Traveling with a 1 year old can seem like a scary thought at first. You might be worried about how you’ll entertain them for an extended period of time in such a small space. To help, we are sharing the best travel toys for a 1 year old that can be used on an airplane or in the car.
One year olds are typically mobile (either crawling or walking) and curious, yet a little too young to be able to hold a conversation. For these reasons, I thought the toughest age to travel with a child was 12 – 18 months. However, I still highly encourage you to take that trip! These baby/toddler travel tips will help you prepare and feel confident!
These top travel toys for a 1 year old will keep your little one entertained and happy, thus allowing you to stay calm and confident. But don’t forget the power of a snack, random things in your purse, the tray table, music and more! There are so many new and exciting things that your child will love to explore if you introduce it to them.
If you’re looking for more travel tips, we’ve got you! Like, how the heck do you travel with a stroller? What to expect on a first flight with baby or how to take your baby/toddler hiking.
We’ve traveled nearly full time with our now 2.5 year old daughter since she was 6 weeks old. She’s been on short flights, long haul flights and cross country road trips, and we’ve learned a ton along the way. So let’s get into it! Here are our tried and true best travel toys for a 1 year old.
How Many Travel Toys Do You Need For A 1 Year Old?
You need less than you think! I’m guilty of overpacking for my child, but the truth is they need much less than we think they do. For shorter trips 2-3 toys will be plenty. For long haul trips pack 4-6 toys.
Don’t forget there are many things that can be used as toys even though they weren’t purchased as toys! Your 1 year old will love opening and closing the window or tray table. They will love going through your purse, or stacking plastic cups.
Spend time looking at what’s out the window, listening to music, singing songs, and telling stories. Also, snacks are incredible entertainment while traveling. If you’re looking for a great travel snack cup, we love this snack cup because it’s also a toy!
Once you get to your destination you won’t need many toys at all. You’ll be our exploring most days and that will keep your 1 year old busy. The world is their playground!
What Makes A Great Travel Toy for a 1 Year Old
When you are deciding what travel toys for your 1 year old you want to pack, there are a few key factors you’ll want to keep in mind. Make sure your travel toys are compact, lightweight, quiet, multi purpose, mess free and don’t require charging.
Compact
First, make sure your travel toys are compact. They shouldn’t take up much room in your carry on luggage. Chances are you won’t have much room to spare anyways! Pack a few small compact toys and have them easily accessible while you travel.
Lightweight
The heavier your bags are, the harder they are to lug around. Plus lighter toys will be easier for your 1 year old to manage independently.
Quiet
Make sure your travel toys for your 1 year old are quiet. Whether you are traveling by plane or car, a loud, obnoxious toy on repeat is not fun for you or anyone around you.
Multi Purpose
Think outside the box and ask yourself if two toys can be used together or if your toy can involve snacks. These toys score bonus points!
Mess Free
Skip the play-doh, markers and glitter. Only pack toys that do not require cleaning up after. That’s the last thing you’ll want to deal with on your trip.
Doesn’t Require Charging
Pick travel toys for a 1 year old that don’t require batteries or charging so you don’t risk their favorite toy dying mid flight or road trip!
Best Travel Toys for 1 Year Old
Busy Board
Busy boards are full of activities that will keep your 1 year old well… busy. There are a ton available on Amazon. Most have similar activities in them, but they come in many different colors and designs so find one you think your 1 year old will enjoy.
Suction Spinning Toy
These toys are great for sticking on the window or tray table and letting your child spin them. These ones also have a pop it at the ends which is an additional fun activity for them. Also, when you get to your destination, these make great bath toys!
Pull String Activity Toy
This activity toy has so many things to explore. Each string has a different texture and shape and your 1 year old can use their imagination while pulling them back and fourth. They will hear different noises and feel different vibrations which will keep them interested to see what they can create next.
Buckle Pillow
The buckle pillow has many puzzle games that will keep your 1 year old engaged. They can match the 6 colorful buckles to work on hand-eye coordination, plus use the zippers and buttons on the side.
Peek-a-boo Book
You can use this book to read to your child or you can let your 1 year old independently explore it. They will enjoy lifting the many flaps throughout the book and discovering what’s underneath.
Tissue Box
The tissue box is a fun and exciting travel toy for a 1 year old. This toy keeps surprising your child as they pull out new things from the box. The items included are different textures and have different pictures on them for your child to explore. Or you can add your own fun surprises in the box.
LED Busy Board
This is a great compact travel toy for a 1 year old. They can press the buttons, turn the knobs and flip the switches to see what happens. Cause and effect toys are great for keeping their little minds busy.
Cars, Trucks and Playmat
These small and compact cars will allow your 1 year old to use their imagination. They can make a parking lot, race them, crash them and more. The additional storage bag and small size makes them super easy to pack.
Farm Animals
If your 1 year old loves farm animals these are so cute and fun! They can continuously put them together and pull them apart. You can practice animal noises with them or even share a snack with the animals.
Lock and Keys
What 1 year old doesn’t feel super cool with their own set of keys?!? They can use the keys to open the locks on the individuals cars which is an exciting cause and effect toy. The cars can be played with individually, connected like a train or all locked together. Lastly, they are labeled by number so it is a great way to introduce and start practicing numbers.
Quiet Felt Book
This soft felt book encourages independent play as your 1 year old explores the books and completes simple tasks. The small size and light weight make it easy to pack for your trip.
Fubbles
All kids love bubbles! They are magic. These ones are great because they are small and mess free. While these might be frowned upon on an airplane, I would absolutely whip them out in the terminal while you are waiting to board. They are also great in the car or at your final destination.
Enjoy your trip with your 1 year old!
We hope you found some entertaining travel toys for your 1 year old. If you are traveling with a toddler we also have a post on the best travel toys for toddlers! Have a wonderful trip with your kiddo! You’re about to make some incredible memories!
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