Make it a little easier to travel with the kids with my go-to list of toddler travel toys. These will help keep the kids entertained and happy on road trips, on planes, and anytime you’re on the go.
I have traveled a lot with kids over the years, and I’ve come to rely on a set of trusted toddler travel toys to help us get to our destination with a little more ease. While traveling with kids is usually exhausting, there are things I have found that can help a lot.
In this post you’ll find my top 10 travel toys for kids, including both electronics and device-free options so you have a variety to choose from. I also tried to include options that work for a mix of ages and that last—so you can use these items for years to come—as well as ones that are affordable and durable.
All of my favorites are linked below, or you can find them in my Amazon Storefront.
(You may also like Toddler Snacks for On the Go, Road Trip Food, Easy Vacation Meals, the best Toddler Stocking Stuffers, and Toddler Travel Beds.)
Table of Contents
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Water Painting Books
These no-mess coloring books, which work with water pens that you fill with water, have saved more trips than I can count. They work for kids age 1 and up (and still work well with my youngest child at 4 years old). You can take them on an airplane or pack them in a road trip bag.
This is one of the best travel toys for kids, hands down.
Puffy Sticker Books
Stickers are a constant source of entertainment for kids, and this book has a surface that allows the stickers to be stuck and restuck over and over again. This toddler travel toy is a fun way to work fine motor skills—but since the stickers are puffy, they’re easy for little fingers and older toddlers to move.
We’ve used these for long car rides and long layovers at the airport, and they’re thin enough to fit into a kid’s backpack.
Fidget Spinners
When littles are stuck in a seat for a long period time, a fidget spinner can provide an outlet for their energy. These toddler travel toys have suctions on the base, so they can be stuck to windows, an airplane tray table, or another surface for endless fun. And they are large enough that they’re easy for babies and little hands to use.
Busy Board
Loaded with pockets, puzzles, laces, sensory toys, buckles, shape sorters, and more, a busy board bag can provide a lot of entertainment for curious kids. This toddler travel toy is made from fabric and a mix of textures, which can help hand-eye coordination—but is mostly fun to explore.
This type of quiet book can fit into a child’s backpack, or you can pop it into your diaper bag.
Reusable LCD Writing Tablet
Easier to keep track of than crayons and paper and mess-free, this LCD tablet is so fun for kids of all ages. They can color, scribble, and reveal colors over and over with this toddler travel toy—and erase the image to start again. This has been useful for quiet time in hotel rooms, during road trips, and while waiting in lines at the store.
Magnetic Building Sets
A smaller, more portable version of classic Magna-Tiles, these 3-D magnetic blocks are great for problem-solving skills and work like magnetic puzzles to take on the go. We put them into a small zipper bag for easy transport and count on this compact toy to keep us busy when we’re bored from traveling.
Colored Masking Tape
Tape is the unsung MVP of traveling with kids, so here’s why you should consider including it in your kid’s bag on your next trip: It’s endlessly versatile and can be used to make mess-free pictures on paper or small roads for cars. This toddler travel toy is the thing I pack to pull out when nothing else seems interesting to the kids.
We sometimes even use it on restaurant tables to make shapes when the wait is long.
Yoto Mini
Designed to tell stories, play music, and share podcasts for the kids, this kids player is a forever favorite. It can be used at home, but it’s also a perfect travel toy to take on the go.
Kids Headphones
Comfortable headphones are essential for making tablets and devices easy for the kids to use—without making everyone else around us listen to Bluey. These are inexpensive and comfortable for toddlers and big kids.
Amazon Fire Tablet
Affordable, durable, and full of kid-friendly shows and games, the Amazon Fire Tablet is one of the most helpful toddler travel toys and accessories to pack for trips.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our favorites include sticker books, tablets, and the Melissa and Doug Water Wow books linked above.
A baby fidget spinner that suctions to a window or tray is a great option or you can try mini board books, a water bottle half full of water to shake (this is surprisingly fun), and snacks.
Try water coloring books, rolls of masking tape to make roads or shapes, LED coloring books, small magnetic blocks and toys, and music.
Best Tips for Success
- Remember that healthy toddler snacks can help, too.
- Toddler travel beds may come in handy when you get to your destination.
- Music can be a helpful option for road trips.
Related Posts
I’d love to hear what you would add to my list, so please comment below to share.
This post was first published November 2023.
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