16 Best Baby Toys for Airplane Travel in 2023
When you’re traveling by plane with a baby, it’s advisable to pack enjoyable toys specifically designed for babies to keep them entertained during the journey. In this article, we will share a selection of excellent baby toys suitable for air travel.
The thought of flying with a baby may seem daunting, but with a little preparation, you can make the experience much smoother. Based on our personal experiences flying with our own babies, we have generally had positive flights (with a few exceptions) and discovered that one of the most effective strategies for a hassle-free trip is to bring engaging activities tailored for airplane use.
Having travel-friendly toys helps keep your baby entertained throughout the flight, ensuring a more pleasant experience for everyone on board. Additionally, these toys provide reassurance to parents, knowing that they have items readily available to alleviate any difficulties their baby may encounter.
Continue reading to discover some of the top baby toys recommended for air travel!
Related: Best Baby Carrier for Air Travel
Review of The 16 Best Baby Toys for Airplane Travel:
In this compilation, we have included airplane toys suitable for babies at different ages and developmental stages. It’s important to note that the term “baby” encompasses a wide range of ages, with each age group having distinct interests and abilities. This includes infants who primarily sleep and eat, as well as older babies who are more active and mobile.
If you have a very young baby, you won’t require many toys or activities as they won’t show much interest in them. However, as your baby grows older, having more toys and activities becomes beneficial during travels. It is essential to consider your baby’s age and interests while going through this list of baby toys for airplane travel, as certain activities suited for older babies may be too advanced for younger ones.
Related: Best Stroller Bags For Air Travel
Tomy Lamaze Mortimer The Moose
We absolutely adore plush activity toys, and this adorable little moose from LAMAZE is no exception! One of the great things about these toys is their versatility, as they offer numerous features within a single toy. Not only is this moose a soft and cuddly stuffed animal, but it also features teether antlers, knotty legs, tail rings, and crinkle hooves, providing various sensory experiences for your baby.
To prevent the toy from being lost or dropped, it comes with a convenient clip that can be used to attach it to a stroller or car seat. If you prefer something different from the moose, there are other animal options available, such as an octopus, firefly, and jellyfish.
Our delightful activity toy has been cherished by each of our three babies and serves as an excellent toy for travel purposes!
Related: Best Helicopter Toys To Buy
Eureka Big Bang Window Clings
Older babies will thoroughly enjoy the entertainment provided by sticking window clings to the airplane window and tray table. It’s a wonderful way to keep them occupied and enjoy a few moments of peace during the flight. The best part is that these clings are reusable, allowing you to use this activity repeatedly on different occasions.
This particular activity has consistently brought joy to my babies whenever we travel by air. It proved to be a true lifesaver during a particularly challenging situation when I was flying alone with my baby and faced a delay of over an hour on the runway before takeoff.
Related: Best Roblox Toys To Buy
YowellGo Baby Simple Sensory Toys Silicone Fidget Toy
My babies have consistently found joy in pressing buttons (in various ways), making fidget poppers a beloved choice for them!
This silicone fidget popper features five large buttons of different sizes and colors, specifically designed for little fingers. Its compact and lightweight nature makes it convenient to pack for travel purposes.
Your child will undoubtedly be entertained by the satisfying popping sensation that this fidget toy offers. Additionally, it can be remarkably calming for young children who may experience anxiety or feel overwhelmed. (And it’s worth mentioning that adults also find it enjoyable and soothing!)
Related: Best Melissa & Doug Toys
Melissa & Doug Kids Shape Sorter Baby Toy
Engaging older babies in a shape sorting activity can capture their attention effectively.
This Melissa and Doug soft-sided shape sorter is designed to collapse down for convenient storage during travel. It includes nine textured, colored blocks of various shapes that fit into corresponding holes in the case. Babies will enjoy handling the blocks and placing them into the open container, even if they require some assistance in matching the correct shapes.
Furthermore, the back of the shape sorter offers an additional activity. Nine crinkly flaps display common objects, and underneath each flap, you can discover the corresponding shape.
The case features a zip opening and a handle for easy carrying.
Related: Best Baby Carrier for Short & Petite Moms
Nuby Silly Three Prong Interactive Suction Toy
The Nuby Interactive Suction toy offers the convenience of securely attaching it to the tray table or window using suction.
Made from soft silicone, this toy features a variety of textures on its surface, making it ideal for teething babies. It also includes rings of different shapes that can be manipulated, pulled, and shaken, captivating your baby’s attention.
In addition, this toy is dishwasher safe, ensuring effortless cleaning. Simply place it on the top rack for a convenient wash.
Related: Best All-Terrain Strollers For Gravel Roads And Rough Terrain
BABY ELEFUN Teething Toy Ring
Teethers are an excellent form of entertainment for babies during travel, as they offer a soothing object to hold and chew on, which is often a favorite activity for little ones!
The ELEFUN teething ring toy is specifically designed for small children to grasp easily and provides a variety of textures for babies to explore. Crafted from food-grade silicone, it can be conveniently cleaned by placing it in the dishwasher, microwaving it, or boiling it.
If your child is teething, you can further enhance the soothing effect by placing the teether in the fridge or freezer, offering a cool sensation for their gums. Additionally, it can be easily attached to a pacifier clip, ensuring it doesn’t get dropped or lost, which I find particularly convenient.
Related: Best Strollers For Tall Parents
Pamexin Montessori Toys for 18M+
If you’re looking for an entertaining and versatile toy, this pull string activity toy is worth considering! Its standout feature is the assortment of textured cords that can be pulled from one side to the other, generating vibrations and gentle sounds.
In the center of the toy, you’ll find pop buttons on one side, along with holes and a sliding button on the other side.
There is an abundance of engaging elements in this toy that will captivate a baby’s attention. We particularly appreciate the inclusion of multiple activities within a single toy!
Related: Best Bassinet Strollers For Neworn’s Safety
Baby’s Very First Touchy-Feely Colors Play Book
Our babies absolutely adore touchy-feely books, particularly the Usborne Touchy Feely Playbooks.
These books offer a wide array of textures, patterns, and vibrant illustrations that captivate their attention. Additionally, they feature finger trails, flaps, and peep holes, providing an interactive experience for their curious little fingers.
This activity has proven to be highly engaging for our babies during numerous flights, and it’s one they continuously enjoy revisiting!
Related: Best Baby Carriers For Summers And Hot Weather
Bright Starts Oball Easy Grasp Classic Ball
Our babies have consistently adored the Oball Classic Ball, as it has become a firm favorite. They thoroughly enjoy inserting their fingers through the holes, chewing on it, and giving it a good shake. What’s even better is that it can be easily squished down, allowing for effortless storage in our luggage when not in use. Moreover, it conveniently attaches to a pacifier clip, ensuring that the baby cannot drop or throw it too far.
This is a toy that we frequently attach to our baby’s stroller or car seat, providing entertainment while we are on the go.
Bright Starts Lots of Links Rings
The vibrant and vivid link rings from Bright Starts are an ideal choice for attaching toys to a stroller or car seat, or for independent play. Babies can shake, chew, or separate the rings as they please.
The rings are sold in a pack of 24, but you have the flexibility to link as many or as few together as desired, making it convenient to pack only a few when traveling.
It’s worth noting that older babies may reach a stage where they can start separating the rings. To prevent toys from falling, I recommend utilizing pacifier clips for securing toys and reserving the link rings specifically for playtime.
teytoy My First Baby Tissue Box
If you have a baby who has a knack for pulling tissues out of the box, this tissue box toy is the perfect solution! It includes a soft and packable tissue box, along with three reusable crinkle tissues and twelve colorful scarves.
For convenience, you can simply stuff all the tissues into the container and allow your baby to pull them out as they please. Alternatively, you can arrange it in a way that when one tissue is pulled out, another pops up in its place, mimicking the experience of a store-bought tissue box. While explaining the exact technique through typing can be challenging, you can easily find instructional videos online to assist you.
Overall, this toy excels at capturing and maintaining a baby’s attention, providing endless entertainment.
Amazon Fire 7 Kids tablet
While I generally limit screen time for my babies and toddlers, I find that having a tablet with entertaining shows or movies can be incredibly helpful in certain situations, particularly during long flights.
During this age, our children have always been fond of Little Baby Bum songs, but it’s essential to choose what works best for your child’s preferences.
Remember to download the desired content in advance, ensuring that you can access it during the flight.
Manhattan Toy Winkel Rattle & Sensory Teether Toy
The Manhattan Toy Winkel Sensory Teether is an enjoyable teething toy featuring numerous soft teething tubes that babies can easily hold and chew on. For added comfort, the toy can also be refrigerated, providing a soothing sensation for teething babies. The maze of tubes and the presence of quiet rattle beads in the central block make it an engaging toy for babies to shake and grasp.
My First Activity Book
The My First Activity Book offers a multitude of engaging activities specifically designed to keep older babies entertained during a plane journey. This book features a variety of enjoyable activities such as peek-a-boo, buttoning, matching, buckling, touchy-feely elements, puppets, and more.
While some of the activities may be more suited for toddlers, it’s truly remarkable how much entertainment babies can derive from these activity books as well.
Mr. Pen- Colored Masking Tape
Provide your baby with a sticky playtime option and watch the fun unfold! Stickers, vibrant tape (my children adore colorful painter’s tape, which conveniently leaves no sticky residue), or post-it notes can all serve as enjoyable objects for little ones to place on paper, their arms, you, or the tray table. Just remember to tidy up before disembarking from the plane!
BraveJusticeKidsCo | Snack Attack Snack Cup
Snacks are undeniably one of the top activities for older babies, and using a snack catcher can transform snack time into an enjoyable and engaging experience. Little ones will delight in retrieving snacks from their snack catcher, while you’ll appreciate the respite it provides from entertaining them.
For travel purposes, we highly recommend the collapsible BraveJusticeKidsCo snack catcher. Its compact storage capability when not in use is particularly advantageous. However, it’s worth noting that these snack catchers have a tendency to accumulate lint and dust if placed directly in your bag. To mitigate this, I suggest placing them in a separate small baggie for added protection.
How to pick good baby airplane toys
Opt for lightweight and compact toys when selecting items for air travel. It’s best to avoid toys that take up excessive space, as this will simplify the packing process. Additionally, lightweight toys are easier for babies to hold and simpler to transport.
Minimize noise in your choice of toys, keeping in mind the comfort of fellow passengers. Toys with subtle rattles or crinkle sounds might be acceptable, but it’s advisable to steer clear of toys that generate loud or continuous noise.
Harness the power of novelty by having a few new toys on standby for moments when your child is particularly challenging to manage. The novelty of a fresh toy often proves to be a distraction for babies who are on the verge of a meltdown. Considering that babies have relatively short attention spans, bring a variety of different toys that can be alternated when they begin to lose interest in their current toy.
Opt for multipurpose toys that offer a range of features to captivate your baby’s attention. These toys are an efficient use of luggage space, as they serve multiple purposes and have a greater potential to entertain your baby. It is also advisable to select toys that can be used repeatedly to maximize their value during the journey.
Baby Airplane Toy Tips
Keep toys and snacks neatly organized in separate bags to ensure easy access and avoid having too many items out at once.
To secure baby airplane toys and prevent them from constantly being dropped or thrown, consider using a pacifier clip. Babies have a habit of letting go of their toys frequently, and using a pacifier clip can help keep the toys within reach and off the floor.
Embrace the resourcefulness of the baby stage and make the most of available objects. Babies are easily entertained by everyday items, so while it’s important to bring a few good toys, also take advantage of whatever is at hand for entertainment. Flight information cards from the seatback pocket, empty cups from the beverage service (ideal for stacking), and crinkly snack packages have all proven to be engaging options for our babies.
Final Thoughts
Regardless of whether you’re a seasoned traveler with a baby or a first-time flyer, the inclusion of baby toys can significantly enhance your flying experience. These toys serve as a means to keep your little one engaged, avert potential meltdowns, and offer parents some respite.
By referring to this compilation of baby toys for airplane travel, you’ll discover a range of activities to keep your baby entertained, enabling you to unwind and relish your flight to the fullest.
