Who doesn’t love a good trip? But if you’re traveling with kids, things can get a little more complicated. How do you keep them entertained for hours on end? Luckily, there are plenty of educational travel toys that can keep your little ones happy and busy – even on long trips. Here are the best of the best educational toys for traveling with kids:
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1. Educational Travel Toys: Arts and Crafts Supplies
Colored pencils, crayons, paper, stickers, and other supplies can keep kids entertained for hours on end with no need for a screen. Just be sure to pack everything in a durable container that can stand up to being thrown around in a travel bag or carry-on.
Arts and crafts are a great way for young kids to learn about colors, shapes, and textures. Additionally, arts and crafts can also help with motor skills, creativity, coordination, and writing skills. We love these travel toys because they are both educational and fun. Plus, there are endless possibilities for what your child can create. Whether they are painting a picture, or drawing their favorite pet, they are sure to have a blast. And you’ll love seeing their creativity shine through.
Arts and crafts are amazing educational toys that you can include in your traveling list but also can be a great bonding activity for families or groups of friends. Working on a project together during family travel can help to foster communication and cooperation skills.
Melissa & Doug On the Go Origami Animals Craft Activity Set
This educational travel toy meets the “3 principles of healthy play: Prioritize hands-on play, enjoy screen-free time and interact and connect through play”.
The craft kit comes with everything needed to create 40 folded paper animals. Includes 34 animal print papers (5 x 5 in./12.7 x 12.7cm), 6 patterned papers (5 x 5 in./12.7 x 12.7cm), 38 detail stickers, and instructions. Fold marks on the papers and detailed instructions for beginner, intermediate, and advanced projects. Designed for ages 6 and up.
Origami helps your children develop:
- Hand-eye coordination
- Fine motor skills
- Concentration
- Memory
- Attention
- 3D comprehension
Coloring Books and Crayons
Coloring books are perfect for when you need to keep your kids occupied on family travel but don’t want them to get too messy. Not only are they entertaining, but can also help your kids relax and de-stress, especially if they are feeling overwhelmed by traveling long hours. They are excellent activity books for kids ages 2 and up.
Coloring books and crayons are educational toys that can help your little artist learn how to read and write. Additionally, they can also help with language, imagination, color recognition, and identification. We love this travel toy because it is a great way for kids to express their creativity. Plus, it’s super affordable!
Coloring books help your kids develop:
- Fine motor skills
- Hand-eye coordination
- Promote color recognition and identification
- Creativity
- Writing skills
- Reading skills
Pipity Activity Set
Pipity Activity Set carries a case that promises to keep kids creatively occupied. Includes sharpener, glue stick, scissors, flexible ruler, set of 12 pencils, HB pencil, 24 activities: art and crafts, games, and puzzles. This funny travel toy is designed for ages 6 and up.
This is a fun activity to enjoy while traveling with kids because supports:
- Motor skills
- Creativity
- Hand-eye coordination
- Imagination
- Problem-solving
- Language and literacy
- Focus and attention
Playdough
Playdough is a classic educational toy that is always a hit with kids ages 2 and up. It’s perfect for keeping them busy while you’re waiting in line or on a plane. It is perfect for when you have a little bit of downtime in your hotel room or at the airport.
Some of the benefits of playing with playdough for kids are:
- Improve your child’s fine and gross motor skills
- Help children develop mathematical concepts
- Promote color recognition and identification
- Improve your child’s vocabulary skills
Puffy Sticker Play Set by Melissa & Doug
These colorful stickers bundle by Melissa & Doug are great for role-playing and storytelling with your children. Each playset has double-sided fold-out funny pictures to fill with hundreds of reusable stickers.
Your kids may go on a pirate ship and capture wild animals or visit a giraffe and let it stroll freely in town with these reusable sticker playsets. This travel toy is designed for ages 4 and up.
These playsets also include handles for convenient transportation and storage, making them fantastic travel toys.
Puffy sticker playsets are great for:
- Creative expression
- Narrative thinking
- Independent play
Magna Doodle Magnetic Drawing Board
Magna Doodle is a mess-free method to draw. The children can draw pictures and write messages. The blackboard is erasable so they can start a new one with every new creation. It’s also portable so it can go where they go. Whether it’s on the plane, at a restaurant, or on a family vacation, this board will provide hours of fun. It’s also a great way for kids to practice their writing and drawing skills.
The Magna Doodle Magnetic Drawing Board is the perfect way for kids to be creative anywhere they go. Each magnetic toy comes with a drawing board, a magic pen, and two stamps.
This travel toy is a fun way to keep kids occupied on your next road trip. Not recommended for children under 3 years.
Magnetic drawing board benefits are:
- Letters and numbers recognition
- Learning new vocabulary
- Drawing skills
- Enhance your child’s imagination and creativity expression
- Better writing skills
- Social skills
2. Educational Travel Toys: Board Games and Puzzles
When it comes to keeping kids entertained on long car rides or planes, one of the best educational toys around are board games and puzzles. Not only do they provide hours of fun, but they can also help keep little ones calm and focused when traveling. Plus, it’s a great way for them to bond with family or friends. We love board games because they’re a great way to learn while also having a good time. Plus, there are so many different kinds of games out there that there’s sure to be one that everyone will enjoy.
Here are some of our favorite games and puzzles that are the best alternative for long road trips or flights.
Travel Bingo by Melissa & Dough
Travel bingo by Melissa & Dough is a fun game for two players to enjoy while on the go. There are four different themes to choose from (signs, country, town and city, vehicles) and each player gets eight double-sided cards. The game boards are made of wood with windows that flip open and closed to cover the items that have been spotted. This is a great way to pass the time on long or short road trips and is suitable for ages 4 and up.
Travel bingo is an educational fun game that helps your young kids develop:
- Imaginative play
- Communication skills
- Language
- Hand-eye coordination
- Math skill
- Increases focus and attention
Rubik’s Cube
Rubik’s Cube, this classic puzzle is always a hit with kids and adults alike. It can be challenging but provides a great sense of accomplishment when solved. This travel toy is designed for ages 3 and up.
The Rubik’s Cube is loved by both children and adults because of its simplicity and endless possibilities. Solving Rubik’s Cube has many benefits for children’s development:
- Increases focus and attention
- Improves cognitive skills
- Memory boosting
- Improve problem-solving skills
- Math skills
- Improves reflexes
- Teaches patience
Magnetic Puzzles for Kids
Magnetic puzzles are easy to attach and can be easily transported due to their small size. The puzzles are also durable, making them perfect for kids. The illustrations on the magnetic puzzle pieces are very colorful and attractive. There are designs of these toys for ages 3 to 6 years.
There are 6 main benefits of doing puzzles:
- Putting together a puzzle is a great way to bond with family and friends.
- Doing puzzles has been shown to improve memory, problem-solving skills, and concentration. So not only are they fun, they’re good for you and your kids too!
- Improving visual-spatial reasoning
- Teaches patience and self-control.
- Building teamwork
Melissa & Doug Flip to Win Travel Memory Game
Memory board (by Melissa & Dough) games for kids include cards that feature colorful illustrations on themes such as colors, zoo, fruit, and more. It is also easy for small hands to use and safe for kids 5 to 7 years.
Memory games are an excellent educational toy to get your mind in shape. Your brain, like the rest of your body, requires regular workouts.
Memory games can help your kids improve:
- Short-term memory
- Focus and concentration
- Attention to details
- Vocabulary
- Social skills
3. Educational Travel Toys: Stuffed Animals and Dolls
These always seem to come in handy when traveling with kids. Whether it’s taking a nap, seeking comfort in a scary situation, or just having someone to play with, stuffed animals can be a lifesaver when on the go.
These educational toys always provide hours of entertainment, especially if you have a soft spot for cuddling with them.
Doll Family by Melissa & Doug
Doll Family by Melissa & Doug “The seven pose-able people have flexible limbs, so children can bend their bodies and change their positions as they enjoy limitless pretend-play possibilities.” Pieces include parents, grandparents, son, daughter, and baby. This travel toy is designed for ages 3 and up.
They can be placed in your little one carry-on since they are a perfect size.
This beautiful doll family promotes:
- Sorting
- Matching
- Pretend play
- Creativity and imagination
- Social skills
Buckle Toy – Barney Crab Stuffed animal
Barney Crab has a fleecy and cuddly body. With a grinning face, two huggable arms, and six little legs that are set aside with adorable numbers. Join together the matching clasps across his tummy from him and back for a tactile test. Additionally, there’s a little zipper pocket on the back alongside six embroidered illustrations.
Some benefits of Barney Crab are:
- Promotes problem-solving skills
- Teaches colors
- Strengthens fine motor skills
- It’s great for hand-eye coordination
Dressy Friends Belle by June Garden
Featuring 7 main getting dressed activities, the Dressy Friends Belle allows your kids to enjoy learning by practicing how to snap, hook, fasten, buckle, zipper, loop, tie, and more while playing. Inspired by the Montessori education method. Designed for ages 2 and up.
This educational toy supports the development of:
- Color recognition and identification
- Fine motor skills
- Problem-solving skills
4. Educational Travel Toys: Books and Magazines
There are few things more important to a child’s development than reading. Books and Magazines are great travel toys to get your kids interested in reading, and there are plenty of options out there to choose from, depending on your child’s interests.
National Geographic Kids Magazine
National Geographic Kids is a great magazine for kids who love animals and adventure. This magazine will teach them about geography, wildlife, science, and more. Each issue is packed with colorful photos, games, puzzles, fun features, and facts about animals, science, technology, and more. A must-have for children ages 6 and up. The subscription is renewed every six months or annually.
The Little Prince
First published in 1943, ‘The Little Prince’ is a novella and the most famous work by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. It is a tender tale of friendship, love, and loss.
The story is told by a narrator, who crashes in the Sahara and happens to meet a young boy called the ‘little prince’. During the next eight days, while the narrator attempts to repair his plane, the little prince shares the story of his life. The little prince describes life on his tiny home planet—a little asteroid, which has three volcanoes and various plants. This delightful children’s fable makes insightful comments about life and human nature. Designed for ages 6 and up.
Poke-A-Dot: Goodnight, Animals
The book Poke-a-Dot: Goodnight, Animals is a fun and interactive way for kids to learn about numbers, counting, and bedtime routines. The book features different animals that “pop” into their beds as you count down from 10. The patented Pop-a-Tronic technology lets kids discover different popping sounds by poking the dots from the front or the back, with pages raised or flat! It is a great way to encourage language development, counting, and letter recognition. The book offers a unique and enjoyable experience for children age 3.
Quiet Book by Montessori
Quiet book by Montessori is an educational activity book that helps toddlers develop their fine motor skills. It features 9 learning activities that are designed to be both fun and educational. The toy is made from soft, durable materials that are safe for kids to use. It is also lightweight and portable, making it a great option for travel. Designed for ages 3 and up.
Animal Tales Magazine
Animal Tales is a children’s animal and poster magazine perfect for kids who love animals. Designed for ages 6-12. It is filled with educative articles, cute animal stories, and an amazing section with cool games. The subscription is renewed every six months or annually.
Some of the reading’s advantages are:
- Supports cognitive development
- Improves vocabulary, communication skills, and social skills.
- Enhance your child’s imagination and creativity
- Cultivate a lifelong interest in reading
- Improve school performance
- Stronger analytical thinking skills
- Improve focus and concentration
- Better writing skills
- Help your kids relax and de-stress
- Improve memory
Conclusion
When it comes to keeping children entertained during long flights or car rides, there are a few key things you’ll want to bring along. Arts and crafts supplies, board games and puzzles, stuffed animals and dolls, and books and magazines are great travel toys that will help keep your little ones occupied during even the longest journey. Just be sure to pack plenty of snacks and drinks to keep everyone happy and hydrated along the way!