12 Best Car Seat Travel Trays for Toddlers

Author: Celine Brewer

Last Updated:

Exploring different places and learning new things on the go can be a unique and wholesome experience for a family, especially when there’s a mini traveler along for the ride. With that being said, I’ve found that those long drives and sitting in one place for hours on end can be a challenge for my toddler. That’s where car seat travel trays for toddlers come in handy – these amazing travel products can really help make family road trips much more enjoyable..

As much as I love family road trips, I confess I really don’t like having to constantly reach back to pick up dropped toys, books etc. A toddler car seat travel tray helps avoid this, plus it has a pocket for all those travel toys for the car, snacks, sippy cups etc!

A travel tray for car seats is my answer to those long car rides with toddlers. Not only does it hold all my toddlers road trip essentials, but it also places everything within his grasp, keeping him busy with an activity area of his own.

Being well prepared with activities has always helped when on a road trip with our toddler.

toddlers in car playing with toys in car seats.

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Best Car Seat Travel Trays for Toddlers

Car Seat Organizers

Now that you've seen some of the best toddler car seat trays, let's go over a few alternatives to the tray if you've got a toddler that doesn't like anything tying them down! You’ll enjoy how resourceful these are too.

If you still like the idea of your toddler having a snack and sippy cup closer, the My Travel Tray is an excellent addition to your road trip essentials!

What to Look for in a Toddler Travel Tray for Car Seats

When I look for a toddler travel tray for the car seat, my biggest considerations are how portable it is, how much storage it offers, whether it offers the functions my toddler will want and if it has a universal fit. The best travel tray for toddlers should keep everything in place, keep the tablet from falling down and more importantly fit snugly so it’s not falling to the floor.

The best car seat tray for toddlers will also have a cup holder and even some pockets for storage!

Use and Types

The first thing I look for when buying a car seat tray is its use. You’ll find many in the market that are good for either airplanes or cars. If you’re looking for something that’ll fit both, then you’ll probably want a toddler car seat tray that’s more portable and operates like a table. 

Mounted organizers are best for car travel as they come with ample storage space for all your toddler’s travel essentials while providing sufficient room for your kid to move about. You just have to put them up and let them be for the entirety of your trip.

With air travel or at stopovers at hotels and restaurants, a car seat travel tray will be more ideal. It’s portable, so you can carry it around and open it up for your kid, or use it as a surface to place their food and feed them with the least fuss.

Universal Fit

An important feature when you’re on the go is the fit. You’ll want a car seat travel tray that is adjustable and secure. Car seats, airplane seats, and high chairs are all of different dimensions.

While it can be a challenge to find something that’ll be an exact fit, you can always look for car seat travel trays that have adjustable straps. Keeping efficiency as well as your child’s safety in mind, it’s always best if you can find something that buckles quickly, yet securely. 

Portability

It’s always convenient when your toddler’s essentials are easy to carry around, because you never know when you’ll need them. Most car seat travel trays are portable for easy use. Some are foldable, while some come in the shape of a backpack that you can pack up and carry around. 

Storage

With products for toddlers, I’m constantly looking for storage, storage, and more storage. With so much to carry, you want a place to store it and keep it organized.

It’s easy to find a toddler car seat tray that comes with in-built storage for pouches for crayons, pencils, and other odds and ends. Some even have cup holders for your toddler’s sippy cup. With a toddler car seat tray with adequate storage, there’s no more scrambling to find your kids’ toys in the middle of a journey because it’s all in one place.

Ease of Cleaning

A feature I always look for in a car seat travel tray is the ease of cleaning. If your toddler is anything like mine, then you know toddlers do make a bit of a mess! I prefer a waterproof top to make clean up of the kids travel tray easier. One wipe does the job; no spills or stains stick around! 

Other Toddler Travel Gear

Toddler Car Seat Travel Trays

This post was written & edited by:

Celine Brewer - Baby Can Travel
info@babycantravel.com | Website | + posts

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.

Read more about Celine Brewer.