If you’re a traveling family, you know how important it is to come equipped with an arsenal of travel toys for toddlers and preschoolers to maintain your sanity. Toys that will keep kids’ attention help prevent the dreaded tantrums that every parent tries to avoid when flying with kids or traveling in any way.

Our children have been traveling with us both domestically and internationally since they were a month old. We travel every chance we get, so we’ve done our fair share of traveling with toddlers on long haul flights and road trips. One question we’ve been asked a lot is “How do you keep your kids entertained on airplanes?” We get asked this question most often by parents of toddlers and preschoolers, who can be challenging to keep occupied (and tantrum-free) on long trips. Their minds are constantly soaking up new information and they have very short attention spans at this age, so they can quickly go from happy to screaming.

To avoid a major meltdown, we recommend coming prepared with a toolbox of travel toys that will keep your kids’ attention. We’ve put together a list of the best travel toys for toddlers on airplanes, road trips, cruises, or any kind of travel. You’ll want toys to keep them busy in the hotel once you arrive to your destination as well. Here’s our list of the best toys for traveling with toddlers and preschoolers that will help the whole family stay sane.

Best Travel Toys for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Wiki Stix

We discovered Wiki Stix when our daughter went to Kindergarten and have loved them ever since. Teachers use them for learning, developing fine motor skills, and crafts. We’ve seen them handed out in restaurants to keep kids entertained instead of crayons and coloring pages. Wiki Stix are made of hand-knitting yarn coated in non-toxic wax, which allows them to stick to things without leaving behind any sticky residue.

Playing with Wiki Stix is one of the toddler plane activities that encourages creativity and learning through hands-on kinesthetic involvement. They stick to pretty much any smooth surface, like the table tray on the airplane, so your kids can create art or practice making letters and numbers. Our kids have fun making animals, candy canes, and all sorts of fun shapes with their Wiki Stix. They are inexpensive, reusable, small and lightweight, making them so easy to throw into your carry-on bag. You can purchase small individual packs or the traveler playset seen below.

Wiki Stix Traveler Playset- check current price here

Reusable Sticker Pads

What kid doesn’t love stickers? Stickers are fun but once your child has used them all up, they are on to the next thing. That’s where a reusable sticker pad saves the day- allowing your kids to play with the same stickers over and over again, for hours on end. Whether you’re waiting around at the airport, road tripping across the country, or enduring a long international flight, reusable sticker pads will keep your kids occupied.

Melissa and Doug have a variety of reusable sticker pads in different themes, such as Jungle and Savanna, Farm, Adventure, Animals and more. If you’re able to find a sticker pad that corresponds to your vacation, that’s a great way to introduce a new place or activity to the kids and stir up interest.

Planning on snorkeling on vacation? Grab an Under the Sea reusable sticker pad and introduce the kids to the underwater world before they put their head in the ocean. These reusable sticker pads are inexpensive so you don’t need to worry if one gets accidentally left behind.

Melissa & Doug Reusable Sticker Pads Set: Jungle, Farm & Under The Sea- Check current price here

Aqua Doodle Travel Pad

Another great reusable activity pad for youngsters is a water doodle pad, such as the travel version by Aqua Doodle. This portable drawing toy makes no mess and requires only water to fill the pens. The fantastic thing about this drawing toy is that unlike regular markers, they will never run out or dry out if you lose the cap. You simply need water and you have endless coloring fun. Once the doodle pad dries, it is clear again for the next work of art. Our kids love to draw so this is a huge hit in our family.

AquaDoodle Travel Doodle – Check current price here

Magnetic drawing board

Another fun option for drawing is a travel size magnetic drawing board. The one below writes in 4 colors and erases when you slide the tab across the bottom. If you were a fan of the Etch a Sketch as a kid, then you’ll want to get one of these for your kids. If you have more than one child, you could let one draw with the AquaDoodle while the other draws with the magnetic drawing board and then swap.

This board is also lightweight and portable and fits easily in your carry-on bag or even in the pocket behind your seat in the car. We’ve kept one of these in our car for years to entertain the kids whether on a short drive across town or a long road trip. Encourage your budding artists with another medium for their artwork.

Magnetic Drawing Board– check current price here

Mini plastic animals

A set of mini plastic animals is another ideal travel toy for kids. You can bring as few or as many as you’d like and the kids will enjoy creative play with their animals. Our kids can spend hours playing with their miniature animals at home, so we always let them select a few to bring on vacation. Since they are lightweight and small (this set includes animals that are 2 inches long), they don’t take up much space or weight in your luggage. These animals make a fantastic travel toy for toddlers on airplanes, cruises, or road trips.

Mini animal set-check current price here

Pull back cars

Another small toy for traveling that makes a big impact are pull back cars. Our son, who has endless energy, has a blast chasing around race cars in the airport while waiting for flights. He’s made friends with other kids who wanted to join in on the fun. These cars are budget-friendly, light and small, meaning you’ll always have room to throw a few in your carry-on or even purse. You can purchase these toddler travel toys in sets or individually, so bring a few extra in case one gets lost.


Pull Back Car Set- check current price  here

Books

We always make sure to bring at least one book when traveling with our kids. At home, we read them books every night as part of our bedtime routine. When traveling, maintaining that bedtime routine helps them feel safe and secure and brings a little piece of home with us. We let them pick one book to bring, and sometimes will bring an extra book that is about the location we are visiting. This is a great way to incorporate more education into the travel experience. It also gets them excited about the new place and adventures you’ll be discovering together as a family.

There’s a series called Good Night Our World that is perfect for young children. We read our kids Good Night Philadelphia during a weekend in Philadelphia, which shows the kids pictures of all the main landmarks and attractions in Philly. The series includes New York, California, Oregon, America, and more. See if you can find a book that will introduce your kids to your travel destination, pique their curiosity, and get them excited to explore.

Good Night New York City (Good Night Our World)– check current price here

Magnetic tiles

Magnetic tiles are another educational toy that is great for travel. Our kids spend hours playing with their magnetic tiles at home, so they are ideal to bring along for vacation. They build castles to house their mini animals or try making different shapes. This is a great learning toy, helping kids improve their science, technology, engineering, math and art skills.

You can purchase a small set of magnetic tiles for travel that will keep the kids happy in the plane, car, hotel, cruise, or even at a restaurant. The tiles stick together with magnets and pack compactly, taking up little space in your luggage.  These are ideal plane toys for toddlers and older kids alike, making them a perfect choice for families with kids in different age groups.

Magnetic tiles- Check current price here

Play-Doh

Play-Doh is a tried-and-true toy that many moms keep handy, making it one of the best airplane toys for toddlers and even older kids. Since it is light and small, it’s convenient to take on vacation. Pull down that tray table on the airplane and let the kids get busy creating masterpieces. It’s also affordable so you don’t feel bad if you end up throwing it away at the end of the trip. This starter pack below comes with 4 colors of play-doh and some tools to cut and shape it, which should keep the kids happy for awhile and foster creativity.

Play-Doh Starter Set– check current price here

Tablet

Last but certainly least we recommend a tablet as the ultimate travel toy for kids. We would not have survived some of the grueling long-haul flights we’ve taken with our kids without their tablets. Our kids each have their own tablet to avoid arguing over whose turn it is to use. Even for longer domestic flights we’ve taken, tablets have kept our kids entertained and quiet. We have downloaded several different educational activities, games, and drawing applications to keep them occupied. You can also play movies from tablets, which is helpful when your flight doesn’t have inflight entertainment.

Some of our favorite apps and games for our kids’ tablets include ABC Mouse, which is a paid subscription for learning activities that our kids enjoy. A similar but free educational app is Khan Academy Kids, which has thousands of games, books, songs and activities for kids ages 2-6.

There are so many free or cheap apps offering educational play for toddlers and preschoolers, so make sure to download them before your trip. It’s also a good idea to test them out to make sure they work properly on your device and that they hold your child’s attention. If you’re flying Southwest Airlines, make sure to download their app prior to your flight, which gives you access to free movies and TV shows.

Traveling with tablets for our kids has made our travels so much easier. We recommend starting with all the other toys first, and then when nothing else seems to keep their attention, pull out the tablet. We know that too much screen time is not good for kids, but in moderation a tablet can be a lifesaver. It can make the difference between the entire plane giving you the evil eye because your child won’t stop screaming and your child happily watching a movie and then drifting off to sleep. Trust us- you’ll want this in your travel toolbox. It’s one of the most essential airplane toys for kids in our opinion.

One of the best tablets for kids is the Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet. The one below comes with a 2-year warranty and kid-proof case that allows it to stand up while kids play games or watch movies on it. Consider this an investment in your wellbeing.

Check current price for tablet here

Which travel toys for kids will you bring?

So those are our recommendations for travel toys that will keep your toddler or preschooler entertained while traveling. Don’t forget to bring some Disinfecting Wipes to wipe down the tray tables before your flight where the germs are lurking. You will also want to bring a kid’s Travel Pillow and Blanket Set if you’re taking an overnight flight with kids. If you’re prepared with engaging preschooler and toddler airplane activities and toys, you’ll have a much more enjoyable flight.

Which travel toys do you plan to take on your next trip? Please let us know in the comments if you have any other suggestions on the best travel toys for kids.

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