So, your baby has convinced you that it’s time to take their first plane trip. While their eagerness is adorable, you’re probably well aware that traveling with kids is a miserable game at the best of times, only made more difficult by the feeling that the general expectation for babies on planes is to be seen and not heard or to smell them.
In case you end up sitting next to the man who hilariously quips that the only place for babies on the plane is the wing, here are some games and activities to keep your baby or toddler busy with as little traffic, noise and mess as possible .
The best travel toys for kids to take with you
When choosing the perfect candidate baby toys to pack for your flight, here are a few criteria you’ll likely want to keep on your radar:
- Lightweight and easy to pack in hand luggage
- No mess
- It won’t roll and will disappear when (not if) it falls
- Not too loud and obnoxious (you know the ones)
- Games that will make it past security (draw some water/get stuff full of stuff that might not go through)
With that in mind, here are some of the best travel games listed by age (0-4) to check out before your next trip!
Lamaze Clip & Go Freddie the Firefly
This sweet sensory toy is bright, bold, crinkly and squeaky and comes with a mirror and ladybug, toothpick and squeaker. It also has a clip to keep it attached to your diaper bag, stroller or mat so you can keep it secure as you travel to your gate and not have to worry about rescuing it from the plane floor . 0+ months. Find it on Amazon and Target.
Unbreakable books
The first time someone showed me these lightweight books, I was a little skeptical that they could actually withstand the destructive forces of a baby, but once I bent, folded, crumpled, and tried to tear one open, I was sold. There are lots of cute stories to choose from, and they can also be chewed and washed. 0+ months. Find them at Amazon and Target.
Sassy photo album
This Sassy photo album can contain pictures of the house, pets, family or anything else you can think of. You could even cut out pictures from magazines of their favorite things to keep them happy for your next plane ride. I would put some pictures in each sleeve so I could reinvent the book if they had the pictures. 3+ months. Find it on Amazon.
Note: If you’d rather have a fully featured album, you could create a custom softcover photo album in Chatbooks.
Book busy
This adorable quiet book is the perfect travel toy for children six months and up. It is easy to carry and play with thanks to its large parts and has many interactive pages with different materials and objects such as ribbons, zippers, felt, buttons and more to keep your child entertained. Best of all, it’s machine washable, making it easy to remove germs when you get home! Get it here. 6+ months. Find it on Amazon and Target.
Fun Baby Tissue Box
If you’ve ever caught your child going to town on the tissue in your bathroom, you’ll probably agree that whoever made the reusable, cloth version is nothing short of a genius. There are many brands that make their own version of this, but I liked the small size of this one. 6+ months. Find it on Amazon.
Fat Brain Toys Dimpl
Help your baby resist the urge to lick the tray table by giving them the baby version of a Pop It. The brightly colored buttons are 100% food grade silicone, making them safe to chew and fun to pop! 6+ months. Find it at Fat Brain Toys, Amazon, and Target.
PipSquigz Loops Fat Brain Games
These super fancy rattles are a sensual teething toy that no baby can resist. The bent, suction cup creation comes with three rattle rings that are safe and fun to feel and chew and can stick to any non-porous surface. 6+ months. Find it at Fat Brain Toys, Amazon, and Target.
Fat Brain Toys MiniSpinny
MiniSpinny offers great sensory entertainment. The 3 colorful propellers rotate downwards and cannot fall thanks to the caps at each end. Turn it over to give it another go. 10+ months. Find it at Fat Brain Toys, Amazon, and Target.
I know I feature Fat Brain Toys a lot, but they are well made, quiet, and often self-contained, making for great on-the-go toys.
Fat Brain Toys Whirly Squigz
Babies and adults alike will get a kick out of Whirly Squigz, which are essentially silicone food fidget spinners. There are three colorful spinners with two, three and four petals and a suction cup on one side. They are great for sticking to an airplane window, tray or table top. 10+ months. Find it at Fat Brain Toys, Amazon, and Target.
Buckle games
These fun toys come in a variety of shapes and styles, but all include buckets that can be cut and rested on. Not only is it a great way to entertain little ones, but it also helps build their fine motor skills. Know your child on this one though, there’s a fine line between focus and frustration with games like these. 12+ months. Find them all on Amazon.
Mobi Zippee
This silicone activity toy comes with textured strings that make a satisfying (not too loud) sound and vibrate when pulled from side to side. It’s easy to grab and feels slightly destructive, which we all know is a favorite for this age. 18+ months. Find it at Target.
My first Crayola Double Doodle Board
If your older kids love to color but don’t want to put together their entire collection of coloring books, the Double Doodle Board is a fun alternative. One side has a sealed gel surface for seamless log and tactile play and the other has a reusable drawing surface for use with the supplied Ultra Clean washable crayons. 2+ years old. Find it on Amazon and Target.
Amazon Fire 7 Kids Tablet
If you’re okay with screen time, download some videos your little one loves, along with headphones, so your passengers don’t have to go through an emergency episode. Cocomelon. If you’re looking for some engaging apps to add, Peekaboo Barn and Baby’s Musical Hands are two fun ones you’ll likely enjoy. 2+ years old. Find it on Amazon.
Melissa & Doug Poke-a-Dot Books
These durable board books are perfect for toddlers aged 3 and up and come with buttons to press and pop and count on each page. Each piercing can make a different clicking and popping sound depending on how they are pressed. There are many different themes, such as oceans and farms, and even books with popular characters, such as Blues Clues. 3+ years old. Find them on Amazon and Target.
Original Fred Match UP Memory Snack Tray
Any parent will tell you that a snack in hand takes about 1.7 seconds, and there’s only so much room in a diaper bag when you’re trying to keep your child fed and entertained for an entire flight. This Snackle Box Memory Match UP game is so clever, I wish I had thought of it. Older kids will love making a toy out of their snack, and as a bonus, it can last up to a minute. 3+ years old. Find it on Amazon.
Note: If you’re looking for an upright snack container, I like the melii Snackle Box. All compartments are visible so you can see what you’re getting.
Water Wow Books
Water Wow Books brings the magic of painting without any of the mess. Simply fill your ‘brush’ with water and get ready to reveal the images underneath. These books can be used over and over again and have a bunch of different topics. 3+ years old. Find them on Amazon and Target.
The window is stuck
Grab some themed window clings and let your child escape from the airplane window (you’ll have to give them the best seat in the house for that to happen, though). Use the stickers to make stories and different images to mix things up. 3+ years old. Find them on Amazon.
Sticker books
Sticker books are another fun activity that kids of all ages go crazy for. There are some cute options out there with themed pages where kids can add and remove stickers to create different scenes. I like what Melissa and Doug make because the books are nice and compact. Just make sure none of those stickers end up on the head of the grandpa sitting in front of you. 4+ years old. Find them at Amazon and Target.
Tape and Post-it notes
Finally, a cheap and easy travel hack is Post-Its or Painter’s Tape. They’re both handy for stick-and-go activities for a bored toddler who digs into peeling this one (you know those kids). Just make sure you peel everything off and put it away when you’re done so the flight crew don’t have to deal with it. Also, keep in mind that they require more supervision than age-specific toys – nothing like eating a ball of tape on a transatlantic flight.
A smooth journey for air travel with babies and toddlers
Most parents would probably agree that flying with busy babies is not for the faint of heart. However, coming prepared with new activities, games and snacks is a great way to stave off hunger and boredom, which we all know is a no bueno combination at the best of times.
With your Mary Poppins bag full of tricks and the universe on your side, you might just get lucky and put your baby to sleep after takeoff, but just in case you don’t, you can consider yourself ready to take to the skies.
See also: Tips for Flying with Baby (Free Packing Checklist)
