Best Travel Toys for Long-Haul Flights: Tried & Tested

I’m Carrie, an ex-flight attendant with 12 years of long-haul experience, and mama to two girls who have been flying since they were 11 weeks old. That includes 24-hour flights to Australia. So when I recommend a travel toy, it’s because I’ve genuinely used it at 35,000 feet, in hotel rooms and on road trips.

Every toy on this list is quiet, lightweight, and actually worked for babies, toddlers, and everything in between.

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Best Travel Toys for Babies (6–12 Months)

The best travel toys for babies aged 6 to 12 months are lightweight, quiet, easy to attach to a bassinet or car seat, and engaging for short attention spans. After flying with my own daughters from 11 weeks old (including 24-hour flights to Australia), my top picks for this age are the Sassy Ring-O-Links Teethers, lift-the-flap books, and simple stacking cups. I also loved the fidget spinners, which we used at 10 months but technically they are meant for ages 18m+

Fidget Spinner

These are so portable to grab and pop in your travel bag and stick on a plane window, train window, a hotel fridge and a variety of places. They are recommended for 18 months and up although we’ve used them at 10 months. Inside is a tiny rattle so a small sound is made as they twirl around but it didn’t disturb any passengers. Our toddler loved playing with them.

The suction on the spinners is good. I had 3 in a pack and gave one to another mum to use on the flight. For one short flight (under 2 hours) it was the only toy we needed! You can buy them easily from Amazon worldwide and Walmart is another alternative store for U.S readers. They are a similar price at either place.

Munchkin Caterpillar Spillers Stacking and Straining Cups

I had these at home already for the bath, so I always packed them for our trips. They are perfect for bath time fun abroad, for the swimming pool at our destination, but they also came in handy for as stacking towers on the plane – a great versatile option.

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. These were definitely one of our go to’s for travelling. You can buy them from several places, including Amazon worldwide, Walmart (the most expensive) and Munchkin directly.

Sassy Ring-O-Links Teethers

A firm favourite of ours since she was a tiny baby and she still loved these link rings as a small toddler. The links have bright colours and 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 that I love.

They work brilliantly on airline bassinets and are ideal for travel car seats too. Another use is to use them as a tether for other toys, so they are easy to retrieve if dropped. You can buy them from Walmart if you are in the US, but they are cheaper and also available worldwide on Amazon

Find the Duck book

Our family love this classic book from the ‘Find The .. series There are lots of things to spot besides the duck on each page.

Both of our girls have loved this book so much that I had to buy two copies due to over use! You can buy it on Amazon worldwide and US readers can also buy it for the same price on Walmart.

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Hide-and-Seek Pig Lift the Flap Book

The pictures are by Axel Schelffler and are so engaging, with a lift the flap on every page. 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! You can buy it easily on Amazon and other book stores.

Best Travel Toys for 1-Year-Olds (12–18 Months)

Travel toys for 1-year-olds need to be quiet, mess-free and entertaining enough to hold attention during take-off, landing, and meal service. In my experience, the best travel toys for 1-year-olds combine fine motor skills with sensory play. My top picks after using them across dozens of flights are the Buckle Toy Whale, the Dimpl, and a simple sweetie-necklace activity with Cheerios.

Buckle Toy Whale

My 1 year old LOVED this interactive buckle toy whale and it kept her so busy.

So many people have sung its praises to me after purchasing it, so I often buy it as a travel gift for friends with little ones.

This durable Buckle Toy Whale has several buckles to do up and a zip mouth.

The only issue is once my toddler mastered the buckle, she asked a pretty quickly for me to unbuckle it so she could undo them all over again. 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. We bought ours from Amazon, but US readers also have the option of buying it for the same price at Walmart.

Sweetie necklace with strawberry laces and Cheerios.

I also liked this screen-free activity my friend suggested to add to my selection of toddler travel toys: some Cheerios or any cereal with a ring shape and a sweetie lace. Great for fine motor skills and the kids like making and eating them too. Plus it takes a bit of time for small hands, eating in to your flight time and making it all feel like it going a lot quicker!

Melissa And Doug’s Take Along Shape Sorter

The regular shape sorter game was a hit at home at the “posting’ stage of my two tots. And this one is ideal for on-the-go with it’s soft carry case.

It’s a great game for little hands and one that is easy to transport whilst traveling. Yes, it does have pieces which could drop, but this is useful for little ones to play with in the more secure airplane bassinet (if they don’t keep throwing them out which is another game in itself with mine!) or at your destination.

The shape sorter is available worldwide on Amazon and also for the same price on Walmart if you are in the U.S

Dimpl Toy

The dimpl toy is pop it type toy for little ones over 10 months. Babies can push and pop the silicone bubbles built into a plastic frame. There are lots of Dimpl toys on Walmart if you are in the US, or you can buy this one on Amazon worldwide.

LEGO DUPLO My First Number Train

This was a staple for our baby stage and toddler too!

My one-year-old and four-year love Duplo. The number train is easy to pack both girls loved playing with the set. (I just discarded the box for easier packing). We actually bought this on one of our trips away, I think in Vermont 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. You can buy from Amazon worldwide though if you want a speedy delivery, and US readers also have the option of Walmart.

Busy Board Backpack

Another novel idea for younger children, is a travel busy board – where everything is in one place but there are plenty of activities for little hands. These include: a great sensory toy with lots of zips, buttons and games to play which are all part of a bag.

This Montessori toddler travel bag has enough space for favorite books, coloring crayons, paper, snacks and even a water bottle too!

You can buy it from Amazon, or if the US, there is also a similar Busy Backpack on Walmart

Best Travel Toys for 18-Month-Olds & Older Toddlers

By 18 months, toddlers need more interactive travel toys to stay engaged on flights. The best travel toys for 18-month-olds are mess-free, quiet, and develop fine motor skills. My top picks are the Melissa & Doug Water Wow, triangular crayons (they don’t roll off the tray table), and suction-cup fidget spinners that stick to the plane window.

The same applies for toddler toys for the car – unless you can handle the tunes or noise!

The following travel toys have worked well for myself and other parents.

I highly recommend wrapping some of the plane toys for toddlers, particularly the smaller items, in paper and tape as this provides extra entertainment for your little one and their inquisitive fingers. (Obviously not practical to wrap loads if you have several tots – but a couple of small surprises for all really does help in moments of need!)

Melissa & Doug Water Wow!

These water pen books by Melissa & Doug Water WOW have an educational bonus. Just make sure you empty the pen from water before security or add it to your clear plastic bag due to the current liquid 100ml rules. The water wow books are reusable and both girls liked the activity.

I recommend having a spare ziploc bag when on trips with kids for so many reasons but you may want to pop yours in one in case the pen leaks.

I also used to put them in my bag for when we were eating at restaurants too. You can buy from Amazon and US readers also have the option of Walmart too.

Road Tape

This is genius and leaves no residue or mess. My kids loved it as I could literally use it anywhere .You can buy role play/painter tape or road play tape 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 tape to, if you wish to extend the train track from train in a tin above!

You can buy the same road tape as us from Amazon but it’s also available on Walmart.

Triangular Crayons

Every person we have sat next to on a plane has been amazed by these, Such a simple idea but clever! We were given the ones above at a restaurant, but if you want a wider selection of colours; Melissa & Doug have them on Amazon or Walmart. Genius idea, and one of the best toys for toddlers on planes!

Melissa and Doug reusuable stickers. – stickers are always so useful to have!

Popping Bubble fidget toy

Best Travel Toys for 2-Year-Olds

The best travel toys for 2-year-olds need to hold longer attention spans on flights, ideally without small pieces that roll under seats. My top picks for travelling with a 2-year-old are the Farm in a Tin (compact play set with figures), reusable window gel clings, and Melissa & Doug’s Tape Activity Book. All of which have survived multiple long-haul flights with my own daughters.

Window Gel Clings

A hit with our toddler. 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 though as younger ones may like to put them in their mouth. 

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 easily be stuck on seat rests and airplane tray tables for fun too!

You can buy these from several places including Amazon like us.

Travel Activity Set

This Travel Activity set from Etsy, has 3 different age versions, with a toddler set from aged one to two. Some of the travel activities include: pop its, bristle blocks, flashcards, a snack, suction cup toy, a board book. They all come with a carry case with a handle.

If you have older kids then the Preschool (ages 3-5) and older kids version has lots of fun bits.

Zoo Magnetic Playset

The magnetic board opens up and creates a scene with characters and accessories that stick to the board. The magnetic board does reduce the chance of them being dropped on the floor when travelling so a pretty good travel game to bring along. You can buy this on Amazon worldwide.

Toy in a Tin

There are quite a few of these toy play scenes in a tin. One version is a toy train set and track. You can buy extra rail track to extend the track around the tray table or hotel floor which leaves no messy residue behind! You can buy the Train in a Tin from Walmart or Amazon.

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.  

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This Hape magnetic maze fish game is great for fine motor skills and has no loose parts so bits can’t get lost.

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Travel Tegu magnetic wooden block set.

Melissa & Doug Tape Activity Book:

For ease, this Melissa and Doug Tape Activity book has reusable activities with 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!

The Melissa and Doug activity book was from Amazon but you can also buy it from Walmart.

Paper dolls with stickers from Flying Tiger are a lot of fun that older toddlers can manage independently. Stickers and sticker books have always been a hit with my girls; and with these there are lots of stickers to design your own paper chain of paper dolls. Stickers like these also make great travel toys for toddlers in the car as you have a little more space.

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Best Travel Toys for 3-Year-Olds and Up

Travel toys for 3-year-olds and older preschoolers can include slightly more complex activities and quiet creative play. The best travel toys for 3-year-olds combine independent play with fine motor or imaginative skills. My top picks are Wikki Stix for creative shapes and the Playmobil Dino Explorer carry case for older preschoolers.

Wikki Stix

Wikki Stix have been popular with both of mine, but they are ideally suited to an older toddler. preschooler and beyond if played with independently. Otherwise-they can help you make fun designs. My eldest made the glasses in the photo above.

They are mess free and made of string with wax over, allowing the pieces to stick together for fun designs. You can buy packs from Amazon or even a Wikki Stix carry travel case full of them from Walmart.

Playmobil Dino Explorer Carry Case

My youngest daughter is a HUGE dinosaur fan. We bought the Dino Explorer Playmobil set which 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. Our one is available on Amazon.

Pop Tubes Sensory Toys

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. These ones on Amazon worldwide are recommended for kids age 3+, alternatively there are some similar ones here on Walmart

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Cheap & DIY Travel Toy Ideas (All Ages)

You don’t need to spend a fortune on travel toys. Some of my favourite cheap travel toys have come from £/$ stores or my own kitchen cupboards. These DIY and budget travel toys work for babies, toddlers, and preschoolers and pack down to almost nothing in your bag.

The £ or $ store is your friend when it comes to cheap entertainment on flights! Every few weeks brings new items. We really liked these little cut out people which you can dress and the cardboard tube/paper cup characters.

There are plenty of art and crafty bits in there, meaning you can raid the aircraft loo’s/restrooms for more cups to use.

A great sticker hack for toddlers and preschoolers who struggle getting the stickers off is peel the background off first, like I’ve done in the below photo. Then kids can easily peel them off!

• Post it notes – kids LOVE peeling them off and sticking them anywhere. Same for band aids/plasters or sticker books. If they do get stuck on to the plane tray table or elsewhere like my toddler enjoys doing, they are easy to remove.

• You can also make puppets out of the on-board sick bags or paper cups if you are feeling creative! It’s amazing what you will do on a 15 hour flight! Yes, I may have done this once or twice!

• The humble balloon! We always put a few in our luggage to inflate in the hotel room for a game of catch.

• Coloured rice in a tic-tac or similar plastic container for a small rattle is great for a cheap travel toy option.

• As pictured above the sweetie necklace with strawberry laces and Cheerios has always been a hit with my two girls.

• An old spice jar and pipe cleaners can make a great fine motor skill activity as some quiet airplane toys for toddlers.

• Small pom poms and a plastic tub with a lid with holes in – many babies and toddler love ‘posting’ things, including ours, so posting the pom poms can while away some time on a long flight. We used a baby sock and a hair tie around the bottom of the bottle to make it easy to empty them out and start the game again.

• For a train journey and on a flight, I made these cheap sensory baby travel toys in case boredom struck. Just use some old baby wipes lids and some fabric, foil, feathers or anything tactile to make a sensory toy or lift the flap toy like above.

• 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.

Have you any more cheap travel toy or DIY travel toy suggestions? Do let me know below!

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? If so see here.

• Find out which airlines/airports provide courtesy airport strollers here.

• Have you read the tried and tested flying with a baby tips here?

• I hope have this information on how to entertain a baby from a few months old, to how to entertain a 1 year old on a plane, and older toddlers who are more energetic and every age in between helps you too. Remember, these work great for road trips too!
• Please let me know in the comments if a toy was invaluable for your flight, train or car journey and the age of your baby or toddler.

Our fellow review experts are also fellow parents, who like myself, have traveled extensively and paid for and used many of these toys ourselves, with different aged toddlers on various long and short haul trips. In our experience, these are the best travel toys for babies and toddlers. Many of our well travelled parents can be found on our 100,000 parent strong Travel with Babies and Toddler Facebook group