9 Travel Toys to Get Your Toddlers Busy During Your Trips

Make traveling with toddlers less stressful by packing smart items in your carry-on bag for road trips or flights. Though phones and tablets are convenient, their blue light can disrupt your child’s sleep. Many parents opt for alternative entertainment, like engaging travel toys for toddlers, before resorting to screens. In addition to our favorite toys for planes, trains, and cars, a valuable tip is to always bring snacks—because snacks are a lifesaver!

Travel Toys to Occupy Toddlers on the Go

Ready to go on an exciting adventure with your toddler? Below are some of the top travel toys for 2-year-olds and beyond to try!

Montessori-Style Travel Busy Cube

Once more, the crucial term is “engagement.” Portable activity cubes prove to be excellent companions during your travels, captivating your toddler’s attention as the scenery swiftly passes by through the car or plane window. This compact version of the beloved cube-shaped Montessori toddler toy introduces your little one to fine motor skills, cause-and-effect relationships, and problem-solving, providing a stimulating and educational experience on the go.

Cloth “Paper” Doll

Classics are timeless for a reason! Paper dolls have charmed kids with their attractive, replaceable costumes and accessories since the mid-1800s. Dressing dolls sets the stage for a tale. While paper dolls may be too fragile for toddlers, a fabric or felt version is ideal for travel. This peaceful activity also evokes reminiscence, touching the heart.

Pop-It Toys

The fidget sensation that captured the attention of elementary kids last year has given rise to a new trend in the realm of poppable toys designed for toddlers. Whether you pass down older siblings’ neglected pop-its or invest in ones tailor-made for little hands, you’re in for a tranquil popping experience on the move, courtesy of these affordable and readily available treasures found at toy stores.

Window Clings

Car window clings are a popular 2-year-old toy. The ability to personalize the airplane window view with zoo animals, vehicles, hearts, and beautiful forms adds excitement. These upgrades make flying trips as pleasurable as vehicle trips. They may be attached to and easily removed from a small dry-erase board, giving kids without window access a creative alternative.

Toddler Busy Book

A “busy book” not only prepares fledgling scholars to become young bookworms, but it also acts as one of the finest travel toys for toddlers that is regarded a relaxing hobby, allowing them to remain absorbed without constant monitoring. There are several options available—choose one with lacing, buttons, flaps, and other interactive aspects on every page to fascinate those small fingers and keep those busy minds fully engaged.

Travel Doodle Board

For the ambitious young artist in your life, look into attractive, screen-free drawing tablets that are ideal for doodling or practicing letter-writing abilities. These portable road trip toys for toddlers simply tuck up in the seat pocket in front of them, providing a distinctive and fun option for vehicle rides. We favor devices that allow either finger or crayon use, as they provide the most ease and adaptability. If your toddler is a little older (3 and above), a portable sketching tablet with a pen adds another element of fun to the creative process.

Magnetic Puzzle

Discover the delight of basic jigsaw puzzles, which begin to grab young brains around the age of 2.5 and may give hours of enjoyment for years. Choose a magnetic puzzle suited for travel, which provides both cerebral stimulation and entertainment in one convenient package. To enhance the experience, elder siblings can participate by reading the accompanying storybook, resulting in a collaborative and enjoyable activity for the entire family, as shown in the featured set.

Lacing Set

An ageless educational toy is likely to captivate their interest and keep their fingers and brains busy. Lacing toys in the Montessori style is charming and provides a great way to practice fine motor skills, problem-solving, and hand-eye coordination. Their attractive appearance is a bonus to the fact that they are good for growth. As your child plays with string, see how they make patterns and enjoy lacing up cute fruits. Then, they’ll happily undo their work and start again.

Finger Puppets

Give your child a lot of freedom to be creative and have fun by giving them a set of finger puppets. You can easily put these in a small bag or backpack, and they give them a screen-free way to use their imaginations and act out cute scenes. Here’s a tip from a parent: sneakily record your kids giving their finger puppets life by giving them different sounds and making up stories. You will definitely want to remember and enjoy these sweet times.

Personalized Busy Bag

For parents facing time constraints, a quick solution lies in ready-made, DIY toys and travel kits available on Etsy. These pre-packaged baggies are full of toys and games that are right for your child’s age and that match their favorite colors. You can also make your own unique travel kit ahead of time. Choose a clear, long-lasting plastic bag so that your child can see what’s inside. Add a snack as an extra treat and make sure everything inside is new and interesting for a fun trip.

Choose the Best Travel Toys for Your Toddlers Today

Prepare for a stress-free trip with your baby by packing a variety of fun toys that don’t involve screens. From traditional finger puppets to Montessori-style busy cubes, our carefully chosen list has everything a parent or kid could want. Personalize your trip experience with busy bags, or keep things simple with magnetic games and window clings. Don’t forget to record those special times of creativity with personalized games and finger puppets. With these carefully picked travel partners, every trip will be fun and memorable.