After having a baby, we got right to it, flying a 10-hour flight with our 10-week-old from the UK to Canada. He was absolutely brilliant and it was actually the best flight we’ve had with him. Not to say that he’s been terrible on other flights, but the older they get, the more aware and wigglier they get, the harder it is to keep them in a confined space. This is where having, among other things, great toys come in handy. These are my recommendations for toys while flying with a toddler.
First, many parents, myself included, find that getting a new toy (or toys depending on the length of your flight) keeps their children engaged much longer. I’ve even seen parents take it one step further and suggest even wrapping toys in paper wrapping as it adds that much more to the experience of the toy. Whatever you choose though, you’ll need to keep in mind the specific setting of an airplane and try to imagine your child playing with it in that setting as not all toys are as effective in such a confined space.
These have been a lifesaver for us. We have been using these books since our son was born basically as they are chew-proof, rip-proof, washable, etc meaning he can do literally whatever with it without me having to worry about it. I like to use them when he’s particularly interested in playing with a napkin or menu or something I don’t necessarily want him playing with. This way, he still gets that sensory need met without destroying property. Does that negotiation always go 100% to plan? No, of course not. But most of the time, the book helps, even only for a little bit. They also make great travel books because they are paper-light, so even if you’re just using them to read bedtime stories, this one makes a great alternative to heavy board books.
Now that our baby is older, we’ve liked taking this busy board book with us to help keep little hands busy. Especially in his car seat, this helps him flex his fine motor skills and, again because it is lightweight, it folds up and carries nicely in a backpack perfect for traveling.
I actually got this tip from another mom but balloons make a fantastic (and cheap) toy for kiddos. They are super small, light, and convenient to slip into a bag. They can either be blown up and played with or they can be played with deflated so kiddos can enjoy the elastic, floppy-ness of it. I will say if you do want to blow them up, under-inflate them and only blow them up a small amount. This way they are less likely to explode when your baby inevitably gets a bit too excited with them. You could also bring some string so you are less likely to lose the balloon.
Our baby is starting to experiment more with function. He is also really interested in using toys with us right now. So this is something simple and easy that we can hand back and forth, stack it, stick it to the window, etc. I will update this post once we’ve successfully tried these out further so check back.
I have seen these everywhere. Kids of all ages apparently love them. I am slightly nervous as our little one is still exploring things with his mouth but I think these will be okay since they’re not sturdy. I also wonder if these stick to windows or anything. Kinda like the window crawler toys. I was going to get those but they’re just a bit too small I think for our baby right now.
Our baby loves cars at the moment. Even if it doesn’t roll, he will push it around. These are so cute and look like the perfect size for little hands. Our little guy already has a few little cars but if we didn’t, I’d definitely be getting these.
One of the other big things I like to think of when considering toys for our baby is looking for things that not only look interesting to him but also to me and my husband. Because the more my husband and I play with the toys, the more interested my baby is. Plus, why not buy toys that we can play with too? We deserve some fun too!
Read Next: What to pack to fly with a baby
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