I used to think traveling with a baby was challenging. That all changed when my baby suddenly became a toddler. Somewhere between 12-18 months, things started to shift. My toddler became more and more difficult to entertain on flights, particularly long haul flights. She has now traveled to Europe on multiple occasions, many states in the US, and has been to a number of destinations in Canada. It is safe to say she is a well traveled two year old.
As she has gotten older, one phrase I started to hear as we would sit down on the plane is “I want toys.” What I found on flights is her attention span is often rather short and what works one day may be a horrible option the next. I always try to come with many screen free options. From activity books to magnetic tiles, here is a list of all the toys for airplane travel that I have utilized for the entertainment of my toddler. These make the cut for me as the best toddler travel toys.
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Travel Toys for Toddler
1. Educating Amy Books. These books are wonderful for pretend play and have kept my daughter entertained more consistently than many other toys. They are made from a premium cotton blend with absolutely no glue used in the fabrication. There are two sizes to the books with the nano being at a lower price point and also easier to bring along in your carry on. That being said, I have brought the larger books without regret because they are typically a winner in my toddler’s eyes. There are a number of different themes and books available for different ages. These books are definitely one of our favorite toys.
If you want something at a slightly lower price point, there is this option from hahaland called My First Farm Book. My daughter enjoyed this option, but it wasn’t quite as entertaining as the Educating Amy Books.
2. Magnets. A set of travel magnets typically doesn’t take up much room and is a great addition to your travel bag. There are several of varieties for play, and I have tested out several. Here are a variety of options. Magna tiles are rather small and fit easily into the carrier I listed below. Another option is this set of magnetic people. Something new I discovered are the Clixo magnetic toys, which are very compact. There are several different size sets that you can purchase. Finally, these magnetic blocks are a nice, high quality option that come with a carrying case. For my daughter, I cannot say that one was necessarily better than the other.
3. Sticker books. Sticker books are something that have become a lot more popular with my daughter. She started to really enjoy them a few months prior to turning two. This interest has continued throughout all of year two. I always try to bring at least one in our carry on. Here are some great options. This sticker book by Cupkin comes in two sizes. One is rather large, but the vertical option is slightly smaller. I always take a large Cotopaxi backpack and it easily fits inside. This is another option that proved to be entertaining. Finally, click here to view some of the Usbourne Activities options. This is a great brand for activity and sticker books as well. They have tons of different themes and sizes.
4. Water Wow. If you are looking for another mess free option, these Water Wow and Sticker Wow books should definitely be in your armamentarium. They are easy to pack and your little ones will love them. My only complaint with the Water Wow is the pen tends to leak, so you have to empty it after your child is done playing with it. This option from Floss and Rock seemed to be much better with less water leaking and having a higher quality pen. There are also more cards inside for coloring. My daughter started really enjoying things like this around 2 years old. Crayola color wonder products offer the same mess free fun in a different package.
5. Dot stickers. Prior to getting interested in sticker books, dot stickers turned out to be a big hit. They help with learning colors and also body parts. My daughter loved sticking them all over the plane, her clothes, our clothes, and even a blank piece of white paper. These are such a simple addition to your travel bag that don’t take up any room. Here are the dot stickers that were amazingly useful. You will not regret this purchase!
6. Blue painters tape and post it notes. I think one thing that has become rather apparent to me is to never underestimate the power of some very basic items that take up little space. The painters tape and post it notes may not entertain your child endlessly, but they can certainly provide a distraction. This blue painter’s tape is such an easy, low cost addition. Colored post it notes are another fantastic option.
7. Fidget toys. I have tried a number of fidget toys from Amazon. Packing one per trip can help you in a desperate moment. I have found a few that are better than others. These pop toys are something my daughter really enjoys. This silicone fidget toy started to entertain my toddler around 26 months. I started packing it before the age of 2, and it wasn’t a big hit. Lately, it has been of much more interest to her. These dinosaur travel toys have worked wonders once occupying her for a good 30 minutes, which seemed like a huge win. I will admit they are not incredibly durable, so they may not stand the test of time. This dimpl toy is another option for a fidget toy that comes as a set with some other options. Finally, these spinner toys work for a range of ages and will suction to the airplane window.
8. Card reader. When your child is starting to learn new words, these card readers are such a fun way to entertain and also learn. Someone first gifted me one in English only. My daughter really liked it, so I ended up purchasing one that does English and Spanish. Even if it is too loud on the flight to hear the reader say the word, my daughter loved looking at the pictures and taking the card in and out of the reader. Here is an English only version. Perhaps you may find the Spanish and English version entertaining as well. My daughter started finding these entertaining between 18-19 months and still enjoys them at age two.
9. Vtech watch. I purchased a watch from Target much like the one linked here on a whim thinking it may be a small, fun item to play with. When she was just over one year, she enjoyed just looking at the colors and screen lighting up. As she became a little older, she still found that aspect entertaining, but she actually wants to wear the watch and play with more of the functions. There are different varieties of this watch. Here is one example that is a Peppa Pig watch. This is an option with good longevity.
10. Leap Frog Tablet. This toy can work for the airplane, but it is also great for a road trip. Keep in mind they take up a little more space. The one linked does have a screen where you can see letters and play simple games. Although you typically cannot hear it on the airplane, it still works as an entertainment option. Of course, once you arrive at your destination, your toddler can use it with the volume for full effect. This is the leap frog tablet that we use.
11. Floss and Rock Toys. I first discovered this brand of toys on Maisonette. They sell many of their products on Amazon as well. The price is great, and my daughter loves almost all of the things that I have purchased from this brand. These are definitely travel staples. Here are some of my favorites. This magnetic multi play book has both girl and boy themed options. This is one of my daughter’s favorites from the Floss and Rock Toys we have purchased. I encourage you to explore many more of the Floss and Rock options on Amazon. They have mess free books for coloring, magnets, stickers, and dress up play.
12. KeKe bag. This is such a cute concept and useful for both travel and local entertainment. You choose a color for the case, and the inside is much like a binder. Four individual zipped toys come with the kit. You can sign up for a subscription service that is delivered on a quarterly basis with new toys to trade into the purse. For local travel, it makes more sense to bring the purse or carrying bag. When traveling with your kids on an airplane, I enjoy bringing just the individual zip pouches. Their recommended age range is 3-6 years. My daughter enjoys the majority of the games even at 2 years of age. She is not able to use all of them to their full capabilities, but I still found this to be worthwhile addition for travel play. This is something that will grow with your child.
13. Interactive Books. My daughter is a fan of books, but I find the most effective books for travel are interactive. Whether it is texture, sounds, or flaps, the more the book offers as far as interaction the better. For younger children, these Peekaboo books are a fantastic option. This is another great option with texture. For an older toddler, I like this busy airport book.
14. Makeup Bag Carrier. This is a great way to pack together a number of your smaller toys, and it is actually a toy in and of itself. When we purchased a bag off Amazon, my daughter loved having a place for her toys and called it her purse. She enjoyed opening all the zippers and even just carrying it around let alone playing with the toys inside. It is a great place to put stickers, ribbons, PlayDoh, watch, etc. This hanging toiletry bag is the one we use. It comes in pink, blue, and lavender. We placed this inside our diaper bag or carry on to keep things as organized as possible.
15. Snacks & Snack Dispenser. I have to put snacks on the list of best travel toys because a good variety of snacks in a fun snack dispenser will allow you to gain relief for much longer than you might imagine. When my daughter was younger, I loved this small SkipHop snack container. For long haul flights, I have enjoyed bringing the Gobe Snack Spinner. Some snacks that I bring are cereal, yogurt melts, and granola. I really like our PlanetBox water bottle that is great for travel. It fits into the side pocket of our carry on backpack and has a straw that folds nicely.
16. Small puzzles & Dress Up. This Melissa and Doug Minnie Mouse dress up is also a great size for travel. It can work on the airplane, but pieces could go missing dependent upon your toddler and their age. Floss and Rock has some options that are magnetic making loss of pieces a little less likely. They are also nice once you get to your destination for play at the hotel or at restaurants.
17. Ribbons. Much like the other simple items listed above, ribbon can be another fun source of entertainment. Having a couple of different textures and colors can really be a great way to kill time. They also can be used for unwrapping small toys, which I will mention below, and be dual purpose.
18. Gigglescape Toys. I love these toys from Target. They are at a great price point. Some options are their electronic learning tablet, magnetic drawing board, alphabet travel case, see through drawing pad, and the seek and discover frog. They also sell magnetic blocks in a smaller size as well.
19. PlayDoh. At home, I love the PlayDoh made by Dough Parlor. For travel, I recently purchased this kit from PlayDoh. It was very inexpensive, small, and fits into the makeup bag carrier. Be prepared for PlayDoh to drop on the floor, components, etc. This Play Doh Kit is perfect for travel and the parts easily fit into the toiletry bag carrier. Having a cover for the tray table helps make playing with this a little more simple.
This is the tray table cover that we purchased. It helps with keeping things confined and dropping fewer items onto the floor.
20. Buckle Toy. I purchased a buckle toy for my toddler quite some time ago, and it has been something that has become more and more entertaining to her as of late. Initially, my little one was too young to manipulate all the buckles and snaps, but she still liked the toy. Now that she can play with the buckles and zippers, it has stood the test of time. There are a ton of options to choose from, here is one of the overall picks on Amazon.
21. Unwrapping small toys. Whether it is a fidget toy or something you received in a happy meal from McDonalds, these small little presents can go a long way in entertaining. If you have extra wrapping or tissue paper, wrap up small fidget toys for a more dramatic and time consuming way to approach looking at something new.
22. Travel size coloring book and crayons. At present, my daughter does nothing but scribble on whatever is provided to her. Despite no ability to stay in the lines, she still enjoys a coloring book. I found one from Amazon that is rather compact with a great selection of crayons attached to the back. Here is the travel coloring book by OOLY with multiple options from unicorns to garden pals dependent upon your child’s favorites. This was a big hit for us, and the size is perfect. Honestly, you cannot go wrong by placing any of the ooly products into your shopping cart! Many of them are rather small in size and they have a lot of variety.
23. Writing Tablet. There are so many options for small writing tablets that do not take up much space. They are not going to provide hours of entertainment, but at this age, there is very little that actually does that no matter whether we are at home or on an airplane. Here is a writing tablet perfect for travel. You can allow your child to draw or you can play games by drawing pictures and alphabet letters.
24. Busy Board Montessori Toy. There are a ton of options for busy boards on Amazon. This busy board folds up relatively flat with different interactive options inside including buckles, puzzles, animals, and telling time. This busy board can work for one year olds all the way up through age two.
25. Dinosaur Fidget Toy. This sensory dinosaur toy can be fun for discussing colors or just a small option to bring along to a restaurant, plane ride, or play with in a stroller. My daughter enjoyed when I sorted the colors and she was able to push them all out. Here is another color sorting option that is very similar.
26. Wooden Color Sorting Toy. This wooden color sorting toy turned out to be highly entertaining for my daughter. It kept her occupied for longer than some of the other options listed. Some toys obviously work better than others and every toddler is different. It helps with the development of fine motor skills in addition to color sorting. It really was a surprise hit that has stood the test of time! My main complaint would be the lid not staying on, but it has been so useful my annoyance with this aspect easily faded.
27. Yoto mini player. The yoto mini is a great tool once toddlers are a little older. I first tried to bring this when my daughter just turned two, and I believe she was a little too young to understand the concept. She loved listening to this at home, but she could not keep headphones on long enough to make this useful. Now that she is older and can listen to stories and music, this is a great option that does not take up much space.
28. Pok Pok app. Although I am not a fan of screen time, now that my daughter is over two years of age, screen time is allowed on airplanes. Pok Pok is a Montessori play app designed to provide many options for sparking creativity and imaginative play. My daughter really enjoys playing with it on the airplane, but she does not ask for it at home. It is regularly updated with new games. If you are looking for a non addictive screen option, this might be the perfect addition.
29. Chuckle and Roar. Chuckle and Roar is a brand with some smaller toys that can be used for travel. One toy that has some longevity is the Sensory Seek and Find Hunt Bear. For younger toddlers, it can be fun just to shake. Once they are older, they can actually use the cards to identify the objects in the bear. Magna sketch is another toy Chuckle and Roar makes that comes in a mini version also perfect for packing.
Final Thoughts
The reality is keeping kids entertained in a confined space is a difficult task. Traveling with toddlers can be particularly challenging. A toddler can go from being happy one minute to screaming at the top of their lungs rather quick. I hope these suggestions allow you to target and shop for toys that will keep your little one as busy as possible. Whether you are taking a direct flight or traveling on a long haul flight overseas, I hope this post allows you to gather a list of things that your kids love.
