Last week I shared all of my toddler beach essentials and today is a similar post focused on toddler plane travel essentials – what to pack in carry-ons to make your flight as smooth as possible, based on my experiences. Airplane travel has gotten much better now that our daughter is 2 – she will sit still and actually watch a movie, which eliminates the need for lots of activities in a carry-on. Instead, I focus on what she’ll ask for or pay attention to most.
Making sure our toddler plane travel items are easily accessible is what I’ve found to be important, as you don’t want to be digging under or above your seat mid-flight. Think about that as you organize – this will really depend on what carry-on bags you have and like to use.
It’s worth noting that I don’t recommend bringing all the entertainment ideas listed below on the plane; pick a few your toddler will like best! Or better yet, pick one they’ve never used before – sometimes that added touch makes it that much more appealing.
Here are my picks for toddler plane travel essentials:
Toddler Travel Gear:
Kids Backpack – This one from L.L.Bean is the best, as it’s big enough to hold what you need but also a junior size. With the straps tightened, my 2.5-year-old enjoys carrying it herself, or I can throw one strap over my shoulder (both if it’s loosened). They key is to not put a ton in there – only things she really wants – and the rest goes in my backpack or other carry-on bag that I keep at my feet.
Cosco Scenera Convertible Car Seat – Not an absolute must, but this affordable, lightweight option is what was recommended to me by many moms for travel and we’ve used it on recent flights. It helps keep a toddler contained and offers a way to rest their head should they want to take a nap. Even if you opt to check the car seat (it’s free!), this is a great car seat option. We pack it in the Chicco car seat travel bag and throw a very light bag inside (recently a beach bag with pull ups and a pool floatie). There’s also a more affordable bag here (we have been through a couple of these so far from checking car seats but they work for at least one round-trip).
Delsey Carry-On Suitcase – This is actually my carry-on suitcase but has recently become my daughter’s for our week-long trips. The quality is great, especially for the price. It also expands, which is helpful if you decide you want to throw more in it on the way home to decrease what you’re carrying around.
Toddler Tech Essentials:
iPad + iPad Case – This case is super durable and does a good job keeping an iPad upright on an airplane tray. You won’t feel like your toddler is going to break it if they carry it around themselves. We had an old iPad but when we need a new one, friends recommend the Amazon Fire tablets (not the kid version – we had that before and it wasn’t the easiest to navigate!).
Wireless Headphones – These are great because they have adjustable volume and can go up to 94dB volume, which can be ideal for canceling out airplane noise, and has the ability to be Bluetooth or used with a cord (the latter of which is good for watching TV on the plane). They’re a bulkier style but fold up for storage. Before these, we liked CozyPhones, which are essentially a fleece headband with a cute animal that has built-in headphones. They’re ideal if you think your child may fall asleep while listening and we found them great for age 1-2 in particular. The Belkin SoundForm Mini headphones are the smallest in size that we found that offer both Bluetooth and cord options – they just don’t go quite as loud as the iClever.
AirFly connector – We each have an AirFly connector so you can use wireless headphones on a plane (or any other device you need to plug into).
Headphone connector cord – If you have 2 kids trying to watch the same iPad, get one of these! Yes, we do also use the iPad feature that allows you to do this with Bluetooth. However, we’ve found on plane rides it’s sometimes just easier to use the cords.
Food & Drink:
Yeti Kids Water Bottle – Our go-to for travel because we know it’ll keep drinks cold both while en route and once we get there. Fill it up at an airport filtered water stand.
Snack Containers + Pouches – Similar to what we bring to the beach, I’ll use 1-2 snack containers depending on what we’re bringing. My go-tos are this 2-compartment Bentgo, snack spinner and stacking set – the latter of which I find ideal because it’s tall and easy to find in my carry-on bag. I also make sure I have a pouch or 2 on hand.
Toddler Plane Activities:
Stickers – Always have stickers handy when traveling! I buy this 1000+ pack for $8 or under and keep stacks of them in every bag. They are easy for little hands to peel off and also easy to get off whatever they’ve been stuck on, including clothes, your washing machine, or anything else.
Post-Its – Buy the small ones and let your little one stick them all over the plane’s TV screen or anything else really. They are more affordable and easier to un-stick than regular stickers.
Melissa and Doug Reusable Stickers – Always entertaining and also stick to the TV screen on airplanes. I prefer the ones that come in a spiral bound booklet format like these because they’re easier to flip through in smaller spaces. They also have puffy reusable sticker versions good for age 4+ (here, here and here).
MagnaDoodle or Amazon Doodle Tablets: These are more modern versions of the classic Etch-a-Sketch, where kids can draw and erase as much as they want. We have many of the Amazon versions and a travel MagnaDoodle.
Mess-Free Coloring Activities – Water Wow! uses a pen that you fill with water (I’ve filled up the pen with water on the flight but it’s really a tiny amount so you may be fine doing it before security). Here’s a 3-pack as well. My kids have used these consistently from age 2-5 (mostly the younger side, but the oldest has a new love for them now that little bro is playing with them). Crayola Color Wonder and Melissa and Doug Color Blast sets come with markers that write clear unless it’s on the specific paper they come with. Get Color Wonder replacement markers here and a “stow and go” travel set here.
Coloring Books – I’ve always been a fan of Grab & Go Play Packs (also Sesame Street, Disney Princesses, and Paw Patrol) and get them in the Target dollar section or on Amazon whenever we’re running low, as they’re small enough to throw in any bag and can easily be tossed afterward. For $1.50 or less a pack, you can’t go wrong with these coloring book, sticker sheet, and crayon sets. I recently also discovered this 24-pack of the small coloring books, which are great because oftentimes I already have crayons and/or stickers with us.
Triangular Crayons – While I don’t recommend pulling out too many crayons on an actual flight, these are great for the airport and your best bet for not rolling around on a tray. I love these for restaurants too.
Wikki Stix – I thought we’d be playing with travel sized Play-Doh on trips, but quickly realized it wasn’t worth the hassle. However, Wikki Stix are a fun sensory toy that can stick to the airplane tray or TV.
Favorite Stuffed Animal, Doll and/or Toy – To avoid having to bring 100 things, I’ve let our toddlers pick out a couple things to put in their backpack. Last trip it was these Paw Patrol figures, which I put in a small zipper bag. Just make sure you don’t leave behind any favorite items! On a past trip, our daughter’s baby doll got lost in hotel sheets and I was lucky to find a replacement at a nearby Target.
A New Surprise – A friend had suggested bringing a new – but small – toy to have in your bag as a surprise. One trip it was a Fisher-Price Little People car and figure. Another it was a small Corolle baby doll our daughter loves to this day.
2 Essentials for When You Arrive:
- SlumberPod (discounted link!): We use a Pack n Play or crib at the hotel or rent one from a local vendor if we’re staying at an Airbnb. This blackout tent is easy to throw in a suitcase – for a weeklong trip I can fit that and everything our 2-year-old needs in a hard shell carry-on – and takes only a few minutes to assemble. Turn on your sound machine and you can watch tv, have conversations, sleep in, etc. without your toddler waking!
- Sound Machine: I like this one for travel for a few reasons. 1) It’s relatively flat so it’s easy to put in a suitcase. 2) It has lots of sound options, unlike most travel options. 3) You can either use batteries or plug it in.
