Flying with toddlers is overwhelming to say the least. You’ve got to pack all the right things, get through TSA security without a meltdown, install the car seat on the plane, and get through the flight with as few headaches as possible. It’s a lot to handle! The key to getting through it all? Having the right activities planned to keep your kids engaged and relaxed.
In this post, we’ll give you some of our favorite ways to keep toddlers entertained on a flight! Then, we’ll give you some of our must-have toys and tools that are small enough to fit in your carry-on, but exciting enough to keep your toddlers distracted and calm. That way, from wheels up to wheels down, you can relax!
10 Toddler Airplane Activities for a Peaceful Flight
Play classic travel games.
Classic travel games are always fun! Of course, you’re not going to play The License Plate game at 33,000 ft, but there are plenty of other games you can play! I Spy and Would You Rather are both great toddler-friendly games to play while you fly!
Read their favorite (or new) books.
Kids love to be read to! You can pack a few books or download some on your tablet to read while you fly. It’s a good idea to have some of your toddler’s favorite books as well as some news ones! Anything new is engaging and exciting for a little one.
Watch movies or TV shows.
There’s no shame in having some screen time for your flight. Those few hours are all about survival! Download a few shows or movies onto your phone or a tablet for your child to watch on the plane or in the airport just don’t forget toddler-friendly headphones!
Use educational apps.
Speaking of phones and tablets, another easy way to keep your toddler engaged is with age-appropriate, educational games. Browse the app store for a game or two that will hold your child’s attention hopefully while teaching them something new or refining their skills!
Listen to audiobooks or music.
Kids love stories and music. Either download audiobooks and music on your device, or get your child their own! Yoto Minis are perfect for travel and very toddler-friendly. Either way, a variety of stories and music will definitely keep your child occupied!
Play with airplane-friendly toys.
Best entertainment tool out there? Toys! There are so many toys on the market that are perfect for long flights. From sticker books and drawing tablets to flashcard and building tools, you can find plenty of compact and quiet toys that are airplane tray table-approved!
.png)
Do mess-free crafts.
Of course, don’t pull out the paint and glue, but there are plenty of toddler-friendly crafts that you can do together. Crafts that involve paper, washable crayons/markers, and mess-free sculpting tools are all perfect for long flights.
Take pictures.
Toddlers love to have pictures taken of them. But even more than that, they love to take pictures. It allows them to engage in the trip in a whole new way! Get an inexpensive toddler digital camera and let them document their adventure. They’ll stay entertained and the pictures they take along the way will hold lots of memories.
Eat safe snacks.
Snacks are another solid way to keep toddlers entertained on flights. Choose things that are mess-free, don’t require a cooler, and aren’t usually choking hazards. Of course, always supervise your child when eating in case there’s an emergency. Here are some ideas:
- Crackers
- Puffs
- Dry Cereal
- Pretzels
- Mini Muffins
- Dried Fruits
- Applesauce
- Animal Crackers
- Teddy Grahams
- Fruit Leather
Bonus Tip: Put the snacks in a fun container to add another layer of engaging fun to the snacking experience.
Teach them something new.
Toddlers are sponges for information. They love to learn new things! Use this one-on-one time to slow down and teach your child something new. Shapes? Emotions? Numbers? Letters? Sight Words? Whatever it is, your child will be entertained and learn something valuable.
What To Pack For A Toddler On An Airplane To Keep Them Busy
Yoto and Accessories
A Yoto is a screen-free audio player made for kids! The Yoto Mini is compact and will keep your toddler (and big kids, too) occupied for hours. You’ll need the Yoto itself, a case, toddler-friendly headphones, and some Yoto cards that’ll pique your child’s interest!
Magnetic Puzzles
Puzzles may have a lot of pieces, but the magnetic element makes it more manageable for flights. This puzzle can be “solved” in a variety of ways, allowing your toddler to make dozens of silly faces. Hopefully, this will keep them engaged even longer.
Sticker Books
Kids love stickers, and sticker books give kids hundreds of stickers to work with. You may not hear from your toddler for the whole flight while they focus on their sticker book!
Squigz
Open-ended toys are great for travel, because kids can play with them in so many ways. That means they’ll be immersed in the activity for more than a few minutes! Squigz are the perfect travel-friendly building toy that will keep your kid amused for hours.
Search and Finds
If your toddler likes a challenge, you can’t go wrong with search and find books. This particular set even includes dry erase markers for your toddler to circle their findings as they play.
Busy Books
Busy books do just that keep kids busy! Each page offers a different quiet activity for your toddler’s entertainment! This one includes finger puppets, which are also great airplane toys!
LCD Writing Tablet
Kids love these LCD writing tablets. They can draw and write for hours on the multi-colored, light-up screen, without needing a bag of coloring supplies. It’s a space-saving and mess-free way to get creative!
Jelly Blox
We love these Jelly Blox! They fit together like Lego Duplo, but they’re squishy and stretchy! That means they’re not painful to step on, loud if dropped, or prone to slipping on an airplane tray Jelly Blox are perfect for air travel!
Spinners
Attach these spinners to the sides of the plane or window and watch your toddler be mesmerized for hours as they fidget and watch the colors spin.
Window Clings
Window clings are like stickers for the windows. When you’re 33,000 feet up, that’s pretty cool! Put them on the windows and let your toddlers gaze at them and tell you stories about the characters!
Travel Play Table
Whether your child is rear-facing or front-facing in their car seat, the airplane tray table may not be the easiest thing to use. Instead, I recommend a travel play table to keep their toys contained. (Remember, we do NOT recommend these for the car, but they're okay for flights.)
Sketch Pad and Crayons
Want to get creative with your toddler? Bring sketch pads and crayons. Just make sure the crayons are washable in case anything gets on the plane while your child creates their masterpiece.
WaterWow
If you’d rather skip the clean-up, get WaterWow. Your toddler can paint away with just water, revealing beautiful pictures underneath. The best part? They can do it again and again!
WikkiStix
WikkiStix are wax sticks that are bendable, moldable, and stickable. Let your toddler build and create using these mess-free tools!
Colorable Tray Table Covers
If you are using a tray table, these tray table covers are colorable. They protect the tray and also offer another opportunity for toddler entertainment.
Color Wonder
Color Wonder is always a great choice for toddlers. If you’re not familiar, the Color Wonder markers only work on Color Wonder paper. So, even if your child tries to draw all over the seat, walls, or their arms, nothing will show!
Picture Mosaics
This activity is like a paint by number, but it’s a paint by sticker! Your toddler will love working together with you to create mosaic masterpieces with stickers and the provided pages.
iPad and Case
Again, there’s no shame in some screen time while you’re on a plane. It’s a special circumstance! However, don’t forget a strong, durable case. That thing needs to be toddler-proof!
Books
Books can take up a lot of space, so you can download them digitally, select just a few of your favorites, or opt for Indestructible books. Indestructible books are thin, fun, and extremely durable, of course!
Toddler Camera
Toddlers love having their own digital camera. They’ll see you taking all sorts of pictures, so having their own will feel special and exciting! These are simple to use, have a long battery life, and include a memory card.
Snack Spinner
We love the Snack Spinners. The child presses the center button and watches as a wheel of snacks turns beneath the lid. It’s a great storage solution for airplane snacks that’s also really fun for kids.
Alphabet Water Cards
These alphabet flash cards help your child work on their writing skills but don’t worry about clean-up or keeping track of pencils. This one just uses water and can be reused again and again!
Learning Flipbooks
If you want to work on some pre-K or kindergarten skills, this flipbook set is perfect. It helps you review emotions, numbers, and letters with your kids, keeping them occupied while also teaching them a new skill.
Tie Shoe Training Board
Speaking of learning, this lacing board allows your toddler to practice tying their shoes. They probably won’t want to do it the whole flight, but the tool is compact enough it’s worth throwing in the bag for a few more minutes of engagement!
Keep your toddler entertained with these activities!
Planning for an upcoming trip or vacation? Don’t forget to think about entertainment! You want plenty without overpacking or losing valuable luggage space. A mix of toys, games, and other activities should help you keep your toddler calm and engaged no matter how long your flight is!
If you’re still worried there might be gaps in your travel plans, we can help! Take our Wheels Up: Airplane Travel Course! It covers everything you need to know to install your car seat safely, navigate security smoothly, pack efficiently, and more!
Beyond that, these blog posts might also be helpful as you wrap up your travel plans:
- Safe Airplane Travel
- Best Car Seats for Airplane Travel
- How to Bring a Car Seat on a Plane
- Top Toddler Travel Essentials
- Can You Take a Stroller on a Plane?
As an Amazon Associate, Safe in the Seat earns from qualifying purchases.
