Need some ideas for what to put in your child’s carry on before you head off on that awesome family adventure?

This list of helpful toddler toys for the airplane will help make sure your flight time can be as peaceful as possible.

I have been traveling with my boys on flights from their first weeks on earth (due to adoption) all the way until present (ages 6 & 9). I have tried many different methods of entertainment and I must say that there have been some successes and some big flops! Let me share with you my top favorites.

First you must consider the carry on:

Please pack a small back pack, something your child can carry on their own.

Do NOT pack a suitcase with wheels, it may help in the airport but as soon as you end up in the cramped quarters of the plane you will wish your child had something they could easily put in their lap.*This post contains affiliate links that do not cost you anything. But they sure help this blog stay up and running! Thank you for your support.

List of helpful toddler toys for the airplane:

1. Get a dollar store spice container & some pipe cleaners. Cut the pipe cleaners the length of the spice container. Now let your little one go crazy putting all those pipe cleaners through the holes! It will capture their focus and help them with their dexterity!
2. Toys that suction so they can be placed on the tray in front of them. There is a cool toy called Frooges that are full of suction pieces, your little would love them!
3. Window Stickers, those things can stick everywhere in a plane, let your munchkin find out how many places around them can take a removable sticker! This set by Jar Melo has over 140 stickers and comes with a book that has different pages so the stickers have even more places to go!
4.  There are lots of different fold-able Travel mats for kids. I really like the Melissa & Doug Take-Along Town Play Mat. They are nice because they are soft and light weight, so they are easy to take along in their little back packs!
5. Melissa & Doug Water Wow Coloring Books. Coloring with water is Easy & Fun!
6. Calico Critters are adorable and small enough that you can pack an entire little family along for some creative play.
7. Their favorite stuffie for comfort. My fav are the Jelly Cat ones you can find at Indigo. They are the perfect size and sooooo soft. It is my go to gift for any friend that has just had a baby!
8. Leap Pad, Yup! I said it. The cool thing about the leap pad is that they have a HUGE aray of learning games. My boys loved their Leap Pads until they discovered what a 3DS was. Every time we went on a trip I would just load a few new games on their Leap Pads and they were thrilled to learn through play. The nice thing about giving them a leap pad on a flight is that it is easy for you to guide them through the harder things. I mean…what else do you have to do?
9. Headphones designed with a volume limiting feature. Airplanes are loud and so it is easy to keep turning up the volume. Choose a Headset that has the volume safety feature to protect their ears.
10. Notebook & Crayons
11. And if desperation hits, try asking the flight attendant for a stack of cups to entertain them for a while. They really would love to help you out! Anything to keep you little one happy 🙂

Need More Travel Help?

Are you are looking for some help preparing your children for the flight check out these Top Tips for Traveling with Kids.

Do you have anything to add to this list of helpful toddler toys for the airplane? Let me know in the comment section. I would love to know what else is out there that can help all us mama’s out!