It’s no secret that flying with a toddler is harder than a newborn. They usually have lots of energy they need to burn and they love to be entertained and can have a fairly short attention span. So if you want to know how to fly with a toddler and keep them busy, even on ultra long haul flights, read on!
We have covered below lots of easy airplane activities for toddlers and how to entertain a baby from a few months old, to how to entertain a 1 year old on a plane, plus older toddlers who are more energetic and every age in between.
Flying long haul with a toddler initially filled me with a sense of dread, especially as we have immediate family in Australia, so door to door is often over 24 hours – if not longer, which is a lot of time to fill!
However, on the plus side, toddlers are beginning to grasp the concept of imaginative play, enjoy picture books and sensory activities.
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The majority of the following portable travel toys for toddlers have worked well for myself and other parents on many many flights and car journeys. Our review experts are fellow parents, who like myself, have traveled extensively, with different aged toddlers on various long and short haul trips. Many of them are found on the Travel with Babies and Toddler Facebook group offering helpful advice too! This guide is regularly updated with the latest toys and activities and ideas which impress us and keep even the most fidgety toddler busy and your flight less stressful.
What to look out for when choosing a travel activity.
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Depending on your budget and mode of transport, look out for these features:
- Can be used independently: If you constantly need to be interacting or operating the toy, you are going to end up frazzled and exhausted. A toy which allows you a few minutes to enjoy your inflight meal or gives you time to fill out paperwork is best for everyone.
- Quiet: A quiet toy will make you popular with any neighbors. This includes headsets for any tablets. The rest of the plane maybe trying to sleep and do not hear Peppa Pig on repeat!
- Compact: Toys which can be easily stowed or folded away are better when you re tight on space, especially with cabin bags allowances always reducing! Make sure the toys doesn’t have really tiny pieces though, or these can get easily lost.
- Lightweight: Inevitably, it’s the parents who end up carrying not only their child but their toys too! For your back’s sack, pack lightweight. Multi-use toys are brilliant like stacking cups as they can be used as toy on the plane and on arrival for bath-time fun too.
- Mess free: Please leave the Playdoh at home! Crew or cleaners need to spend longer getting it out of small crevices or removing ingrained bits from the carpet – which means delays to boarding for next flights. It’s no fun removing from the car either.
- Does not rely on batteries or charging. There is nothing worse than running out of power or finding the charging portal is broken. Have some toys packed which don’t rely on batteries or cables but have the trusty iPad too! Tablet time rules go out of the window for us on flights. Do what works for your family!
- Multi use toys: Toys which have multi uses can save space and luggage weight. eg Snacks like the Cheerio hops and laces idea below, can be a fine motor skill activity as well as a snack. Or road play tape that can be used anywhere, from a plane tray table to a hotel room carpet.
How do I entertain my toddler on a long flight?
Travelling with a toddler on a plane can have its challenging moments. Below I’ve included some great airplane activities for toddlers to help keep them entertained and hopefully give you a chance to have a break during the flight.
I’ve categorised them into different activities including technology, games, toys and the all important snacks for toddlers.
Best of all, they are fairly small and light weight meaning they don’t take up a lot of space in your nappy/diaper bag or carry-on.
What can I bring on a plane for my toddler?
You can bring pretty much anything on board to entertain, but for the sake of your sanity and other passengers too, toddler plane activities are best if they are quiet, on the smaller side, do not have liquid inside them, and any activity is fairly mess free. Fill toys like the water toy pens once onboard, otherwise be prepared to take them out at the security gate.
100ml or 3-1-1 liquid rules do not apply for baby/toddler food brought onboard.
Cheap Ideas to Keep a Toddler Busy on a Flight
- Make a puppet out of the airplane seat waste paper bag/barf bag – just bring along some pens or colouring pencils.
- Make cup animals from the paper drink cups from the crew.
- Pack post it notes or themed plasters/band-aids for them to stick around their seat (remove them afterwards!)
- If you are sitting next to a window, use window gel clings. These can be great to entertain a toddler on a long flight.
- Bring an old spice container and pipe cleaners for some fine motor skills. Little ones love to ‘post’ things through holes.
- Bring an old wallet with pretend cards and/or low value coins for them to play with for older kids.
- Pack a few piper cleaners and uncooked pasta shapes for them to thread and make a bracelet.
- Find an old empty tub or container, fill it with different coloured small pom pom balls. Put holes in the lid, and then your toddler can post them back through and practice their color knowledge too.
- Any old zips attached to a piece of material for them to play with.
- Triangular crayons so they don’t roll away.
- Kids washi tape. You can get rolls themed with dinosaurs, pirates, cars, fairytales and more. great for roll play and sticking on the airplane tray table as it is easily removable and mess free. You can even buy washi tape or masking/painters tape which is marked out like a road. Or draw your own road markings on plain painters tape. Just add a toy car and zoom!
- Another easy busy bag idea and great travel toy is pack some pre cut up card in half, but in various shapes, wavy line, in half, zig zag etc for an easy 2 part puzzle where it doesn’t matter if the pieces get lost.
- Lift the flap game – use old ‘close down lids’ from baby wipes and stick 8 to a piece of card. Under each open lid draw a picture, colour or number and then close. A quick and easy game of ‘lift the flap’ or ‘where is?’
- Finger puppets
- Playdoh – although some people swear by it, I find it a bit messy and it can be hit or miss whether you are allowed to bring it on board. As mentioned above, it’s not easy to remove for the next passenger sitting in that seat.
- Another idea for younger children, is a travel busy board – where everything is in one place but there are plenty of activities for little hands. This Montessori Busy Board is a great sensory toy with lots of zips, buttons and games to play favorite books, coloring crayons, paper, snacks and even a water bottle too!
Toddler Travel Games
For active toddlers, you will likely want to stretch your legs and theirs and walk around the plane. Other parents will be doing exactly the same! It’s worth asking the crew if they need any ‘helpers’.
Airlines like Virgin Atlantic, often hand out sweets before landing and ask kids to help – this can help with that final stretch.
During the main part of the flight, the crew might need some ‘help’ after the main meal service handing out ice cream or something similar.
Simplified versions of pairs, or snap can work well or even counting/picture flash cards.
Alternatively, other activities for toddlers on a plane include an i-spy/ scavenger hunt printable game. Little ones can look around the plane and tick some items off their list.
Here are two plane activities for you to download for free: an airport scavenger hunt and the airplane scavenger hunt. Click on the link for your free download.
Toddler Snacks for the Airplane
Snacks, all the snacks! Always pack more than you think you need, especially for a long haul flight with a toddler.
Threading Cheerios on a sweetie lace can be a great fine motor skill which combines snacking too – a great airplane activity for your 18 month old or older. Other snack ideas include:
- raisins
- cheese crackers
- fruit squeeze pouch
- blueberries
- cooked pasta
- mini sausages
- rice cakes
- bananas
- granola bars
- satsumas
- cucumber
- bread sticks
Anything that is fresh, remember to leave on the aircraft or check the countries customs laws. For example, fresh food of any kind is NOT allowed into Australia or New Zealand. To keep the food fresh, I take ziploc bags and fill with ice from home, and refill at the airport and on the airplane.
I don’t use icepacks/coolpacks as some countries security laws will not accept these through security. Instead, pack some ziplocs and refill once airside and again from the crew onboard the plane.
I avoid candy, lollies and chocolate etc as a hyper kid on the plane is zero fun! The only exception is the lollipop I keep for top of descent, in case they find the ear pressure uncomfortable.
Technology
I used to pack various techie toys or bits, but now I take my phone and iPad and download it with apps for the kids. As toddlers they really enjoyed apps such as:
- Peekaboo Barn
- Toca Boca
- ABC Toddler
- Mouse Maze
- Lego Duplo House and Trains
- Duck Duck Moose,
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar.
Older toddlers may enjoy the free My Town series where they can immerse themselves into various places and role play – like the farm, an airplane, the vets etc. My youngest is absolutely captivated by them!
I also download the airlines app, as depending on the airline, you may need to have this downloaded before your flight in order to access any of the in flight entertainment.
You can also download episodes from Netflix or BBC iplayer. These may have a limited watch time once you have either downloaded or began to watch them, so save this tip for the day before you go.
For more toddler apps you may be interested in, I wrote a more detailed post on baby and toddler apps here.
Travel Toys to Keep Toddlers Occupied on a Plane
I list more ideas in this specific toddler travel toy post, but here are some of my favourite travel toys for toddlers on airplanes:
Toys to keep toddler occupied on planes.
Airplane Activities for Toddlers 2023
Do let us know what worked well for you!
These are so portable to take with you and stick on a plane window, train window, a hotel fridge and a variety of places. Recommended for 18 months and up.
Little ones love putting things in them and taking them out again. I particularly liked this bath set from Munchkin. which is neatly stacked for hand luggage and ideal for in and out of water. We found these cups were great to play with in a bath or a pool at the destination too.
The cups are in bright colours so the have an educational element to them too as little one can learn the colours and develop their fine motor skills when stacking them. They also have the option of being stuck together to form a caterpillar and for pouring water with different perforations. These were definitely one of our go to’s for travelling.
- Cups nest for compact storage
- Helps build hand-eye coordination
- Made for kids 9 months and up
A popular game for little hands and one that is easy to transport whilst traveling. It does have pieces which could drop, but this is useful for little ones to play with in the more secure airplane bassinet or at your destination.
- Perfect take-along toy
- Includes a padded case with 2 activity sides and a take-along handle
- Includes 9 shaped, textured blocks in in various colours
A firm favourite since she was a tiny baby and she still loved them as a small toddler. The bright colours engage and provide visual stimulation, whereas the links have different textures on which appeals to babies sense of touch.
All linked together they can be used as a rattle, or separately as a teether. Another very versatile toy. They work brilliantly on airline bassinets and are ideal for travel car seats too.
- Multiple colors stimulate baby's sense of vision
- Multiple textures provide touch stimulation
- Top-rack dishwasher safe
My 1 year old LOVED this buckle toy whale and it kept her so busy. So many people have sung its praises to me after purchasing it. I firmly believe it’s one of the best travel toys for 1 year olds and often buy it as a travel gift for friends with little ones.
The Buckle Toy Whale has several buckles to do up and a zip mouth. The only issue is once they master the buckle, you may get asked a few times to unbuckle it, until they discover that skill.
Nonetheless, it has easily occupied her for over 30 minutes – a minor miracle! Now it’s a firm favourite on all our journeys, car included. It’s one of the best toddler toys for airplane use, because it is so quiet.
- Easy-glide zipper pocket
- Vibrant colored straps and buckles
- Perfect for small hands and to clip on a stroller
These similar travel water pen books by Melissa & Doug Water WOW also look fun too and educational! Just make sure you empty the pen from water before security or add it to your clear plastic bag.
The magnetic board opens up and creates a scene with characters and accessories that stick to the board!
The Zippee is a fairly quiet multi-sensory silicone activity toy for babies 18 months plus. Pull the cords from side to side to hear and feel the various sounds and vibrations the cords make. With the sound of an aircraft white noise this wont disturb other passengers. it’s BPA free, Phthalate Free, Food Grade Silicone. Easy to clean (warm water or top rack of dishwasher). Bonus is it makes a great fidget toy for older siblings too!
Some favourite books include the ‘Find The .. series Lots of things to spot on each page and a complete classic. Both have loved this book so much that I had to buy two copies due to over use!
Triangular crayons like these from Melissa & Doug, don't roll away on an airplane or train tray table! Genius and one of the best toys for toddlers on planes!
A friend recently recommended this wooden threading block which is great for developing younger toddler and baby fine motor skills – plus it’s a very quiet travel toy.
The dimpl toy features 5 vibrant silicone bubbles built into a plastic frame. Simple yet brilliant; push and pop them, Poke and grab them; a perfect, portable sensory delight. `Suitable for 10 months +
The pictures are by Axl Schelffler and are so engaging. It’s easy to see why these books are so popular with young children. Both of mine loved them from an early age and now the older one reads it to my youngest. Win win!
Soft cloth books have pages with quiet, sensory types of activities kids can do which often teach them practical skills (think: zips, buttons, laces and buckles etc.)
Pop Tubes Sensory Toys can connect together to form different shapes and words. They are textured and a great sensory fidget toy. The tubes stretch and help improve fine motor skills, motor planning & hand strength. Recommended for kids age 3+
This Dino Explorer case is ideal for dinosaur lovers aged 4 and above. The set includes 2 figures two dinosaurs, net cannon, rock wall, and other accessories a mini map and dinosaur bones! The carry case is sturdy with a handle, so compact and easy to transport. There are other similar sets in the series including a fairy unicorn case, construction case, a puppy play set amongst others.
This Montessori Quiet Book by deMoca is a set of reinforced fabric pages tied into 9 activities for your toddler, with all pieces tethered to the busy book to avoid losing pieces. Perfect for plane journeys and road trips!
Another idea for younger children, is a travel busy board - where everything is in one place but there are plenty of activities for little hands. This Montessori Busy Board is a great sensory toy with lots of zips, buttons and games to play which are all part of a bag. This toddler travel bag has enough space for favorite books, coloring crayons, paper, snacks and even a water bottle too!
Gel Window stickers or gel clings are reusable, mess free and very handy if you have a window seat on a plane, or even for road trips in a car or coach. These are better for older pre-schoolers. If you cannot find any window stickers or don’t have a window seat, then stickers, bandaids, post-it notes are another option for cheap toddler travel games. These can easiily be stuck on seat rests and airplane tray tables for fun too!
Kids washi tape. You can get rolls themed with dinosaurs, pirates, cars, fairytales and more. Great for roll play and sticking on the airplane tray table as it is easily removable and mess free. You can even buy washi tape or masking/painters tape which is marked out like a road. Or draw your own road markings on plain painters tape. Just add a toy car and zoom! But for ease, this Melissa and Doug Tape Activity book has resusable activities.
My Busy Books are great travel activities for kids. These are very good value activity boxes with a story, 12 figurines and also contain a folded up play mat for role play. Whilst the play mat is too big for a plane or public transport, the figurines are still fun to play with. Once at a destination or a flight delay, the play mat can come out.
This is all very compact and easy to pack in your hand luggage making them ideal travel toys for toddlers. We have a Paw Patrol, Frozen, Trolls and My Little Pony one!
My one-year-old and four-year love Duplo. The number train is easy to pack and fun too. (We just discarded the box for easier packing). We actually bought this on one of our trips away and then kept bringing it along as it was such a success.
Pieces can obviously drop on the floor of a car or airplane, so we opted to just use a couple of pieces from this set on the plane and saved the rest for playing with at the destination. If you are staying in a hotel room, villa, or Air BNB which doesn’t have any toys, bringing a few toys for moments of boredom or quiet time can prove invaluable.
These water drawing sets are some of the best toddler toys for airplane entertainment. They have re-usable colouring in mats, which just use a water pen. Once they have dried out, you can reuse them again.
This is a great idea if you are packing travel toys for 18 months and older.
Mini figurines; such as the Happy Land characters from the Early Learning Centre (UK) or the Fisher Price Little People.(Worldwide) or small toy animals and dinosaurs.
These have been played with SO much on all modes of transport and are a firm staple for us. These are brilliant for imaginative play - arm rests become mountains, tray tables become roads and seat belts
A mini train set with tracks all in a tin - perfect for traveling!
We have the Farm in a Tin version from the UK, which has been SO popular with my daughter from the age of two. It does have small parts (especially the 3 ducks) but it’s such a compact toy, which has been handy to have in my bag and whip out if there has been a flight delay.
It’s also been great for her to play with whilst away on holiday and stuck inside a hotel room or winding down with some jet lag. Even at home it’s played with frequently, making our list as one of the best toddler travel toys for 2 year olds. You can buy rail track to extend the track around the tray table or hotel floor which leaves no messy residue behind!
You can buy role play/painter tape or road play tape here from Amazon. It is ideal as it doesn't ruin furniture and can be used anywhere, making cars and road tape perfect toys for toddlers on airplanes. You can buy rail track to, if you wish to extend the train track from train in a tin above!
This sensory fidget popper bubble toy is made of silicone and comes with a clown fish, whale and turtle. There are so many variations to buy.
If you are flying with older children, these travel games for kids may be useful too!
Don’t forget:
- Have you remembered any items you need to help your baby or toddler sleep on the plane?
- Would you like a free printable (no sign up) packing checklist for flying?
- Find out which airlines/airports provide courtesy airport strollers.
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Sunday 1st of May 2022
Thanks for this! Im about to fly across the globe with a 2yr old and a 10 month old, trying not to remind myself how absolutely daft it seems to be and focus on making it to the other-side with some semblance of peace
Carrie Bradley
Saturday 7th of May 2022
Most welcome! It is tough remembering that you will have an amazing time the other side. :-)
Sarah
Saturday 30th of April 2022
Great ideas! I'm flying soon with my almost 2 year old and plan to try some of these. Do you have a carryon bag recommendation that accommodates all the toddler toys/snacks/clothes for long flights (Malaysia to Florida) and your own personal items? Thanks!
Carrie Bradley
Saturday 7th of May 2022
I find a backpack is easier than a hard case - especically if I need to be hands free and carry toddler!
Paul McGee
Saturday 14th of December 2019
Drugs
Simon
Saturday 16th of November 2019
Some handy ideas, we are about to travel overseas with our little one for the first time. Im expecting the worst but fingers crossed. Cheers for the useful ideas
joanna
Wednesday 14th of April 2021
@Simon, how it go ?