Traveling with toddlers doesn’t need to be scary. I’m here to share my experience traveling with a toddler, which will help you to be more confident to do the same. One of the most tricky parts of traveling with a toddler are those long travel days. Based on my real-life family travel, I can help you keep your little one occupied with my list of the best 2 year old travel toys.
Two year-olds have very short attention spans and are way more active and playful than babies. They love to move around and explore, and are more likely than not going to be very stubborn about doing so! Keeping these independence-craving toddlers contained in one seat during a trip can prove to be quite challenging for parents.
When choosing the best travel toys for 2 year-olds, let’s look at their development milestones. A 2 year-old can match shapes, sort and do simple jigsaw puzzles. Also look for fun options for coloring (or scribbling) and building. At this age, cause and effect toys can be engaging (wind up toys, etc.).
Best Travel Toys for Two Year Olds
It was only a matter of time before some toddler travel toys became one of my top travel essentials when packing for a trip. Carrying a variety of toys can definitely come to the rescue during a long flight or a car trip.
Like I mentioned in my with tips for flying with a toddler, your time flying is going to now be spent cycling through all the toddler activities. But I also like finding fun, interactive 2 year old travel toys that will keep them occupied even for small portions of time (giving you a breather!).
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Traveling with a toddler can be a little challenging. In addition to checking out these travel toys, don’t miss my recommended travel gear for toddlers.
Here are all my recommendations for the best 2 year old travel toys:
One of my all-time favorite toddler travel toys, these mess-free coloring pads keep kids entertained without spills or stains. Each spiral-bound pad includes four reusable pages and a refillable water pen that reveals bright colors with every stroke. Once dry, the pages reset, making this a perfect choice for airplanes, restaurants, and road trips.
- Reusable pages extend play
- Easy to pack
- Great for planes restaurants and hotel downtime
- Widely available themes and bundles
- Pages need drying time between uses
- Water pen can be misplaced without supervision
One of the most popular toddler travel toys of all time! Help your little one learn to “snap” and “click” buckles with this soft, vibrant plush toy that features six easy-to-use clasps and a tiny zipper pocket. Buster keeps little hands busy in car seats, strollers, and on flights while building hand-eye coordination and fine-motor skills. It’s fun, educational, and amazingly portable for any trip.
- Bright colors and soft design appeal to little ones
- Six buckle styles build fine-motor skills
- Clips to bags, car seats, or strollers for on-the-go play
- Durable stitching and quality fabric stand up to travel
- Some buckles may be challenging for younger toddlers
- Surface clean only (no machine wash)
Another super-fun and inexpensive toddler travel toy, Wikki Stix are colorful, wax-coated yarn strands that kids can bend, twist, and stick onto almost any surface with gentle fingertip pressure. They promote creativity and fine-motor development, are completely mess-free, and come in a compact travel pack. A quiet favorite for two-year-olds on the go.
- Encourages creativity and fine-motor skills
- No mess and easy to reuse
- Lightweight and compact for travel
- Sticks to trays and tables without residue
- Not for mouthing; supervise younger toddlers
- Individual sticks can be lost easily
A sticker book is the perfect non-screen time activity you can enjoy together while traveling. This Jumbo Stickers for Little Hands book includes 75 easy-peel reusable stickers and several fun ocean scenes to fill.
The stickers are large enough for small hands and easy to reposition, making this one of my favorite travel toys for toddlers, especially on airplanes.
- Large stickers are easy to handle
- Reusable scenes keep kids engaged
- Flat and packable for carry on pockets
- Budget friendly
- Stickers can lose adhesion with dust
Toddler busy books make excellent travel toys for toddlers. This durable, educational activity book for ages 2 and up includes 12 colorful, laminated pages filled with sensory-oriented learning activities.
Toddlers can practice colors, letters, shapes, vehicles, planets, and more through fun matching games. It packs flat for car rides or plane trips and can handle the wear and tear of travel days.
- Flat packable and durable
- Multiple themes per binder
- Velcro matching builds focus
- Small loose pieces require supervision
I created My First Flight Coloring Book just for you and your little traveler. This friendly and engaging coloring book helps toddlers understand what to expect on travel day - from packing a suitcase to soaring through the sky.
It’s the perfect way to prepare your two-year-old for their first flight while keeping them happily entertained along the journey. Designed by Celine Brewer, from BabyCanTravel.com, a travel-loving parent who knows what works on real trips.
- Eases first flight jitters
- Simple pictures for little hands
- Pairs with crayons and sticker books
- Great gift add-on for trips
- Paper books are not reusable
Learn from my experience and pick up some anti-roll crayons before your next trip. I’ve spent more flights than I can count crawling on the floor of tight economy seats searching for round crayons that rolled off the tray - never again!
These triangular crayons from Melissa & Doug are a true travel genius. The durable plastic design won’t break easily, and the shape keeps them from rolling away while helping little ones develop a proper writing grip.
- Non-roll design is perfect for planes
- Hard plastic resists breaking
- Comes in a travel friendly case
- Age 3 plus per manufacturer
A compact, fold-out magnetic puzzle book with a carry handle that keeps pieces from sliding off airplane trays. Includes two 15-piece puzzles with magnetic backs and shape-coded pieces to make sorting easier for toddlers. Ideal for planes, car seats, and hotel downtime, with quick setup and tidy storage in the case.
- Pieces cling to boards which reduces drops in transit
- Compact fold-out case with carry handle
- Two 15 piece puzzles per set for variety
- Shape coded backs support beginner puzzlers
- Trusted brand with multiple themes available
- Small parts are age 3 plus and require supervision
These window clings are excellent and inexpensive travel toys for airplane seats. Toddlers can decorate the window again and again, then peel and restick without residue. They are removable and reusable, but always supervise and avoid mouthing. Many gel cling sets are labeled for older kids, so treat them as a parent-led activity for two year olds.
- Reusable and residue free
- Perfect for airplane windows
- Compact and lightweight
- Variety of themes available
- Pieces can fall or get lost
- Not ideal on textured surfaces
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Screen-time can be an effective activity to keep a toddler entertained on a flight, but it’s important to keep a strict limit on the time. I’ve got lots of fun screen-free travel toys for toddlers.
One of our first family travel traditions was buying our little ones a new DUPLO set for each trip.
This Classic DUPLO train was one of the best - it comes with 10 number bricks that toddlers can load, stack, and sort. Great for quiet hotel play and learning colors and counting after a long travel day.
- Large pieces for little hands
- Educational counting and colors
- Durable and long lasting
- Recognizable brand
- Not ideal for airplane seats due to loose pieces
- Takes more bag space than flat toys
Double-sided board with a sealed gel surface on one side and a reusable drawing surface on the other. Includes three washable markers and packs flat for flights, road trips and restaurants.
- True no-mess gel side for toddlers
- Reusable drawing surface extends play
- Compact and lightweight for carry-ons
- From a trusted art brand
- Markers require supervision to avoid stains
- Replacement markers may be needed over time
A compact six-piece magnetic wood block set that lives in a felt pouch. Great for flights, it supports open-ended building and fine motor play without loose plastic bits. A proven travel toy for toddlers with safely embedded magnets.
- Fits in a small backpack pocket
- Encourages open ended creative play
- Embedded magnets reduce mid flight drops
- Durable sustainably made wooden blocks
- Small magnetized pieces require supervision
- Six pieces may feel limited for older toddlers
A travel-friendly magnetic maze with a tethered stylus that guides colored balls into matching garages. No loose pieces, easy to pack, and designed to build color recognition and fine motor skills.
- Self contained with no loose parts
- Tethered pen stores on board
- Builds color recognition and planning
- Packs flat for flights and car rides
- Some toddlers may need help at first
Small cars and vehicle sets are some of the best travel toys for toddlers. I especially loved them for my two year old, who loved moving Cheerios in the trucks.
This compact 5 pack of 3 inch CAT trucks has free rolling wheels and moving parts, so kids can drive the tractor, dump truck, and bulldozer for imaginative play in hotel rooms, vacation rentals, and rest stops.
- Compact vehicles for small spaces
- Moving parts keep kids engaged
- Great for hotel room pretend play
- Not ideal on airplane trays
- Small parts advisory at age 3 plus
I know it’s not a toy, but if your goal is to have a happy, occupied toddler on your travel day, a snack catcher will be your best friend. Fill one with small snacks that build fine motor skills, like Cheerios, and your toddler will stay busy for ages.
Our two year old loved his so much that it shows up in nearly every family photo we took that year. BPA-free and dishwasher safe.
- Keeps snacks contained without spills
- Encourages fine motor skills while eating
- Fits most stroller and car seat cup holders
- Top rack dishwasher safe for easy cleanup
- Budget friendly 2 pack
- Not leakproof for liquids
- Flaps can collect crumbs if not cleaned promptly
A compact counting and sorting kit with color cups and bears for early math, color recognition, and fine motor practice. Packs into a small bag for travel days and restaurant tables.
- Teaches counting and color matching
- Includes storage bag for travel
- Supports quiet, focused play
- Small parts require close supervision
- Not suitable for children who mouth toys
This 54-piece mini jungle animal set is one of my favorite travel toys for two year olds. It includes 32 unique, realistic animal figures that encourage imaginative play and help toddlers learn about wildlife. The small size makes them easy to pack, perfect for keeping kids entertained in hotel rooms, vacation rentals, or on rainy travel days.
- Includes a wide variety of animal species
- Compact and easy to pack for travel
- Encourages imaginative and educational play
- Durable plastic pieces that stand up to use
- Contains small parts labeled for ages 3 plus
- Pieces can scatter easily on planes or cars
This soft educational doll teaches essential dressing skills such as snapping, buckling, zipping, looping, and tying through hands-on play. Its compact size and carry-along clip make it easy to take on trips, helping toddlers practice fine motor skills and build independence while staying entertained on the go.
- Surface clean only per brand guidance
- Younger toddlers may need help with smaller fasteners
A buckle toy that also carries other toys? Awesome! Toddlers love having their own backpacks, so why not make theirs a fun one too? The Buckle Toys Buddy Backpack features colorful, easy-to-use buckles, zippers, and counting flaps that keep little hands busy. It doubles as a functional travel bag for storing snacks and favorite small toys during flights, road trips, or daily outings.
- Combines buckle play and travel storage in one
- Child-sized backpack encourages independence
- Colorful design with multiple easy-to-use clasps
- Soft, lightweight, and ideal for travel
- Durable stitching that holds up to daily use
- Surface clean only
- Some buckles may require help at first
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Toddler Travel Toys Considerations
Keep in mind, the only way carrying a bunch of travel toys for 2 year olds makes sense is if they are compact, and easy to carry, take out and put away. You should be able to fit your toddlers travel toys in your backpack diaper bag or, better yet, in your toddlers travel backpack.
Don’t pack everything from this list! I recommend bringing just a few toys for your 2 year old, some coloring and sticker options, plus some snacks. Pair that up with a few fun iPad apps, like those I mention in my favorite airplane activities for babies and toddlers, some shows and a pair of comfortable toddler headphones!
Books are also a great screen-free option for travel because of how engaging and enriching they are. They also help in maintaining a familiar bedtime routine which can help get toddlers to sleep on a plane.
Investing in a good toddler airplane bed like the Flyaway Kids bed is another good idea for getting your kid comfortable on a plane. And with all that sleeping, you won’t have to pack too many different ways to keep your toddler occupied!
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If you are interested, I have written a full review of the Flyaway Designs airplane bed.
Toddler Travel Packs
As you can see, there’s a healthy amount of toddler travel toys. Rather than do all the individual shopping for the above toddler activities, you can make your life easy with KeepEmQuiet activity packs. Each activity pack is a curated selection of screen-free entertainment tailored to a child’s age and interests.
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This post was written & edited by:
Celine Brewer is the owner of Baby Can Travel. Not only does she have years of experience traveling with babies & toddlers, but she's helped millions of new parents travel with their babies and toddlers for over a decade. In addition to writing on her baby travel blog, she has shared her expertise on traveling with a baby or toddler by contributing to articles about traveling with a baby with the Washington Post, USA Today, the Lonely Planet magazine and Pregnancy & Newborn magazine.
Celine also writes about family travel on the site FamilyCanTravel.com, which she co-owns with her husband. Being from the Canadian Rockies, she shares her passion about her home and travel to Banff National Park and area on their site TravelBanffCanada.com.