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Travel Toys

Quiet, compact toys for cars, flights and restaurants. No batteries, no noise, nothing to lose down the seat.

13 products

What makes a good travel toy for a toddler?

A good travel toy is quiet, self-contained and interesting for longer than ten minutes. It has no small pieces to lose down the seat, nothing that beeps, and it can be used in a lap. That rules out most of what is sold as "travel toys" and leaves exactly the kind of thing Montessori has always favoured: busy books, busy boards and compact puzzles.

Every toy in this collection has been chosen for journeys: long car rides, flights, waiting rooms, restaurants and grandparents' houses.

The best Montessori travel toys for toddlers (1-3 years)

The best travel toys for preschoolers and older children (3-7 years)

How to pack toys for a flight or a long drive

  • Take three or four toys, not ten. Novelty matters more than quantity, so introduce them one at a time.
  • Choose one quiet fine-motor toy, one puzzle or game, and one comfort item.
  • Avoid anything with loose pieces unless it lives in a zipped pouch.
  • Keep one toy back as a surprise for the last hour, when everyone is tired.

We asked a preschool teacher what actually survived a six-hour flight; her list is in the 5 toys that survived a 6-hour flight.

Why busy books are the ultimate travel toy

A busy book is a whole activity shelf in a fabric cover. Buttons, zips, laces, velcro and pockets exercise the same hand skills as our Motor Skills & Coordination toys, and because they are soft they cannot hurt anyone in a cramped seat. Most children use theirs at home just as much as on the road, which is why they also fill our Books collection.

There is a 45-day return window on everything. Grandparents planning a visit will find more ideas in our genius gifts for grandkids guide.