Are you going on a trip with your 2-year-old? Do you want to know how to keep them entertained on a long flight? Finding the best airplane toys for a 2-year-old can transform a daunting flight into a delightful adventure.
While traveling with my older son, I quickly learned that the right toy can mean the difference between a peaceful journey and a challenging one.
In this post, I will tell you about the perfect toddler travel toys that keep little ones busy and happy in the air, offering you practical solutions for your next family travel.
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My Top 3 Picks: Best Airplane Toys for 2 Year Olds
#1 TOP PICK
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Tegu Pocket Pouch Magnetic Wooden Block Set
✅ Two distinct shapes available.
✅ Includes a pouch!
✅ Your child will have endless possibilities to create various shapes.
#2 PICK
Squigz
✅ Multiple ways to play
✅ Children can easily stick them to any smooth surface, even airplane windows.
✅ Enjoy the flexibility of taking as many or as few as you want and still have a great time!
#3 PICK
Amazon Fire Tablet or iPad
✅ There are numerous engaging and educational applications tailored for various age groups.
✅ There are numerous engaging and educational applications tailored for various age groups.
✅ Parents can personalize the content that best suits their child’s needs.
The Importance of Choosing the Right Travel Toys for Your 2-Year-Old
When your child is two years old, the travel game changes. This age marks a significant difference in their travel experience.
- 2-year-olds get their own seat on the plane, so they have more space to play and explore.
- Toddlers can bring their own luggage, which means more space for toys.
But it’s important to pick toys that are fun and airplane-friendly for your toddler. Remember a few key considerations when selecting the perfect toys for your trip.
What to Consider When Picking the Ideal Airplane Toys for Toddlers?
When choosing airplane toys for your 2-year-old, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Ensure the toys are suitable for your kid’s age and don’t have small parts that can cause choking.
- Picking toys that won’t make noise is a good idea when you’re on a plane. It helps everyone relax and makes the trip better for you and your neighbors.
- When picking out toys for the plane, go for small ones that don’t take up much room. They’re easier to pack and handle, making your trip smoother.
- Go for practical and budget-friendly toys when packing for your kids. We’ve left behind a fair share on our travels — it happens! So, it’s wise to bring toys you won’t miss if they get lost.
- Keep it simple with toys that have fewer parts. They’re easier to manage and put together, which makes everything less complicated when you’re on the go.
- Choose versatile toys that encourage open-ended play. These toys spark your child’s imagination and creativity, offering various ways to play and explore.
The right toys can be a game-changer. Packing good toys can stop fussing and help your child stay cheerful on a long flight. Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or prepping for your first trip with your little one, you’ll find something in this list for your kid.
Looking for toy ideas tailored for a younger child? Check out our guide on the best travel toys for 1-year-olds and how their play differs from a 2-year-old’s.
Now, let’s take a look at the different categories of airplane toys that are perfect for your 2-year-old:
1. Best No-Mess Creative Play Toys
These toys let your child have fun without making a mess. These toys, like sticker books, busy books, and drawing boards, are fun and don’t require cleaning up.
When you choose sticker books, bring only reusable stickers you can remove. You don’t want to be removing stickers from the plane’s windows at the end of your trip.
These are a couple of suggestions:
- The Melissa & Doug On the Go Water Wow Books! Allow toddlers to use a water pen to reveal different colors and patterns. You can refill the pen with water. When the water dries in the book, the colors disappear and can be used again.
Compact and mess-free, it’s perfect for airplane travel. My son used this so much; he was so excited to discover the “hidden treasure” elements in the pictures.
- The LCD Writing Tablet is a doodle board. It lets your child’s creativity shine without any mess. It’s lightweight, durable, and easy to pack.
One tip: Choose one with a pencil string attached to the tablet so you don’t lose the pencil!
- The Melissa & Doug Reusable Sticker Pad. The stickers can be used over and over again, and there are various scenes to decorate.
It’s a great way to entertain your toddler during a long flight. Yet, it can be too big to transport. Another option is the Melissa & Doug Puffy Sticker Set.
2. Sensory-Inspired Travel Toys
Toddlers need sensory play to explore their senses and develop fine motor skills. Look out for textured toys for your little one during the flight.
Here is a list of my suggestions:
- The Busy Board Toddler Backpack is a fun travel companion for your child. It has zippers, buckles, laces, and buttons to entertain them.
You can use this toy for sensory play and also as a backpack. It’s perfect for storing your toddler’s favorite things.
Another great choice is the Buckle Toy. It’s soft, lightweight, and compact, ideal for travel. It’s fantastic for developing motor skills and learning colors. I appreciate how each buckle shape varies by color, offering many learning opportunities in one little toy.
- Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog is an enjoyable toy that helps improve fine motor skills. Kids can improve their hand-eye coordination using this toy.
Kids need to put Spike’s spines into the holes on his back.
It looks like many pieces, but you can store the plastic quill inside Spike. It’s compact and lightweight, making it a favorite travel toy. My son loves it, buy I have to be honest, we have already left some spines behind! So make sure you have all of them before coming back home.
- Mobi Zippee: an activity toy for toddlers. It has different textures, colors, and activities to explore.
This product uses safe materials, making it a good choice for toddlers.
- The Wooden Lacing Apple is a fun and educational toy. It has bright colors and thick laces that are easy for small hands to hold and thread through the holes.
It improves hand-eye coordination, problem-solving, and fine motor skills. The Wooden Lacing Apple is an excellent toy for toddlers to take with them. It’s small and fun, and it helps them learn.
Plenty of Lacing toys have the same benefits if you don’t like the apple. My son used to love some farm-inspired lacing toys.
- The Tegu 8 Piece Pocket Pouch Magnetic Wooden Block Set is great for creativity on the go. The blocks come in two shapes, so your toddler can create and explore a lot.
The Tegu pouch, my favorite part, is easy to carry and keeps the blocks tidy when not in use. There is also a 6 Piece Set available. Both are excellent options, and I totally recommend this.
We have been using this toy for several trips, and it’s in excellent condition. The best part, my son loves it. He can play with it for hours (ok, maybe not hours, but a long time).
3. Best Independent Play Airplane Toys
Sometimes, all your toddler needs is some independent playtime. These toys, from simple puzzles to busy boards, will keep your kid occupied on his own while you take a break.
Some of our favorites are:
- The Car Toys and Playmat Storage Bag is a fun set with car toys and a city-themed playmat. You can fold the playmat into a storage bag.
The practical storage bag makes it easy to take this toy set on the go. If your toddler is into cars, this toy is a great choice. The playmat will not be helpful on the plane, but you will surely use it at your destination.
My older son was not interested in cars, but I could see my youngest taking this toy on our next flight.
- The Magnetic Maze Activity Board is a fun toy for kids. It’s great for traveling because it doesn’t need extra pieces.
Your little one can use the magnet stick to move the beads through the maze. This toy can keep your kid focused and improve his hand-eye skills. Simple yet fun during a long flight.
- PicassoTiles Magnetic Building Block Travel Size. These compact magnetic blocks are perfect for travel. They provide both play and learning in a small set.
We love Picasso Tiles. I think they’re excellent quality for the price. We have a 60-piece set, and my kids love them. But when traveling, we take a few, not all of them, as they can get heavy.
- The Duplo Lego Set combines fun and learning. It’s a classical game designed for toddlers. The Duplo sets inspire creativity and imagination.
Your toddler can build different structures with them. Plus, they help develop fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Again, you only need part of the set. Just bring a few.
4. Educational Travel Toys for 2 Year Olds
Make your kid’s flight time a chance to learn with educational toys. Quiet books they love are great, or you can choose toys that help with counting and learning shapes.
You’ll find a tablet we often use on the go in our travel list. I relax screen time rules during trips, which suits us well. But this approach might not be suitable for every family.
- Teach your toddler new words with this fun LeapFrog Learning Friends book. The book has 100 words for kids, chosen by experts. There are categories like animals, colors, and food.
You can play words in both English and Spanish. It has two levels of volume.
- The Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Tablet offers both entertainment and learning. Kids can learn while playing educational apps and games made for their age.
You can control what your child sees with the tablet’s parental controls. Durable, kid-friendly, and loaded with learning, it’s a worthwhile investment for long-haul flights.
You can try this little gadget to hold the tablet. You can attach it to the tray holder or put it on top of the tray. It has several uses and is compact and lightweight, making it the perfect travel gear.
- Another great option is an iPad. It’s so easy to use and intuitive, even for a two-year-old. There are many options for entertainment and learning, and kids can spend as much time as you allow them to play in it.
5. Best Travel Toys for Sensory Stimulation and Fidgeting
These toys are ideal for little ones who like to keep their hands busy. They offer sensory play to help your child feel calm, with various shapes and textures to explore during the flight.
Here is a list with some suggestions you can find helpful:
- Experience a new spin on fun with Suction Cup Pop-Up Fidget Spinner Toys. These toys combine the excitement of a fidget spinner with suction cups.
Your toddler can stick them on the airplane tray table and spin away. The spinning and popping sounds can calm many children, making this an excellent toy for long flights.
- The Baby Einstein Stack and Squish Cups provide sensory fun for little hands. These cups can be stacked and squished to create different experiences.
Each cup has different textures, colors, and sizes, making them fun to stack, squish, and explore. Lightweight and compact, they’re easy to pack for your next flight.
- Pop Tubes Sensory Toys are colorful, bendable tubes that occupy busy hands. Toddlers can twist, stretch, and connect them in many ways.
- Rainbow Pop It Fidget Toys are a popular fidget toy for toddlers on the go. Pressing the colorful bubbles in rows makes a satisfying popping sound like bubble wrap.
This light, portable toy keeps your toddler busy and entertained for a long time. This sensory toy can help reduce stress and is perfect for in-flight entertainment.
- Squigz are colorful suction cup toys. They stick to any smooth surface, like the airplane tray table. These small toys are perfect for sparking creativity in your toddler.
They can stick, stack, and pop them to make various shapes and structures. Made from high-quality silicone, Squigz are safe, durable, and easy to clean.
6. Best Artistic Travel Toys
Spark your child’s creativity with coloring books, scratch art kits, or even a compact coloring set. These toys are great for letting your toddler’s imagination fly and keeping them occupied.
- The Melissa & Doug Jumbo Triangular Crayons are the perfect size for little hands. These crayons are easy for toddlers to hold.
These triangular crayons are tough, long-lasting, and designed not to roll off tray tables. Plus, they come in a handy flip-top case for easy access.
- The Creative Toddler’s First Coloring Book: It’s made just for toddlers and has fun and easy pictures to spark creativity. Perfect if you choose to bring crayons. Just choose a coloring book that matches your child’s interests.
- Jumbo Stickers for Little Hands: These oversized stickers are perfect for small hands. You can easily peel and stick them.
- The Air Dry Light Modeling Clay is safe for artistic toddlers and easy to use. The clay is light, soft, and easy for little hands to shape into various creations. Compact and mess-free. Bringing a couple of colors with you is a good idea; only bring part of the kit!
Armed with the knowledge of the best types of airplane toys, you’re all set to choose the ones that will make your 2-year-old’s flight enjoyable!
While picking from such an extensive list might seem tricky, your insight into your child’s likes and dislikes will guide you to the perfect choices for a happy, occupied little traveler.
How Many Toys Should You Pack for a Toddler?
Figuring out the correct number of toys to take on a trip for your toddler can be tricky. You want to keep them busy while carrying around only what is necessary.
Take this tip from my travel playbook: mix and match a few of your toddler’s loved toys with some new, intriguing items. Aim for a diverse set – something for doodling, a couple for pretend play, a few about touch and feel, and maybe a puzzle for problem-solving.
The main goal is a peaceful trip, not just for your little one but for you too. A bag overflowing with toys is overwhelming and takes away from the joy of travel.
In our family, we’ve found a sweet spot with individual bags for each child. They’re no-fuss drawstring bags I stitched together one weekend. They’re just big enough to hold a selection of toys, and they clip to our main backpack with a simple hook for easy carrying.
We let the kids choose a favorite toy or two to add to the bag – if it fits snugly inside, it joins the journey. If not, it waits for us at home. This way, we travel light and keep everything manageable.
