and so helpful for unpredictable temperatures in hotels or and even at grandma’s house. One extra bonus: we don’t have to travel with many blankets which keeps our luggage weight down.

18. Homeopathic First Aid Kit

Don’t leave home without these remedies – we certainly don’t. They are natural, safe, effective, and don’t cause harmful side effects.

They have saved us repeatedly during teething, tummy aches, or crabby spells. I can’t recommend them enough.

• Camilia Teething Relief  – These all-natural drops relieve painful gums and irritability from teething, as well as associated digestive distress. The single-use containers help prevent contamination.
• Natural Gas Relief  – Even with the grape flavor, these drops have NO artificial flavors or dyes. They provide natural relief for all the symptoms that come along with gas, like bloating, colic, constipation, and restlessness.
• Baby Calm – If your baby is fussy or won’t sleep, try these tablets. They’re quick-dissolving and provide immediate relief, so you can both get back to sleep.
• Earache Relief  – If your baby has an earache, these all-natural drops will help relieve symptoms like fever, pain, irritability, and sleeplessness. The dosing dropper makes it super easy to apply the drops.
• Echinacea Drops  – Our little guy has yet to get sick while we’ve traveled, and I really think It’s due to these drops. If Kingsley looks like he is possibly heading in the sick direction I give him this and it boosts his immune system immediately. He even likes the taste.
• Baby Vitamin C – Vitamin C is another awesome immune booster which I give our son a few days before we begin traveling. I give it to him again if I think he seems like he might be catching something.

19. Virtual Private Network (VPN)

Did you know that you risk your private data whenever you join a public network at cafes, Airbnbs, hotels, and the airport? And many people can monitor your online activity without your permission, including cyber thieves, your internet provider, government entities, and nosy neighbors! A virtual private network (VPN) keeps all of your digital information secure from hackers so you don’t have to worry about your credit cards, passwords, or other confidential info getting stolen.

You’re bound to connect to a random Wi-Fi network when traveling, so take the extra step to encrypt your network with a VPN like NordVPN . It’s super affordable and will also limit any local censorship you may face, which can block your favorite websites like Netflix, YouTube, Hulu, and more. We never travel without a VPN and even use it at home to ensure a safe connection! Give it a try, there’s even a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

View options at NordVPN ➜

20. Luggage Straps

Just as every outdoorsman should carry rope – every parent should have this adjustable strap! It’s a multi-purposeful item that can serve you in a variety of ways (depending on how creative you want to get). First and foremost, it secures your checked luggage and carry-on bags for rough handling and takes the pressure off of your zippers.

Beyond this, the brightly-colored straps will help your family’s bags stand out at the arrivals terminal (where everyone and their uncle has the same black bag), so it’s a massive timesaver.

More creatively, you can tether a bunch of bags together, create a makeshift strap if one breaks, compress items that are overpacked, and basically secure anything that is falling apart. I once used these to fix my friend’s suitcase that broke, which got us through to the next flight. And the built-in contact card is invaluable if your bags end up getting lost. It’s one of our favorite discoveries and a must for any traveler’s packing list!

21. Packing Cubes

If you have ever dug frantically into a suitcase looking for a single clean baby sock while your whole family is downstairs waiting for you, you will understand why packing cubes are a necessity! I usually put my son’s t-shirts and shorts in one cube, his long-sleeved sweaters and pants in another, and accessories in another. It seriously helps us stay organized!

Available on  HeroTravelSupply.com  with an exclusive 15% discount using the coupon code  “HERO” .

Or view on Amazon.com ➜

22. Mini White Noise Machine

You might think, “Why do I need a white noise machine when I have an App on my iPhone?” Well, let me tell you that if you use your phone for white noise, that means your phone is held hostage in the baby’s room while you are in the living room trying to make a dinner reservation or check work emails, etc.

This pocket-sized white noise machine was the best purchase we made before our Caribbean cruise adventure. Both at our hotel in Puerto Rico and on the cruise itself, we had to deal with some really rowdy people yelling at all hours of the night. We were kind of shocked – our little dude slept peacefully through the night when we had this white noise machine on. I won’t travel without it now. It takes up virtually no space and you never know who is going to be your neighbor!

23. Sanitizing Wipes

These are awesome! They are cheap and I’ve used them to wipe down airline trays, restaurant high chairs, bathroom changing tables (and of course, our hands) while exploring. The individual packets fit easily in your diaper bag or your coat pocket without being bulky. An absolute 5-star in our book.

24. Baby Carrier

Ok, I know most of you probably already have a baby carrier, but I have to mention this Baby Bjorn Carrier because it’s been amazing for us while traveling.

It’s really comfortable, not bulky, and can easily fold up and fit under the stroller. We even use it as a portable high chair! How? Well, when my little dude was too tiny to fit in a restaurant high chair but was eating solids, he could comfortably have his entire meal while strapped to my hubby. It made eating out really enjoyable and low-stress, plus the carrier is super easy to wipe down and wash.

25. Universal Power Adapter

There are 15 styles of outlets around the world, so it’s nice to avoid buying a brand new power adapter for each country. This universal option is compatible with outlets in 100+ popular destinations and has multiple USB outlets for efficient charging. Not to mention, it very well could be the last adapter you ever have to buy since it comes with a lifetime replacement guarantee.

26. Inflatable Travel Bed

This adorable inflatable toddler bed is a game-changer for kiddos who are too big for a crib but need their own space to sleep on a trip. I worry about my tots falling out of massive beds at hotels or Airbnbs, and this option is comfy, easy to blow up, and keeps them close while still giving them a sense of independence. We’ve traveled with two of these for years and our kiddos are big fans!

27. Neck Pillow for Toddlers

Speaking of difficulty in transit, a neck pillow for kids is smart to have on-hand in case your babes can’t sprawl out. For those of you familiar with the strange positions your children’s heads can get into on long car rides, this one will support your toddler’s neck and be useful in almost all traveling scenarios. Moms that are breastfeeding may consider an inflatable nursing pillow that is made for travel and lumbar support.

28. Windproof Travel Umbrella

An umbrella should always be in your travel artillery and this one weighs only 1-pound and fits in your diaper bag. It comes with a convenient carrying case and has sheltered us from some pretty vicious storms since it’s windproof and covers 2 people (plus baby if you all snuggle close!)

29. Portable High Chair

We love bringing our foldable high chair to make mealtime go much smoother whether you are at an AirBnB or at grandma’s. It works for babies up to toddlers and is a great solution for restaurants that don’t have booster seats or high chairs. It’s compact and has some sneaky pockets, plus a carrying case. The tray is free of harmful chemicals like BPA, and it’s dishwasher safe.

30. All-in-One Food Processor

A food processor is so useful for blending up fresh fruits and vegetables for your little one on-the-go. This set comes with silicon molds as a freezer tray and glass cases for storage. My babies loved easy concoctions like mangos with sweet potatoes, carrot with orange, and bananas with strawberries. Yum!

31. Cooling Towel

For any tropical escapes or warm destinations, this cooling towel is a godsend! It’s absolutely non-toxic and safe for baby to hold onto. By adding water and wringing it out, the towel magically drops to 20-30 degrees colder than the outside temp. Anytime you need more icey relief, simply add more water. It will save baby, dad and mom from heat-induced melt-downs. Try it out and you can thank us later!

32. Baby-Proofing Gear

Babyproofing is something you should consider doing anywhere you stay. Whether they’re crawling, scooting, or starting to walk, it’s a preventative measure worth taking, especially if you are traveling to a home or Bnb that you know is not baby-proofed

Of course, a gate should be kept anywhere you don’t want your little one to roam (like the stairs or outside). For your curious explorers, you may also need outlet covers , safety straps for cabinets, door knob covers , and corner protectors for tables or sharp edges.

33. Car Seat Protector Backpack

Many parents complain that their car seat has gotten dirty, cracked or damaged when they’ve traveled — especially if they check it at the ticket counter. Because of this bag, we’ve never had any trouble.

It’s padded, and although you might look a little ridiculous with it on your back, I can’t tell you how nice it is to have two free hands when you are trying to wrangle multiple children and luggage. I’m a pretty tiny woman, and I can very comfortably wear it while using my hands for other things.

34. Inflatable Baby Bathtub

Not only is this thing cute as can be, but it blows up easily to make a bathtub that’s fantastic for travel. The textured bottom means baby won’t slip around, but it’s small enough to keep them in place. It’s surprisingly scientific since it has hot-white technology that lets you know when the water is too hot, displaying a different color. It was awarded ‘top baby bath’ in 2016 and is easy to drain from the bottom without any heavy lifting.

35. Baby-Safe Dish Soap

Cleaning bottles, sippy cups, bibs, and pacifiers on the go can be a bit of a challenge, I know! And it’s really hard to get to a destination and realize you have no soap to wash your bubba’s stuff (story of my life in the Caribbean… whoops!) I now bring along baby-safe dish soap so that I can be sure that all of Kingsley and Aurora’s belongings stay clean even when I’m rushing to wash them in a tiny bathroom basin.

36. Travel Potty-Training Seat

This is excellent for traveling families with a toddler in toilet training! Not only is it adorable, but it comes in many different colors and latches onto most standard-sized toilets. The foldable design means you can store it in your diaper bag and then whip it out when necessary at hotels, malls, airports, on planes, or wherever. WAY easier than holding your kid in the air as they hover over a gross toilet seat! And super easy to clean.

37. Diaper Rash Cream

This is hands down the best diaper rash cream out there! We initially got it in a gift set with our first baby but have now bought countless tubes. It is the main diaper cream we use, especially if we are trying to treat a rash. We will sometimes use Aquaphor Baby Healing Ointment if we are just preventing irritation on a clear butt. If we have a really bad rash, we will layer and use both. This cream is so thick, smells lovely, and works without the harsh chemicals.

38. Your Favorite Bedtime Story

Maintaining your routine while traveling will add a sense of normalcy to the experience. Your little one will find comfort in familiarity and it will help them sleep in a new place. So bring along your favorite book or try a new one to end the day with a sweet story. Reading aloud builds a network of words in their heads and can help them develop their language and speaking skills more quickly. Plus, your voice is so soothing to them and will help ease them into sleep.

Additional Baby Travel Gear to Consider

• Crib Sheets
• Travel Laundry Bag
• Baby Monitor
• Changing Pad
• Cheap Burp Cloths
• Cooling Towels
• Nursing Cover-up
• Breast-pump Backpack
• Travel Nursing Pillow
• Baby Dishes
• Baby Utensils
• Pacifier & Bottle Wipes
• Roadtrip Organizer
• Travel Towels
• Soft Washcloths
• Swim Diapers
• Stroller Fan
• Spillproof Snack Cup
• Luggage Locks
• Plane Window Toys
• Weleda Baby On the Go Kit
• Kid-Safe Bug Repellent
• Laundry Soap

What NOT to Bring when Traveling with Baby

1. don’t bring a bulky stroller (no jogging strollers.

They’re hard to get in and out of a small rental car, and almost impossible to lift when you’re juggling baby AND luggage at the same time (and don’t even think about trying to collapse it!).

2. DON’T TAKE a bulky car seat

A big, heavy car seat also makes it hard to hold baby and deal with luggage, and even harder to run through the airport to catch your flight! Plus car seats can get damaged when traveling, so you don’t want to be using an expensive one.

3. DON’T PACK cloth diapers

Cloth diapers are eco-friendly, but don’t feel bad if you don’t want to mess with them when traveling. They create a lot of extra work, and you’ll already be plenty busy traveling with a baby.

4. DON’T BRING heavy toys

There’s no need to lug around your baby’s heaviest toys when you’re traveling. Bring their lightweight ones instead, and you can always buy a few new toys at your destination for added fun!

5. DON’T PACK too many blankets

It’s tempting to think you should bring tons of extra blankets “just in case.” Just don’t. Go for a sleep sack instead – they’re easier and they stay put on their own. Bringing extra blankets is asking for weight, bulk, and extra laundry!

6. DON’T TAKE too many diapers

Disposable diapers are bulky, so think about how many you’ll need before you pack (do bring some extras – just not too many extras!). Better yet, have  Honest Company Diapers  ship a pack to your location, or if you’re going overseas, just buy them when you arrive.

7. DON’T BRING heavy baby books

Maybe you want to use your vacation time to catch up on some reading, but this is not the time to tackle that 500-page book on everything you’re doing wrong as a parent. You’re on vacation, treat yourself to some light beach reading instead, and make it even more convenient by using a Kindle .

8. DON’T PACK too few baby clothes

I know this sounds odd, but it’s a balance. Of course you don’t want your suitcase to be too heavy, but you don’t want to spend your whole trip washing either. And honestly, it’s not like baby clothes weigh much!

9. DON’T TAKE full-sized bottles

Traveling with a baby means packing lots of liquids (baby shampoo, baby lotion, dish soap, etc.), on top of your own toiletries. So many regular-sized bottles will be way too heavy, so pack all your liquids in travel-sized containers instead.

10. DON’T PACK too many disposable items

No matter where you’re traveling, you’ll probably be able to get things like wet wipes, tissues, and plastic bags pretty easily. So just bring as many as you’ll realistically use, and know that you can easily pick up more if you end up needing them.

FAQs about traveling with a baby

1. does my baby need a passport.

Yes. Regardless of their age, your baby needs a passport for international trips, including to Canada.

To get them a passport in the U.S., you will need a copy of the birth certificate and two 2″x2″ photos of the baby (from the shoulders up), and both parents need to come with the baby to a passport acceptance facility. Single parents must present a custody agreement, and if one parent is not able to come (such as if they’re stationed elsewhere), a signed and notarized Form DS-3053 will also have to be presented.

2. How should I choose a hotel when traveling with a baby?

• To minimize your time schlepping everything around, look for a hotel that’s near the attractions you plan to visit or at least near public transportation if you’ll be using it.
• Having quiet at nighttime is key, so try to avoid hotels on busy streets, as well as older buildings, which may not have good soundproofing.
• You’ll probably need to do laundry at some point, so check for either coin-op laundry in the hotel or a nearby laundromat.
• Try to find a hotel with large rooms, which will allow plenty of space to set up a crib or playpen.
• Make sure the bathroom has a tub, and not just a shower, which seems to be getting more common.
• Even if the room doesn’t have a full kitchen, it’s useful to at least have a refrigerator, as well as some counter space to make bottle-washing easier.
• If you’re not planning to bring a travel crib, call the hotel before you book to double-check that they’ll provide one.

3. What should I do to baby-proof our hotel room?

• Ask before you arrive if the hotel offers baby-proofing supplies (or even baby-proofed rooms)
• Check that all the furniture in the room (including the TV) is stable
• Check the floor (including under the bed) for anything a baby could put in their mouth: coins, rocks, pills, bottle caps, etc.
• Put blue painter’s tape over outlets.
• Tape foam squares over any sharp corners near the floor
• Tape the toilet lid down
• Tape any electrical cords to the furniture out of baby’s reach

4. Does my baby need a plane ticket?

Different airlines have varying policies on infant travel, but buying a ticket for children under two years old is usually optional. Without a ticket, the baby has to be held on your lap throughout the flight, and some airlines charge a “lap child fee,” especially for international flights.

If you’re planning to fly with a child in your lap, you should inform the airline in advance. But if you’d rather have a separate seat for your baby, you can book them one at a child’s fare.

5. Which airlines are the most baby-friendly?

The best airline for you depends on what’s most important to you when it comes to flying with your baby. These airlines are regularly rated as the most family- and child-friendly:

• Eithad: Their Flying Nannies are special flight attendants whose job is to help you fly with your baby, and they also offer a bottle-warming service on board.
• Emirates Airlines: The Dubai airport provides complimentary strollers, and the airline provides children on the plane with an entertainment kit that includes blankets and a fuzzy “We Fly With Me” stuffed animal.
• Air New Zealand: Their Economy Skycouch connects three seats and converts into a bed for comfort and easier sleeping, and the airline also provides bassinets on board.

6. How much baby food and milk/formula can I bring in my carry-on luggage?

Bring as much as you’ll need for the flight. Baby food, formula, and milk are exempted from the 3-ounce rule for liquids, but you do need to declare it at security so it can be inspected separately. They run a harmless test on excepted baby liquids, and once they’re done they will reseal it and give it back to you.

Even for parents traveling with children, water is still not allowed, so plan to buy it or bring a reusable filtered water bottle to fill up once you’ve passed through security.

7. How can I help my baby sleep on the plane?

Parents planning on using a bassinet, book a front-row seat if possible to make sure there’s plenty of space. Consider bringing a  sleep sack  to keep them more comfortable and a blanket or scarf to drape over the bassinet and block out light. And of course, bring their pacifier and any favorite toys. Feed your baby during take-off, which will help pop their ears, reduce discomfort, and calm them down.

8. How many diapers do I need to bring on a trip?

A good rule of thumb is to bring one diaper per hour of flight or car time, but it’s always a good idea to bring some extras beyond that, just in case.

9. Can I go camping with a baby?

If you’ve never been camping before, this might not be the best time to get into it.

Otherwise, it’s a good idea to get an okay from your pediatrician first, but many families absolutely go on camping trips with infants, and have plenty of fun! You’ll just want to be more aware of weather, drive time, cleanliness, baby-safe  insect repellent , and supplies, and it probably goes without saying that your baby likely won’t sleep through the night in a tent.

10. What are the best places to travel with a baby?

Depending on your travel preferences, beach destinations and national parks can make for great baby-friendly getaways. They tend to be mellow and allow for a lot of flexibility with your schedule and activities.

Alternatively, all-inclusive resorts make things easy and will usually provide all the amenities you need – plus they tend to be VERY fun!

Of course, a staycation or a visit to family or friends are good options, too, and will probably feel a little more familiar to you and baby.

11. What kinds of things are required when flying with a baby? Do I have to have a special seatbelt?

YES, you do need a special seatbelt for toddlers and up to a certain weight. Babies will likely need their own carseat, or you can typically hold them in your lap. If the airline doesn’t require you to purchase a ticket for a lap-child, this is a great way to save money as long as you’re comfortable holding your little one the whole time.

In instances like this it’s handy to have a  baby sling  which can be tightened to hold baby close, or loosened to act as a lap-cradle to relieve your back and arms while baby sleeps.

Verify the TSA requirements for traveling with small children  here .

Here are some links to the relevant car seat rules for the major US airlines so you can be prepared for your next flight:

• Alaska Airlines
• American Airlines
• Delta Airlines (and also here )
• Frontier Airlines
• Hawaiian Airlines
• Southwest Airlines
• Spirit Airlines
• United Airlines
• Virgin America (and also here )

Lyric Fergusson

• Product Reviews
• Toy Reviews & Gift Advice

The Top Airplane and Car Toys for Toddlers on the Go

Whether you’re journeying across the state or across the country, traveling with little ones can be stressful—which is where airplane and car toys for toddlers come in handy. The right mix of gizmos and gadgets will do wonders for keeping kids entertained and well-behaved along the way. The best travel toys for toddlers are lightweight and mess-free, and can be easily packed into a carry-on bag or the backseat.

Need some suggestions? We’ve curated a list of our favorite toddler travel toys and trinkets that are almost guaranteed to get your next vacation started on the right note. Shop our top picks below.

Best Airplane Toys for Toddlers

There isn’t much wiggle room on airplanes, no matter which airline you fly. So, you’ll want to keep your kiddo’s entertainment a bit streamlined so you aren’t spending half the flight reaching under the seat in front of you for missing pieces. Below, we’ve included some fantastic airplane toy options for self-contained play.

Textured cube toy

• Shapes are attached so they can’t get lost
• Fosters fine motor skills
• Some reviewers say it’s a bit tricky to fit some shapes in

On the hunt for an airplane toy for toddlers? This dynamic cube will have you covered. The textured toy is full of sorting fun. Better yet, all six textured, rubbery shapes are tethered to the cube, so they won’t get lost along the way.

Age rating: 10+ months | Dimensions: 4.3" (L) x 4.3" (W) x 4.3" (H) | Weight: 12.2 oz.

Montessori travel toy for toddlers

• Made from BPA-free, food-grade silicone
• Can be hung from a stroller
• Lots of sensory options
• Best for younger toddlers

Keep your child engaged while you’re out and about with this fun travel toy for toddlers. The UFO-shaped design is full of textures, colors and shapes for your kiddo to explore. What’s more, as they grasp, hold and pull at this toy, they’ll develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination.

Age rating: 18+ months | Dimensions: 8.3" (L) x 4.7" (W) x 4.7" (H) | Weight: 7 oz.

Foil scratch pictures for kids

• Mess-free way to draw and color
• Each pack comes with five printed art boards
• One-time use
• Wooden stylus isn’t attached
• Best suited for older tots and little kids

Searching for an airplane toy for toddlers who love arts and crafts? This two-pack of scratch-away foil pictures would be a great fit. Simply use the wooden stylus provided to reveal colorful scenes of doggies, dinos and more! And if your little one prefers sugar and spice, don’t worry: A sweet fairy bundle is available as well.

Age rating: 4+ years | Dimensions: 7.5" (L) x 0.3" (W) x 10" (H) | Weight: 4 oz.

Screen-free audio player

Looking for travel-friendly entertainment that doesn’t involve screens? Turn to the Yoto Mini—a compact audio player designed with tots and kiddos in mind. While on the go, your little one can insert a content card, turn the large dials and listen to an array of best-selling audiobooks, music, children’s podcasts, radio and more. And—thanks to the audio jack—they can plug in their own headphones . Better yet, no WiFi is needed for it to operate and you can count on its all-day battery to withstand small and large outings alike.

Age rating: 4 to 12 years | Dimensions: 2.8" (L) x 1.6" (W) x 2.8" (H) | Weight: 4.5 oz.

Portable doodle board

• Mess-free way to draw
• Rubber clip for easy portability
• Pen is attached so it can’t get lost
• Requires a button-cell battery

Next up on our list of the best travel toys for toddlers is this portable doodle board. Your kiddo can draw to their heart’s content (without any of the mess!) while you’re out and about. When they’re ready to create a new masterpiece, simply press the character’s nose to erase the canvas. This excellent airplane toy comes in a cute ladybug shape, but there are several others to choose from as well (like a puppy or dinosaur ) and the rubber clip allows it to easily attach to backpacks or suitcases .

Age rating: 4+ years | Dimensions: 8.3" (L) x 5" (W) x 0.5" (H) | Weight: 6.4 oz.

Travel-friendly stuffed animal

• Various textures to inspire sensory play
• Clips on to car seats, strollers and more
• Lightweight design
• Intended for younger infants

Searching for a stuffed animal that will keep your kiddo entertained and comforted whether you’re on a roadtrip or a longhaul flight? Look no further than this friendly moose. The super-soft toy is made up of several textures and interactive elements for your little one to explore—like its satin, knotted legs, crinkly hooves and squeaker belly. Ensure it’s always within arm’s reach by clipping it to your tot’s car seat , travel stroller or even their airplane seatbelt.

Age rating: 0+ months | Dimensions: 11.5" (L) x 5.3" (W) x 2.8" (H) | Weight: 1 oz.

Water-based drawing pads

• Easy for even the youngest of tots to use
• Super lightweight
• Pen has a small fill opening
• Pages may take longer to dry if your child uses a lot of water

You can count on these reusable water activity pads to keep your tot entertained through long wait times at the airport gate. Your little artist can color in fun scenes and practice writing, counting and shape recognition without the stress of a potential mess. Just fill up the included water pen and let your child learn and explore!

Age rating: 3 to 5 years | Dimensions: 3.9" (L) x 7.3" (W) x 11" (H) | Weight: 0.8 oz.

Sensory travel toy for toddlers

• Inspires open-ended, sensory play
• Made of BPA-free, food-grade silicone
• Compact design
• Rubber may pick up hair and fuzz

The best airplane toys for toddlers are those that are simple, portable and provide endless fun. This sensory toy from Fat Brain Toys is no exception. Your little one will love popping the colorful, silicone bubbles, and you’ll love how easy it is to tote in your diaper bag or carry-on luggage.

Age rating: 10+ months | Dimensions: 5.5" (L) x 1" (W) x 5" (H) | Weight: 4.8 oz.

Magnetic drawing kit

• Comes with 25 double-sided activity cards
• Pen storage slot and carrying handle
• Suitable for toddlers and kids alike
• The plastic panel scratches easily, according to reviewers

One of the best entertainment options for travel are magnetic toys ] ( https://www.thebump.com/a/magnetic-toys-for-toddlers). .) Take this art kit, for instance. The dot art board comes with 25 double-sided activity boards that easily slide in behind the plastic panel. Then, your kiddo can use the magnetic pen to drag and drop colorful circles into place, allowing them to create an array of vibrant patterns and illustrations.

Age rating: 3+ years | Dimensions: 9" (L) x 1.2" (W) x 9" (H) | Weight: N/A

Puffy sticker pack set

• Reusable stickers for endless fun
• Colorful, detailed backgrounds
• Carrying handle
• Stickers may pick up hair and fuzz

Your little explorer will love creating animal-filled adventure scenes with this travel toy for toddlers. The play set consists of 42 reusable puffy stickers and a fold-out, double-sided background of jungle and savannah landscapes. What’s more, the activity set has a handle so it can be transported by you or your toddler.

Age rating: 4+ years | Dimensions: 8.2" (L) x 0.2" (W) x 11" (H) | Weight: 3.2 oz.

Best Car Toys for Toddlers

Car rides just aren’t a whole lot of fun for anyone, no matter the age. But while older kids can bring a book or a portable video game to stay entertained, little ones can struggle to keep busy, which often spells trouble. These car toys will stave off the boredom, even for the youngest set.

Imaginative magnetic play set

• Pieces can be stored in the tin for easy portability
• Inspires creative thinking
• Several themed sets available
• Best suited for older tots and kids
• Magnets have to be punched out before use

Engage your tot with imaginative play on the go, thanks to this portable play set. It includes two illustrated backgrounds and three sheets of magnets that your little one can mix and match to create fun, veterinarian-inspired scenes. Chef- , scientist- and space-themed magnet sets are also available.

Age rating: 4+ years | Dimensions: 6.3" (L) x 1" (W) x 8.8" (H) | Weight: 13.5 oz.

Educational travel toy for toddlers

• Suitable for a wide range of ages
• Offers an array of activities in one set
• Teaches kids everyday skills
• According to some reviewers, the zippers break easily

Have a long travel day ahead? This 25-in-1 montessori toy is sure to keep your little one busy. The board features a variety of activities that will teach your child about everyday skills, like tying shoes and telling time as they play. The lightweight, compact design also easily folds closed and has a carrying handle—score!

Age rating: 1 to 6 years | Dimensions: 3.9" (L) x 0.8" (W) x 1" (H) | Weight: 9.9 oz.

Shape-sorting carrying case

• Bright colors stimulate younger tots
• Two-sided for added fun and learning
• Heavier than other options on our list
• Some say the shapes fall out of the holes at times

Is your tot fascinated by colors and shapes? Then this toddler travel toy is sure to check all of the boxes on your list. It comes with a convenient carrying case that doubles as a two-sided activity bag. Your child will love exploring the nine different shapes included and discovering the crinkly, illustrated flaps on the back.

Age rating: 9+ months | Dimensions: 13.5" (L) x 3.8" (W) x 9.8" (H) | Weight: 1.5 lbs.

Pretend play steering wheel

• Encourages imaginative play
• Includes a variety of interactive elements
• Bulky design
• Requires batteries

Beep beep! Have a mini backseat driver? Then your little one is bound to love this steering wheel toy for the car. Your toddler will have a ball imitating you while you’re driving—plus, they’ll learn about animals, vehicles, colors, numbers, opposites and more as they play.

Age rating: 6 months to 3 years | Dimensions: 10.8" (L) x 4.3" (W) x 4.7" (H) | Weight: 1.4 lbs.

Buckle toddler learning toy

• Nurtures fine motor skills
• Decorated with colors, numbers and shapes
• Suitable for toddlers of all ages
• Some reviewers say they wish the straps were longer

Some of the best car toys for toddler are those that seamlessly combine learning and entertainment—just like this plush turtle. Its shell features several colorful buckles for your little one to clip and unclip, strengthening their fine motor and color-matching skills on the go. This plush plaything even has a zipper on its back for your kiddo to store mini treasures and trinkets they find on their travels.

Age rating: 1 to 4 years | Dimensions: 7" (L) x 5" (W) x 10" (H) | Weight: 6 oz.

Kid-friendly camera

• Durable design
• Features a selfie function and games
• Comes with SD card
• Battery only lasts one to two hours

This adorable camera is a must-have for any tots who love to take pictures on their parents’ phones! Made with durable plastic, this colorful device takes real pictures, and comes with an SD card that can store thousands of photos. And when you arrive at your destination, your little photographer can continue exploring all the new sights through their very own lens.

Age rating: 3 to 10 years | Dimensions: N/A | Weight: 6.7 oz.

Lace-and-trace boards

• Parents say these keep their kids entertained for a long time
• Strengthens fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination
• Encourages lacing practice
• Edges of the holes aren’t smooth, according to reviewers

Arts and crafts don’t have to be off limits just because you’re on the move. Case in point: These lace-and-trace boards. This set of car toys for toddlers includes five double-sided animals, color-coordinated laces and a storage box. While your kiddo practices their hand-eye coordination, they’ll be able to thread vibrant strings through several wooden pets, like a puppy and a goldfish. A farmyard-themed bundle is also available for extra fun!

Age rating: 3+ years | Dimensions: 8.4" (L) x 1.2" (W) x 6.6" (H) | Weight: 9.6 oz.

Portable nursery play set

• Convenient carrying case doubles as a playset
• Great for young travelers who can’t read or draw
• Carrying case features a hole in the back

This sweet car toy for toddlers is perfect for kiddos who love imitating their parents. The set comes with mini twin dolls that your tot can feed, bounce and put down for naps. Then, when playtime (or the ride!) is over, simply zip up the pieces inside the convenient carrying case.

Age rating: 1 to 5 years | Dimensions: 12.3" (L) x 4.5" (W) x 9.9" (H) | Weight: 1.4 lbs.

How We Chose the Best Travel Toys for Toddlers

We get it—choosing the best toys for your little one isn’t always the easiest, especially with so many options out there. To simplify your search, we browsed dozens of toddler travel toys from leading brands and trusted online retailers, so you don’t have to spend hours scrolling. We considered several factors when sourcing playthings, including size, weight, age rating, quality and durability, ease of use and value. We also read user reviews to get the lowdown on how these products have worked for families, and didn’t consider anything with less than an average four-star rating.

Interested in learning more about our editorial process? Read about how our team develops and reviews all articles here .

Plus, more from The Bump:

The 9 Best Travel Strollers for Stress-Free Trips

13 Best Toddler Suitcases of 2023

6 Best Travel Car Seats for Your Next Trip

Navigate forward to interact with the calendar and select a date. Press the question mark key to get the keyboard shortcuts for changing dates.

Next on Your Reading List

• Living In Croatia
• Croatian Recipes
• Balkan Recipes

Home > Guide To The Best Travel Products > 15 Top Travel Toys For 1 Year Olds – Babies On The Go

15 Top Travel Toys For 1 Year Olds – Babies On The Go

Traveling with a curious and active 1-year-old can be both exciting and challenging. As parents, we understand the need for engaging and portable toys that keep our little adventurers entertained and happy while on the move. Whether it’s a long car ride, a plane journey, or a restaurant outing, having suitable travel toys can make all the difference.

In this post, we’ve carefully curated a list of the top travel toys specifically tailored for 1-year-olds, designed to captivate their young minds and spark their imagination. From sensory play to interactive learning, each toy serves a unique purpose, providing a delightful mix of entertainment and educational value.

Join us as we explore a collection of travel-friendly toys that are not only easy to throw in your carry-on bag, but also promote fine motor skills, cognitive development, and imaginative play. Let’s make your family adventures even more enjoyable with these must-have toys for your little ones on the move!

Skip Ahead To My Advice Here!

General Travel Toys For 1 Year Old Kids

1. montessori travel busy board with buckles + more compact fun for tiny explorers rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars).

The Montessori Travel Busy Board has been a game-changer during our family trips ! It’s ideal for 1-year-olds and has a compact design that is perfect for on-the-go entertainment, and my toddler absolutely loves it. The board offers a diverse range of sensory activities, from zippers and buttons to gears and buckles, promoting fine motor skills and cognitive development. The quality is exceptional, ensuring durability and safety. Highly recommended for little adventurers!

2. Montessori Sensory Toy Made From Silicone Endless Sensory Delight! Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)

The Montessori Sensory Silicone Toy has become an instant favorite in our household. The soft silicone material is perfect for teething toddlers, providing relief while stimulating their senses. Its versatile design encourages exploration and imaginative play. We love how easy it is to clean and sanitize, making it a go-to toy for daily use. A must-have for every parent seeking a safe and engaging sensory experience for their little ones!

3. Melissa & Doug Soft Travel Baby Dol For Toddlers And Babies Adorable and Travel-Friendly Playmate! Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 stars)

The Melissa & Doug Soft Travel Dress Up Baby Doll is a delightful companion for our little one. Its soft and huggable design is perfect for cuddles on the go. The included travel dress-up accessories add to the fun, sparking creativity during playtime. However, it would be even better if the doll came with more outfit options. Nevertheless, it’s a compact travel toy that brings comfort and joy to our child during long journeys.

4. My First Crayola Double Doodle Board Mess-Free Drawing Fun! Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 stars)

The My First Crayola Double Doodle Board has been a hit with my toddler, especially during car rides and flights. The dual-sided design offers endless drawing possibilities without any mess. The triangular crayons are perfect for little hands learning to grip. My only wish is for the board to be a bit sturdier, as it can bend easily. Overall, it is a fantastic travel companion that encourages creativity and keeps my child entertained for hours.

5. First Coloring Quiet Book & Triangular Unbreakable Washable Crayons   Vibrant Coloring Fun for Tiny Artists! Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)

The Creative Toddlers First Coloring Book, paired with the MASSRT Toddlers Unbreakable Washable Coloring set, has been an excellent addition to our travel essentials. The triangular crayons are easy to hold and prevent rolling off surfaces. The coloring book features large, captivating images perfect for little artists. The best part is that the crayons are washable and durable, ensuring peace of mind for parents. An excellent set for creative expression during journeys!

6. Put-And-Peek BirdHouse Toy Peek-a-Boo Joy for Curious Minds! Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 stars)

The Put-And-Peek BirdHouse Toy by Manhattan Toy has been a hit with our toddler. The engaging peek-a-boo doors and colorful bird friends provide interactive fun. It’s well-made and encourages cognitive development through exploration and observation. However, the doors can be a bit tricky for younger children to open independently. Despite this, it’s a delightful toy for playtime both at home and on the go.

7. Nesting/Stacking Cups Versatile Stacking Fun for Little Learners! Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)

The mushie Nesting/Stacking Cups have been a fantastic source of learning and play for my child. The cups are made of high-quality material, ensuring durability and safety. They come in a variety of attractive colors and sizes, promoting fine motor skills and spatial awareness. My little one loves stacking them up and nesting them inside each other. A versatile and entertaining toy that is perfect for travel and everyday play.

8. Fire Kids Tablet  +  Toddler Friendly Headphones Entertainment and Safety in One Package! Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)

The Fire Kids Tablet paired with the BuddyPhones Bluetooth Limiting Headphones has been a lifesaver during long car rides and flights . The tablet offers a vast selection of kid-friendly content, keeping my child engaged and entertained. The toddler-friendly headphones are comfortable, and the volume-limiting feature ensures hearing protection. The combination provides peace of mind for parents while allowing kids to enjoy their favorite shows and games.

9. Yoto Mini Portable Audiobook, Music & Podcast Player  +  Yoto Toddler Book & Music Cards Portable Learning Adventure at Its Best! Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)

The Yoto Mini Portable Player paired with the Yoto Toddler Book Cards has been a revelation in our travel activities. The player is intuitive and easy for young children to use. The book cards offer a vast library of audiobooks and music, including classics like “Hungry Caterpillar & Other Stories.” It’s a brilliant way to introduce children to the world of storytelling and music while being compact and travel-friendly. They are highly recommended for curious minds!

10. Collapsible Snack Container & Catcher Lid No More Messy Snacking on the Go! Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)

The Toddler Collapsible Snack Container with Catcher Lid has been a game-changer during our outings and travels. The silicone material is safe, and the collapsible design saves space when not in use. The lid effectively prevents spills and keeps snacks fresh. It’s dishwasher safe, making cleaning a breeze. It is an absolute must-have for parents of toddlers who love snacking on the go!

Brands We Use And Trust

Best travel toys 1 year olds to entertain on road trips.

Having a travel toy for a 1 year old on a  road trip is a great idea ! These toys engage their young minds, promote development, and keep them happily occupied. With sensory elements, interactive features, and portability, these toys minimize fussiness and make the journey enjoyable for both kids and parents.

11. Wooden Magnetic Animals + Cookie Sheet W/Lid Mess-Free Magnetic Playtime Fun! Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)

The Melissa & Doug Wooden Magnetic Animals paired with the Artisan Professional Classic Aluminum Cookie Sheet have been a fantastic combo for car rides. The magnets adhere perfectly to the cookie sheet, keeping them in place and preventing any loss. The set is well-made, and the variety of animals sparks imaginative play. A mess-free way to entertain kids during travel, and the cookie sheet doubles as a convenient storage container!

Travel Toys For Airplane Travel

Airplane travel toys for 1-year-olds are a lifesaver!

They entertain curious minds, ease restlessness, and promote learning. With compact designs and interactive features, these toys keep kids engaged during flights, making the journey smoother and more enjoyable for everyone. Say goodbye to boredom and hello to happy and content little travelers!

12. PipSquigs Suction Toys and PipSquigs Ringlets Suction Fun for Tiny Aviators! Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)

The Fat Brain Toys PipSquigs Suction Toys and PipSquigs Ringlets are a hit with our little one during flights. The suction cups easily stick to tray tables and windows, providing endless fun and sensory stimulation. They’re easy to clean and can be combined in various ways for imaginative play. A wonderful in-flight entertainment option that keeps kids engaged and happy.

13. Highway Easy Peel Washi Tape + Wooden Play Cars Imaginative Highway Adventures on Board! Rating: ★★★★☆ (4/5 stars)

The YUBX Highway Easy Peel Washi Tape with Wooden Play Cars has been a creative solution to entertain our child on flights. The tape sticks well to tray tables, creating instant highways for the wooden cars to zip around. While the tape could be a bit more adhesive, it’s still a fun and imaginative activity for airplane journeys.

Travel Toys To Keep A Toddler Busy At Restaurants

Having travel toys for 1-year-olds at a restaurant is a brilliant idea! They keep little ones engaged and content during mealtime, reducing fussiness and distractions.

With interactive features and portability, these toys offer sensory stimulation and promote the development of fine motor skills. Parents can enjoy a peaceful dining experience while their child explores and plays. It’s a win-win situation that makes restaurant outings enjoyable for the whole family!

14. Tegu Magnetic Wooden Blocks W/Carrying Case Magnetic Marvels for Restaurant Playtime! Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)

The Tegu Magnetic Wooden Blocks with Carrying Cases have been a savior during restaurant outings. The blocks’ magnetic feature keeps them in place on tables, offering hours of building fun for my child. The carrying case is compact and convenient for travel. A brilliant way to keep little ones engaged while waiting for meals.

15. Disposable Restaurant Table Mat Clean and Fun Dining Experiences! Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 stars)

The Disposable Restaurant Table Mat has been a fantastic addition to our restaurant visits. The colorful alphabet design keeps our children entertained while protecting them from any unclean surfaces. The disposable feature makes cleanup a breeze. A must-have for dining out with toddlers!

Overall, these items have made our family travels and outings much smoother and enjoyable, providing endless entertainment and learning opportunities for our little ones.

Move This Adventure To Your Inbox & Get An Instant Freebie

No spam. Unsubscribe at any time.

Wrap Up On The Best Travel Toys 1 Year Old

Traveling with a 1-year-old doesn’t have to be a daunting task when you have the right tools to keep your little one engaged and entertained. Our handpicked selection of top travel toys for 1-year-old kids offers a perfect balance of fun and learning on the go.

From sensory boards that stimulate exploration to interactive puzzles that promote cognitive development, each toy on our list serves a specific purpose in enhancing your child’s travel experience. The portability of these toys ensures that your little adventurer will stay captivated during long car rides, flights, and even restaurant outings.

As parents, we know how essential it is to provide our children with the best opportunities to learn and grow, even during travel. These toys not only encourage creativity and imagination but also help develop fine motor skills and early learning concepts.

So, whether you’re planning a family vacation or a short outing, these travel-friendly toys are here to accompany your child on every adventure. By investing in these thoughtful and engaging toys, you’re sure to create cherished memories of fun-filled travels with your little one, making each journey a joyous exploration of the world around them.

What are the best car toys for a 1-year-old?

For 1-year-olds, soft plush toys, teething rings, and lightweight rattles can be great car toys that are safe and engaging.

Are travel toys for 1-year-olds expensive?

Travel toys for 1-year-olds can vary in price. There are affordable options available, and it’s possible to find budget-friendly toys that are suitable for travel.

Are travel toys for 1-year-olds needed?

While not essential, travel toys can be beneficial for keeping 1-year-olds entertained and engaged during long journeys. They can help make the travel experience smoother for both the child and parents.

What are the best travel toys for one-year-old?

Some of the best travel toys for 1-year-olds include soft books, stacking cups, interactive toys with lights and sounds, and sensory toys like squishy balls.

Do car toys for 1-year-olds make a lot of noise?

Car toys for 1-year-olds can vary in noise levels. Some toys may have sounds and music, while others are designed to be quieter and focus on tactile or visual stimulation.

What are the best toys for a 1-year-old on an airplane?

When traveling on an airplane, lightweight and compact toys like small stuffed animals, mini board books, and soft building blocks can be excellent choices for 1-year-olds.

Best airplane toys for a 12-month-old who is deaf?

For a 1-year-old who is deaf, toys that focus on visual and tactile stimulation are ideal. Soft toys with different textures, brightly colored objects, and interactive toys with lights can be great options.

What are some great travel toys for toddlers?

Some great travel toys for toddlers include busy books, hand-eye coordination toys, Melissa & Doug products, fidget toys, buckle toys, reusable sticker books, finger puppets, and water play toys.

How can busy books help keep toddlers entertained during travel?

Busy books are interactive books with different activities that can keep toddlers engaged. They are a great way to occupy their minds and hands, providing a variety of learning opportunities in a compact format.

Are there any specific recommendations for long haul flights or car rides?

For long flights or car rides, items such as travel car mats, travel doodle boards, sensory toys, travel playscapes, and travel cubes can be excellent options. They provide entertainment and stimulate imagination during extended periods of travel.

Are there any travel toys suitable for younger toddlers?

Yes, there are travel toys suitable for younger toddlers. Some options include teething toys, dot books, sensory toys, and soft fabric toys. These toys are designed with their specific developmental needs in mind.

What are some good travel toys for older toddlers?

Older toddlers can enjoy a variety of travel toys such as pop-it toys, magnetic building blocks, take-along shape sorters, lift-the-flap books, and personalized busy bags. These toys engage their curiosity and problem-solving skills.

Are there any recommendations for safe and quiet toys on flights?

Finger puppets, quiet books, and water coloring sets are among the best options for safe and quiet toys on flights. These toys do not make noise and can keep toddlers entertained without disturbing fellow passengers.

What are some travel toy recommendations for small children?

For small children, options like buckle toys, busy cubes, window clings, and lacing sets can be a great choice. These toys enhance fine motor skills and provide hours of entertainment in a compact size.

What is a list of top picks for toddler travel toys?

Yes, some top picks for toddler travel toys include busy books, fidget toys, Melissa & Doug products, travel car mats, water coloring sets, travel cubes, sensory toys, buckle toys, and finger puppets. Fellow parents have highly recommended these toys.

Where can I find the best travel toys?

Travel toys can be found online, in toy stores, and in baby product retailers. Many can be purchased on platforms like Amazon, where you may find a variety of options and different designs to choose from. 

Happy family travels!

• Best Baby Carrier For Travel
• Best Toddler Travel Beds
• Best Umbrella Strollers For Travel
• Best Portable High Chairs For Travel
• Best Noise Cancelling Headphones For Kids
• Best Travel Gifts For Kids (1-18)
• What To Pack When Flying With A Baby Or Toddler

Subscribe To Unlock Your FREE Customizable Travel Packing List & All Our Best Tips!

Unlock Your FREE Customizable Travel Packing List!

Subscribe Now For Instant Access To Stress-Free Packing

Traveling with One-Year-Old: What to Pack (PDF Checklist)

After nearly 20 flights with my one-year-old son, I thought I’d share exactly what’s in my carry-on — in checklist form — so you can just print it off and copy my list for your next trip!

I’ll share my checklist here with all of my explanations and then link a clean PDF version of this checklist at the bottom of this article for you to print at home or access on your phone later!

What Kind of Bag Should I Pack for My One-Year-Old’s Carry-On?

I like to use a backpack diaper bag personally. This way, I can pack everything I need and still have my hands free to wrangle my little budding toddler through the airport.

The exact type and size of backpack you choose will depend on your own personal preferences, but having been through a couple of different ones myself, I find that I like to have one with SEPARATE compartments for each of the following:

• Diaper change items (diapers, mat, wipes, bum cream, hand sanitizer)
• Food/snacks
• Activities (toys, books stickers) and extra clothes can go together
• Miscellaneous (nail clippers, pacifiers, chap stick, etc.)

I like to keep these items separated from each other (especially diaper change and food items). When there aren’t enough compartments and everything is thrown in together, it drives me crazy on travel days!

What to Pack in Your One-Year-Old’s Carry-On (Diaper Bag)

You want to have the perfect balance of packing exactly what you need, and not having too much excess to lug around with you while traveling. That’s what I hope this checklist can you for you and your family! Download my clean PDF checklist at the bottom of this article, or follow along with this checklist jpg image below:

Diaper Change items to pack

You want to pack diaper change items in their own pocket/section of your carry-on, to be EASILY accessed in case of a blow-out emergency on the plane. Make sure you don’t have to go digging for a diaper and wipes. Your diaper change pocket will have:

• Diapers (8 per travel day)
• Wipes (1-2 packs — you’ll also be using them to wipe down the airplane seat and other surfaces during travel)
• Diaper rash cream (under 100 ml)
• Hand sanitizer bottle (under 100 ml)
• A large Ziploc bag in case you need to separate dirty clothes or a dirty diaper
• Foldable changing mat

Food and Drink items to pack

You want to be sure and pack your one-year-old’s favorite snacks and drinks (and some novel ones too!). I like to pack a variety of snacks and put them in different containers. I use snack catchers so that my son can access his snacks independently without making a huge mess.

I also like to put his snacks into pill organizer boxes to make it a bit of a fun activity for him. I bring mostly dry snacks because they make less of a mess, but I do like to bring a bit of fruit sometimes too.

You may want to bring your toddler’s milk in case you aren’t able to buy the kind you need at the airport/on the plane.

Going through security with milk can sometimes be a headache , as the rules are not always clear about what liquids are allowed — even for people traveling with littles. Do research on your specific country’s allowances before leaving and take screenshots to show the workers at security.

We have been very fortunate to take all of our liquids for our son easily through security so far, but I know that’s not been the case for everyone.

Activities and Entertainment to pack

I like to be over-prepared when it comes to entertainment. Sitting still is HARD for a one-year-old. They are going to want to explore.

Walking the aisles is a perfectly acceptable activity for a one-year-old on a plane, but for times when the seatbelt sign is on, here are some entertainment ideas you’ll want to have ready in your carry-on:

• a tablet pre-loaded with shows and movies
• toddler headphones
• puffy stickers
• magnetic blocks
• Water Wow books

I actually wrote an ENTIRE article on 20 cheap and easy activity ideas for one-year-olds on the plane, so I highly recommend you check that out for more fun ideas!

Clothes to pack/Dressing your One-Year-Old on the Plane

I think PAJAMAS are the way to go for travel days. A cozy outfit (with 2-3 cozy back up outfits in the carry-on) is what you want for your one-year-old in the airport/on the plane.

For shoes, we usually put our son in slip-on soft leather shoes . He doesn’t need “real” shoes because we’re indoors all day on travel days. And soft shoes are much more comfortable for us when he’s crawling all over our legs on the airplane. Keep it simple:

• Pajamas (2-3)
• Socks (2 pairs)

Try to limit bringing complicated separates — they get lost. Try not to bring your favorite outfits traveling — they tend to get dirty or possibly destroyed.

Avoid outfits with snaps and buttons , which can be frustrating on a travel day that has enough frustrations already! Zippers all the way!

Sleep items to pack

To encourage sleeping on the plane, try to mimic some of the sleep cues you use at home. Bring items that usually bring your toddler comfort, such as:

• a special blanket or teddy bear (be careful not to lose this in transit!)
• pacifiers and pacifier leashes
• portable sound machine

If you’re paying for a seat for your toddler , you have the option of bringing your car seat onboard the plane. Many toddlers sleep best in a familiar environment such as a car seat. Alternatively, you could bring an inflatable bed or inflatable footrest (but keep in mind that these aren’t allowed on some airlines — do your research first).

If you’ll have your toddler on your lap , practice putting them to sleep on you at home if this is not something usual for them.

Health and Emergency items to Pack

Bring a small first aid kit with a thermometer . You want to be able to bandage minor injuries and take your baby’s temperature if necessary. This is something we’ve needed on multiple trips, unfortunately.

Baby Tylenol or the equivalent should also be part of your pack. I like to bring adult Tylenol for myself too, just in case.

What to Pack in Mom’s Carry-on Bag

I like to bring a separate small backpack for myself, which I usually put in the overhead bin on the plane. And then I wear a fanny pack throughout our travel day, where I keep things that would be devastating to misplace or have stolen: Passports, wallet, keys, phone.

I usually wear a comfortable, dark-colored outfit (something in the realm of athleisure wear ) and I’m ready to go!

You can see the full list of items I bring for myself in the checklist, but I want to point out especially: an extra outfit (for you — because you never know when you’re traveling with a baby), a baby monitor to have handy as soon as you arrive at your destination, and small travel-sized toiletries in the case of delays or cancellations.

Also, don’t forget extra batteries for everything, chargers, and plug converters for the country you’re heading to.

Additional Items to Pack: Strollers, Carriers, Car Seats, etc.

Depending on where you’re traveling and how long, you may want to consider bringing some additional items. Let’s talk about strollers, carriers, and car seats. And also about some items you really don’t need to bring.

In some destinations, we’ve found that a stroller just isn’t practical. The many stairs or cobblestones, etc. have made navigating with a stroller really difficult and we didn’t use it at all, preferring a carrier or hiking backpack instead.

But if you are going to bring your stroller traveling (and in many cases, it is a good idea), consider bringing one that is lightweight and foldable. There are some that fit in the overhead compartment onboard the plane.

Baby Carrier

We have sworn by the Lille Baby carrier since our son was very little and we’re still using it now at 15 months. We also like the Trail Magik for short trips and hikes and our hiking backpack (for hiking and sightseeing).

If you’re going to be driving or taking taxis at your destination, it’s probably a good idea to travel with your car seat. Your baby is already comfortable with the one you have and won’t have to get used to a rental.

You might also want to use it on the airplane if you’ve purchased a seat for your child (or if there happens to be a free seat available next to you).

Check and make sure that your car seat is approved to be used on airplanes and in the country where you’re traveling beforehand. There’s usually a sticker on your car seat that will tell you this, and the information can often be found on an airline’s website.

What NOT to bother packing

Don’t bother packing items that you can easily rent or request from your hotel/Airbnb at your destination. These include:

• a baby bed/toddler bed
• a high chair
• a baby bathtub

If you’re not worried about traveling light, then sure — go for it. But for most parents trying to conserve space and not travel with overpacking luggage, you don’t need these items.

Beds and high chairs can be requested from most hotels and Airbnbs. Toddlers can be bathed in the tub at your destination, in the shower with you, or in a sink.

What to Pack in Your Checked Bags for You and Your One-Year-Old

In addition to this checklist, you’re going to want to pack your checked luggage . I don’t have a specific checklist for checked luggage because it varies so much between families and the nature of their travels. So I’ll just give a few general pointers here:

• Don’t overpack. Bring less than you think you’ll need. Keep some space in your bag for unplanned purchases.
• Don’t pack a bunch of toys. Your toddler will be fascinated by new things at your destination. A couple of small toys will do.
• Bring toddler clothes that you’re not in love with — that you wouldn’t mind seeing get dirty, lost, or ruined.
• Don’t bring doubles and triples of things. You can usually buy a backup at your destination if needed.
• Don’t put any valuables or necessities (medications) in your checked bags.

PDF Version of ‘What to Pack for a One-Year-Old’ Checklist

Here is my PDF version packing checklist for a one-year-old that you just read about, for your convenience. I hope it helps!

Brittany is a Wayfaring Human who loves to adventure with her husband and son. When she's not having adventures, she's taking pictures of them and writing about them.

Recent Posts

DIY Medical Kit for Traveling with Littles: Doctor-Approved!

We had literally just stepped foot in the door of our Airbnb in Scotland, after more than ten hours of travel, when our then 15-month-old son started to run a fever. Not long after, my husband felt a...

5 Unexpected Ways TRAVEL Changes When You Have Kids

So this was us traveling before we had a baby — we actually met while traveling in Ecuador. And visited and worked in many countries together, including the Philippines, which is where we are in...

What to Pack When Traveling With Baby

Fact-checking standards, when can you travel with your baby, read this next, what to pack for your baby in a carry-on bag, what to pack in your baby's suitcase.

Happy travels!

What to Expect the First Year , 3rd edition, Heidi Murkoff. WhatToExpect.com, Flying With a Baby? Here's What to Know Before You Go , September 2021. WhatToExpect.com, Do Babies Need Passports? , October 2021. WhatToExpect.com, Best Travel Toys for Babies , February 2021. WhatToExpect.com, Baby Products You Can Take on a Plane , September 2020. American Academy of Pediatrics, Flying with Baby: Parent FAQs , November 2019. American Academy of Pediatrics, Is It Safe for Families to Travel Now? , August 2021. American Academy of Pediatrics, Travel Safety Tips , August 2018.  American Academy of Pediatrics, Is It Safe for My Baby to Travel in a Car Seat a Few Hours at a Time? , August 2021. Transportation Security Administration, Traveling with Children . Federal Aviation Administration, Flying with Children , March 2021. Mayo Clinic, Is Air Travel Safe for an Infant? , October 2019.

Jettsetters Travel

Family Adventure Made Easy

Last Updated on 06/28/2024 by Regan P.

25 BEST Travel Toys for 1-Year-Olds (2024)

The best travel toys for 1-year-olds! Ideas for planes, road trips, vacations, and more!

This post may contain sponsored or affiliate 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.

It can be tough to keep a 1-year-old entertained while traveling because they tend to be very “busy” and have short attention spans!

The good news is you don’t need to go out and buy a million new toys for every trip. Planning and packing a few essential items that will help keep your 1-year-old occupied can make travel easier and less stressful!

I’ve compiled a list of the best travel toys for 1-year-olds, including some classics and new favorites.

These toys are easy to take on the go and will keep your toddler happy and entertained on flights, car rides, restaurants, hotels, and anywhere else you’re headed.

Things to Consider When Choosing the Perfect Travel Toys:

• Sound – selecting toys that don’t require batteries or make too excessive noise will help prevent disruptions in public places
• Size – pick small toys, so they don’t take up much room and are easy to pack
• Convenience – avoid toys that are messy or contain small parts that can easily get lost
• Preferences – of course, it’s important to choose toys that your child will actually enjoy playing with (which can honestly depend on the day!), but try to choose fun toys you think your toddler will be interested in

25 Awesome Family Travel Toys for 1-Year-Olds

1. busy cube.

This busy cube is genius. It is basically a bunch of random things that toddlers are always wanting to mess with (keys, light switches, knobs, etc.) attached to a wooden block.

2. Interactive Books

Board books with flaps, animal noises, mirrors, touch-and-feel, and other interactive features help to keep young children occupied for longer. You can read to your child or let them look at books in the car, on plane rides, or in the stroller.

Consider leaving noisy books at home if you will be in public places. 🙂

3. Busy Board

A Busy Board is one of the best toddler travel toys because of its compact design and different activities. A great way for those little minds to work on their problem-solving skills.

It can be frustrating for a one-year-old who can’t quite figure out how to manipulate and maneuver everything on the board, so it may be better to pull out the busy board when you are able to sit and play with your toddler (i.e. on an airplane).

4. Jellyfish Toy

This neat little silicone sensory toy allows toddlers to pull textured ropes in and out of the holes. It also has little buttons on the sides to push in and out. Plus it doubles as a teething toy.

5. Buckle Toy

There are many different versions of buckle toys. This penguin one is a stuffed animal + a buckle toy all in one! Soft toys are safe for using in the car and can be soothing for small children.

Most young toddlers love playing with buckles, but this is another one that might not be a good idea if you aren’t nearby to help.

6. Stacking or Nesting Cups

Stacking cups might be a little trickier to take on the go since they have multiple pieces to keep track of, but still a great activity for 1-year-olds.

This lion stack-n-stow nesting cup set is easy to carry around. Stacking cups are great for the beach or bathtime too – there are so many different ways to use them!

7. Finger Puppets

These cute little finger puppets provide easy on-the-go entertainment & are great for imaginative play and are the perfect size for taking on the go.

8. Montessori Quiet Book for Toddlers

This soft and durable cloth busy book has many interactive features, which are attached with reinforced fabric, making it a great travel toy.

This little book has many different textures, making it great for sensory development, fine motor skills, and other early learning skills.

The book is machine washable, making it easy to keep clean.

9. Car Keys

Keys are a hot commodity for one-year-olds, making a fake key set one of the best toddler toys. This toddler key set is pretty realistic looking, and won’t set off your car alarm. 😉

Take the batteries out if you don’t want them to make noise.

10. Cell Phone

Keep your toddler from stealing your phone by giving them their own toy cell phone . A fun toy for any age group!

We have this phone, remote, and key set . They are all very realistic looking, but they all make noise, so keep that in mind if you’re taking them on a plane or in other public places.

11. Indestructible Books

These little toddler books are called Indestructibles . Indestructibles are chew-proof, rip-proof, washable, and non-toxic, making them a great option for young kids who put everything in their mouths. They are just the right size for little hands.

These small and thin books are easy to bring along in your diaper bag or carry-on bag.

There are more than 40 different Indestructibles books to choose from.

12. Sensory Pop-It Toy

This toddler pop-it is small and inexpensive, making it one of the best sensory toys for on-the-go entertainment.

13. LeapFrog My First Learning Tablet

The Leapfrog Toddler Tablet has many features – 25 pretend apps, lights, songs, words in different languages, animal sounds, colors, numbers, shapes, and more.

14. Shape Sorter

Shape sorters are one of the best toys for one year olds. There are so many different designs to choose from.

This take-along shape sorter set is a great choice for travel. We brought this shape sorter on my son’s first flight, and he spent nearly 30 minutes figuring out the different shapes.

15. Stacking Rings

Stacking rings are great for hand-eye coordination. This stacking ring set is good quality and has occupied our toddler for extended periods of time on numerous long journeys!

16. Toddler Flash Cards

This flashcard set is one of the best car travel toys (great for planes too)! The cards are thick and durable, and the set comes on a ring, making them easy for little ones to look at without dropping them everywhere.

Our one-year-old loves studying the cards and looking at the bright colors and different animals.

17. Plush Car Set with Playmat Carrying Bag

This soft, lightweight car set is easy to transport because it comes with a convenient carrying bag that converts to a playmat with roads for “driving” the little cars around.

The best part is that the cars are friction-powered, so they don’t require any batteries.

18. Magnetic Wood Block Travel Set

This 8-piece magnetic block set is a fun way to let your little one build on the go, even in a small space. The blocks are aesthetically pleasing and come with a convenient carrying case.

The magnets help keep the blocks from falling constantly, making this set a better building option for travel than other block sets. These blocks are a good choice for one-year-olds but can be used for older toddlers and little kids as well.

19. Hedgehog Fidget Friend

Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog is a small fidget toy that will keep toddlers occupied on the go.

Turn the wheel, spin the crank, press the button, twist the knob, push the plunger, and move the switch!

20. Mushie Press Toys

These Mushie press toys are a similar concept to the sensory pop-it toy listed above, but these are so cute and aesthetically pleasing that I had to add them to the list!

21. Clip-On Steering Wheel

This adorable little steering wheel allows your little one to “drive”! It can clip onto the back of a car seat, plane seat, or stroller. It makes noises and plays songs.

A few reviewers said the horn sounds so realistic that they thought someone honking at them from behind, so be aware of that!

22. Toniebox

The Toniebox is one of our favorite travel toys. My kids listen to it in the car, in the stroller, and around the house. We have taken it with us on vacation and used it in our hotel room. We have even taken it on an airplane and used it with headphones.

My older toddler loves listening to stories through the Toniebox, and my one-year-old loves the songs and playing with the Tonie figurines. 

23. Reusable Sticker Books

These Melissa & Doug Puffy Sticker books are recommended for older kids (ages 4+), but my one-year-old likes playing with them.

I usually just let him play with the bigger stickers because the smaller ones end up getting lost or he tries to put them in his mouth.

The reusable stickers are nice and thick, making them easier for little fingers to maneuver.

24. Window Clings

These stickers are not sticky, instead, they cling to the book and other surfaces. I think the best way to use them is as window clings.

My kids love taking them on and off windows. We have used them on airplane windows and tray tables and love taking them on vacation. The best thing is that because they are so small, they are easy to pack and fun for the kids to play with in rental houses or hotels.

25. Suction Cup Spinner Toys

This little suction cup fidget spinner has been one of the top travel toys for my toddlers. They absolutely love spinning it and watching the vibrant colors go around and around.

The suction cup keeps it securely attached to any flat surface, including a tray table, windows, and stroller trays, making it a perfect toy for travel.

TRAVEL TIP : Try to have designated travel toys that you save for playing with only in the car or while traveling. It will make them seem more special and will hopefully help keep your toddler entertained for longer!

Other Ways to Entertain Young Toddlers On the Go

Here are a few more options for entertaining 1-year-olds on a plane, in the car, in restaurants, on walks, or anywhere else on the go!

Sing Songs or Play Music

Another way to entertain your 1-year-old (especially during car rides) is by singing songs. If you aren’t sure what to sing, try some classics like “Old MacDonald Had a Farm” or “Wheels on the Bus”, or make up your own songs about things you see out the window! And don’t worry if you’re a bad singer – I guarantee your toddler doesn’t care!

If singing isn’t your thing, you can play songs through the car speakers. You can find a toddler-friendly playlist on any music streaming app. And if you get tired of listening to kids’ songs, many toddlers will be entertained by “grown-up” songs too. 🙂

Give Them Random Objects

Because wallets, sugar packets, and rocks are much more fun to play with than all of the fancy toys you just purchased.

Snacks provide entertainment and keep everyone happy! Bring a variety of travel-friendly snacks – nothing too sticky or messy. The most important thing is to choose snacks that are safe for eating on the go.

These  snack cups  help contain messes, easy to clean, and collapse for easy transport.

This snack spinner is so cool! It allows you to offer your toddler a variety of choices for a long haul. They can simply press the center button to open each snack compartment.

On-the-Go Snack Ideas

• Freeze-dried fruit
• Applesauce pouches or other food pouches
• Cheese stick
• Granola Bars
• Veggies – carrots, peppers, celery
• Fruit – apple slices, bananas, grapes, blueberries 

Ask Questions

Ask your toddler to point to their nose or other body parts. What sound does a cow make? What are some other animal noises they know? Can they point to objects that are different colors?

Asking questions can be a simple, quick, and easy way to entertain or distract/redirect a one-year-old!

Watch a Show or Movie

If your one-year-old will sit and watch a show or movie it can be a good way to keep them occupied during a long car ride or flight. Download a preferred show or movie onto an iPad or tablet. This can be one of the best ways to keep your little one entertained while traveling, even if you normally limit screen time at home.

Our toddler watches shows on the TV at home sometimes, but we save the iPad strictly for long road trips and flights so that it seems more special and exciting.

Tips for Keeping Toys Clean On the Go

Here are a few tips for keeping toddler toys clean on the go:

• Pack wipes – great for spills, sticky messes, toys dropped on the dirty floor, etc.
• Bring ziplock bags that you can throw dirty toys in until you have time to clean them
• Use hand sanitizer/wash hands often
• Use toy clips to keep your toddler’s items from falling (or being thrown) in hard-to-reach or dirty places

I hope you got some great ideas from this list of the best baby travel toys and activities for 1-year-olds. Happy travels!

MORE FOR YOU

Toddler & Baby Travel Essentials Checklist (2024)

19 Must-Know Tips for Flying with a Baby or Toddler (2024)

Toddler or Baby Hates Stroller? 17 Life-Changing Tips for You!

You’ll Also Love

How to Travel with Breast Milk (Step-by-Step Guide)

Trending now.

Check Out Our Youtube channel

Follow on instagram @ jettsetterstravel

• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions
• Accessibility Statement

Copyright © 2024 Jettsetters Travel · Theme by 17th Avenue

• Search 69558
• Search 42617

Best Travel Toys For 1 Year Old

Like it? Share it!

Last Updated on December 9, 2022 by Ariana Svenson

What are the best travel toys for a 1 year old?  With two older kids who’ve racked up thousands of hours of flying as infants and toddlers, I feel like I should have a handle on this.

I’ll not lie, I am not looking forward to entertaining a 1 year old on a plane!  It will be a total of 12 hours of flying with a one-year-old on a lap and I will definitely need some good travel toys and strategies.   She is an active crawler and climber but not yet walking.  She is also got clear preferences of her likes/ dislikes and if you take a toy off her she will do the cutest little tantrum as she throws her head onto the floor and screams.

Did I say cute?  Yes well, it is cute at home, but I can’t imagine that it will be at 30,000 feet!  So here goes.  Here are my tips for traveling with a 1 year old internationally and the best toys for airplane 1 year old.

This post may contain affiliate links, from which we would earn a small commission, at no extra cost to you. More info in my disclaimer .

1 Year Old Travel Toys and Airplane Activities

Who are these airplane activities and toy suggestions intended for?  On the day of our flight, my baby will be one year old and one day.  However, these activities could be used for a 9-month-old right through to 16-18 months.  If you are looking for the best airplane activities for 18 months old and older take a look at our post, Brilliant Toddler Plane Activities .

A Necessary Activity, Eating – Best Travel Food for 1 Year Old Baby

So what is the best travel food for 1 year old baby?  I assume that your bub is now eating a range of solid foods, and the short answer is that you take food that they like from home.

These days there is a wide range of nutritious convenience food available in the supermarket – especially fruit pouches, with mixes of fruits, and also nutritious meals.  These are all marked so that you know that they are age-appropriate.  The same types of pouches are available in yogurt.  You need to supervise carefully that bub doesn’t over squeeze the pouch and the puree or yogurt go everywhere  That is not a good look! What a mess!  However, in general, these are a great way to carry food for one-year-olds!

A 1-year-old baby can eat a wide range of soft fruits, like peaches, bananas,  strawberries.  However given that they need to be cut up into relatively small pieces and you can’t take a knife on the plane, these will need to be eaten sooner rather than later.  Sliced cucumber travels well, as does celery though you need to be careful that the baby doesn’t take a chunk.  There are always choking risks with raw vegetables.

When flying I also feed my 1-year-old from my own airplane meal.  Some rice, pasta or mashed potato would all work well.  I’d also take a little bit of my chicken or fish and give the baby tiny pieces of food to eat.

Most importantly, the baby still is drinking a lot of milk at 1 year old.  Breastfeeding on the plane or road trip is best, as the child gets sustenance and connection/and soothing while traveling.  If you are traveling with formula, make sure you have packed enough for the trip and that you have organized how you are going to heat it up.

So while food is not necessarily a travel toy, it can be a necessary distraction.

One of the key aspects of how flying with a 1-year-old on a plane is understanding that they love new things that they have NEVER seen before.  Make sure you put all these items away for a week or more before travel so that when you pull them out baby says, “oh wow, new”.

For awesome Screen-Free Kids Airplane Activities check here .

Toys That Move/Has Different Textures

Most prams will have a couple of these toys with lots of great parts.  We love the Lamaze Captain Calamari .  It has been hidden for over a week now in preparation for our trip.  Keep in mind that some of the Lamaze toys make noise – you don’t want them on the plane!  However, we think this is one of the best travel toys for babies hands down.

Board Books With Touch and Feel Sections

Not only do you read the books, but run your fingers over the textures again and again.  Books are a bit chunky in your bag, but in my opinion, it is worth packing 2 or 3 of them for your one year old baby to play with.  Books have always been amongst my kid’s favorite activities when traveling.

Some books we would recommend as best travel toys for a 1 year old are the “That’s Not My…” series of books (my kids love them)!  They are relatively inexpensive but provide hours of entertainment.  They are also great for family travel as you can have the older kids explore the book with the baby.  You can check out the current prices on Amazon below.

An Activity Ball

These plastic twisty balls have got bits that move, mirrors, and are designed to grab the attention.  There are also infant specific textured balls sets that you can buy.  However, we use one that was supposed to be for the dog.  Our little one loves playing with it.  It is inexpensive and makes a great 1 year old travel toys idea.

Chew Toy/Teether

This is not exactly an airplane travel toys for 1 year old, but something that every 1 year old has in their care kit!  Chew toys that they can munch their teeth on are great for the plane.

Fidget/Twisty Toys

I have this great cloth fidget toy which I keep in my handbag.  Plus, these little wooden fidget/twisty toys that you can pull out at any time.  This is one of the best travel toys for babies, in my opinion, because you can easily carry it in your purse.  They don’t occupy the one year old for long but its enough to distract them for a couple of minutes and avoid a meltdown.  It can literally buy you some time when you need just a few minutes to focus on something else like paperwork or checking-in with the airline.

There are toys that have buckles and zips that your baby can play with like this one .  I prefer to let them use my backpack and the clips on my travel handbag.

Having a big practical travel handbag with plenty of compartments is seriously the best thing for traveling with a baby – especially if they have lots of clips and buckles they can play with.  Not only is this great to keep a baby occupied when flying with a 1 year old but it is also one of the best road trip toys for a one year old.  Inevitably you will always have your purse with you so this is just an easy way to keep them occupied.

Things Already on the Plane

While it is great to pack lots of 1 year old travel toys, they can get bulky pretty quickly.  There are plenty of things already on the plane that will entertain a 12-month-old baby or toddler for a while.  Think 3 minutes each thing, that really adds up!

• The safety card (small babies love the safety card on flights)
• In-flight magazine
• Cutlery and cups from the in-flight service

Snacks are every parent’s go-to distraction.  While not necessarily one of the best toys for airplane travel for a 1 year old, they are a necessity and serve a dual purpose.

Everyday Items You Don’t Have to Buy

The top-secret best travel toys for 1 year old won’t cost you a CENT.

Look around the house for everyday items that are curious.  They need to be small, light, and easy to carry.  They need to move or rattle, and they need to be fascinating to a one-year-old.

These are some items:

• Clothes peg
• Syringe/medicine plunger
• Old glasses (without lenses)
• Little plastic bottle
• Sticky tape

The Plastic Bottle

Plastic? Yes I know, plastic is rapidly filling up the world’s oceans and is one of the world’s biggest environmental concerns.  However, they are usually given out on the airplane and, for the sake of recycling, are great 1 year old travel toys.  They are really something simple that can help develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination with your baby.

What’s the Best Handbag for Travel With a Baby?

So I bet you didn’t know that theft-proof bags or slash-proof bags could also work as great bags to have when traveling with a one-year-old baby!  They do!  And, after all, you need something to carry all of these best travel toys for 1 year old in!

You will see all sorts of reviews online for bags that are useful for travel with a baby.  I personally use an anti-theft handbag from Travelon .  Honestly, the anti-theft factor is mostly about protecting myself from my little thief (the one-year-old baby) than a thief themselves!  That is, the bag is very durable (being anti slash) and has a range of carabiners to close the zips.  These are useful so that the baby can’t open your bag and pull the passports or purse out.

There is also a range of very useful compartments so that you can put keys in one, lipsticks in another.

You will see diaper bags like backpacks, but in my case, I nearly always travel with my laptop so that the laptop needs to go on my back with baby clothes, nappy change bag, and toys for a one year old in, while my money and valuables are still in my handbag.

Best Bags for Moms with Toddlers and  Best Bags for Moms | Finding the Right Mom Bag for your Busy Life are great resources.

What About Screens?

It is recommended that children under 2 have absolutely no screen time at all.  I have noticed that my one year old loves my phone and will swipe the screen back and forth.  She gets frustrated pretty quickly.

It all depends on your attitude to screens but I’d rather not get my baby addicted to a screen early.  Also, I did experiment on the last flight to see if children’s shows would capture her attention.  They did, for all of 60 seconds! So based on my experience screens aren’t a panacea anyway.  While I know many parents rely on them, I wouldn’t personally recommend them as a best travel toys for a 1 year old.

How to Change a Nappy (Diaper) on a Plane

Having changed many, many nappies on planes, I’ve put together these tips on how to change a diaper in flight.

•  You realize that your baby needs a change – or will soon.  Look out for times when there is not a long line at the toilets.
•  Hopefully, you don’t need to wait too long, or the baby is happy and occupied since they are out of the seating area.
•  When the time comes for the baby to change you realize that there is not too much space!
•  Babies do love mirrors though, so you might want to let them get used to the strange sounds in the airplane toilet by looking at themselves in the mirror!
•  I put down a diaper pad/nappy pad, get out the nappy and wipes, and then lay the baby down.
•  If they are a wriggler you are going to have to keep them still, and hopefully not touching too much stuff.
•  Sing a song, talk about your actions, talk about their body parts, and talk about what you are going to do when you are off the flight!
•  Tidy up baby and put the nappy in a smell proof bag in the toilets.
•  A BIG WORD OF WARNING! The flushing sound of toilets on the airplane is very frightening to babies and children.  It is a loud whoosh and all three of mine have hated it.  So if you need to flush the toilet with the baby – get outside the cubicle and then flush!  Oh yes, if you are traveling solo, managing to go to the toilet on the plane while holding a baby is doable!  But requires some contortions!)

We hope that this gives you some ideas of how to change a diaper or nappy on a flight!

Tips for Road Trips with Babies

We’ve got a lot of experience with having road trips with babies.

We normally have an adult or an older kid sit next to the crying baby and try to entertain them, but sometimes it just doesn’t work.  Believe me a crying baby in a traffic jam when your boobs are leaking is not fun.  However, this is what we do so that our family can experience things together.  Read about it in Travel Hacks and Road Trip Essenti als for Kids .

What is the Best Car Seat When Travelling with Babies?

A baby car seat is one of the most important investments you can make for your child.  There are loads of buying guides and dedicated information about how to buy the best car seat.  And, besides safety, they can be entertaining for your child.  So while it is technically not a travel toy for kids, it can have some useful and entertaining features.

My Tips Are:

•  Buy a new car seat in order to ensure the car seat has not been in a crash.
•  Pay for installation for the seat – apparently, poorly installed children’s car seats are one of the reasons for injuries in accidents.
•  Pick a car seat that will be easy to clean – bright colors look fun but they show the dirt.  We had a red car seat – I know this from experience!
•  If you have multiple kids and they all need to fit in the back seat, you might need to look for narrow fit car seats to ensure all kids get maximum comfort

Bonus – Tips for Flying With a 1 Year Old

Likely your one-year-old is super active – if they are not walking they are crawling – fast.  Also, they are very opinionated as to what they like and dislike.  Our baby tends to sound like a scalded cat when she doesn’t get the toy she wants!

Be Prepared

Have the toys in a small bag easy to reach during take-off and landing.

Have an Easy to Use Baby carrier 

Having a baby carrier on the plane makes it much easier to carry hand luggage and move more freely around the plane.  There are many models on the market.  I’ve always admired the forward-facing baby carriers as the kids can see where they are going!

Accept Help

In my experience, people LOVE helping with babies – both in airports and on the plane.  Yes, you will get the naysayers and the people who look at you in horror – but they are far outweighed by the kind people who know that traveling with a baby is hard.  If you need to go to the restroom – why not ask a hostess or the friendly lady next door?  Flying with a 1 year old can be difficult if you don’t have anyone to help out.

Make Friends

On my last flight with the 1-year-old, she was kept busy for at least 20 minutes by people all around her playing peek a boo, smiling, and more.  She would reward them with big toothy smiles and I think that they were just as happy to pass the time as she was!

Prepare For Contingencies

I pack 2 changes of clothes and extra nappies for a flight.  An extra bottle, and extra snacks (is there a common theme here).   My number one tips for flying with a one-year-old is about OVER planning.  I don’t know why vomits and poonamis always happen on planes, but they do.

Here we have just covered tips for flying with a one-year-old – there are a lot of other tips for travel with a baby, take a look at our Guide to Baby Travel Essentials .

The Verdict – Best Travel Toys for Babies

In short, flying with a moving baby who is yet not verbal is amongst the most difficult times to travel!  Expect to get very little downtime and to spend a lot of time entertaining your 1-year-old on the plane.  However, hopefully, these ideas of the best travel toys for 9-month-old through to about 18 months old will give you some food for thought! Good luck!

Do you have any suggestions for best travel toys for a 1 year old? We would love to hear all your suggestions for best travel toys for babies in the comments below.

Like It> Pin It> Best Travel Toys For 1 Year Old

Travels with Kids

Cancel reply.

[…] babies.  This includes items such as teething toys, activity balls, board books, and much more.  Best Travel Toys For 1 Year Old is filled with all our tried and tested […]

[…] and trial and error I created a post all about activities for smaller children.  Read it here in Best Travel Toys For 1 Year Old and also, Brilliant Toddler Plane […]

[…] Are your children younger?  A baby or one year old can actually be a little easier to occupy than a toddler or older child.  Check out this post for some simple ideas for the Best Travel Toys For A 1-Year-Old. […]

I bought Lamaze Captain Calamari for my daughter based on the positive reviews, and it didn’t disappoint. She actually shook with excitement when she saw “Friend-o”. That’s what we call it. It helps keep her quietly engaged in the car seat, which is a big win.

[…] Let’s face it – traveling with a toddler is a very different ballgame than any other travel you will likely experience!  We traveled a lot with our youngest as a baby and summarised our best travel toys and ideas for international travel with a baby at Best Travel Toys For 1 Year Old. […]

[…] you want to know how to keep toddlers and one-year-olds entertained, do check out our post on the Best Travel Toys For 1-Year-Old. […]

[…] You can also see more of the Best Travel Toys For A One-Year-Old here. […]

[…] outing – lots of snacks, an extra outfit, toys, and some spare nappies. You might find that our Best Travel toys for a one year old has some useful […]

You may also like

Best Swim Baby Wrap | Why you Need a Water Baby Carrier

After I had my third child I finally invested in a water baby carrier.  They say that you learn with each child, and I definitely found out that a swim baby wrap was a very good thing to have! Not only do we live by the...

The Best Road Trip Foods: Awesome Kid Snacks for Road Trips

When thinking of food to pack for a road trip, snacks are always a top priority!  There are three main reasons we pack kid road trip snacks, but basically, it is all centered on the idea that children are always hungry...

The Ultimate Beach Packing List For Family Days and Holidays

Whether you’re heading to the beach for the day or taking a longer vacation, a beach packing list for family excursions and holidays can be really useful, ensuring you leave no essentials behind.  Having already covered...

Hi! We are a multicultural family from Peru, Nicaragua & Australia. We believe adventures can be global – and local – and are one part of our sustainable lifestyle, and raising children who are global eco-citizens.

Advertising & Affiliates

Advertising is used throughout this site. Working with affiliated partners allows us to earn a small commission on any purchases or bookings you may make at NO EXTRA COST to you.

Worldoftravels.com is a participant in Booking.com & Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to them.

PRIVACY POLICY & TERMS OF USE

Copyright - World of Travels with Kids;

• Best Family Travel
• Travel Inspiration
• Family Vacation Planner services
• Personal Stories
• Work with Us
• Eastern Australia
• Western Australia
• South Australia
• Places to Stay
• Kids / Tweens
• Beach & water sports
• Hiking & camping
• Hotel Reviews
• Packing advice
• Asia for kids
• Australia for kids
• Latin & South America for kids
• Oceania for kids

22 Best Travel Toys for 1 Year Olds!

This page may contain affiliate links, which means that we may earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

The best travel toys for 1 year olds to make your trip easier!

Traveling with a one year old is not always the easiest of feats. In fact, in our experience the time between one and two is actually the hardest time to travel with a young child. 

One year olds are mobile, opinionated, and hard to contain. It’s also difficult to keep them entertained because their attention spans aren’t that long yet.

One of the best ways to set yourself up for success is to bring some great travel toys to engage, distract, and pacify your 1 year old during travel.

In this list we’ve included the best toys our there that are compact and easy to pack for road trips or flights. Read on for some of our favorites!

Best travel toys for 1 year olds

In this list you’ll find some of our very favorite travel toys for 1 year olds. We’ve included options for car rides, plane rides, and toys for in your hotel room or  when you’re out and about on your trip. 

The gap between what a newly-turned one-year-old and an almost-two-year-old enjoy can sometimes be quite large, so consider your child’s stage and development level when thinking about what toys will be most suitable. 

Stacking cups

One toy that toddlers always seem to love is stacking cups. Stacking cups can be used for nesting, making towers, holding objects, or hiding objects underneath them. 

The Bright Starts Stacking Cup Set comes with eight brightly colored cups with numbers on the bottom for number recognition and counting.

They can also be used for water play and have holes on the bottom for the water to trickle out.

Suction cup spinner

These cute little suction cup spinners are perfect for all kinds of travel and so entertaining for little ones! They can be suctioned to windows, tray tables, high chairs, and other hard, flat surfaces. 

In addition to the spinning feature, each of the ends has a little pop button for babies to press. 

Unlike some suction toys, these actually stick well and don’t come off easily when your baby spins them. 

Indestructibles

Indestructibles are the perfect books to withstand the rough combination that is travel and toddlers. When these books say indestructible, they really mean it. These books claim to be waterproof, ripproof, and chewproof…and they live up to the claim!

The bright pages and fun illustrations are good at capturing and keeping a toddler’s attention.

Unlike board books, Indestructibles are made of thin, paper like material and take up practically no space, making them perfect for travel!

This buckle toy has been one of our go-to travel toys for years! It’s perfect for kids who love buckling and unbuckling straps. 

On the buckle toy are a variety of different kinds of buckles for children to try. The buckles are fairly easy to fasten and unfasten, although younger toddlers will probably need help with it at first.

Each of the straps is a different color, so your toddler can work on matching the colors. 

There’s also a zippered pocket on the top where you can store some small toys (we always keep a few finger puppets in there). 

On the back are numbered flaps with pictures of sea animals underneath. Each flap is made from a different material with a different texture. 

There are so many fun things going on with this toy, it’s no wonder all of our kids have loved it! And even our older kids have fun fastening the buckles and mixing and matching the straps.

Animal/Character Figures

For some creative and open ended play, some small figures can be a great addition to your travel toys. There are all sorts of ways you can play with these little figures and you’ll likely come up with some creative ideas over the course of your travel.

Cater the figures to what your child is interested in so that they will be excited to play with them. For example, you could get a set of animals , dinosaurs , Bluey characters , Mickey Mouse , Daniel Tiger , etc.

Sorter toy cube

This baby sorter cube creates a fun problem for babies to solve. How do they get the shapes between the elastic bands to fit in the cube? And then how do they get them out again?

The toy comes with six textured blocks of various shapes and colors to place into the cube. 

Both the cube and the blocks are lightweight and easy for a young child to hold and manipulate. 

This is such a fun and engaging travel toy for 1 year olds! Not only does it keep their attention, but it also stimulates their curiosity and helps them develop problem solving skills.

Sensory pull tissue box

What baby doesn’t like pulling all of the tissues out of the tissue paper box or clothes out of drawers? Well this toy recreates that experience in a way that is fun and easy to recreate (unlike with a real box of tissues…). 

This sensory tissue box comes with a soft-sided box and 15 reusable tissues. Twelve of the tissues are colorful scarves and three are crinkle tissues. 

You can choose to just stuff all of the scarves in the box or accordion fold them so that when you pull one out the next pops up and is ready to be pulled next. 

A weighted bottom on the box allows young children to pull out the tissues without the box coming too.

Toy Vehicles

Our boys have loved cars and trucks from a young age, so bringing little vehicles when we travel has always been a big hit. 

This little set has six small vehicles, including trucks and emergency vehicles, that toddlers can zoom around on a tray table, in a hotel room, or on a high chair at a restaurant. These are chunky little cars that are perfect for little hands to hold.

At this young age, trucks are always something that will capture our kids’ attention, so we try to always have a few on hand when we travel.

Poke-a-Dot book

Our babies and toddlers have always loved the bigger Poke-a-Dot books, and this smaller version that is perfect for travel! 

Each page of the book has a button which makes a satisfying “pop!” when you press it. This is endlessly fascinating for little kids who naturally love to push buttons. 

There are a lot of different versions, including first words , first colors , construction vehicles , and animal families .

Fat Brain Dimpl Toy

For all the button pushing toddlers out there, this Dimpl Toy is so much fun! 

Toddlers will love pressing the five brightly colored buttons and hearing the quiet pop sound it makes. This is a great fine motor, sensory activity that toddlers will love doing over and over again.

We’ve loved bringing our fidget popper on flights, on long car rides, and out and about while we’re traveling. This is also a great calming activity for when toddlers are feeling overwhelmed or frustrated.

My babies have always been drawn to keys but aren’t very interested in the fake plastic ones.  However, this set of baby and toddler toy keys is so realistic that your child will think they are playing with the real thing!

These keys come with four sound buttons for toddlers to push as well as a little flashlight. And unlike real keys, they don’t have any jagged or sharp edges to worry about. There’s also a strap that you can use to attach it to a car seat, stroller, or carrier.

This is not a toy that you’ll want to take on the plane, due to the sounds. However, it is perfect for road trips, hotel rooms, or just days when you’re out and about. 

Sassy Wonder Wheel Activity Center

The Sassy Wonder Wheel Activity Center has several different elements that young toddlers will enjoy playing with. The primary feature is the colorful wheel, which has beads around the edges that trickle down as the wheel spins. This wheel is super mesmerizing and fun to play with, even for adults!

Various textures encourage young children to explore the surface of the toy, while clatter rings at the base provide a fun element to hold and rattle.

The toy has a suction cup on the bottom to secure it to a tray table, high chair, or table while your child plays with it.

Soft cloth book

A cloth book can be a great travel activity for a 1 year ol because it’s engaging and hard to destroy. You can easily leave this book with your toddler in their car seat or attach it to their stroller without feeling like you have to supervise when they use it.

This Who Do You See? soft book contains various sea animals whose tails, feet, claws, etc. extend beyond the page. Inside there are fun interactive elements such as crinkle pages, a peek-a-boo flap, a squeaker, and a baby mirror. 

It also comes with a teething ring, which can also be used to attach it to a stroller or car seat, and a teething corner on the front page.

Melissa and Doug Pop Blocs Farm Animals

This set of Pop Blocs by Melissa and Doug contains five mix-and-match farm animals. 

Each animal has two pieces that come apart, so you can separate them and then work on matching them back together. Or you can create your own bizarre animals (head of a horse, behind of a pig, etc.), which little kids usually find pretty funny.

These animals are easy for little kids to hold and even separated are not small enough to be a choking hazard. 

One of our favorite travel toys for 1 year olds has always been the Oball . This simple toy is a classic that babies and toddlers always seem to love. 

It’s brightly colored and the large holes are perfect for little hands. It’s also flexible, which makes it fun for babies to squish and easy to pack away when not in use. It’s also great for attaching to a car seat or stroller with a pacifier clip.

Board books

Another way to keep a toddler entertained during travel is to bring along a couple of books to read with them. 

Some awesome small books include Peek-a Who? and basically any Sandra Boynton book ( Blue Hat, Green Hat and Snuggle Puppy were some others that were well loved at this age).

You can bring new books for novelty or some tried and tested favorites from home. I’m always surprised by how many times my toddlers can read the same books over and over again, so a couple of books can go a long way when traveling.

A teether is a great travel toy for 1 year olds, especially if they actively have new teeth coming in. 

This cute little carrot teether by Infantino has sturdy handles for little hands to hold. You can also use them to attach the teether to a car seat, carrier, or stroller with a pacifier clip (this is a must for me when traveling to prevent the teether from being dropped on the dirty floor.) 

The teether is made from a soft silicone which is easy to clean and the surface has textures for little ones to explore.

Touchy feely book

We love touchy feely books! They are so much fun for kids because they contain so many things to capture their attention! 

Some of our favorite touchy feely books are Usborne books. For travel, we love the Baby’s First Touchy Feely Lift the Flap Books . These books have peep holes, finger trails, textured elements, and flaps on each page.

I’m always amazed at how long my small children can spend looking at these books, especially if we’re pointing things out and talking about it with them.

Finger puppets

For a fun toy you can use to interact with your child, consider bringing along a few finger puppets ! My 1 year olds love it when I use finger puppets to sing nursery rhymes or play tickle games. 

This set comes with ten cute animals and the puppets are the perfect size to fit both adult and child fingers. 

I love that finger puppets take up virtually no room, making them easy to keep on hand if you need something to distract your child.

Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog Fidget Friend

To keep your little mover entertained, Spike the fidget friend is up for the task! This hedgehog toy from Learning Resources has six different ways to play with it, including a wheel to spin, a knob to turn, a button to push, a switch to flip, and a plunger to pull. 

It’s compact size is perfect for little hands to hold and to fit easily into your bag for travel. This is a great activity for kids who love fidget toys and pushing buttons (which, let’s be honest, all toddlers do!).

Skip Hop Jitter Cactus

This adorable little cactus is a perfect novelty toy to capture your toddler’s attention while traveling. When you pull the ring, the plush cactus vibrates and shakes. 

A ring at the top makes it easy to attach this toy to your toddler’s car seat, carrier, or stroller so that they have something to keep them entertained on the go. It’s also great for airplane travel.

I can never make a list of travel activities for young kids and not include snacks. Snacks are an absolute must when traveling with a 1 year old. 

Not only will they prevent your toddler from getting hungry and grumpy, snacks are also a great activity for keeping a young child entertained. 

Snack catchers are perfect for holding a toddler’s attention because they allow them to feel the independence of feeding themselves while also practicing their fine motor skills. And they prevent snacks from spilling all over the floor!

Tips and tricks

Here are a few helpful tips and ideas for making the most of your travel toys for 1 year olds!

• Choose toys that your child will return to over and over again to maximize the use of the few toys you bring.
• Go to the dollar store and pick up a few cheap toys that you can pull out at random when your child starts getting bored.
• For long flights, wrap a couple of toys and bring a new one out every hour or so. Your child will love unwrapping each toy to see what it is! It also makes the toy feel more special to play with.
• Don’t bring any toys that make noise if you’re flying- the other passengers will thank you.
• For road trips, bring a car seat tray for your child to place their snacks and activities on.
• For both drives and flights, get your toddler up and walking around at regular intervals. This is good for their circulation and can also help break up the travel time a bit.
• Bring out your toys one by one instead of pulling the whole bag out. In my experience, my toddler just ends up grabbing the whole bag and rummaging through it, which takes away some of the novelty of introducing new toys.

Final Thoughts

Prepare yourself for an amazing trip with your child by bringing along a few of these amazing travel toys for 1 year olds. You’ll feel so much more confident knowing that you have some great activities you can pull out to keep your child entertained. 

I remember the first time we traveled with a 1 year old, I was so nervous about how it would go! But after many trips with young children, I’ve learned that it’s best to focus on what you can control rather than the things that you can’t. 

Bringing great travel toys is one way you can set yourself up for the best possible outcome when traveling with a young child.

Although travel with a 1 year old isn’t always the easiest, it can be an amazing experience if you’re prepared. We have very fond memories of our trips with our toddlers over the years!

Other posts you might be interested in:

The Best Travel Toys for 2 Year Olds!

25 Best Travel Toys for 3 Year Olds!

The Ultimate List of Toddler Travel Essentials (+Toddler Packing List!)

How to Have a Successful Road Trip with a Toddler

Related Posts:

What to Pack in a Carry On for a 1 Year Old

Not really a baby, not quite a toddler: from 14-22 months is about the toughest time to be traveling with a little one (or at least so i’ve read)..

And from our experience so far, I can definitely agree. So much has changed since the days of flying with Evelyn as an infant, sleeping soundly through an entire flight.

[/one-half]

Flying with a 1 year old is tricky. Evelyn’s become increasingly curious and wanting to explore all of her surroundings (that includes every seat at the gate, under the seat on the plane, in the aisles, etc…). Throw in a desire for independence and being all-around less easily entertained, and sitting quietly in an airplane seat for 3 hours can be pure torture.

So after a couple of disastrous plane rides trying to apply the same routine we’d used when Evelyn was a baby, we realized it was time to change our game plan. And that almost exclusively meant repacking our carry on.

(Want free tools to help you plan your perfect family trip? Subscribe to our email list below and get  access to all of our free goodies , like printable planning sheets, packing lists, and more!)

[mc4wp_form id=”480″]

First up, pick a trusty travel bag.

Before you even think about what to pack, you’ll want to make sure you have a good quality bag to put it in. I made the official switch from baby bag to backpack just after Evelyn’s first birthday. And while I miss having my crossbody bag at my side, it’s so much easier to carry the backpack and  Evelyn in the ErgoBaby at the same time, leaving my hands free to move around our other luggage . You can find some great options for stylish, yet affordable, backpacks here !

If you’re not into the whole backpack thing, this roomy weekender bag would also do the trick.

Alright, so now to the fun stuff, what to actually put inside the bag.

Here’s a few of our favorite items that go in on every trip!

This post contains affiliate links to products we love and recommend. If you purchase anything through these links, we may receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you)! Thanks for supporting the blog in this way.

Baby Essentials

Starting out with essentials, you’ll pack mostly the same stuff as for a baby, but slightly adapted if there’s no more bottles needed (woohoo!). I still always pack:

• Diapers  | I pack about 8-9 for a travel day (ours tend to be pretty long), and that includes plenty extra to be on the safe side.
• Wipes & Travel Case  | I’ve switched over to this case from Huggies and really like it’s expandable/refillable design.
• WetOnes  |  These babies still get used all the time . Especially for cleaning up airplane tray tables or spills.
• Dirty Diaper Bags  | Like these from Munchkin .
• Extra Set of Clothes  | I haven’t needed a spare change of clothes for Evelyn in a long time, but I’m not jinxing it now.
• Sippy Cup  | After trying a few different brands, we’ve stuck with these from Munchkin . They’re pretty good about not leaking, as long as they don’t get flipped upside down in your bag. Anyone have a leak-proof sippy cup recommendation you swear by?
• Dropper Stopper | For holding that sippy cup close (or whatever else Evelyn feels like playing with/dropping at the moment). I never leave home without my Dropper Stopper .
• Cooler Bag & Whole Milk | This is where we had to change things up since Evelyn’s off the formula and onto big kid milk now. We will usually fill up a sippy with milk, and bring another one of those mini bottles of whole milk with us in a cooler bag  lined with these slim ice packs . It gets us through the day, and if we need more, we can usually (though not always) find whole milk for sale in the airport.

Side note: I tried bringing these milk cartons on our last trip (since I’d read they work great for traveling – no refrigeration needed!). But the TSA flagged us and said we couldn’t bring them through since their sealed opaque carton makes them impossible to be tested. I think I may try them again the next time we fly, since they are so darn convenient. It wouldn’t be the first time the TSA has lacked consistency in how they handle baby items. Anyone have a different experience with these?

The one downside to using a backpack is that everything tends to kind of get stuffed on top of each other. That’s where good organization comes in handy! After searching for a nice, slim lunchbox for Evelyn’s snacks, I finally settled on a plain old craft organizer like this one . Now I get why these “toddler snack boxes” are all over Pinterest! It may seem lame, but with its slim size, customizable dividers, and snap on lid, it’s perfect for toting a variety of snacks on the plane! Here’s what usually goes inside:

• Squeeze Pouches | It’s a struggle to get Evelyn good, nutritional food when we’re traveling, so having a few of these  is always a blessing (plus she loves to squeeze them herself, so less work for us)!
• Bananas | Because it’s one of the few natural foods that is super travel friendly! We always have nanas.
• Cereal | We store it in a snack size baggie so it will fit in the snack box, but Evelyn could entertain herself for hours picking one Cheerio at a time out of this snack cup (even if half of said Cheerios end up on the floor of the plane).
• Granola Bars | We’re big fans of these from Ella’s Kitchen.
• Real Fruit Gummies | Also a great little bribe …I mean…treat…

Entertainment

Finding entertainment is the toughest part of flying with kids at this age. All of our tried and true baby toys basically became useless after Evelyn’s first birthday! There are a couple staples we have kept:

• Books | Always a favorite. Either this First Words book with lots of pictures, or these mini Sesame Street books .
• Music Toy | Why this thing continues to amaze and stop a tantrum on sight, I’ll never know, but I’m not questioning it!

And instead of other toys, we’ve moved over to loading the iPad (protected by this super indestructable case ) with children’s shows and (semi-educational) games. I’m not ashamed to say it – nothing makes Evelyn a better traveler than some Bubble Guppies. For TV shows we use Amazon Prime because you can download episodes ahead of time to watch later on the plane (a feature not available on a lot of other streaming services). You can try it out for yourself with a free Amazon Prime 30-day trial .

Side Note: Did you know you can put your iPad into a “childproof mode” so that they can’t use any of the buttons or the touchscreen? Ok, maybe you knew that already, but I was just amazed and it has changed our lives! Here’s a full tutorial .

Medicine/Toiletry Kit

Of course, there are a still little things I have to have on hand at all times (I am a mom, after all). We use travel-size versions of all of these and keep them stored away in a quart size bag. They fit neatly into the front pocket of my backpack so they can be easily removed at security.

• Diaper Rash Cream
• Nail Clipper
• A few Bandaids
• Infant Tylenol
• Adult Pain Reliever
• Hand Sanitizer

And finally, I have a nice outside pocket for all of my stuff. Not much, but it makes it easy to grab what we need when checking into our flights.

• Small Wallet with ID  | I really love this  cell phone wallet ; it fits much easier into the bag than my oversized everyday one, and at the same time forces me to downsize to only what I absolutely need when traveling (i.e. not a million store rewards cards).
• Baby’s Birth Certificate | It may or may not be needed depending on the airline and if you are buying a seat for baby – but I like to always have it on hand anyway.
• Pen  | My husband is always appreciative when it comes time to fill out those customs forms.
• Earbuds | On the off chance that your little one might actually fall asleep, take in some music or an audiobook.
• Cell Phone  | (obvi)

And that’s it!

Did I forget anything? What do you always pack in your carry on for your ‘toddler baby’?

Read next: 50+ Ways to Occupy a Toddler on an Airplane

Liked this post pin it.

Wife and mom to two sassy little girls, Laura has been sharing her family's travels here on Our Next Adventure since 2016! Though lots has changed in both our family and the world of travel over the years, one thing remains: we love exploring new places together!

Similar Posts

Staying Connected Abroad with Skyroam Global Hotspot

If you’ve ever traveled abroad, then you know how frustrating it can be to be to stay connected to home. Sure, the…

Top 10 Travel-Friendly Baby Toys

When packing for a trip, baby toys are the absolute last thing that go in my bag. That’s not to…

The Best of San Francisco in 48 Hours

Let me start off by saying that I don’t recommend only 48 hours to see all of San Francisco. The…

Flying with Baby: Everything You Need to Know

In the one long year Evelyn’s been on this earth, our little girl has gotten 18 flights under her belt….

How to Create the Perfect Itinerary for a Family Trip

This is the 6th post in a Step-by-Step Guide to Planning Perfect Family Trip. Click here to start back at Step 1. If you’ve been with…

How to Find Unique Things to Do on Your Next Family Trip

This is the 4th post in a Step-by-Step Guide to Planning Perfect Family Trip. Click here to start back at Step 1. I hope you’re feeling…

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Easily one of the best traveling posts I’ve read- and I’ve read A LOT lately as we prepare for a 6 hour flight with a 15 month old. Thank you for all of these great suggestions!

Thank you Emma! So glad you found it helpful. And good luck with the flight! 🙂

A question about carseats… I’ll be travelling with my 10 month old who still rear faces in a car seat to Hawaii and I’m wondering what I do about car seats? do I bring ours? do I rent one? we aren’t renting a car, hoping to get about by tours, walking or taxi/uber.

Any thoughts or tips would be much appreciated.

I’d say definitely bring your own. Even if you aren’t renting a car, having a car seat to take with you in a taxi/Uber is super vital. Not sure what the laws are in Hawaii, but in some places an Uber can turn you away if you don’t have a carseat. Assuming your 10 month old will be a lap baby, you can check the car seat (with a good car seat travel bag) at the counter and pick it up at destination (that’s what we always did and never had any problem with damage). Good luck! xo Laura

It was great reading your post. I’m also a traveling mom with a 17 months old toddler, and reading your post was like going back to our last flight, all the items you listed were on my carry on, and definitely it’s so different traveling with an infant then a toddler, our last flight was 5 hours on my lap, I’m not doing that again I’m buying her a ticket, it’s almost impossible to keep her still. Great reading you! I’m preparing for a 3 hour flight to Seattle in one week the difference is that I’m flying alone with my baby girl… Wish me luck!

Isn’t it crazy how fast things change?? Good luck on your solo flight! I only did it once without my husband (and still had other family with me), but my daughter seemed to go easier on me that day. Maybe they can sense when you really need their cooperation. 😀

• About the Blogger
• About the Globetrotters
• Community Groups
• Privacy Policy
• PR & Media Inquiries
• Guest Opportunities
• Giveaways & Offers

• Best Destinations
• Explore My City
• Australia & Oceania
• Middle East
• Pregnancy Travel
• Baby Travel
• Toddler Travel
• Tween & Teen Travel
• Theme Park Travel
• Travel Health
• Travel Photography
• Flying with Kids
• Beach Vacation
• Camping, Hiking & Outdoor Adventures
• Travel Toys
• Baby Travel Gear
• Toddler Travel Gear
• Outdoor Gear
• Airline Reviews
• Accommodation Reviews
• Attraction Reviews
• Book Reviews
• Travel Gifts
• Packing Lists
• Expat Life Blog
• Expat Money Matters
• Global Parenting Interviews
• Expat Entrepreneurs
• Family Life in Abu Dhabi
• Booking Tools

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

© Our Globetrotters

Like it? Share it!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

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.

SHOP THE STORY

This article was originally published on March 31, 2021

To revisit this article, visit My Profile, then   View saved stories .

• Backchannel
• Newsletters
• WIRED Insider
• WIRED Consulting

The Best Gear for Traveling With Kids

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. This helps support our journalism. Learn more . Please also consider subscribing to WIRED

Best In-Car Entertainment Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Edition Read more

Best Headphones JLab Audio JBuddies Folding Headphones Read more

Best Travel Car Seat Wayb Pico Car Seat Read more

Best Car Seat Alert System Copilot Alert System Read more

Parenting involves more than a little magical thinking. If I go anywhere that parents gather, sooner or later a desperate mom or dad will ask me for the one thing that will make it easier to travel with a baby or small children. I can't make a 4-year-old avert a meltdown at an airport gate, or change a dirty diaper in a cramped airplane bathroom for you. But I can make a list of travel gear and gadgets I've found to be indispensable for the past four years while taking my kids on planes, trains, and road trips. If you need a tablet, compact stroller, or baby monitor, read on.

Be sure to check out our other guides on the best gift ideas for new parents , best baby monitors , best baby carriers , and our picks for a great travel mug .

Update December 2019: We added a few new picks and new product information.

Best In-Car Entertainment

Amazon's Fire HD 8 Kids Edition is the best children's tablet for the money. Amazon's FreeTime Unlimited platform restricts kid content by age, which means that you won't be constantly looking over their shoulders to see if they've found something unsavory on YouTube. FreeTime also includes Audible books, so a kid who has carsickness can listen and look out the window. It's small size makes it great for portability, and the tablet has a 3.5-mm headphone jack.

If your kid wants a bigger screen, the new Amazon Fire HD 10 is a great alternative, with slightly better performance and it's the first Amazon device with a USB-C charging port, making it convenient to juice up if you're already using a USB-C charger for your phone or laptop. Read our best Amazon Fire tablets guide for more options.

Best Headphones

Senior writer Lauren Goode pointed out that if you want to watch movies on a plane, you'll need headphones with a 3.5-mm headphone jack. And with kids, it might always be best to avoid more complicated wireless options. These corded, affordable JBuddies can easily switch between a tablet and a plane's screen. They have a built-in volume limiter and ear cushions to protect little ears and fit both my 2-year-old and 4-year-old.

Best Travel Car Seat

The best piece of kid travel gear I've tested in the past year is Wayb's Pico Car Seat . Children have to be in car seats until they fit a seatbelt properly , at 4 feet 9 inches or 80 pounds, but the manpower required to drag a 25-pound car seat on a trip is exhausting. The Pico weighs a mere 8 pounds and folds into a backpack. It's easy to carry, not only on planes but also while roaming a city and getting into different Lyfts and rental cars.

In November 2019, I did get an update stating customers that purchased Pico car seats with a model number ending in -001 sometimes reported a cracked head tube. It's not a safety issue, but Wayb is currently voluntarily replacing seats with that model number.

Best Car Seat Alert System

Tragically, parents sometimes accidentally leave their very young children buckled in closed, parked cars . It's hard to see a child in a rear-facing car seat, and it's far more likely to happen when you're tired, stressed, or there's a break in the routine, like traveling. Both car and car seat manufacturers are working on making visual and audio alerts standard practice, but in the meantime, this simple Bluetooth-enabled clip is simple, foolproof, and easy to install. Just replace the chest strap on your infant's car seat and attach the fob to your keychain. If you walk more than 10 feet away from a buckled clip, the fob alerts you.

Best Stroller

I've tried the Bugaboo Ant and other awesome lightweight folding strollers , but my favorite one is still Ergobaby's Compact Metro. It folds down to a mere 21 inches tall and has a handle to carry it like a suitcase. It has an easy one-handed opening mechanism, a silky, expansive fabric canopy, and it goes into a full recline for toddlers that need to take a relaxing nap while touring a museum. It's also slim enough to walk through the turnstiles at metro stations in cities like Washington, D.C.

Best Baby Monitor

At the end of a long day of traveling, the last thing you want to do is fiddle with a Wi-Fi-enabled baby monitor and figure out how to prop it up on a bedside table. Eufy's SpaceView monitor is compact and can stand independently. It has a ridiculous 330-degree horizontal and 110-degree vertical rotation, so I can put it almost anywhere in a room. It's not Wi-Fi-enabled, so I don't have to spend endless minutes waiting to connect it. Read our baby monitor guide for more options.

Best Streaming Device for Travel

Children must learn to be adaptable and flexible. But not in the 10 minutes before bedtime, when they're tired, cranky, and just want 10 minutes of Paw Patrol to wind down before passing out. Google's Chromecast Ultra lets you "cast" videos from your phone to any TV. It's easy to use, supports 4K resolution, and has an Ethernet port in case the Internet is wonky. It also works with Disney+ (wait, you don't have Disney+ yet? Go get it. We'll wait here).

Best Kid Tracking Device

I have mixed feelings about tracking my kids , but I've never been as terrified as the moment I lost sight of my preschooler at a neighborhood parade. The Jiobit is as small as an Oreo and easy to attach to my kid's clothes with a hair tie. It's rated IPX8 for waterproofing—you can swim with it—and uses a combination of Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, cellular data, and GPS satellites to track your kid almost anywhere on earth. Watching my kid run around in its live-tracking mode was like having a real Marauder's Map on my phone.

I've also tried the Monkey Kid sensor and the Relay , but the Jiobit is still my favorite.

Best Cheap Toy

Even if you're fully prepared with familiar toys and snacks, a tiny surprise will often delight and distract smaller children. These adorable, tiny erasers are affordable and are a surprise hit in my house. You can also get food or truck sets . Package them up individually and whip them out when you see that telltale downward mouth turn that signals an impending tantrum.

Best Travel Bag

The Yeti Camino Carryall won't work as a travel bag on a plane. It won't fit under a seat and the top doesn't zip shut. But if you're taking a road trip for the weekend, it easily transitions from diaper bag to beach bag to grocery bag. If your toddler squishes an entire carton of berries at the bottom, just tip it over, rinse it out with a hose, and dry it with a towel. Once, I lost track of it for a few hours. I complained to a friend that it felt like I'd lost my arm.

Best Snack Box

Small children are powerless beings, so when they find a way to exert control, they do so with relish. The specific way that my children have chosen to torment me is by eating only very tiny portions of lots of different things. I could buy lots of prepackaged snacks for traveling, but it's easier to reduce waste by filling this durable, leakproof bento with six blueberries, two graham crackers, and so on. It also comes in a mini version .

Best Water Bottle

I've tried dozens of BPA-free kid water bottles, with different types of lids and drink tops, and this is the only one that can be tossed in a bag without leaking all over. Both of my kids have had the same bottle since they were old enough to drink from a straw. My two-year-old can easily carry it with the top's loop, and he can fold the straw's lid closed himself to prevent spills. It also has double-walled vacuum insulation to keep milk cold during a four-hour flight, and it's steel, so it doesn't break or dent when dropped (or thrown).

Best Clean-Up Kit

Name one parent who doesn't have easy access to five packets of wet wipes at any given second. I'll wait here while you think. My son has eczema, and Water Wipes have been approved by Allergy UK and the French Association for the Prevention of Allergies, as well as the National Eczema Association here in the US. They're moist and durable enough to scrub at car seats and clothes, as well as faces and hands.

A Useful Tool

As a mom, I find light, sturdy carabiners to be almost as useful as hair ties or wet wipes. You can clip a small pouch to the back of your seat pocket so that you're not constantly reaching under the seat for your bag. You can hang your backpack off the floor in a filthy restroom. If your kid is in a travel harness with a leash, you can clip them to your belt! You can clip a tiny Bluetooth speaker to their car seat to listen to story podcasts or a meditation on Insight Timer to put them to sleep! And because climbers carry dozens of these at a time, each one weighs about an ounce. Carry several.

Best Travel Outfit for Mom

My friends have dubbed this, the "momper." Patagonia's insanely comfortable romper is made from stretchy, light, and durable recycled polyester and Spandex. It has also been treated with durable water repellent (DWR) so goopy messes can be wiped right off, and the crossover straps are easy to peel off to use the bathroom. In addition to two capacious front pockets, it also has a concealed zip pocket for keys or lip balm. I've worn it while hiking, biking, and skateboarding, so sprinting after two toddlers is a breeze.

WIRED COUPONS

Save $7 To $23 On Turbo Tax Online

20% Off All H&R Block 2024 Tax Software | H&R Block Coupon

Enjoy $15 Off Your Orders With Instacart Coupon When You Spend $50

Extra 20% Off Select Dyson Technology With Owner Rewards

Get Up To An Extra 45% Off June Sale

Vista Print Coupon Code: 20% Off Select Signage

• Weekly Sales Reports
• Shop Our Instagram
• Shop Our TikTok
• Shop Bikinis
• Shop Black-Owned
• Shop Sustainable
• Holiday Gift Ideas 2023
• Ultimate Toy Guide
• Memorial Day Sales
• STYLE GUIDES
• Postpartum/Nursing
• Decor & Design
• Gift Guides
• Breast Cancer
• Stay At Home Hub
• Weekend Ramblings
• Adventuring
• Destinations
• Packing Lists
• Our Story & FAQs
• Meet The Team

• 2021 Gifts For Kids

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!

RELATED ARTICLES MORE FROM AUTHOR

Don’t Overpack For Summer Travel: Start With Easy Basics (And Then Get Wild)

The Cutest Graduation Dresses For Teens

What I Wore In Biarritz, France

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!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use

Want, Need, Wear, Read: The Young Kiddo (Who Really Doesn’t Need...

Our Ultimate Toy Guide (For All Ages) Is Here!

A Gift Guide For the Unicorn-Obsessed Kid

10 Best Strollers for Travel

Whether you're flying to grandma's or navigating Disney World, we've got strollers that will smooth your journey.

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.

Best Overall

Bugaboo butterfly.

Summer Infant 3D Mini

Best All-Terrain

Baby jogger city tour 2.

Our experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute have reviewed more than 40 strollers over the course of the past five years and for this story, we pulled together the strollers that can fit in tiny spaces (some in the airplane overhead) and those that rank high for ease of folding. Separately, we have a list of lightweight strollers that will help you tackle the toddler years with your sanity intact, and some of those are great for travel, too. But the travel strollers below have an additional focus on being compact and folding quickly so you can move like a travel ninja.

We called this a "first-rate folding stroller" when we named this a Good Housekeeping Family Travel Award winner. It doesn't sacrifice comfort for compactness , so expect the usual Bugaboo high-quality fabric, deep seat, real sunshade (no skimping on sun protection here!) and extendable leg rest, just in a more tiny, adorable form that's easy to take along on trips.

One tester mom of a toddler geeked out about the fold, specifically. "The button to fold it is on the handle, so you just push down and it collapses nearly instantly. Our regular stroller requires ducking down and pushing a lever," she said. "Also, the glide of the Butterfly is comparable to much larger strollers. I can push my son uphill easily, with one hand!"

The folded Butterfly stands up by itself, great if you need it to sit while you check bags or load the car. But our Lab experts note that unfolding the Butterfly takes some finesse and practice — you shake it out and lock in place before you can set your kid inside. We like the carry handle that lets you sling the folded stroller over your shoulder, as shown in the picture.

If you want this to carry a newborn in a car seat you can buy a car seat adaptor for the Butterfly. But it only works with select brands including Bugaboo, Nuna, Maxi-Cosi and Cybex.

If you're only taking one big vacation and don't plan to travel often, you might want a no-drama lightweight stroller that's priced under $100 . This little 3D Mini might cost the same as checking a piece of luggage each way, and at just 11 pounds it's easy to handle on a trip.

The basket is small — an average-size diaper bag is too big to fit down there — but there's a zippered parent console that holds two drinks. It's got a reasonable sunshade, and the seat can lean back. There's no seat padding, nor is there springy suspension for the five-inch plastic wheels. It's built for the convenience of getting toddlers and young preschoolers around flat pedestrian areas, and it does that just fine.

The 3D mini folds long, to the size of a traditional umbrella. (Get it? That's why they call this style an "umbrella stroller.") It doesn't stand up when folded — like with an umbrella, you have to prop it against a wall or a car, or lay it down, say in your car's trunk, or carry it in one hand, which is made easy by its light weight.

Not only does this weigh less than 15 pounds but its molded-rubber wheels can tackle a sandy beach path. Our tester did just that, saying, "We took the risk and rolled this along a nature trail in Puerto Rico and it did great." It won't tackle deep sand, though. For that you'll want a beach wagon . But the City Tour 2 is smooth-rolling on plenty of terrain and of course smooth on city streets, too.

This is a comfy choice with a deep seat that reclines almost flat, a wide calf rest plus a decent sun-protective canopy. The fold is easy and starts with squeezing a button on the handle. But when folded this is not as small as some others; it will not fit in an airplane overhead. It also can not stand up while folded. Use the carry bag, included, to gate-check this at the airport.

The handle sits just under 40 inches tall, making it a little low for tall parents. If you want a Baby Jogger stroller that holds an infant car seat, the brand's newer City Mini Air can hold a Baby Jogger or Graco model. But it's about nine pounds heavier and more of a full-size stroller than a travel option.

Colugo The Compact

Lots of the choices on our list are great for airplane trips because of their fold and compact size. But if you fly often — as in to and from grandparents four or five times a year — we like that The Compact can be carted around several ways.

It's important because toddlers hop in and out of their stroller all the time in the airport. Use the carry strap on the back to sling this over your shoulder when you're on a moving walkway, with one arm holding your kid. Or put the stroller in the included backpack-style bag so it's easy to carry your kid and wear the stroller on your back as you step onto the plane, where the stroller can fit in most overhead bins. (If the flight crew says the overheads are full, the bag makes it easy to gate-check.)

When we named this a Good Housekeeping Parenting Award winner, we called out some of the other great features: a more generous basket than most compact strollers; a parent cupholder (because caffeine ); and a rain cover in case it's pouring when you step outside. Our one issue is that this is not a choice for a newborn; your baby has to be at least 6 months old to ride in this.

READ OUR FULL REVIEW : Is a Colugo Stroller Worth It?

If you're taking a young baby and don't want skimp on anything, this comfy, well-made compact stroller comes with a long list of amenities including a carry bag, a magnetic buckle so you can quickly snap your baby in place, plus a no-rethread harness so it's easy to adjust the shoulder-strap height as your child grows.

You can use the TRVL from birth because the seat reclines fully. You can also turn it into a Nuna travel system with the lightweight Nuna PIPA infant car seat, sold separately, without needing any extra adaptor (the car seat rests against the bumper bar).

All-wheel suspension helps this roll more like a full-size stroller. The basket can't hold as much as a few other picks on this list. But fans of the TRVL rave about the fold, which can be executed with just one hand while you hold your baby in your other arm. When folded it stays standing up on its own. Note, however, that it's just a few inches too big to fit in an airplane overhead bin, so plan to gate-check this stroller.

UPPAbaby Minu V2

Another Parenting Award winner, we've said this is "a perfect balance between a convenient compact and a sturdy full-size stroller." We think it's a great travel stroller for a toddler because of the extendable sun canopy, leatherette bumper bar you can use to hang a few toys and the lower basket that can hold up to 20 pounds . Swap the bumper bar for a snack tray , sold separately, if that will keep your toddler happier. If you're less concerned with getting something tiny and more interested in having a relatively compact stroller with all the features of a larger model, this might be your pick.

If you use this in an airport you will have to gate-check it; it won't fit in the plane's overhead. You can buy the UPPAbaby Minu carry bag separately. The Minu's small, self-standing fold means it takes up very little room in your home or hotel room. Tall parents will appreciate that the handle sits over 40 inches from the ground.

RELATED: The Best Baby Strollers

Testers have loved this tiny stroller for taking trips. "The one-handed push-button fold is a notable feature — it’s a game-changer!" one told us. We put it in our most recent Family Travel Awards , where we noted it's compact enough to fit in a plane's overhead storage. The shoulder strap for easy transporting is elastic, which one tester found a little odd, saying, "It feels weird to carry a sizable object by an elastic strap," but it works!

"The Aer+ has a decent sized sun shade for being a compact stroller," another tester said. Nothing on it is huge, and there's no cupholder or bumper bar, but that keeps it lighter than 14 pounds. The price is on the high side, but it does come with a travel pouch and the brand offers a 10-year limited warranty. (You have to register your product for it to be in place.)

Chicco Liteway

Little travelers who are beyond the baby stage do well with an umbrella-style stroller like this one that gives them a place to sit when they need a break but does not cost parents much cash. Mesh sides provide airflow when you're visiting warm places and rear suspension provides a smoother ride than the truly cheap sling-style models that are built more like toys. Because it's got such a lightweight aluminum frame the weight limit for the Liteway is 40 pounds while others on this list go up to 50 pounds.

The handle is two grab handles versus one long bar. Because this is umbrella-style, it has a long, thin fold that has to be rested on the ground or against something. You engage the fold with your foot rather than your hand, kicking up near the basket and stepping down on a lever at the side.

The seat cushion is machine washable and it comes with a parent cupholder. It's ideal for preschoolers, including 4- and 5-year-olds. It's not for a baby younger than 6 months and does not take an infant car seat.

Munchkin Sparrow

It's all about the fold! The Sparrow folds into the neatest little 15" x 14" rectangle and tucks into its own carry case. Not only will it fit in an airplane overhead but we can imagine a bunch of other travel scenarios for this: tucked into a drawer in your hotel room or cruise ship cabin, at your feet as you ride the train around Disneyland, on your shoulder while you hold your child and ride an escalator.

To get that small it has a lot of flexible joints and tiny wheels. Also, the Sparrow weighs less than 13 pounds. The combination can make the Sparrow feel more rickety than others on our list. It performed well enough rolling around smooth New York City sidewalks but, especially if you have a lightweight baby inside, it bounces over cracks, bumps and curbs. Fortunately, if you're mostly steering this through airports or through a theme park, you should be good to go.

A few other notes: The handle is low (not great for tall parents) but the seat is high (so a toddler is not leg-draggingly close to the ground). The basket is tiny and blocked by two bars, so it can't hold very much, maybe just a stroller blanket and water bottle. The tiny sunshade flap is minimal.

Evenflo Gold Otto

If you love the idea of a self-folding stroller that collapses at the touch of a button while you're holding your baby in your arms, this model does just that and at a nice price, too. Getting in and out of vehicles is easy because the Otto, when folded, can be self-standing or carried around by its bumper bar. You can use an Evenflo car seat with this without any separate adaptor, and the molded rubber wheels have suspension in the front.

There is a gap between the seat and the canopy that lets airflow in but also allows a kid to squirm around and see you, which can either be a pro or con. We noticed online reviewers writing that the wheels squeak, which we did not experience in our Lab tests but seems to be an issue during real-world use.

It comes with a parent cupholder. Note that the Otto is heavier than most of the other single strollers on our list but still weights less than 20 pounds. Because it's fairly robust it has a slightly higher weight limit compared to other travel strollers, up to 55 pounds.

Other travel strollers we recommend

Aside from our picks above, here are some others that performed well in our Lab tests and with our consumer testers:

•Best double travel stroller: Zoe The Twin V2

This popular compact double is frequently sold out, but worth checking on if you need to take two kids on vacay. We've called this stroller " t he best double stroller for Disney " based on testers' real-world experiences. It meets the Disney park size requirements but weighs less than 20 pounds so it's not too tough to schlep on and off transport, plus it stands up when folded so it's easy to set it down and pick it up again without having to lean the stroller on something. Each seat has a large canopy (so important for long, sunny outings!), separate reclines so either kid can lean back when needed and bumper bars for toys and to help keep preschoolers from leaping out if they spot Mickey.

•Best car seat-stroller combo: Doona

Nothing else comes close to being an ideal car seat and stroller combo for travel with a baby. The Doona is an infant car seat for a vehicle, then you pop the wheels out and stroll with it. No need to travel with both a car seat and a stroller since this is a two-in-one. "Now I tell every mama that she needs this," said one tester who started traveling with her baby in the Doona at 2 months old. Because it's only for toddlers up to 35 pounds and 32 inches tall, most families outgrow it by their child's second birthday. Read our full Doona Car Seat and Stroller Review .

•The original square-fold travel stroller: Cybex Libelle Pockit

Cybex pushed the travel-stroller category when it came out with a Pockit stroller that folds into a neat square . The latest version is the Libelle which, when folded, is just 12.6" x 7.9" x 18.9". And yet, unfolded, it can hold a Cybex infant car seat, sold separately. It comes in an array of colors though some of them will add to the price.

•Best small-space travel stroller : Babyzen YOYO2 (pictured)

We recommend this stroller for city parents or anyone who lives in a small spac e because of its compact size. It travels well, too. "We took it on a trip to Australia and it was so easy to travel with," a tester told us. Folded, this 13.5-pound stroller can be worn over your shoulder with the carry strap, and it comes with its own carry bag. Buy the $180 bassinet to use it from birth.

How we test the best travel strollers

We test strollers both in the Good Housekeeping Institute Labs and in real-world conditions. For travel strollers, we ask consumer testers to take a model on a trip and report back on how easy the stroller made their journey.

In the past five years we've tested more than 40 strollers, looking at a dozen factors including stroller weight, ease of fold, size of stroller when folded, whether it comes with a travel bag, size of the sunshade and basket, whether the seat can recline for rest and more. We roll strollers along varied terrain and time how long it takes to assemble strollers out of the box.

We offer many stroller guides, including lists of the best jogging strollers and the best stroller wagons .

What to consider when shopping for a travel stroller

✔️ Just how tiny do you need it to fold? If you want to roll your stroller right onto the plane and throw it in the overhead bin, look for a travel stroller that promises to fit up there. The International Air Transport Association suggests that carry-on luggage not be larger than 22'' x 18'' x 10".

✔️ A carry bag makes a nice backup plan if you're flying. If your stroller is supposed to fit in the overhead but the plane is too full, having a carry bag lets you easily gate-check it. Plenty of families, including many of our Lab experts, actually prefer to gate-check their stroller. You roll your child to the gate, wait until boarding, then fold and bag the stroller and have airline personnel put a tag on it so you can pick it up on the jet bridge when the plane lands, allowing you to stroll your child to baggage claim.

✔️ Check the Disney Park requirements , if you're going there. Unfolded, your stroller should be no larger than 31 inches wide and 52 inches long for a day at one of the parks.

✔️ Pay attention to age grading. If your infant is still only a few months old, they will be potentially unsafe in a stroller for ages 6 months+. If you'll be traveling with a newborn, look for a travel stroller that works from birth or that accommodates your infant car seat riding on top of it. At any age, know your child's current weight and height, and read the requirements specific to your stroller to ensure it's appropriate.

✔️ What happens when it folds? We like a stroller that can stand while folded, because you can set it and forget it while you deal with other travel and packing hassles. However, sometimes an umbrella fold, which is long and skinny, is nice for road trips when you have a tightly packed car. You can almost always wedge an umbrella stroller in there! Watch videos online to see how travel strollers fold and how you are expected to carry one in its folded position.

✔️ We like a canopy. We're nuts about sun protection (see our best sunscreens for kids ) and that's why all of our picks have at least some sunshade. We do not recommend one of the ultra-cheap sling-type strollers lacking any sun visor. But not all canopies are equal: Some extend far out, some have mesh panels for ventilation and many large canopies have peekaboo windows that let you easily peer down and see how your kid is doing. Some sunshades make noise as you move them in and out and some are silent. Finally, some are made of UPF 50+ sun-blocking fabric, which is preferable.

There are many things you will not get in a travel stroller that you would get in a big, full-size stroller. A compact travel stroller won't have a huge basket because it must fold down small. It won't have large, heavy wheels either, which means it will not roll as smoothly as a stroller with robust tires . However, if you're using the travel stroller with a toddler or preschooler, their weight will help anchor the stroller to the ground and make it less jumpy as you push it over bumps. A travel stroller is essentially small, nimble wheels on a compact frame — something that's easy to take on vacations.

Why trust Good Housekeeping?

For more than a century the experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute have been dedicated to helping consumers make safe and sound choices when purchasing items for their home and family. You can trust our experts to test kitchen appliances like the Best Espresso Machines and outdoor equipment like the Best Zero Turn Lawn Mowers . For kids we rank the Best Kids' Mattresses and, for travel with babies, the Best Pack n Plays and Playards .

This list was written by contributing writer Jessica Hartshorn who has followed the juvenile-products industry for decades, most recently for American Baby magazine and Parents magazine. She's a mother of two.

Jessica (she/her) is a freelance writer with several decades of experience writing lifestyle content and evaluating home and parenting products. A mom of two teens and two cats, her previous work can be seen in American Baby and Parents .

@media(max-width: 64rem){.css-o9j0dn:before{margin-bottom:0.5rem;margin-right:0.625rem;color:#ffffff;width:1.25rem;bottom:-0.2rem;height:1.25rem;content:'_';display:inline-block;position:relative;line-height:1;background-repeat:no-repeat;}.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}}@media(min-width: 48rem){.loaded .css-o9j0dn:before{background-image:url(/_assets/design-tokens/goodhousekeeping/static/images/Clover.5c7a1a0.svg);}} Product Reviews

The Best At-Home Red Light Therapy Devices

The Best Meal Delivery Services

The Best Air Purifiers

The Best Robot Vacuums

The Best Vacuums on Amazon

The Best Nonstick Cookware

The Best Water Flossers

The Best Water Filters

The Best Toilets

The Best Air Fryer Toaster Ovens

The Best Beach Gear

Money blog: Bar charges holidaymakers £690 for two drinks; savers have a rare opportunity - but it might be the last hurrah

Welcome to the Money blog, your place for personal finance and consumer news and tips. Leave a comment on any of the stories we're covering below.

Thursday 4 July 2024 17:30, UK

• Barclaycard cutting minimum repayments - but it could cost you a lot of money
• Bar charges holidaymakers £690 for two drinks
• Great British mortgage divide - as people pay off all debt seven years earlier in some parts of country
• New record high for US stocks - as FTSE indexes also up
• M&S to launch clothing repair service

Essential reads

• Savings Guide:  Savers have a rare opportunity - but it might be the last hurrah
• Cheap Eats : Two Michelin-starred chef reveals his favourites in Birmingham
• Women in Business : 'We don't get invited to golf' - The women who coordinated pregnancies to start virtual cancer care business and raised £5m
• Basically... What is income tax?
• Money Problem : 'I hired a car via EasyJet but they are directing my complaint to someone else - what can I do?'
• Best of the Money blog - an archive

Ask a question or make a comment

Cineworld is drawing up plans to axe dozens of British cinemas as part of a radical restructuring that would also include extensive rent cuts.

Sky News has learned that the company, which until last year was listed on the London Stock Exchange, is considering closing about a quarter of its roughly-100 British multiplexes.

Cineworld also wants to renegotiate rent agreements at a further 50 sites, with the remaining 25 untouched by the restructuring.

Sources said the proposals were expected to be formally outlined to creditors including landlords in the coming weeks.

Read the full story here...

A safety charity has warned England fans against buying cheap electronics online amid a "blitz" of advertising.

Electrical Safety First is urging fans bombarded with ads for discounted goods "don't bring it home" in a new campaign to raise awareness of unregulated online marketplaces.

The charity have previously uncovered substandard and dangerous electrical products across major online marketplaces.

Examples of such include portable heaters posing a serious risk of electrocution, hair straighteners and hair dryers featuring illegal UK plugs and e-bike chargers that pose a fire risk.

"Football, and other global sporting events, are experiencing advertising blitzes by major online marketplaces across the globe, and at a time when millions of people are struggling with finances, we understand how appealing low-cost deals will be," said Electrical Safety First's chief executive Lesley Rudd.

"But it's important for fans to remember that they risk scoring an own goal if the deal they bag turns out to be a substandard or dangerous product.

"Substandard electronics can have serious consequences for your safety and an innocent purchase could put you and your family at risk."

The charity makes the following suggestions to consumers selecting electronics from online marketplaces:

• Pay attention to the plug - if a product is listed with a foreign plug and travel adaptor, do not buy it.
• Do not buy on price alone - not all bargains are worth it
• Make sure you do your homework if you decide to buy products below high street retail prices.
• Beware of a product with solely glowing reviews, especially if the reviewers are not verified.
• Make sure you know where the supplier is based - a "co.uk" URL doesn't guarantee the website is UK-based.
• If there is no address supplied, or there is just a PO Box, be wary; many dodgy electrical goods are manufactured overseas.
• Look for websites that allow you to pay safely – these have a padlock symbol in the address bar of the website you are visiting. If you cannot see it, do not enter your payment details.

Consumer spending on car purchases has risen three times faster than for public transport journeys, new figures show.

Around £57.4bn was spent in the UK on new and used cars in 2023, up 6% on five years earlier, according to AA analysis of Office for National Statistics data.

By comparison, consumer spending on public transport - including rail, buses, flights and taxis - was £60.9bn, representing a 2% increase on five years ago.

AA head of roads policy Jack Cousens claimed the figures highlight how vital motoring was for people in the UK, as well as the country's finances.

He said: "These latest ONS figures underline the UK's reliance on cars and the huge amounts of money they generate for the economy - not to mention VAT on that spending, and other tax.

"Cars are not just necessary but essential on so many levels. Even if a significant amount of car use was transformed into take-up of public transport, the impact on the economy and other income generation would be dramatic.

"Just think how much councils would lose if a high percentage of cars stopped turning up to their car parks or needing parking permits, and getting fined.

"The key question is whether what consumers spend on cars would translate into income for public transport and cover the cost of infrastructure investment to enable that.

"It seems that getting travelling consumers to fork out for their own transport and its maintenance, and then tax the heck out of them, is a pretty good deal for the public purse."

Running a car also accounted for a large chunk of the £78.6bn spent on what is described as the operation of personal transport, with spending on fuel and lubricants up 20% since 2018 to £41.7bn.

New car purchases down

But despite the fact more consumers are spending money on cars than on public transport, the number of purchases of new cars by private buyers has declined for nine months in a row, new figures show.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said 67,625 new cars were registered by private consumers in June, down 15.3% from 79,798 during the same month last year.

Ian Plummer, commercial director at Auto Trader, said: "With average new car prices rising almost 40% over the last five years, it's clear cost is the culprit.

"Manufacturers are responding with discounts but they're failing to keep pace, which is forcing many buyers to opt for a used alternative.

"Whoever forms the next government needs to address electric car affordability and provide long-term stability for the market."

Environmental impact

Despite comments from the AA, the billions of pounds spent by consumers every year on cars is having a clear effect on UK roads - where overall traffic levels in 2023 were 2.2% higher than the previous year.

More cars on the roads means more air pollution, which is among the biggest environmental health risks facing people in the UK.

Burning petrol and diesel fuel creates harmful by products like nitrogen dioxide and carbon monoxide, while vehicles emit carbon dioxide, the most common human-caused greenhouse gas.

Even electric vehicles produce particulate matter from the friction between their tyres and the road.

Researchers from University College London estimated that 48,625 adults die prematurely each year in the UK due to particulate matter pollution. 

Presently, 79% of the UK exceeds the World Health Organization's (WHO) annual mean guideline for safe fine particulate matter levels. 

A Greek restaurant has faced criticism for its "rip off" prices.

Holidaymakers have been warned to stay away from DK Oyster on the popular holiday island of Mykonos, which has received swathes of bad reviews on  Tripadvisor .

The restaurant, which describes itself as being an "oasis of ultimate luxury and extravagance", has an average star rating of two on the website - although, in the interests of balance, it has 4.8 on Google reviews.  

Angry punters say they were lured into buying a drink at DK Oyster after being told the sunbeds were free, only for the prices for those drinks to be sky-high.

Among the latest to complain is Lori E, who said she returned home from her Greek holiday to see a charge of $876 (£690) for two drinks.

She wrote: "Total rip off! Make sure you get a receipt before leaving and check your credit card because they over charge. 

"Was told beds were free to sit it if we order food or drink. No problem....ordered 2 drinks which we afterwards saw were 51 euros each. 

"If that wasn't crazy enough we returned to the states and had a $876 charge on our account. FOR 2 DRINKS!!!"

The tourists are now trying to dispute the charge with their credit card company after never receiving a paper copy of a receipt.

Responding to the Tripadvisor review, DK Oyser said: "Our sunbeds come with minimum consumption, so we encourage all visitors to check the menus, before placing their orders. 

"I would like to note that our menus are displayed on blackboards near the entrance, showing the prices of our food and drinks to keep our guests informed."

Other reviews claim DK Oyser charged them £253 for sea bass and £100 for a jumbo shrimp that "wasn't cooked properly".

DK Oyster has been contacted for comment.

Iceland is set to partner with parenting website Mumsnet to launch a range of children's products.

Mumsnet CEO Justine Roberts, and the brand's partnership director Sarah Murray-Muncila, met with members of Iceland's innovation team last week to work on the products.

According to The Grocer , the new products will hit the stores in early 2025.

"We've been working on something truly special in partnership with Iceland Foods," Mumsnet said.

"Big things are happening for little ones."

Iceland has launched several new collaborations in recent months, including exclusive products with brands such as Slimming World, MyProtein and boxer Tyson Fury's Furocity.

It's not just a big day in the UK with voters heading to the polls but also in the US with 4 July celebrations taking place.

And there's plenty to celebrate for those with a stake in US stocks. 

Last night, there was another record high for the S&P 500 index that tracks the share price performance of the 500 largest companies listed on US stock exchanges.

The performance of companies on the tech firm-heavy New York-based NASDAQ too reached a new high.

It came as Elon Musk's Tesla saw its share price reaching a six-month high, along with the rise and rise of trillion-dollar AI microchip maker Nvidia.

Today and tomorrow will likely be quieter as the US markets close. 

In the UK, both the Financial Times Stock Exchange (FTSE) 100 and 250 indexes are up - 0.76% in the list of 100 most valuable companies and 0.42% in the 101st to 250th most valued firms. 

While the pound does by buy less euro than it did earlier this month, with £1 equal to €1.18 it's still buying more than during most of the last year.

Against the dollar, sterling has held the gains of the last few weeks and a pound will get you $1.2749. 

There is no let up for motorists as the oil price is sticking around the two-month high mark. A barrel of the benchmark Brent crude oil costs $86.59.

As house prices continue to rise, so too does the age at which young people can expect to own their own home. 

Unfortunately, even the ceiling of the term "young people" isn't far off from being challenged - with fresh research suggesting that the average age of a first-time buyer in the UK is 33 years and 8 months old, according to Mojo Mortgages . 

In comparison, in 1960, the average first-time buyer was 23 years old, according to separate research by Keepmoat Homes. 

Comparatively, however, the average age of a first-time buyer in 2014 was 32 years, 6 months old, according to the Office for National Statistics. 

During the same period, the average price of a house in the UK rose from around £188,000 (January 2014) to £282,000  ( January this year). 

Back to today's figures - and those in Wales are able to buy their homes the youngest, with the data suggesting the average first-time buyer there is 31 years old. 

Naturally, the older you buy a home, the later in life you'll pay off a mortgage. 

With an average mortgage length of 30 years, it seems the average UK first-time buyer isn't expected to be mortgage-free until they are 63 years and 8 months old.

And if you live in the capital, you'll surpass the current retirement age at 66 years, 8 months. 

Here's a full breakdown of how old first-time buyers are, the average mortgage length and age they can expect to be mortgage-free by region... 

A lot of people have had to renegotiate or extend their mortgages thanks to soaring interest rates in recent years - and the data from Mojo tells us a little about that too.

The study found extending your mortgage term by 10 years (to 35 years) will cost today's average first-time buyer an extra £110,640, which may impact later life planning and their pension.

Barclaycard is cutting the minimum amount its customers have to repay each month.

While the move may sound like good news on the surface, it could well mean you're in debt for longer and end up paying more interest. 

At the moment, most Barclaycard customers have a minimum repayment of 3.75% of their balance, 2.5% of their balance plus interest, or £5. 

But, from 22 July, that will change to the highest amount out of: 

• 1% of their balance
• 1% of their balance plus interest

This means if you are currently only paying the minimum on your card, you'll likely repay less each month. 

But, minimum amounts are designed to keep people in debt for as long as possible, and lowering them just makes this period even longer.

MoneySavingExpert says the change means it could now take a customer with a £1,000 debt an extra decade to pay it off, if they only pay the minimum amount.

On average, it says it will take 19 years and three months to clear and the interest will total £1,655. 

Founder of MoneySavingExpert Martin Lewis says the change is "worryingly under the radar" and urged customers to check if their repayments are set to the minimum amount.

"Minimum repayments have always been credit card firms' secret weapon. Letting people repay little looks appealing – hence why Barclaycard says this is about 'flexibility'. Yet it takes flexibility to kick your own backside, and this will hurt some just as much," he said.

A Barclays spokesperson told Sky News: "We regularly review our products and from July, some Barclaycard customers will see changes to their minimum monthly payments, alongside adjustments to the APR.

"Customers will benefit from a reduction in their minimum monthly repayment and the vast majority have no change to APR, while some will receive a decrease.

"We have made these changes to increase flexibility for our customers and have been clear in our communications that paying more than the minimum can help customers clear their balance sooner and pay less interest." 

Marks and Spencer is to launch a clothing repair service next month.

The retail giant has teamed up with clothing repair and alterations experts SOJO, which was founded in 2021 by Josephine Philips, to give clothes "another life".

From August, M&S customers will be able to book a bespoke repair service through a new online hub, "M&S Fixed by SOJO".

Repairs will start from £5 and be carried out by SOJO's in-house repair team.

The items will then be returned directly to the customer's doorstep within seven to 10 days.  

Richard Price, managing director of clothing and home at M&S, said: "Through the launch of our repair service, we're making it even easier for customers to give their clothes another life, whether they are using our new repair service or long-standing clothes recycling scheme."

This week, Savings Champion research and development manager  Daniel Darragh gives  an overview of the savings market right now and reveals the best rates on offer across a range of accounts…

On the topic of savings rates, he says...

It is great to see that rates have remained steady throughout the year, despite frequent speculation over when the Bank of England would be decreasing the base rate. 

This means that, with inflation slowly dropping month on month (and finally hitting the Bank's target of 2% in May) there are now more accounts that beat inflation than ever before, meaning savers have a rare opportunity to really increase the purchasing power of their money.

That being said, the Bank of England has signalled that it will cut the base rate at some point in the year, and with the election result looming in the next few days, the decision may be taken sooner rather than later. 

Such a decrease will see borrowing and savings rates likely fall – so this may be the last hurrah for savers to get some of the best rates seen in years.

This explains why longer-term fixed rates are lower than shorter term – called an inverted curve, which indicates that we can expect interest rates to fall over the next few months and years. 

So, while locking your money away for, say, five years, may earn you a lower interest rate now than a one-year term could currently earn you, that might not be the case in a year's time when and if interest rates fall as predicted – meaning your hard-earned funds increase much more in value over a five-year term than they would in renewing one-year terms every year. 

That being said, the last few years have shown us how unpredictable and quickly economic conditions can turn!

Another interesting and important shift we have seen of late is that ISA rates, particularly on variable rate ISAs, have kept pace with, and in some cases outstripped, those of non-ISA accounts. 

As an example, the best non-current account linked, non-ISA easy access account is paying 5.07% via the Flagstone platform, versus the best non-current account linked ISA account paying 5.17% with Plum on new ISA funds. 

Of course, funding of ISA accounts is limited to the current limit of £20,000 per tax year, but this shift shows that ISAs have become increasingly popular again, as more savers find they are breaching their Personal Savings Allowance (PSA) with smaller and smaller amounts.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

An Easy Travel Guide to Rome, Italy

V isiting the Eternal City for the first time? Rome is one of the most visited cities in Italy and we created an easy travel guide to Rome so that you know the best things to see and do.

In this post, we’re sharing all we’ve learned from our vacations in Rome to help you plan your getaway. We’ll cover the most popular neighborhoods, the best things to see and do, how to get around in Rome, the best time of the year to visit, how to get to central Rome from FCO Airport, and tips for traveling.

Where is Rome

Rome is located in the region of Lazio, near the and is undoubtedly one of the most popular destinations in Italy. It has the highest population of all cities in Italy and sits about 1 hour from the western coast.

And when it comes to tourism, it’s no surprise that visitors from around the globe travel to Rome to see its beauty and Renaissance art, experience Roman cuisine and Italian cooking , shop the fashion capital, discover the piazzas and fountains, explore the historical landmarks, or even practice Italian phrases that they’ve learned.

The various neighborhoods are the most widely visited by tourists because they are where most attractions can be found. Traveling through the city is easy on foot, but you should also consider the Rome sightseeing bus or the Rome golf cart tours .

The Best Time of Year to Visit Rome

Rome can be extremely uncomfortable in the summer months (primarily June through September). In April and May, the spring temperatures are nice, the mornings are cool, and by noon you probably won’t need a jacket.

The Best Things to See and Do (by Neighborhood)

Each neighborhood of Rome has museums, churches, gardens, parks, and iconic spots to visit. This list gives a brief description of each district, and helps you understand what to see in each neighborhood. It will come in handy for deciding where to stay in Rome while planning your trip.

You may need to take public transportation to reach a specific neighborhood depending on where you stay. However, once you arrive, the area is completely walkable and getting from one point of interest to another is easy.

Modern Center

This neighborhood is located around Via Veneto and the Spanish Steps, the Modern Center neighborhood combines classic and contemporary influences. It has a mix of upscale boutiques, trendy cafes, and luxurious hotels, making it a hub for shopping, dining, and experiencing the modern side of Rome.

Palazzo del Quirinale

Complesso delle Quattro Fontane

Trevi Fountain

Galleria Nazionale d’Arte Antica a Pallazo

Santa Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri

Castro Pretorio

Chiesa di Santa Maria della Vittoria

Museo e Cripto dei Frati Cappuccini

The heart of Rome’s historic center, the Old Rome neighborhood captivates with its cobblestone streets, charming piazzas, and awe-inspiring landmarks like the Pantheon and Piazza Navona.

Scalinta di Trinita dei Monti (Spanish Steps)

Museo dell’Ara Pacis

Campo de’ Fiori

Palazza Farnese

Piazza Navona

Museo di Roma Palazzo Braschi

Chiesa di San Luigi dei Francesi

Chiesa di Sant’Agnese in Agone

By far this is the most popular neighborhood in Rome for travelers. Trastevere is a bohemian neighborhood located on the west bank of the Tiber River. It is known for it narrow, winding streets, nightlife, and charming piazzas. Trastevere has a lively atmosphere with trendy bars, and traditional trattorias.

Villa Farnesina

Galleria Corsini

Basilica di Santa Maria

Orto Botanico

Home to the iconic Colosseum, the Colosseum neighborhood in Rome immerses visitors in ancient history as they explore the grandeur of the Roman Empire, marvel at ancient ruins, and soak in the architectural splendor of this UNESCO World Heritage site.

Roman Forum

Palatine Hill

Bocca della Verita

Circo Massimo

Piazza Venezia

Altare della Patria

Aventino – Tastaccio

Testaccio is a historic working-class neighborhood that has transformed into a culinary hotspot. It offers a vibrant food scene with traditional trattorias, gourmet restaurants, and a bustling food market.

Basilicia di San Giovanni

Terme di Caracalla

Knights of Malta Keyhole

Esquilino – San Giovanni

Located near Termini Station, the Esquilino neighborhood is a melting pot of cultures and flavors. Known for its diverse immigrant communities, Esquilino is a mix of ethnic restaurants, colorful markets, and architectural gems like the Basilica di Santa Maria Maggiore.

Basilica Papale di Santa Maria Maggiore

Palazzo Massimo alle Terme

Museo Nazionale Romano

Basilica di San Pietro in Vincole

Nomentano combines residential tranquility with commercial areas. This neighborhood is characterized by its leafy parks, elegant villas, and the iconic University La Sapienza. There is a mix of students, locals, and dining. Nomentano has a relaxed and intellectual atmosphere.

Sapienza University

North Center

The North Center neighborhood of Rome, encompassing areas like Villa Borghese and Parioli, presents a more tranquil and residential atmosphere. With its leafy parks, elegant villas, and cultural institutions like the Galleria Borghese, this area provides a peaceful retreat from the city center.

• Museo e Galleria Borghese
• Villa Borghese
• La Galleria Nazionale
• Museo Nazionale Etrusce di Villa Guilia

Vatican City

Vatican City is the smallest independent state in the world and the spiritual center of Catholicism. Home to St. Peter’s Basilica, the Vatican Museums, and the Sistine Chapel, this iconic neighborhood offers a rich blend of religious significance, magnificent art, and awe-inspiring architecture.

St. Peter’s Basilica

Vatican Gardens

Vatican Museums

Castel Sant’Angelo

Southern Rome

The southern part of Rome is less touristy and has an authentic atmosphere that portrays a taste of local Roman life. From food markets and traditional trattorias to vibrant street art and a strong sense of community, Southern Rome provides a glimpse into the city’s everyday charm.

Via Appia Antica

Catacombe di San Sebastiano

Catacombe di San Callisto

Museo Capitoline Centrale Montemartini

How to Get Around Rome

Getting around the cobbled-stoned streets of Rome is not hard. I’ve walked, biked, and bused throughout Rome and loved it! All are great ways to get around and the method you choose depends on how much time you have and your personal preference.

I recommend the  Big Bus Tour  or a Golf Cart Tour in Rome if you are short on time or if you booked your travel in the dead heat of summer (which can be intensely hot).

With these tours, you’ll see all the top Rome attractions with audio commentary in your language of choice. If you choose an open top tour bus, the added benefit is free wi-fi and for 3 extra euros, you can use your ticket for two days (it is worth it).

When it comes to seeing Rome, walking can not be avoided especially when getting to an attraction that require climbing hilly pathways or navigating ancient streets. In my opinion, being on foot is one of the best ways to travel in Rome.

Exploring the narrow streets can lead you to the most marvelous pasta, the creamiest gelato, or the most perfect pasta! I highly recommend visiting the Trastevere neighborhood for  Italian street food . 

Public Transportation

This is the best option for getting to a part of town that is more than 20 minutes on foot, especially if visiting a museum or park. Save your energy and use public transportation for less than 2 euros. You can purchase them at the tobacconist store.

You will need to validate your ticket upon boarding the bus (it’s an honor system). Getting caught with an un-validated ticket can result in a fine. You should also use a really good map of Rome. 

Bike or Vespa

Peddling around the city on your own time feels so liberating. Bike rental is very affordable and is an enjoyable way to experience the outdoors, get some exercise to make up for all the  Italian breakfasts  that you eat, and explore Rome.

You can find rentals for as little as 13 euros for 24 hours, complete with lock, for a standard bike. The price for e-bikes is higher.

Getting around on a two-passenger scooter is loads of fun!  Rent a Vespa to skirt traffic or explore outside the city. They can be rented by the hour or day. This will make your trip to Rome memorable as you travel in true Italian style!

How to Get to Central Rome from FCO Airport

There are several options to get from Leonardo da Vinci International Airport to the center of the city. I found the train to be the quickest and most affordable especially if you’ve had a long day of travel and want to get to Termini station.  

The most economical way to get from the airport to the city center is via a shuttle bus service from the airport. You can travel conveniently between Rome’s city center and the airport and take pleasure in a stress-free arrival or departure from the city.

The ride takes about 50 minutes and departures run from the airport every 30 to 40 minutes so you have time to collect your luggage. Shuttles stop in Terminal 3’s arrivals section. Look for the respective service at the arrival platform.

Terravision offers a shuttle service for less than 8 euros it’s quite popular. The buses are air-conditioned and there is no cost to bring your luggage aboard. It goes directly to Termini station with no extra stops. 

Another option is the public transportation system, which costs about 6 euros. The bus stops multiple times in the city center, including one close to the Vatican and one at Termini Station, throughout the 45- to 1-hour one-way trip.

Buses halt in Terminal 3’s arrivals section, at number 14. You can purchase tickets at the airport desk or online. 

A taxi is quite expensive. It will set you back almost 50 euros and the ride takes just as long as a shuttle service (about 50 minutes). You can find the taxis at the arrival level of Terminal 1 and Terminal 3.

The Leonardo Express train is less than 20 euros and runs every 15 minutes during peak periods. It is operated by Trenitalia and the ride takes about 30 to 40 minutes.

If you wait to collect your luggage, and then make your way to the window or kiosk to purchase your ticket, note that many others will be doing the same. Hate long lines? You can purchase tickets in advance and be ready for validation after boarding the train.

I can’t recommend a car rental unless you plan a day trip and need a set of wheels. Rome is completely walkable. Not to mention, even Italians know that finding a parking space can be a hassle.

Tips for Visiting Rome

I adore visiting Italy. And no trip would be complete without seeing some of the most iconic and historic spots in the Eternal City.

Don’t make the mistake (that I made on my first trip) and skip these incredible spots! Fortunately, I was able to see them on return visits!

Whether you are visiting the Vatican for the first time or returning because you tossed a coin into the Trevi fountain, these Rome travel tips will come in handy to make your stay enjoyable.

• Be prepared! Read these tips on the essentials for an international flight .
• Think comfort when flying coach , it will help you stay calm and confident.
• Beware of scammers, pickpockets, and panhandlers. It’s a thing in Europe and it can happen when you least expect it. 

So, what are you waiting for? Book that flight to Rome and thank me later.