Mel here! Probably our most asked question we get in our DMs is, "I'm taking a trip soon and want to know what toys to use to keep my littles busy?" We decided to make an entire guide dedicated to toys that are perfect for cars, planes, trains, etc. Excellent picks for all of your on the go adventures.
1. Yoto Mini: We love the Yoto Player in our home, and use it almost every single day. My kids have made it a part of their wind-down routine to listen to stories or guided meditations. This mini version is perfect for family vacations, with its small and compact design! It has headphone or bluetooth capabilities and a lanyard so it isn’t easily lost! It comes with a protective jacket, so you don’t have to worry about damage from your travels!
2. Yoto Card Holder: If you are traveling with a Mini Yoto Player, it is paramount that you have somewhere to store your cards! In similar fashion to trading cards, the case has 8 protective sheets with 8 pockets each, protecting up to 64 cards all in one place. The case can fit in a backpack, so it is easy to take along on a plane or road trip. Keep all your Yoto cards in one place and never lose a favorite card again!
3. Rubber Tube Fidget Toy: I am a sucker for fidget toys that encourage fine motor and cognitive skills in my littles, and the Gapiks Busy Board does all of that while keeping my girls entertained the entire drive! It slows down the brain and helps kids focus on the sensory experience of pushing, peeling, twisting, and shaping! The bright colors are engaging and it easily fits on their lap for convenient play.
4. Mini Squigz: Did you know that your kids’ windows are the perfect play board? I’m sure your kids knew that already, but now it is time for you to take advantage of it! The Mini Squigz suction cups are exactly what your kid who loves to touch the window needs! They can construct a string of colorful silicone pieces of different shapes, or simply cover the window in suction cups! The creativity potential is limitless, and you may actually see your windows cleaner because of it!
5. Mini Voyager Kits: Mini Voyager is your one-stop shop for all things travel toys! We are honored to collaborate with them on a few different Toy Testing Sister Travel Kits! We hand-picked three different kits for three different ages: kids, toddlers, and babies. Each kit comes with 8 distinctive toys and a canvas drawstring bag for storage! Whether you are a seasoned vet when it comes to traveling with kiddos or new to the game, these kits are a hassle-free choice for keeping your kids of all ages entertained on the road.
6. Mini Magnetic Tiles: The joy of magnetic play does not need to be confined to the home. Leave the magnet tiles in the playroom and keep a mini Magna-Tiles set in the car! This 26 piece set comes in a tin box for convenient safe-keeping. We keep a set in my 6 year old’s backpack so she can pull it out at recess or whenever she has downtime in class! It is so fun for them to build together as siblings in the car or friends in the lunchroom.
7. Suction Cup Spinners: One of my favorite and inexpensive toys for babies and toddlers are suction cup spinners because they are so mesmerizing, colorful, and truly addictive! I am always in the market for screen-free toys that can hold the attention of my littles, and these spinners keep them quiet and focused for way longer than you’d think! Simply stick the spinner onto the car window, kitchen table, bathtub or refrigerator, and your kids will be sent into a sensory bliss!
8. LCD Writing Tablet: My girls love to color in the car, but that often involves grabbing too many supplies and a huge mess in the car when we get home. The Bravokids LCD Writing Tablet was the perfect solution! The 10” tablet is compact, has a stylus connected with a cord (so your kids won’t drop it!) and the screen won’t glare in the sun. Your kids will have a blast drawing their rainbow masterpieces, and can even save the ones they love by clicking the lock key! I am obsessed with this paperless, crayon-free drawing tool!
9. Spot It Game: Every time we go on vacation, we bring the Spot It card game with us. It is so compact in its tin box and easy to carry around, and is one of the easiest games to teach little kids! My girls caught on right away, and we played the quick game all afternoon on our last family trip. Bring it out whenever your kids are bored in the hotel room, during adult swim at the pool, or at the restaurant waiting for your meal! This game is one of convenience, speed and family fun.
10. Imagine Ink Coloring Book: I love magic ink coloring so much as mom. I always worry about my kids drawing on surfaces instead of paper, but these booklets spare me from that stress! We often bring them on the road because they are easy to transport, mess-free, and it doesn’t matter if your child draws out of the lines! My 4 year old is always in awe at how the ink just shows up in all different colors with one white-tipped marker. I’ve even used an Imagine Ink Coloring Book when traveling on my own, and it was so relaxing.
11. Wikki Stix: Wikki Stix are a mess-free way of creating art wherever you go! These bendy, moldable wax sticks are so fun to craft into whatever shape your child imagines! Build 3D sculptures that can stand, or lie the wax sticks flat on a piece of paper, either way it is a soothing and relaxing activity for quiet time, road or plane trips, or bus rides! There are 24 sticks, 6” long, in the colors of the rainbow.
12. Magnetic Dot Art: I found the most therapeutic, satisfying, and convenient toy to take on-the-go. Chuckle & Roar crafted a unique magnetic toy that strengthens fine motor skills, helps children focus, and hones their creativity: the Magnetic Dot Art Designer! All your children have to do is slip a stencil of their choice from the back of the board into the front, pick up a magnet using the magnetic stylus, and place it over the stencil to create a colorful, mess-free design! The magnets are enclosed behind a screen, so there is no risk of spilling, losing, or choking on them.
13. Mini Magnatab Keychain: Fidget toys come in all shapes and sizes, and this one fits conveniently in pockets, purses and on keychains! It is a great fidget toy to keep on your person for whenever you or your child needs to quiet the mind, put your hands to use, and pass the time. The Mini Magnatab Keychain comes in a variety of shapes, with an attached sylus to pull the magnets to the surface with a satisfying “click”! My 4 year old loves to watch me pull the magnets so that she can wipe them off the board when I am done.
14: Spot It Book: Remember Where’s Waldo, or the ISpy books from when we were kids? These type of books are still around for a reason! Kids love to find things, and will spend a shockingly long time looking until they spot it! We love to take our 10001 Things to Spot on Vacation book every time we take a road trip because my girls get so into it, competing to see who can spot things sooner! Once they have found everything in the 13 pages, I will spot something for them to find. It’s endless fun that makes the time fly!
15. Rubix Cube: Rubix Cubes have withstood the test of time, with kids all over the world still beating world records for solving it the fastest! I personally only used Rubix Cubes for making pretty patterns, but my brother was obsessed with solving it. We got our Toy Testing 8 year old nephew his first Rubix Cube and the genius figured it out in a matter of hours! This toy is perfect for him and other kids who like to problem solve, take things apart, and put them back together.
16. Mini Lego Kits: Let your child bring their passion for building and engineering on the road with the Hogokids Animal Building Blocks! The value of this toy is incredible- 20 animals for $20! Each animal has about 30 pieces on average, and an instruction booklet to guide them! My 6 year old just started experimenting with building bricks, and these simple designs are just the right difficulty for her. They are packaged individually, so they are a great party favor or small gift for friends.
17. Paint by Sticker: Some kids are paint kids, and some are sticker kids! The Paint by Sticker book is made with sticker kids in mind, while also taking into consideration their developmental needs. The book helps them work on their ability to follow instructions, promotes fine motor skills, and helps them learn how different shapes can make up a beautiful finished product! My 6 year old is a sticker kid and has a Paint by Sticker book in the car, ready to go, whenever we drive.
18. Magnetic Fidget Men: Your traveling group just got a little bigger with MagMen, a magnetic humanoid building toy! The ten magnetic men are super flexible and stretchy, making it easy to shift and shape them in as many ways as your kids can imagine! Make the men into a ball, a crown, a stack, and even a functional bowl or fridge magnet. The magnets are powerful enough to hold heavy objects like everyday tools from your toolbox, and bright enough to engage little minds.
19. Ride on Suitcase and Travel Bed Bundle: I found a way to make traveling with kids so much easier! JetKids made a suitcase for kids that they can ride through the airport and on the sidewalk, so mom and dad don’t have to carry all the luggage anymore! Not only that, but the Travel Bundle also comes with a travel bed specifically meant for airplane seats to make your child’s ride more comfortable. The suitcase can be manipulated to become a seat extender so they have more room to get a good flight’s sleep. Oh and don’t forget the backpack! Between the suitcase and the backpack, there is more than enough storage for all your kiddo’s needs.
20. To Go Play Food: The king and queen of immersive food play, Melissa & Doug, created the best play food for travel! Their Play to Go 2 packs offer a culinary experience in one little bucket, ideal for road trips, down time at the hotel, or to take to school. A cake and cookies set, as well as an ice cream set are included in your purchase, doubling the fun! Each set has over 10 wooden or felt pieces, an instruction card, and a takealong cup. When your child is done with the kit, they can easily fit everything back in the cup and set it in a standard cup holder!
21. Puffy Sticker Book: Stickers are so fun for kids, but they are often hard to peel off, leave a residue, and can’t be reused. I love the Puffy Sticker Books because the stickers and the background sheets are fully reusable and don’t leave a mess if a sticker happens to end up on a surface they shouldn’t be on! There are three choices of sets: ocean, dinosaur, and safari, and they each come with handles for carrying and sticker storage!
22. Hangman: Take this classic word game on the go for the whole family to enjoy! The Melissa & Doug Travel Hangman game. There are no loose pieces, with flipable letter and body part squares, and a white board for writing out the word or phrase. We love to pass around the board in the car, each guessing one letter at a time until someone gets it right! It is great for friendly competition, spelling and reading practice, and family bonding.
23. Tangram: It’s like Origami… but after taking out a few steps! Instead of folding paper, your child will arrange colorful, geometric magnetic blocks to match a pattern in the booklet. It is great for travel because the magnets don’t easily fall apart, and everything can be neatly stored in the booklet. My 4 year old has gotten so much use out of her Tangram, and her color and shape recognition and spatial reasoning skills have greatly improved.
24. Sticker Wow: It is like a stamp, but for stickers! The Sticker Wow Pen is such a fun way to place stickers, and there are so many different character pens to choose from. If your kids can’t get enough of using stickers, they certainly need this activity booklet! I love how many stickers the pen can hold, so I am not continually needing to help my kids load their pens. Its simplicity makes it a great on-the-go toy!
25. Point and Shoot Camera: If your child has shown any real interest in photography, this camera is for you. The screen-free setup helps keep your kids in the moment, enjoying and capturing the great outdoors, or whatever adventure they are on. I love how many color options they have to choose from, making it the perfect camera for boys and girls. You can even download different filters onto the camera, customizing your child’s photography experience even more. My 6 year old takes it with her every time we go on an outdoor adventure with the hopes of photographing her favorite wildlife!
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26. Mini Glitter Magnetic Tiles: Crayola has entered the magnetic tiles chat. Packaged in a classic Crayola Crayon-styled box, their 24 piece Mini PIP-Tiles set is full of various colorful shapes that glitter! These sparkly tiles will be dreamy to take on the road, wherever your child goes! My 4 year old cannot go anywhere without her “sparkle tiles”, because they make a magical home for her miniature dolls.
27. Tic Tac Toe Bolt: Tic Tac Toe is another classic game that, unfortunately, can get boring quickly. The Tic Tac Toe Bolt game solves that problem, including 3 Tic Tac Toe- styled games in one! Play a classic head-to-head game, or play an AI bot that adapts its difficulty level on your skill. Practice memory with the memory flash setting, or play a variation of the original game that stole all our hearts. My 6 and 4 year old will often play a head-to-head game, but my 6 year old always wins, so maybe my 4 year old should try playing against the AI!
28. Travel Mattress: You never know when your family is going to get stuck somewhere with kids and no beds! Think flight delays, layovers, or an AirBnB that doesn’t have enough beds for all the children. I love having the JetKids Cloud Sleeper on hand because it is inflatable but does not require a pump to inflate it! All you need is a few minutes and your own two hands or feet to pump it up yourself. Each of my children, 6, 4, and 1, easily fit on it, and when we are done we can pack it up into a convenient storage bag!
29. On The Go Puzzle: Puzzles are typically risky to travel with because each puzzle piece is precious to the final product! This double-sided puzzle keeps the puzzle pieces all in a handy pouch, so your kids can take out one piece at a time. Each puzzle has 49 pieces, coming together to make gorgeous woodland scenes with a size of 14” x 11.5”. My 6 year old loves puzzles and woodland creatures, so this puzzle was a hit for her!
30. UNO Wild: I hope everyone reading this is familiar with UNO, because if you aren’t, you are truly missing out! UNO is one one of the best family games ever invented. My girls laugh and laugh when they skip me or reverse the direction. We take UNO with us on our adventures, and the storage tin keeps all the cards safe. It is super easy and convenient to pack, and maybe even more easy and convenient to play!
31. Large Plus Plus: I love the Plus Plus puzzle blocks as an open-ended, STEM travel toy! The carrying case doubles as a tabletop to build on, and it includes 15 large, brightly colored puzzle pieces. Some kids crave the freedom of building whatever they want, whenever they want, and this puzzle offers that! It is a great toy for solving boredom, and the pieces are large enough that they are hard to lose when you are out and about!
32. Road Tape / Hot Wheels Cars: My 9 year old nephew loves his Hot Wheels, and I know for a fact that he takes his collection with him everywhere he goes. We got him the Hot Wheels Cars & Trucks 10 pack and Play Road Tape so he could bring the track with him. The tape sticks to any flat surface without leaving a residue, so he can play with his cars literally anywhere. It is a great gift idea for anyone who loves cars but can’t take their fancy racetracks everywhere!
33. Busy Board: Who needs a tablet when you can have a Hape Lock & Learn Playboard? On this busy board, kids can explore locks, doors, and secret passages for problem solving and pretend play, working out their fine motor muscles and color recognition skills. The board has a handle so carrying it around is easy! I love keeping this toy in my car or putting it in my 4 year-old’s backpack to take on-the-go.
34. Rainbow Play Doh: Get the colors of the rainbow in one jar! The Rainbow Playdough Jar came to us as a party favor one day, and my 4 and 6 year olds are absolutely obsessed. If your kids love play dough and insist on bringing it with them wherever you are going, grab this jar! They get all the colors of the rainbow in one place, with sparkles and a miniature rainbow to boot. Replace your dull play dough with one that glitters, and your kids will be set.
35. Slumber Pod: The Slumber Pod has saved many mom lives since its creation, including mine. If you are sharing a room with your little one while traveling, this gem is an absolute must. The pod is totally black-out, helping to deprive the senses while mom and dad are still awake. It fits over a pack-n-play, or you can add-on their travel bed to save space and weight on your travels. The Slumber Pod has completely taken my stress about nap and bedtime on vacations away and we can all rest easy!
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