travel game for 4 year old

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25 Travel Games That Make Time Fly for Kids and Families

So fun, they’ll forget to ask “Are we there yet?”

Getting ready to pack your suitcases and hit the road? Don’t forget the travel games! Whether you’re taking a road trip and need a little quiet in the backseat, or want to have some entertainment on hand in case of rainy days at the beach, these travel games for kids and families are worth including in your luggage. Bon voyage!

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1. Shotgun!

The two hundred cards in this road trip game are full of fun discussion prompts, challenges, and activities. Reviewers note that teens, as well as younger kids, are sure to enjoy this one.

2. Scavenger Hunt for Kids Travel Card Game

Scavenger hunts are some of our favorite travel games for kids! The goal here is to be the first to find the objects listed on 10 cards. This game has endless replayability, no matter where you go.

3. Auto Bingo

Here’s a cool twist on the scavenger hunt—bingo! Each reusable card has lots of items to look for. The first one to get five in a row (horizontal, vertical, or diagonally) wins!

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4. Train of Thought

This discussion game is really more about interacting as a family rather than a competition, although the goal is to collect and answer three cards in each category. There are hilarious activity cards mixed in to keep you on your toes.

5. Guess in 10

The Guess in 10 series is a little like 20 Questions. Each card contains something for the other team to guess (like cities around the world), but they only get to ask 10 questions. Clue cards offer a bit of help as teams try to be the first to guess 7 cards correctly. Other options in the series include dinosaurs, sports, and animals.

6. Battleship Grab & Go

This classic is one of the best travel games for kids! The game boards are compact and hold everything you need to be able to say, “You sunk my battleship!”

7. Flip to Win Memory Game

Memory (also called Concentration) usually involves a pack of cards laid out in rows. This travel version is ideal for car trips since it uses flip tabs instead of individual cards. It comes with seven double-sided game cards for lots of backseat fun!

8. Bananagrams

Think of this like Scrabble on the go. No need for a game board; just take turns spelling words with the letter tiles. This one is perfect for rainy afternoons in a hotel or playing on a plane.

9. Simon Micro

We’ll admit the beeps of this little gadget might get on your nerves after a while, but kids really do love it. Watch the flashing sequence of lights and repeat it. You can play on your own or use Pass It mode to compete.

Here’s another classic that’s also perfect as a travel game! Shake up the board, then see how many words you can make from connecting letters.

11. Rush Hour Jr.

Logic games are fantastic travel games for kids, especially when you need them to play quietly on their own for a bit. Set up the car pieces according to the puzzle card. Then figure out how to slide them out of the way so each car can leave the lot through the exit. Adults will be challenged by this one too.

12. Melissa & Doug License Plate Game

Sure, you can play the license plate game without a board or special equipment, but this does make it a lot more fun! Flip the tiles as you spot a representative from each state, and see if you can get them all before your journey ends.

13. Anywhere Travel Guide

Planning a staycation this year, or need a way to make another visit to Grandma’s small town interesting? Try these cards, which present a series of challenges that turn any kind of trip into an adventure.

14. Mastermind

Mastermind is a classic that’s all about using logic to crack your partner’s code. The concept is simple, but endless combinations mean this game is different every single time.

15. Clue Card Game

Classic board games in card form make awesome travel games for kids. Solve the mystery without the board in this version of the whodunnit favorite, Clue.

16. IQ XOXO

This is another logic puzzle game, sized small so you can take it anywhere. Solve the puzzle by determining how to fit all the pieces onto the game board. The included booklet has 120 puzzles of increasing difficulty.

17. Cat’s Cradle

All you really need for Cat’s Cradle is a piece of string, but these days, most kids don’t actually know how to play anymore! This book teaches you how to make lots of fun figures with just some string and your fingers.

18. Monopoly Deal Card Game

Another classic board game turned card game; Monopoly Deal is best when you have some space to lay out the cards. That’s why we love it for play in a hotel room or lake cabin when everyone needs a break from more active fun.

19. Apple Twist

One more logic game, this time with twisty caterpillars and an apple playing board. The board itself turns in sections to create a wide array of puzzle challenges.

20. Disney Eye Found It

I spy with my little eye… a fun travel game! Kids comb each picture card to find specified items. If you’re headed to Disney, this one is especially fun for building excitement.

21. Travel Ping Pong Set

You can’t play this one in the car or on a plane, but it’s fun to set up on a table in your Airbnb rental. You get everything you need for an epic ping pong tournament.

22. Collapsible Cornhole

Packable cornhole? Count us in! Play this one at the beach, in the park, or anywhere you can find some empty space.

23. 12 Retro Magnetic Games

This collection of magnetic travel games for kids will ensure there’s always something new to keep them occupied. Each board folds up to hold the necessary game pieces inside.

24. The 100 Best Brainteasers for Kids

Brainteasers can occupy one child on their own or get the whole family working together to work out the answers. This book has plenty of puzzles for elementary-aged kids to tackle.

25. On-The-Go Mini Game Pad

Sometimes all you need is something simple to provide a few minutes of fun. This little pad gives you sheets for tic-tac-toe, connect five, and the alphabet game of categories. Add some pencils, and you’re ready to go!

Vacations are the perfect time for scavenger hunts! Get 25 Free Scavenger Hunts for Kids here.

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20 Fantastic & Fun Travel Toys for 4-Year-Olds

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It’s hard to believe our little guy will be four in less than six weeks. As we prepare for his birthday, we recently went through his travel toys and donated the ones he has outgrown. We created this list of the best travel toys for 4-year-olds as we prepare to purchase a few gifts for his birthday.

Disclosure: Kindly be aware that certain links provided below may be affiliate links. If you decide to purchase through these links, I may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. It’s important to note that I am an Amazon Associate and earn from qualifying purchases. For the comprehensive disclosure statement, please click here .

We’ve learned our lesson from overpacking; we only purchase a few toys before we head to Costa Rica (a day before his birthday). Since we’ve been a full-time travel family for nearly three years, travel toys are our specialty.

I love looking at toys, so writing these guides is fun.

A few toys on this list are also on our other travel toy guides, but that is because they are great for toddlers in general.

Related Post: 25 Best Travel Toys for 3-Year-Olds

Table of Contents

Best Travel Toys for 4-Year-Olds: Puzzles

Our son loves puzzles, which makes me happy because I grew up putting together puzzles. I am hoping it is something we can do together when he gets a little older.

Puzzles are great travel toys for 4-year-olds because they help develop skills; such as fine motor skills, patience, problem-solving, memory skills, and increased attention to detail.

If you have a toddler that likes a challenge, puzzles are one of the best travel toys for 4-year-olds.

Related Post: Our Favorite Travel Snacks for Toddlers

Note: We like to use these reusable bags to store his puzzle pieces and snacks.  

Coogam Wooden Pattern Blocks

Coogam Wooden Pattern Blocks are perfect for flying with toddlers . This puzzle has 36 easy-to-grip pieces with a storage box and cards to show your toddler how to make each design.

This puzzle set takes the frustration of building away. It promotes color and shape recognition while encouraging your little one to follow directions.

Each card is double-sided, with the image on one side and the pieces needed on the other. There are over 50 cards included keeping the fun going on and on.

We are purchasing this puzzle set for our long-haul flight to Portugal in a few months. It’s also perfect for creativity-challenged parents like myself.

I can follow directions like a pro. I cannot think of something and make it happen; that’s what my wife does, which is why we’re a great team.

Wooden Pattern Blocks Price

Related Post: 9 Tips for Flying Budget Airlines with Kids

Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards

We included the Melissa & Doug Pattern Blocks and Boards for toddlers that need more pieces to create their masterpieces.

This puzzle set comes in a wooden box, making it easy for your little one to clean up.

There are 10 design templates to help your little one get started, or they can use their imagination to create something else.

With 120 pieces in six different shapes, there is more than enough for your little one to stay busy while flying.

This puzzle can help your little one’s fine motor skills, focus, patience, spatial awareness, and hand-eye coordination. If you have a little one that loves puzzles, I highly recommend this puzzle set.

Pattern Blocks and Boards Price

Coogam Wooden Hexagon Puzzle

If your toddler needs a challenge, the Coogam Wooden Hexagon Puzzle is the perfect travel toy for your 4-year-old. It is easy to play while challenging your little one to think.

To start, place a few pieces in the puzzle and leave out a few for your toddler to finish. As your toddler gets older, leave out additional puzzle pieces.

There is an instructional guide on how to place the pieces. This puzzle is a great way to bond with your toddler on a flight or for older siblings to help their younger ones.

We are purchasing this puzzle to challenge our little guy for an upcoming flight to Portugal. He likes to tell me to practice my puzzle skills because he solved a few tangrams before me.

This means war. Yes, the competition is serious in our family.

Wooden Hexagon Puzzle Price

Melissa & Doug Take-Along Magnetic Jigsaw Puzzles

Melissa & Doug Take-Along Magnetic Jigsaw Puzzles is a 2-in-1 activity puzzle that younger toddlers will love.

The pieces stick to the magnetic surface, which is perfect for traveling. There is a carry handle, which makes it easy for your little one to be independent.

This puzzle includes search-and-find activities as an extra challenge once the puzzles are complete, so more bang for your buck.

If you are looking for an engaging puzzle, this is one of the most popular travel toys for 4-year-olds.

Magnetic Jigsaw Puzzles Price

Best Travel Toys for 4-Year-Olds: Art & Activity Books

Activity books are one of the best ways to keep toddlers entertained on airplanes or road trips. Your little one is occupied and learning, so it’s a win/win for everyone.

Here are some of our favorite activity books for 4-year-olds.

Related Post: 50 Road Trip Activities for Toddlers

My First Sock Puppets

My First Sock Puppets is a fun activity for kids and adults to do together on a flight. The kit has everything you need to create a sock puppet.

Make a sock puppet and put on a show with your little ones. Peel and stick the pieces to make a wacky character for a puppet show.

We love using puppets to play with our little ones, so this is a great road trip activity for toddlers since it can get a little loud.

My First Sock Puppets Price

Melissa & Doug PAW Patrol Adventure Bay Sticker Book

If there is one thing that toddlers love and parents hate, it’s stickers. Melissa & Doug PAW Patrol Reusable Sticker Book is perfect for your little one to tell their own story in Adventure Bay.

These stickers are reusable, making them easy to remove and stick on different pages as your toddler pleases. Your little one can help Paw Patrol save the citizens of adventure bay from quirky mishaps.

The spiral-bound notebook is easy for toddlers to carry in their backpacks. There are over 75 stickers to keep your toddler busy.

This sticker book is a 3-pack, so there are different scenes for your toddler to tell their stories.

If you have a toddler that loves Paw Patrol, this is the best travel toy for your 4-year-old.

Melissa & Doug Sticker Book Price

Crayola Dry Erase Board Travel Pack

Crayola Dry Erase Board Travel Pack is a traveling dry-erase board for little artists. Everything your little one needs to draw on the go.

This traveling art studio includes five dry-erase markers, an E-Z clean eraser cloth, and decorative clings. It’s a great way for your mini Picasso to draw without the mess.

The tri-fold design makes it easy to store everything in one place.

Crayola has been around forever and is our favorite brand for anything coloring related.

We love the Crayola Color Wonder Mess-Free sets too, but we’ve included them on our other travel toy guides, so we went with a different one for 4-year-olds.

Dry Erase Board Travel Pack Price

Read More: 15 Best Crayons for Toddlers

Crayola Travel Sets

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Melissa & Doug On The Go Activity Pad

Melissa & Doug On The Go Activity Pad is a fun combination of activities and games to keep your little one engaged while traveling.

You can leave this activity pad in the car for road trips or quick trips to the grocery store.

The activity pad is dry-erase, making it perfect for your little one to use over and over.

Some games are too advanced for 4-year-olds, which is good for helping your little one develop and learn.

Overall, this is a fun activity pad for quick trips or flights with your toddler.

Disney Frozen Learning Board Price

Related Post: Best Car Seat Travel Trays

Boogie Board Play n’ Trace

Play n’ Trace is a reusable doodling board for kids that helps them learn to draw and write through tracing.

The semi-transparent design allows your child’s creative flow without limitations, while the artist palette grip makes it easy, even if they’re still developing their fine motor skills!

It’s a great way for 3 and 4-year-olds to learn how to write. Your toddler can trace over anything, then quickly erase it with a push of a button.

We recently purchased this travel toy for our soon-to-be four-year-old. I think it will help our toddler with writing letters. Plus, it’s a hassle looking for somewhere to print pages for him to practice in different countries.

This travel toy requires batteries, but it includes two AAA batteries, so your toddler can begin writing out the box.

Play ‘n’ Trace is the best alternative to carrying worksheets and wasting paper.

Play n' Trace Price

Brain Quest Preschool Q&A Cards

Brain Quest Preschool Q&A Cards is a fun learning game for 4-year-olds preparing for kindergarten. It’s a great way to interact with toddlers during a road trip or while flying on an airplane.

I like these cards because they promote screen-free learning. It’s an engaging way to encourage vocabulary building, counting, reading, spelling, and counting.

What I love about these cards is their versatility. There are over 300 questions to keep your little one from getting bored.

For families with kids in different age groups, there are questions for toddlers as young as 2 to kids as old as 11.

Brain Quest Preschool Q&A Cards Price

Related Post: The 15 Best Crayons for Toddlers

Brain Quest Questions for All Ages

Disney Frozen Learning Board

Explore the world of Olaf and his friends with the  Disney Frozen Learning Board .  This learning book is the perfect toddler road trip activity for your next family vacation.

There are find’ems and picture puzzles galore in this write-and-erase board book. The activities are age-appropriate, making them challenging without your little one getting frustrated.

Your little one can wipe the pages clean and play again with the included dry-erase marker. They can begin working on developing math skills while building their vocabulary.

If your toddler isn’t a fan of Frozen, there are other Disney characters, such as Mickey Mouse, Paw Patrol, Minnie Mouse, and Pixar friends.

Disney Learning Boards

Best Travel Toys for 4-Year-Olds: Games

Games are a fun way to pass the time on a road trip or during a long-haul flight with toddlers. They are also screen-free ways to interact with your kids while traveling.

These games are toddler friendly and can be played by themselves or as a family.

Related Post: 18 Toddler Road Trip Essentials

Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere – Bingo

If you are heading on a road trip with little ones, then  Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere – Bingo  is the perfect travel game for your toddlers. It’s a great way for everyone to get in on the fun, plus you can have some  fun prizes . 

There is a spinner, no need to keep track of cards or balls for this game. The game board is magnetic, with playing pieces big enough for little hands.

The cards have pictures, making it easy for your toddler to identify the items on their playing card. It’s a fun way to develop their observation skills, hand-eye coordination, and vocabulary.

This brand has other fun road trip games for toddlers and older kids, including checkers, tic-tac-toe, hangman, chess, and boredom buster.

Take 'N' Play Anywhere - Bingo Price

Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere Games

Spot It! Junior Animals Card Game

Spot It! Junior Animals Card Game is a game just for toddlers, which makes it perfect for traveling. It’s a way for toddlers to learn about over 30 animals and develop their vocabulary.

Spot it! Jr. animals is a simple game for children that requires observation skills and memory function to play. The game is fun for players of all ages, both toddlers and adults.

There is a diverse array of 30 cards which range from cuddly creatures like penguins or panda bears; to wilder ones such as lions.

The goal of the game is to Spot It first. The animals may vary in size and position, but there is always one, and only one, match between any two cards.

As your little ones get older, you can add more cards and see who finds the matches first. At the end of the game, the player with the most cards collected wins.

Spot It! Junior Card Game Price

Related Post: 25 Best Travel Board Games

Melissa & Doug Flip to Win Travel Memory Game

Melissa & Doug Memory Game is a fun travel game for road trips. This travel game is great for kids from 2 years old to seven.

Younger toddlers can work on learning animals, colors, fruit, vehicles, and shapes, while older kids can develop their memory. It’s  screen-free entertainment  that also helps your little ones learn.

The frame is wooden, making it great for rough toddlers. There are seven double-sided, laminated, themed game cards included.

Two kids can play at once, so there is no fighting between kids to play this memory game.

Melissa & Doug is one of my favorite brands for toddlers. Their toys help promote learning and development while having fun.

Melissa & Doug Memory Game Price

Magnetic Activity Tin

Magnetic Activity Tins are a fun way to keep your little ones entertained while flying or during long road trips.

The games come in a travel-size tin, so it’s easy to put in your  toddler’s travel backpack .  There are different games, so your little one can play for hours without getting bored.

These games help promote imagination, strategy, problem-solving, critical thinking, and creativity.

I recommend playing the games and working on the activities with your toddler. It will keep them occupied longer, and it’s a great way to bond with your little one.

Magnetic Activity Tin Price

Magnetic Activities

World of Disney Eye Found It Card Game

World of Disney Eye Found It Card Game is my favorite travel game for preschoolers. It is the perfect game for long-haul flights with toddlers.

The travel-size card game features artwork from all of our favorite characters. In each realm, there are iconic objects that you have to find.

I love the illustration on the cards. It’s like walking through memory lane of some of your favorite childhood Disney movies.

The realms are scenes from The Lion King, Radiator Springs (Cars), Lilo & Stitch, 101 Dalmatians, Sleeping Beauty, Hundred Acre Wood, Moana, Alice in Wonderland, Neverland, and so much more.

You can also give other players clues about what square they may need assistance finding!

This race will leave everyone feeling like a winner because when someone finds an object on their side, they get rewarded with double points.

It is not as complicated as it sounds in writing. Your little ones will enjoy this game of an upcoming road trip or flight.

Disney Eye Found It Card Game Price

Related Post: 21 Travel-Themed Board Games

Best Travel Toys for 4-Year-Olds: Fun Toys

There isn’t much difference between the travel toys for 3-year-olds vs. 4-year-olds, so I included a few toys in this section that older toddlers will enjoy.

The travel toys in this section are for toddlers who are over the putting things in their mouth stage of toddlerhood.

Melissa & Doug Wooden Train Cars

I had to include  Melissa & Doug Wooden Train Cars  on our list of travel toys for 4-year-olds because our son takes them everywhere.

There are wooden construction vehicles and cars if your toddler isn’t fond of trains.

We love the quality of Melissa & Doug’s wooden toys for our little one because he is rough on toys. We’ve had this train set for nearly seven months, and they still look new.

The train set has magnets for your little one to connect. If you have other Melissa & Doug train track play sets, these fit perfectly, so add to your little one’s collection.

Wooden Train Cars Price

Related Post: Best Travel Toys for 1-Year-Olds

Crayola Model Magic

Crayola Model Magic is my favorite play-doh alternative for toddlers. We started using this after our time at Crayola Experience in Orlando .

The box contains 14 individual bags of clay in 10 different colors. There are project cards to help your little one brainstorm unique creations.

Some reviews do not like the size of the bags, but 0.5 oz of modeling clay is enough for a toddler.

The clay is reusable as long as it is in an air-tight container between uses. If you want to keep their creation, let it air-dry.

When the design is dry, let your little one color it with  Crayola markers .

If you have a little artist, this is one of the best travel activities for toddlers .

Crayola Model Magic Price

Related Post: 10 Play-Doh Alternatives for Toddlers

Melissa & Doug Disney Ariel Magnetic Dress-Up Wooden Doll

If your little one likes to play dress-up, then the Melissa & Doug Magnetic Dress-Up Wooden Doll is the perfect travel toy for your 4-year-old.

Your toddler can mix and match outfits to transform Ariel from sea to land. There are over 30 magnetic pieces to create their own story.

If your little one isn’t a fan of Ariel, there are other princesses or characters to choose from, such as Minnie Mouse, Daisy, Cinderella, Belle, Snow White, and Sleeping Beauty.

The play set includes a doll stand, making it easier for your toddler to dress the wooden doll without getting frustrated.

There are no strings to keep track of since the pieces are magnetic; just put them on without the hassle.

Although younger toddlers may enjoy this dress-up set, some small pieces are a choking hazard. I recommend this fun travel toy for toddlers at least three years old and up.

Melissa & Doug Magnetic Dress-Up Wooden Doll Price

LEGO DUPLO Building Set

I couldn’t write a list of the best travel toys for 4-year-olds without including our favorite blocks,  LEGO DUPLO Building Sets . Our son loves these building blocks.

We’ve been traveling with LEGO DUPLO blocks for nearly three years. We’ve even added a few along the way, which fit in his  backpack , so it doesn’t take up additional space in our luggage. 

I love these sets because they help your little one’s fine motor skills and fuel their imagination. Our 3-year-old put this set together by himself in a few minutes.

These LEGOS are large enough to fit in your little one’s hands and are easy to find. Plus, the sets encourage their imagination and come with enough pieces for you to play along.

The box says these sets are for toddlers two and older, but they are great for kids up to five. Many other LEGO sets have small pieces that are easy to lose.

We are speaking from experience. We returned from Mickey’s Not-so-Scary Halloween Party last month, and he’s already lost 50% of the pieces to the Two Buzz Lightyear set we bought.

LEGO DUPLO Building Set Price

Related Post: 20 LEGO Alternatives for Toddlers, Teens, & Adults

Check out our other travel toy and activity guides:

• The 25 Best Travel Toys for Babies
• 20 Toys to Keep Toddlers Busy on an Airplane
• 25 Beach Toys for Toddlers
• Our Favorite Travel Toys for 3-Year-Olds
• 15 Travel Games for Toddlers
• 20 Fun Travel Toys for 4-Year-Olds
• Our Favorite Headphones for Toddlers
• 20 Screen-Free Road Trip Toys for Toddlers
• 10 Mess-Free Travel Activities for 2-Year-Olds
• 50 Road Trip Activities for Toddlers
• LeapFrog Tablets for Toddlers to Promote Learning
• 20 Educational Travel Toys for 5-Year-Olds
• 15 Fun Airplane Activities for Toddlers
• The Best Learning Tablets for Toddlers
• 20 Snow Toys for Toddlers and Big Kids

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21 Travel Games for Kids to Keep the Whole Family Sane

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A family trip to the beach sounds idyllic. Getting there? Not so much. Whether you’re traveling by plane, train or automobile, having the whole gang cooped up in an enclosed space for hours on end will make even the happiest of families go a little crazy. Here, 21 great travel games for kids to keep the peace (and the “are we there yet?” questions to a minimum).

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1. Rory’s Story Cubes

Check out these fun cubes for a game that’s different every time you play and will bring out your family’s creative side. Simply give them a roll and then tell a story based on whatever images are facing upward. The best part? There are no wrong answers. Kids ages 3 and up will love this imagination-boosting activity.

2. Travel Chess Set

Worried about losing pieces? Don’t fret—this nifty board is magnetized. So if you decide to take it with you to the countryside, you can rest assured that everything will make it back home. (Your kid’s rain boots, on the other hand, are another story.) This game of strategy is recommended for kids ages 5 and up.

3. Mad Libs

It was hilarious to play this fill-in-the-blank game when you were a kid, and yep, it’s just as funny now. Just make sure you pick the right pack for each age group. (Psst: The Junior version is great for the under-8 set.)

Buy It ($6)

4. Pass The Pigs

Kids ages 7 and up will love rolling these pigs (instead of dice) and keeping score depending on how they land. Silly? Yep. But that’s exactly why it’ll keep them entertained for hours. Made for two to four players, this one will make sure the back seat of the car is full of laughs.

5. Connect 4 Grab & Go

Try to get four colored checkers in a row without your opponent blocking you. It’s simple yet surprisingly fun. (And this travel version folds up for easy storage.) A great game of strategy that also gives kids (recommended age is 6 and up) the opportunity to work on those fine motor skills.

6. Scavenger Hunt

How can you go on a scavenger hunt when trapped in your car? Easy. These imaginative cards are designed with road trips in mind and ask kids ages 7 and up to keep their eyes peeled for tow trucks, yellow houses, motorcycles and more. You’ll love that your kids are honing their observation skills and they’ll love the friendly competition (not to mention the card for bad smells, which is guaranteed to be a smash hit.)

7. Bananagrams

Race against your family members to see who can complete their very own crossword grid first using all their tiles. Kids ages 10 and up can work on their vocabulary and spelling—just make sure to keep a dictionary handy for any potential squabbles. The banana-shaped pouch makes for easy transportation (and is also pretty darn cute).

8. Iq Puzzler Pro

The best games aren’t just fun but also sneak in some education too. This cognitive learning pick comes in a compact size but features a staggering 120 challenges in three different playing modes (including 3-D brainteasers). Best for ages 6 and up.

9. Apples To Apples

Here’s how to play: Deal the deck and then select the card from your hand that you think best describes the card played by the judge. If the judge picks your card, then you win that round. Easy entertainment for four to eight players ages 9 and up and a great way to work on communication skills.

10. Hangman

Go old-school with just a pen and paper or check out this travel-friendly version featuring wooden tiles, an erasable whiteboard, a self-storing dry-erase marker and an eraser. Kids ages ages 6 to 9 can work on their spelling (and drawing) with this updated classic.

11. Brain Games

Marketed to kids from age 6 to 99, this one is educational fun for everyone (even Grandma). Here are just a few of the skills your family will pick up with this fun pick: strategy, problem solving, communication, observation, mental maths, trial and error, decoding patterns and more. And the reusable activity mats mean you can play again and again.

12. Flip-to-win Memory Game

Want to work on your kid’s memory skills? Featuring seven double-sided themed game cards, this one should keep the whole crew going until you arrive at your destination (particularly those ages 5 to 7). And with no loose pieces and easy storage, it’s ideal for travel.

13. Travel Scrabble

This one’s a firm family favorite (and the easiest way we know to work on your kid’s vocabulary), but the regular version isn’t exactly ideal on the go. This handy travel board recommended for ages 8 and up comes in an easy-to-transport case and has a raised grid so that tiles stay put. How many points for “genius”?

14. Tic-tac-toe

Another classic game where all you really need is a pen and paper. But how cute is this wooden board? Let kids ages 7 and up take turns to see who can get three knots or crosses in a row. And remember—in this game of strategy, the first move is everything .

15. Monopoly Deal

A plane ride is no place for the original Monopoly (how would the banker keep track of all those notes?), but this card version can easily fit into your carry-on and is readily played on tray tables. Consider this your kid’s first lesson in the value of a dollar. Can be played by two to five people, ages 8 and up.

16. Rummikub Travel

Rummy meets mah-jongg in this strategic game where the goal is to get rid of all your tiles using runs (like 7, 8 and 9) and groups (like a red 4, a blue 4 and a black 4). A miniature version of the original, this strategic pick is great for ages 8 and up and can be played with two to four players.

17. The License Plate Game

Road-tripping across the country? Here’s a game that will keep everyone (driver included) occupied. See how many license plates from different states you can spot and keep track on this wooden board. Yes, it’s a pretty bulky item to pack, but it will keep the kids (recommended for ages 8 and up) occupied and they’ll also learn some geography while they’re at it. Bonus points if they know the state’s capital.

18. 45 Games... Travel!

Puzzles and observation games and mazes, oh my! With 45 different activities for kids to choose from (plus an erasable pen so that they can start over again and again), this just might keep your munchkin occupied until you arrive at your destination (maybe). Best for kids ages 5 and up.

Buy It ($7)

19. Charades For Kids Travel Version

With three different levels of clues, this one is great for kids ages 4 to 8 (each card has a picture so there’s no reading required). Your mini will love acting out a toothbrush or pretending to be a bumblebee. But can she guess Mom’s spaghetti-eating impression or Dad’s air guitar moves? The kit includes 150 charade cards, a sand timer and a game die. Who knows? This fun activity might just give your mini the acting bug. (Just maybe save this one for the hotel and not the airplane.)

20. Air Deck Travel Playing Cards

Regular paper playing cards tear, stain and bend easily, but this deck can handle even the bumpiest of journeys. Its slim shape means it’ll easily fit in your pocket, and it’s also 100 percent waterproof (hello, beach). Here are 1 5 awesome card games for kids that will entertain them and teach them some great skills like mathematics, strategy and quick thinking.

21. Take ’n’ Play Anywhere Bingo

It’s the classic game but in a magnetic, travel-size form. Kids ages 4 and up will love trying to get five animals in a row. Just don’t forget to shout “Bingo!” when you do. A fun way to teach kids about numbers and animal recognition.

The Best Board Games for Every Age

Executive Editor

The best travel games for children from 2 to 4 years old

When you go on a trip, it’s not always easy to keep Baby occupied. Whether during the trip or once you arrive at your destination, your little one will want to spend time with fun and recreational activities. The problem is that you can’t take your games everywhere, especially when they’re bulky! But as they say, there is a solution to every problem: just buy small pocket games that you can carry everywhere with you , to have fun with your family or on your own. Board games, card games, board games, creative leisure activities… there is a wide selection of games and toys in miniature version to take everywhere.

To guide you and help you choose the best travel game for your little ones from 2 to 4 years old, we have made a top 8 of the best pocket games, so that you can find the ideal game at the best value for money, thanks to our testers and their opinions!

🏆 Best travel games

What is a pocket game?

The principle of the travel game is to be able to take it everywhere with us, to be able to occupy our loulous during car trips, holidays, or even during outings to the park . Virtually all large games today are available in travel size, with a shrunken game box so that they can be played anywhere, both for children and the whole family.

How to choose your travel game?

Before choosing transportable small games, you should think about a few criteria and above all your needs.

Your toddler’s age

You need to find games that will interest and suit the age of your cherubs, so that they can understand the rules and have fun playing the game. Games that are too complicated or too easy will quickly lose interest in the eyes of your children, who will end up getting bored, which is not the objective.

When choosing a pocket game, you should think carefully about the context in which it will be used. If it is for long car journeys, avoid board games or games with counters, which will not be practical to handle in the car. Prefer games where your little one can play by himself, such as magnetic books or drawing tablets. If the game is planned for the holidays, games for family fun are included, to introduce your little one to board or card games.

Best travel game for 2-4 year olds: our opinions

Here’s our selection of the most popular travel games for toddlers on the market. We’ve compared the different board games to help you choose the model that best suits your little one.

Haba Pescame – miraculous peach

Enlarge the image

Legler – Tic Tac Toe – Cats And Mice

Domino Bisous – Djeco

To make dominoes accessible to toddlers, this version with animal illustrations is perfect. With attractive colours, your little cabbages will have fun assembling the right pieces among the 28, and at the same time develop animal recognition. From the age of 2, this game stimulates Baby’s observation and motor skills to create a logical sequence. Small in size, this game slips easily into the travel bag to keep your little angel busy at all times!

Game of 7 families – Navi family Djeco

The only downside is that the cards are a little big for little mimics, Baby has a little trouble holding them all in his hand! But the goal being to have fun, he can put them on the table face down, which will develop memorization even more.

Nathan – Animals to touch

TOMY Aquadoole – Briefcase Aquadoodle Red – Creative leisure

Very practical for car journeys, this small suitcase allows your little cherubs to express themselves freely thanks to the pen that works with water. They will be able to draw endlessly on both sides of the tablet, the drawings erasing themselves once the water has dried. No toxic products, no stains, a very practical and portable toy to keep your toddlers busy at any age!

Magnetic Baby Animals Book

Your little one will be able to discover and become familiar with our planet and the beings that make it up through this magnetic book. The animal parents are drawn on the different pages of the book, and it is up to Baby to place the little ones next to their parents to develop recognition and animal associations. Of course, he is free to tell his own stories and take the baby animals to other continents to explore the world! Educational and playful, this book will stimulate the observation and motor skills of your cherub from his first age, and can be enjoyed until he is 3 years old.

Haba – Small Multicoloured Caterpillars

Why buy pocket games for your children?

The advantage of these travel games is their mobility. Small and transportable, you can take them everywhere with you, to keep your cherubs busy during long car journeys and avoid the “When are we coming? “, and enjoy moments of sharing with your family during your holidays . These little ones allow you to have fun during your excursions, while developing the motor and logical abilities of your toddlers by stimulating their observation, concentration and attention during a game.

Where to buy travel games?

You can buy these miniature games in toy and game stores for children, such as King Jouet, la Grande Récré, Oxybul, and even fnac. You will also find a wide selection of pocket games on the internet, and can easily find what you are looking for.

Best travel games for 2-4 year olds: why trust us?

Thank you for reading this article! Because we know that it is not always easy to make the best choice without trying, each of our recommendations is the result of a long work of analysis of consumer opinions on flagship and little-known products on the market, of comparison of prices and technical characteristics, but also and above all of tests by a team of men and women constantly renewed in order to keep a real objectivity to help you in your purchasing process.

All the purchasing criteria are scrutinized for the realization of our comparative guides: budget, level of range, functional and practical aspects, design, pack and accessories, safety… All this in order to help you choose the products best suited to your needs, desires and constraints on a daily basis, at the best price!

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Travel Games and Activities for Children

In my experience, young children start whining after about 14 minutes in the car. It’s really fun to listen to.

Of course, if I come prepared with something to keep them busy (you know, things like… kids travel games), things are (a little) better. We crowd-sourced some of the top travel games, toys, and activities to keep kids entertained on trips. (See also: Our Favorite Kids Media , because there is *no better time to throw out whatever screen time rules you usually follow than when you’re traveling.)

A note: Everybody has different preferences here… Personally, I want to throw anything with lots of parts and pieces straight in the trash (because my kids would 100% drop them every 6 seconds and I would spend the entire car/plane/train ride picking said pieces off the ground), but some kids actually do really well with these activities. And keep in mind that it’s helpful to have some fun new games or activities that are also *small/easy to pack for your actual trip — even if you choose to skip them on the plane/car and pull them out for playtime at your destination. Hopefully there’s something for everyone here. 😉

Quiet Toys for Driving and Airplane Travel

These travel toys are perfect for keeping littles busy on trips, and some of them even offer quite a bit of educational value to boot. Here are some of our top *quiet toys for road trips and airplane rides.

Melissa & Doug Reusable Sticker Pad ~ $7

Um… reusable stickers? Yes please. These extra-large reusable sticker pads have five different colorful backgrounds and more than 150 reusable stickers. These stickers don’t have any adhesive on the back so they only stick to the pad pages (not your car, windows, the plane, or anything else). Store the stickers on any page in the activity pad or keep them in a plastic bag.

Wikki Stix ~ $8

Kids (and adults!) can create all sorts of fun sculptures with Wikki Stix. They’re sticky enough to hold whatever shapes kids make with them, but they don’t leave any gooey messes on surfaces. They’re also an awesome sensory toy — when I see my kiddo revving up for a meltdown, I often hand her a pack of these and she calms down pretty quickly. Best part? Kids can make masterpieces over and over again. Wikki Stix are my favorite toy to pull out at restaurants, too.

My First Brain Quest Q&A Cards ~ $8

Raise your hand if you loved Brain Quest as a kid 🙋🏻‍♀️. Well get excited because this is the toddler version! Not only will it entertain your child, but it’s also an amazing opportunity to engage with your kiddo when you’re on-the-go (or anywhere for that matter… ).

Tic-Tac-Toe ~ $9

All the tic-tac-toe you want and none of the wasted paper. This classic game is magnetic and travel-sized, ideal for a flight, a road trip, or even just a visit to the dentist. It’s great for kids ages 4+, but younger children can play it too.

Travel Scavenger Hunt Game ~ $9

Inspired by car bingo but with way more cool things to find, this Travel Scavenger Hunt Game is easy to learn and fun to play! It’s intended for ages 7 and up, but a toddler can easily play too with a little bit of direction from an older sibling or parent. The card set features 54 different cards, each with an object to search for while on the road. Fun for the whole fam.

Classic (car travel) Car bingo ~ $11 (set of 3)

Who doesn’t remember these??? It makes me feel nostalgic for the two (count ‘em) cross-country trips I took as a kid. No iPads back then (or seat belts for that matter, lol). Each of these bingo cards has a slide shutter window so you don’t have to deal with any tiny pieces.

Play Foam Go! ~ $14

Kinetic Sand is great, but it can still make a mess. This non-toxic Playfoam, on the other hand, is mess-free! It comes in a convenient travel case with a handle and — get this — it never dries out. With eight different bricks of foam and four built-in shape molds that won’t get lost on the floor, your toddler will enjoy hours of fun on any trip.

Melissa & Doug Water Wow On-the-Go Bundle ~ $19

If you haven’t tried these Water Wow pads, you’re going to love them just as much as your kid does! Simply fill the paintbrush with water, securely fasten the top so it won’t spill, and “paint” the pages with the damp bristles to reveal a fun watercolor picture. *Best part: you can then wipe the page dry to erase and do it all over again! This bundle comes with three different activity books.

HABA Town Maze Magnetic Puzzle Game ~ $22

Your toddler won’t even notice the hours spent traveling with this fun game. The object of the puzzle is to try to get the colored balls to their matching color garage, but you have to watch out for blocked roadways. This travel-friendly magnetic puzzle board game encourages your child to concentrate and work strategically.

Busy “Board” Backpack ~ $21

This is a fun activity and a backpack all in one. Entice your toddler with all kinds of fun buckles, zips, laces, snaps, Velcro, and more to keep them busy during travel. The bag itself is roomy enough to store necessities like diapers, snacks, a water bottle, plus other travel toys. Did we mention it’s also machine washable?

Crayola Color Wonder Mess-Free Coloring ~ $23

These truly magical invisible markers don’t leave color on anything except the special coloring pad. Trust me: kids think it’s magic too! The set comes with two 30-page coloring pads and two different sets of classic and pastel-colored magical markers. No more worrying about your little artist coloring the inside of your car, the tray table on the plane, or herself (we’ve all been there).

Buckle Toy ~ $24

This cute toy teaches toddlers how to snap and click buckles into coordinating colors. Not only is it entertaining — what toddler doesn’t love fastening buckles?! — but it’s also awesome for hand-eye coordination. When your tot’s done playing, you can snap it to the car seat or stroller for easy storage.

LeapFrog Scribble and Write ~ $27

Fun and educational, this scribble and write toy encourages tots to practice their numbers (1-10) and letters. Bonus: the easy-to-grip stylus is attached to the scribbling pad so it won’t get lost on the floor of the car or airplane.

Boogie Board LCD Writer ~ $34

For your budding artist, the Boogie Board offers a fun and creative way to draw and create art on the go without leaving any messes behind. It has a translucent LCD writing surface which allows kids to draw and trace shapes, letters, hands, etc., and the pallet grip makes it easy to hold. It includes a double-sided stylus pen for drawing thin or thick lines, and also comes with five different accessory packs to enhance your kid’s fine motor skills and encourage their imagination.

Best Activity Books for 3, 4, and 5-Year Olds

Activity books are also an excellent go-to when you’re traveling. It’s okay if your kid’s not a fan of coloring — many of these books offer different activities to keep them entertained, such as tracing letters, making tape art, or practicing fastening zippers, snaps, or buttons. Without further ado, here are a few favorite toddler activity books:

Airport Sticker Activity Book ~ $2

“Airplanes go zoom” is very apropos: the airport theme offers a great opportunity to speak with your child about planes, the runway, the control tower, and all the other fun happenings at the airport. These stickers are reusable, so they can be applied over and over again… or you can just sit back and enjoy the silence while your tot plays. We like that option too.

Preschool Activity Book: Trucks, Cars, and Airplanes ~ $6

This travel-themed activity book is a great way to get toddlers excited about going on a trip (especially if they’re a little hesitant to travel). Kids ages 3 to 5 will enjoy the car, truck, and airplane-themed activities that involve working with colors, letters, numbers, shapes, words, and patterns. All your little one needs to get started is a box of crayons or colored pencils.

Melissa & Doug Tape Activity Book ~ $7

This sturdy plastic spiral-bound activity book includes four rolls of easy-tear tape that your child can use to decorate and fill the 20 reusable pages. Use the tape to fill empty dashes, stripes, train track ties, and more — all without making a mess.

First Words Sticker Activity Book ~ $7

The First Words Sticker Activity Book is not only fun, but it also introduces toddlers to words and language concepts. The illustrations are super cute and each one has a corresponding learning activity. Bonus: it’s small enough to throw in your diaper bag, purse or carry-on.

Wipe Clean Early Learning Activity Book ~ $8

This wipe-clean activity book (which comes with a dry erase marker) lets your child draw, trace, and color over and over again. Not only do the creative exercises pass the time while traveling, they offer plenty of opportunities to practice early spelling, math, and drawing skills. Both child and mom approved!

My Book Of Easy Mazes ~ $8

This activity book is based on the Kumon Method, which is a specific educational philosophy that introduces learning concepts with a step-by-step approach to help your child reach his or her full potential — this one is filled with lots of fun mazes for kiddos to try.

My First Book Of Cutting ~ $8

What’s more entertaining for a traveling toddler than cutting with scissors?! (Kidding… kind of). This is Kumon Method book (see above also) introduces your tot to child-safe scissors and gives them a chance to practice cutting while also developing manual dexterity.

Paint By Sticker Books ~ $9

These books are great for children 4+ — they’re sticker puzzles (match the sticker to the number with the same shape) that take time and focus to put together and have kept my daughter busy for an hour at a time multiple times over. Choose from tons of different themes (dinosaurs, spring, magic, etc.) — kids seriously love these!

Busy Books ~ $14

These busy books come with fun figurines so your little one can bring the different scenes to life with creative play. You can choose from a variety of fun characters and stories, like Peppa Pig, PAW Patrol, Lion King, and more. Just make sure to bring a plastic baggie to contain the little figurines when your toddler is done playing.

deMoca Quiet Book ~ $36

This Montessori activity is ideal for 2- and 3-year-olds. Soft and easy to carry, the deMoca Quiet Book encourages toddlers to match colorful Velcro shapes, play with zippers, snaps, buttons, and tell time. It also comes with a zippered washing bag so you can wash off any questionable junk — airplanes are gross ! — that gets stuck to it.

Free Preschool Travel Games

If you’re on a tight budget, and/or the last thing you need is more STUFF to keep track of on your trip, there are plenty of ways to keep your kids busy without having to buy a single thing…

The travel games listed below are completely FREE and they’re also fun for all ages, including preschool-aged kids! Here are quick instructions on how to play each of these fun travel games. (HEADS UP: Some of these require a little bit of planning on your part, so be forewarned.)

20 Questions

Yes, you’ve probably heard of this one before, but it’s a great road trip game for kids (and adults) of all ages. Plus, we all know toddlers already love to ask questions, so this is right up their alley. First, have someone think of a person, place, or thing. Then, everyone else in the car can take turns asking yes or no questions like, “Is it red?” “Does it have feet?” or “Does it eat grass?” to figure out what it is. After everyone has asked a total of 20 questions, let each person take a stab at what it might be. If you’re playing with young children who need a little more direction, you could also play this with a category, such as “animals” or “characters.”

Family Storytime

If your toddler enjoys listening to audiobooks or reading books at home, they also might enjoy some family storytime on the road. For this game, have one person start the story with “Once upon a time” followed by one complete sentence. Then, each person in the car can rotate to have turns adding a single sentence to the story. To keep things from getting out of control, set a time limit and tell the most creative story possible. Your toddler will love having the chance to participate, but it’s always a challenge to cap their contributions to just one sentence per turn!

The Alphabet Game

Looking for a fun way to practice letter recognition with your toddler? The Alphabet Game is a great way to do it on the road. Simply start at “A” and search for each letter of the alphabet on random signs, trucks, license plates, and such. The goal of the game is for each person to point out every letter in the alphabet (in order from A to Z) before the others can. Although your toddler might not be able to keep track of their progress, they’ll have fun pointing out letters and identifying them as the older members of the family compete to get to the letter “Z” first. *You can also play as a team, rather than competing.

Road Trip Scavenger Hunt

Before your trip, make a list of things you might see on your drive. (*For young toddlers, this list would be best if it were made up of pictures of the items, not words.) Print off one or several copies of your list and make sure you don’t forget to pack it! Once you’re on the road, hand your kids the list and have them search for each item as you drive. If they are able to find everything on your list, offer them a small prize like a toy or the opportunity to pick out a treat at the next rest stop. Nothing like a little motivation, eh?

It’s always fun for little ones to see cows, goats, and other farm animals while you’re driving through the countryside. This simple game requires nothing more than some good ‘ol farmland. Turn your road trip into a fun game by challenging your toddler to yell “Mooo!” every time you drive past a cow. If you have multiple kids, have them keep track of how many cows they each see with a simple point system and a small dry erase board. (Just a friendly warning, but you may or may not want some earbuds to make it through this one, LOL.)

This classic road trip game is simple and easy for little ones to play. Entice your toddler by starting off with something like, “I spy with my little eye… something cute.” (The answer, of course, is your kid!) They’ll enjoy the interaction with you and it’s also a great way to practice using senses like sight, sound, and smell with your growing tot.

Crazy Questions

Before your trip, write down a list of fun questions to ask your toddler. Examples might include, “What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever eaten?” or “If you could pick any animal as a pet, what would it be?” This road trip game is such a fun way to have conversations with your little ones, get to know them better, and chip away at potentially torturous hours in the car.

Guess Who Said It: Disney Version

One of the best free toddler travel games involves your little one’s favorite Disney movies. If you plan to let your toddler watch a movie on your trip, have them watch one of their favorite Disney hits. Afterward, read them quotes (that you have prepared ahead of time) from the movie and have them guess who said it. Not only will this get their brain going and test their memory, but it will also keep them preoccupied with an activity for just a little bit longer before they start begging you to watch another movie or show. You can also do your best imitations of each character’s voice to get them giggling.

Before you hit the road, prepare a list of trivia questions that involve some of your tot’s favorite characters, stories, and other interests. Ask the questions to see how much your little one really knows about each topic. You can make it even more fun by rewarding each correct answer with a small prize, like a sticker or a gummy bear.

Animal Name Game

To play this game in the car or on the plane, one person will have to name an animal. Then, the next person has to name another animal that starts with the last letter of the previous animal. (For example: turtle, elephant, tarantula, alligator… and so forth.) You’ll likely need to help your toddler identify the last letter in each animal name, but it’s a great way to practice letter sounds on the go.

Now that you have plenty of fun travel games, activities, and tricks to keep your little ones busy on your next vacation, you can sit back and enjoy the ride. Hopefully, these tools will help you ward off as many meltdowns as possible so everyone can enjoy themselves and spend some quality time together. Bon voyage!

What interesting games and activities for the development of children. We will definitely use it. My son is very fond of coloring books, we take them to https://meowcoloring.com/en/ . Suddenly someone loves coloring pages too!

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Free Printable Travel Games for Kids

Staring down the barrel of a long car ride or plane trip with kids? These free printable travel games will help keep everyone busy and having fun. Find scavenger hunts, bingo, license plate game, hangman, word searches, connect the dots, and more.

US License Plate Game

Suzanne Rowan Kelleher

Make a goal of spotting the license plates of all 50 states and Washington DC. When you spot a plate, simply cross off the state on the map and on the alphabetized list.

Download Your Free Printable: US License Plate Game

Road Sign Scavenger Hunt

Want to keep your family busy during a road trip? See how many of these common road signs you can spot along your route. 

Download Your Free Printable: Road Sign Scavenger Hunt

Spot the Car

Going to be spending a lot of time in the car en route to your vacation? See how many of these popular car models you can spy along the way. 

Download Your Free Printable: Spot the Car Scavenger Hunt

This classic guessing game will never go out of style. Print out multiple sheets of this free Hangman game and keep the guessing going. Play with categories or with anything goes.

Download Your Free Printable: Hangman

Tic Tac Toe

The granddaddy of all pen-and-paper games is easy to learn. Kids of all ages love this classic game of Xs and Os.

Download Your Free Printable: Tic Tac Toe

Connect the Dots

This is a great strategy game for all ages. As you take turns connecting dots, the goal is to complete as many squares as you can and claim them with your initial.

Download Your Free Printable: Dot to Dot

Road Trip Scavenger Hunt

Keep your kids happy and engaged during your trip. See how many of these items you can spot along your route. 

Download Your Free Printable:  Road Trip Scavenger Hunt

Road Trip Word Search

Love word searches? Use your eagle eye to find these words seen on a road trip.

Download Your Free Printable: Road Trip Word Search

U.S. Road Trip Crossword Challenge

How well do you know top U.S. road trip terms? Feel free to ask Mom and Dad for help if you get stuck.

Download Your Free Printable: U.S. Road Trip Crossword Challenge

Road Trip I Spy

Taking a road trip? Print out this free I Spy game and start hunting for common logos you'll see along the way.

Download Your Free Printable:  Road Trip I Spy

Big Kid Highway Quest

Here's something more challenging for big kids. Print out this free highway quest and start hunting for these harder-to-find things you'll see on the road.

Download Your Free Printable: Big Kid Highway Quest

License Plate Coloring Game

Color your way to all 50 states. When you spot a license plate, color in the state on the map and cross it off the alphabetized list.

Download Your Free Printable: License Plate Coloring Game

Play this time-tested strategy game where the goal is to sink your enemy's war ships. 

Brush up on Battleship rules.

Download Your Free Printable: Battleship

Bottlecap Checkers

Clip this sheet to a clipboard and you can play checkers on the road. Don't have bottlecaps? Try playing this old-school favorite with coins, buttons, or different colored Post-It notes.

Download Your Free Printable: Bottlecap Checkers

Cootie Catcher

Generations of kids have had fun with these fun fortune tellers. Kids can ask Mom or Dad to help folding them.

Download Your Free Printable: Cootie Catcher

Alphabet Game

Find an item that begins with every letter of the alphabet. First person to complete the list wins.

Download Your Free Printable: Alphabet Game

I Spy Car Checklist

Try to spy every car logo on the list and mark each find with a checkmark.

Download Your Free Printable: I Spy Car Checklist

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• Free Hershey Printables

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Best Travel Games and Activities for Kids

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“Mom, are we there yet? I’m bored!”

As the saying goes, if I had a dollar for every time I heard that on a trip with kids we wouldn’t need to take car trips anymore since we could probably afford a private jet!

If you’ve traveled with children before, you know that especially on long trips, it is difficult for kids (and adults!) to sit still without getting bored . On our most recent road trip, for the sake of my sanity, I decided to be proactive and find some travel games and activities that they would enjoy and that might keep their attention during the long drive.

To be fair, we did also let them watch one movie during our 9+ hour drive, but they happily entertained themselves the rest of the time, and they probably wouldn’t have even minded if we hadn’t turned on the movie.

Instead of just books and movies, which is what we usually packed in the past, I created and packed some creative and engaging travel activities for each child and I rolled out a new travel game of activity every hour or so during the drive.

The kids also spent time reading, and a few took a nap, but for the most part, they happily played their travel games for the whole trip.

Planning Travel Games and Activities

As I learned very much the hard way on an 18+ hour cross-country drive we took several years ago, failure to plan is planning to fail when it comes to family road trips. Boredom and hunger are the nemesis of a fun family road trip, so it is important to proactively ward off both of them with entertaining travel games and healthy snacks.

On that trip, we ended up letting the kids watch many more movies that we’d like and they were still bored and grumpy when we arrived. This time, with proper planning, they were more engaged and were doing creative activities so they were less stir crazy and grumpy when we finally arrived at our destination.

To plan the activities, I made a list for each child of activities they enjoyed and that were appropriate for their age levels. Some games I bought, and others I made for each child and put them in reusable grocery bags for each hour of the trip.

I also put a couple of storage caddies on the floor below the children so they could store activities when they weren’t in use (this cut down on the post-drive mess disasters that drive my husband crazy!). Healthy snacks got their own reusable bags and I dished them out in paper sandwich bags during the drive.

While we’re no Von Trapp Family (though the three year old did belt out “Do Re Mi” quite a few times), this drive was by far the calmest, quietist, and happiest we’ve had as a family of six kids.

These are some of the travel games and activities that my kids loved:

Travel Games for Older Kids (Reading Age and Up)

The older kids are sometimes tougher to entertain than the younger ones since they need more mental stimulation and more involved activities that can be tough to facilitate in the car. These were the activities that were the biggest hits with our older kids (6+):

• Legos on Lego Trays with a Mesh Bag – If you have a child who loves legos, they are a great way to keep hands and minds busy in the car, but they can be messy. These lego trays solved that problem for us since they children could use them in their laps without losing pieces. They each got a tray and a mesh bag full of their favorite legos and this kept them building for hours. I typically buy big bags of bulk Legos and a new set for each older kid for trips.
• A Map of the Drive – This was a favorite with my oldest who likes to follow along with the trip. It is also an idea I got from my own mom who used to get “Trip Tic” books from AAA for my brother and I to use when we traveled. She would highlight our route and let us follow along. For my own children, I just used Google Maps and printed out the map of our drive. I highlighted the route and gave them a notebook and pen to follow along with.
• An Atlas – My older kids also loved this for the drive. I got them several types of atlases and learning books that they could read along the way. Their favorites were: The National Geographic Ultimate Kids Roadtrip Atlas  as well as the Rand McNalley Kids Atlas . They also really liked the National Geographic US Parks Guide and have a list of places they want to visit after reading it. My oldest son also liked this book of Wacky Roadside Attractions .
• R2D2 Bop It – The only electronic toy they got on the trip and it was a huge hit. Similar to the regular Bop It game, this one is small and looks like R2D2 (from Star Wars) and the older kids loved it (but my husband wasn’t a fan since it does make noise)!
• Travel Bingo – Another flashback to my own childhood. We had these exact travel bingo cards when I was little and these kept my older kids busy for a couple of hours. The cards have common sights that would be seen on a trip and the kids can mark them off to get “BINGO.”
• Travel Activity Books – This travel book of activities is a great one for older kids and it has hours and hours of activities.
• Mystery Decoder Sets – One of our kids is a big Hardy Boys fan and loves mysteries. He liked this mystery travel pad .
• Would You Rather/ You Gotta Be Kidding – Two card games that led to some hilarious discussions with the kids.
• Similar to the above, but a little more on the serious side is this conversation starter with kids . It has some really thought provoking questions that will not only pass the time, but can lead into some great conversations!

Travel Games for Younger Kids

The younger kids loved all of the activities for the drive and there are many excellent travel games available for non-readers. Our favorites are:

• Tape Activity Set – Do your kids always try to get into your tape? Mine do and I can never find tape when I need it. This tape activity book was their favorite for this reason! They got to make shapes and art with tape and loved every second!
• Scratch Art Activity Set – This simple and small notepad uses a small wooden stick to scratch off ink instead of markers or crayons that can melt.
• Felt Sticker Notebook – My daughter loved this small notebook with felt stickers .
• Fashion Designer Notebook – A small notebook that lets kids design outfits for tiny dolls . A favorite with our four-year-old.
• Origami Kit – A fun activity set that teaches kids basic origami .
• Magic Ink Notebook – A colorless ink set that our little ones loved . Ink only showed up on their special paper and not on my seats!
• Water Wow Ink – My three-year-old’s favorite activity . It uses a small pen that you fill with water and it makes color appear on the pages. When the pages dry, the color disappears again, so this one kept her happy for hours at a time.
• Scratch Art Doodle Pad – Another way for kids to draw without ink . They can scratch off a top layer of ink to reveal colors and glitter underneath.
• Reusable Sticker Pads – My little ones like stickers almost as much as tape and this reusable sticker pad was great because the stickers only stick on the pages on not on the windows or the rest of the car. Since they are reusable, they all got to take turns with this. Their favorite was the faces sticker pad .
• Color by Numbers – I didn’t give color by numbers to my littlest ones because it uses real markers but our 4-6 year olds loved these simple color by numbers pads .
• Magna Doodle – Another flashback to my own childhood. A magnadoodle is another no-mess way for kids to draw in the car.

Travel Games & Activities for Babies

Thankfully, our littlest slept quite a bit of the trip but when she was awake, she wanted some activities too. I kept her toys in a seat back organizer so the older kids could hand them to her when she wanted them. These were her favorites that worked in her car seat:

• Wooden Animalz – These eco-friendly wooden animals were her favorite for playing and teething on.
• Wooden Teethers – She (and I) love these Montessori inspired wooden teethers .
• Flash Card Notebook – She liked to look at the mirror on this and chew on it more than actually play with it but it entertained her for a while.
• Car Sear Mirror – This simple mirror let her see me when I was in the front seat. She also would smile at herself in the mirror and it gave her more to look at than just the back of the seat.
• Silicone Teether – She just hit the teething stage and this silicone teether had enough texture to soothe her gums and she could hold on to it herself.

Travel Snack Suggestions

Nothing ends a child’s good mood faster than hunger. I’m not a fan of stopping for food on trips as it is healthier and less expensive to make and bring our own snacks. I usually pre-make and pack our food for the whole trip whenever possible (post on that soon), but I especially make sure to bring pre-made healthy snacks in the car. I always pack:

• Water bottles for each child
• Carrot sticks
• Celery sticks
• Cheese cubes
• Homemade trail mix
• Homemade energy bars
• Pre-made meatballs and beef jerky
• Boiled Eggs
• Baked snacks

While these travel games worked for our family on a recent trip, I’m constantly research and refining the games and activities as each child’s age, personality, and interests change over time.

Does your family take road trips? What are your best tips for keeping kids busy?

About Katie Wells

Katie Wells , CTNC, MCHC, Founder of Wellness Mama and Co-founder of  Wellnesse , has a background in research, journalism, and nutrition. As a mom of six, she turned to research and took health into her own hands to find answers to her health problems. WellnessMama.com is the culmination of her thousands of hours of research and all posts are medically reviewed and verified by the Wellness Mama research team. Katie is also the author of the bestselling books  The Wellness Mama Cookbook and The Wellness Mama 5-Step Lifestyle Detox.

10 responses to “Best Travel Games and Activities for Kids”

Actually for road trips, one of THE best games (it takes HOURS because you never really find them all but can hunt the entire time as you pass cars, trucks, etc) is the license plate game. If you want to do it cheap, just write down the states of the license plates you see. You only write each state down once–the goal being to get all 50. You can also write down if you see unusual ones (Canadian plates, or DC plates). Everyone in the car can play–and you usually play as a team together, not individually. Kids start recognizing the way certain states plates look (there are variations, but usually only one or 2, most are standard for a particular state). Kids generally get excited as the list grows. Only rule really, your car has to be moving–so if you see one you’re really looking for in a rest area say….as long as you are coming or going it counts. There is a version (that we have since purchased) from Melissa and Doug that has every plate attached by little rubber bands that you can just flip it over. Game ends when the trip does. We usually do round trip, but you could restart on the ride home.

Dear Wellnessmama/Katie, I need your help. I am planning to travel from US to my home country sometime in November this year so we can celebrate our daughter’s 1st christmas with family. My daughter will be ~1.5 yrs old when we travel. We have a loooong flight journey. ~16 hours at a stretch. I want to know what kind of food I can carry for my child so I dont have to rely on the plane food or whatever processed junk is avl at the airport.

My personal favorite are these beef sticks .

This was really helpful because my whole family is going on an 18 hour trip from Texas to Illinois and we’re going to need this!

Any more suggestions for the 16month old age? We just took a trip, and all my toy/game ideas were a flop, primarily because they were too “old” for her.

We took a long road trip with my grands and daughter and son in law. Daughter Renee wrapped a variety of entertainment as gifts for showing good behavior (no whining, fighting, complaining) Some were needed items like socks, others were books, games, 1 video, They were great and loved unwrapping the ‘gifts’. They travel quite a bit and they eat their breakfast and lunch/ in the car and use their stop time to play games, go to an event, do a hike, or tour a museum getting the wiggles out, rather than to sit and eat.

I’ve been considering this for a while now. My husband and I are in the process of adopting two little girls from Uganda (ages 3 and 5). We will be going to pick them up in a few months. I have no idea their personalities, their desires, what they like… And they’ve never experienced American consumerism either (I’m kind of ok with that!). This post gave me ideas of what we can do on the 30+ hours of travel to get home. Any other suggestions, send em my way! Thanks!

My son is 3. We keep a shoebox size or largest Ziploc container with hot wheel sized cars for him to drive around the car or even on the map or Atlas pages. When we stop, the lid goes on to contain them and carry them to the hotel room or tent. We love the Melissa and Doug Water Wow for travel. We have taken color wonder markers with their special paper or regular coloring book and paper with color pencils or the Crayola twist crayons (we haven’t had any melt like regular crayons). We carry them in an old office clip board with a built in box under, so he just clips the paper on for a surface. The clip board also works well with the Melissa and Doug ‘craft’ notebooks. Looking forward to getting the tape book-we have done that kind of tape on just paper before at home and traveling.

When we had little ones in tow for a long trip, each day we had little activity bags for each child. Because they had something new each day, the days were not so monotonous. Each bag had activity ideas of things in it, not just new toys/coloring-books/etc. The children liked almost everything in each bag, but, perhaps more to the point, they enjoyed being able to call an idea here or there a silly idea. Looking back, I wish I’d included some really goofy ideas just to give them more memories of running into bad ideas, declaring them so, and knowing how right they were….. — I particularly thrilled whenever my husband was willing to stop every so often to let the children run and goof off at the rest stops. For any trip that needed such stops, we packed balls and collapsible frisbees, etc. — But I think a friend of mine did even better: Her large family of various aged children would change up what they were doing every fifteen minutes…. which might be overkill for a super long trip, but for portions of the long days on the road, I wish we had done this (the older children and the younger children learned to play together under her close, but playful guidance). e.g. – exercise for 15 minutes…. like, 20 repetitions of a finger exercise, 20 reps of a toe exercise, etc. – w/each little child making up an exercise for everyone else to do; sing songs for 15 minutes (mom can sing a favorite song or spiritual or whatever at the end, and dad too if he likes to sing); listen to a book for 15 minutes (taking turns who reads and what age level the book is targeting), etc. — I’d still want ‘quiet hour’ at some point.

Very timely as we are taking a road trip from TX to Ohio with my 2 year old! I haven’t tried these yet–but I have heard good things about the no-mess crayola markers and special paper!

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Best Travel Games for long journeys with kids

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Table of Contents

Best Travel Games for Kids

Travel Games are an essential item if you’re travelling with kids on a long journey. You need games to keep kids occupied and busy so you can keep your eyes on the road or even relax on your long journey! When it comes to keeping kids entertained on road trips, on ferries, planes or even during the evening in hotel rooms, you need travel games for kids to be engaging but not overly complicated, easy to pack and versatile to play on a variety of surfaces. But travel games don’t just have to be for kids – the best travel games are also fun for adults. There are plenty of amazing travel games for kids that adults will love just as much. These are the best kind of travel games that can be whipped out in a delay at the departure gate or on even at a restaurant on holiday. You can see our other screen free ways to entertain kids on a long journey here and if you’re travelling with babies, the ultimate checklist for flying is a must read!

 And there’s lots of Free Fun Printables for kids to do in the car on this page.

Here’s our round up of the Best Travel Games for Long Journeys.

Best Travel Games for Long Journeys Ages 4+

Dino dump (age 5+).

OK Play (age 5+)

OK Play is a travel game which is a little like Connect 4 but played flat. There are two things that make  OK Play stand out from the crowd. One is its ultra-portability. There is no box and the pieces are carried with a carabiner at the top, so you can easily hang them up. The pieces are hard plastic, meaning that they can be played indoor or out and are washable so be played in any weather. The second is, as it’s small, it can fit in any bag easily! You’ll love this printable passport for kids to keep them occupied on a long journey!

Dobble (age 5+)

Dobble is a card game, easily stored in a tin and on each card are 8 different symbols.  All you have to do is be the first to spot and name out loud your matching symbol but it’s sometimes harder than it sounds! There are 5 different suggested games that you can play and it’s designed for kids of all ages which makes it a perfect family game for travel. It’s an observational game where kids can beat adults too which makes them feel super special!

Voxblock Screen Free Audiobook Player

A must-have for kids on long journeys is an audiobook, we love our Voxblock audio player which enables kids to pause or change your audiobook at any time, and return to where you left off the next time you listen. What I loved was that the Voxblock is that it’s screen free and ready to play right out of the box, with no wifi or setup required – there are hundreds of titles and series from Alex Rider to Horrible Histories to classics such as Oliver Twist or Peter Pan. It’s designed for kids, and made to last all the rough and tumble kids can throw at it as it has a sturdy, colourful case to protect it. The voxblock is small enough to carry with you wherever you go, whether that be in the car, on a plane, or a train. Plus, the battery lasts for days with just a single charge. Just pick a audiobook, place it in your player and play. Even the youngest of kids can operate it by themselves which makes it perfect for travel because you don’t have to rely on a grown up to change the audio book. Find out more about the Voxblock here.

The JBuddies Studio headphones from JLAB are volume limiting, wired and wireless headphones that are ideal for keeping the kids entertained on long car journeys or flights without having to worry about damaging their ears. Both wireless (and wired – Jbuddies for easy movement) are great for travel, whether kids are watching films, listening to music or gaming, they are comfortable, great quality and also are volume limited for kids hearing protection. What I love about these headphones are how compact they fold up and the protective cases they come in which make them perfect for travel!

Spades (5+) Spades, a classic card game ideal for travel, centers on players forming teams to bid and win tricks by strategically playing cards, with spades as the trump suit. It’s an excellent game for kids to develop skills in strategy, teamwork, and arithmetic. The popular platform Spades.co provides a dynamic and interactive way for kids to play and enjoy this game remotely, making it perfect for travel or at-home entertainment.

Sinco Keychain Games

A perfect travel companion to keep kids entertained on a train, plane or even in the car, these keychain games are family favourites in our house!  Sinco Creations have created these Keychain games which clip to any bag or keyrings, making them accessible to play on the go, wherever you are! They feature all the classic favourite family friendly games in a mini hard case to protect the game .  If you have a trip planned for ages 6+, these keychain games are the best things we’ve found to keep kids entertained and busy in a long journey.

Sneak Peek (age 4+)

Sneak Peek operates very similarly to ‘Snap’ but you find cards that match by colour, symbol or both. You find a match to keep the cards and the winner is the player who has the most cards. There are two fun and fast ways to play! This is one of the Best Travel games for kids, particularly young kids.

Pointz (age 4+)

Pointz can be played by young children as well as older kids too. You have to race against the spinner and complete game challenges that make you move, speak, act, think, look and react to win the point! This a great game to play in a restaurant or at an airport. You do need a variety of things around you to have the most fun so it doesn’t always work to play in a car. It’s one of the best travel games for kids to play at an airport on on a ferry!

The player with the most Pointz cards wins!

Othello Travel Edition (age 5+)

This is one of our kids favourite travel games and they love the full size version too! Othello On The Move is a foldable, travel version of the internationally acclaimed two-player strategy game that you can now enjoy on the move. Othello’s catchphrase ‘it takes a minute to learn and a lifetime to master!’ Trap and capture your opponent by placing your disks on the board.  This is one of my kids favourite games, they love beating each other! It’s a good travel game for the plane as it’s nice and small and packs up quickly. It works well for mixed age groups playing as well. Buy Travel Othello here.

Rummikub (age 7+)

Rummikub needs very little space to play so it’s a great travel game that can be played almost anywhere! It’s like a more immediate, fast paced, Scrabble. It’s an educational word game – so perfect for keeping kids learning in the holidays. I love how it packs away into it’s retro red case neatly, perfect for travelling! This is our kids favourite game to play on a long summer’s evening on holiday. Buy Rummikub here.

UNO (age 5+)

Best screen free creative activities for kids on a journey, busy bots (age 18 months+).

I really love these travel busy bags for kids aged 2-6. They are small, neat and easy to carry around. They have some really inventive ideas to keep little ones busy for ages. We tried Puzzled Shapes for my 5 year old and Bugs in Numbers for my 2 year old – kept them both busy for around 40-60 minutes and they regularly asked for it both at home and during the journey. Busy Bots are educational, small to pack and perfect for occupying kids. l will be definitely be investing in some of these for our next road trip! They have unique ideas that I haven’t seen anywhere else such as ‘Ellie’s Equals’ or ‘Fox Sat on the Mat’.

My Little World (age 4+)

My Little World   brings together beautifully drawn characters and scenes to create an exciting new role play world that will spark a child’s creativity and imagination. This is a small, easily packed envelope which opens up into a whole world to cut and stick and create. My daughter particularly loved the Space Station Characters and creating a whole world for them to live in. This was started by my kids on a car journey and then finished off over the holiday until they had a whole Space World. What I love about this set is there are also realistic worlds to create – including Edinburgh Castle and Loch Ness as well as Fairy Villages and worlds focusing on the emergency services!

The Dinosaur Creativity Book and The Princess Creativity Book (age 3+)

Journey play prompts (age 2+).

These are super useful cards for a variety of travel situations. They helped us wile away an hour in a ferry queue!

Each journey playPROMPTS contains 100 fun ideas on how to keep your child entertained on any journey – be it a plane, train, boat or car ride – simply pick out a card at random and see what it suggests… It could be a game, a song, or something to look out for – all designed to keep little minds distracted. These are entertaining for kids of all age – our 10 year old and 2 year old had fun playing these!

Yahtzee (age 5+)

This popular board game is a fun and entertaining way to spend those long hours traveling. 

Yahtzee is a classic dice game where players roll five dice to create combinations and earn points. The objective is to score the highest possible total by strategically choosing which combinations to go for and which dice to reroll, making it a thrilling game of luck and decision-making. 

The online version of Yahtzee is a perfect alternative to the board game as its playable in car rides and tight spaces. The kids and family will all love it!

Solitaire Bliss (age 7+)

Solitaire Bliss offers a wide range of solitaire games to play online for free. Their collection includes popular variations like Klondike, Spider, FreeCell, Pyramid, and many more, providing a diverse selection to suit different preferences and skill levels. Each game comes with a detailed rulebook making it the perfect choice for kids new to card games, and as they develop their skills, they can try out harder difficulty levels.

Cribbage (age 7+)The fast-paced card game is an excellent choice while traveling. Card games can be messy, so this digital version of the game is perfect for the whole family. The objective of Cribbage is for players to score points through a variety of card combinations, the player who scores 121 points first wins. The online version of Cribbage can be played in single player mode, and is available in easy, standard, and pro modes.

More ideas for kids to do on long journeys

Here’s more great ideas for travel games and toys to keep kids busy when travelling.

*This post contains affiliate links which means if you purchase through the links, I get a little commission at no extra cost to you.*

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25 Airplane Activities for Toddlers & Preschoolers [2024]

Posted on 2024-01-19

Are you looking for the best airplane activities for toddlers or preschoolers? Do you have school aged children and are looking for some entertainment during your next family holiday. Are you panicking about keeping your littles ones seated and quiet during a flight? You are in the right place!

I have traveled extensively with my two boys since they were babies! Both had their first flight before they were walking and are now seasoned travelers, helping to pack their favorite things to do on a plane!

Whether it is a few hours or a 24 hour travel day, our airplane activities do not change too much. Stuff that works on tray tables also works well if there is a layover, or time before we get on the plane! Have a look at my picks for the best toddler airplane activities as well as activities for 3 or 4 year olds and some great picks for school aged children.

25 Airplane Activities for Toddlers & Preschoolers & Bonus Travel Games for Kids

The thought of traveling with young children can be daunting!

Do not feel bad if you feel this way, or are intimidated about your first family vacation. How is it possible to get toddlers to sit still for hours on end? Will my child scream the whole flight? How can we survive this? We are supposed to be going on vacation! I know the feeling, I have been there!

That is why I have come up with this list of airplane activities for preschoolers and a list of travel activities for toddlers and babies as well as some ideas for kindergarteners and primary school-aged children! This list is ideal for 2, 3, 4 and 5-year-olds as that really is the toughest age to travel with. But you will also find helpful activities for babies and school-aged children as well!

Below you will find 25 of my favorite airplane activities for toddlers and preschoolers that we have packed for my kids as well as some recommendations from other seasoned traveler moms!

When I first wrote this post, my boys were 4 and 2 and we were getting ready for almost 24 hours of travel to fly to Jordan . To say I was worried about keeping them entertained was an understatement!

They are now 7 and 5 so I keep adding to the list as my oldest gets older!

All of these activities for kids on a plane are also great for car trips, train trips, bus trips, and just about any other time you need to keep kids sitting (relatively) still and quiet! After reading this post, check out my review of kid’s luggage if you are looking for the perfect-sized luggage for your kids! 

The Best Airplane Activities for Toddlers, Preschoolers, Babies, and More!

1. cubebot .

If you only buy one thing before your flight, choose this Cubebot! This toy has been in my purse for over two years and the boys still love it. They are not easy to find at a store, but you can get them on Amazon.

The small ones fit into the palm of their hands and their bendable and foldable design keeps my preschooler occupied for ages!

It also makes a great superhero when needed. Just make sure that you do not lose the instructions on how to make it back into a square! Cubebot comes in lots of sizes, We have the small one and it is not only just a great travel staple, it gets used in restaurants, in the car, and even at friends’ houses!

2. Foam Dress up Super Heroes and Princesses

We recently discovered these awesome foam dress-up people (and animals) for girls and boys at our local dollar store! They had a superhero, princess, dinosaur, and animal options!

There are very similar ones on Amazon, including pirates, dragons, mermaids, mermaids and butterflies! My boys did these on our five-hour layover in Frankfurt Airport while I half snoozed in the chair.

Click here for the selection online!

3. Wipe-Off Cards

Travel doodles activity cards have been a hit with my younger son. He uses them in the car, at pre-school quiet time (some of the younger kids still nap), and on our travels! Try these ones from Amazon. I like that they are binded together!

These can easily be wiped clean and used again! I suggest you clean them off after your child has finished, as cleaning them off later when you go to use them again is much more tedious.

If you have two kids, grab a second dry-erase pen (but look for ones that do not smell so bad. They seem to smell twice as bad on the plane in the confined space!)

3.  Wikki Stix

Wikki Stix are a great craft to keep preschoolers busy when you travel! They can string beads on these (pack some in a ziplock bag and then ask a flight attendant for an extra cup to avoid messes) and they also stick together.

I have only been able to find these on Amazon , but they are great for the creative kid and much less messy than play dough and do not have sharp metal like pipe cleaners.

They can create 3D characters or shapes or letters! There are all different packs and some come with instructions on making creative designs, but my kid’s favorite craft is always making glasses to wear!

4. Doodle Boards

These boogie boards have been in our travel arsenal for years now. Now that my boys are out of the toddler stage, we use it for math and writing and they love learning on the unique surface.

5. Sticker Books

Sticker books are great for keeping toddlers entertained. They also make great toddler plane activities but you might have to help them get the stickers off the pages. I often let them stick them all over themselves, or me, or a coloring book. There are dozens of options online. Check them out here.

6. Water Painting

My boys love these when we travel.

A little bit of water goes inside the pen and they can paint the scene to life! Whether waiting at the airport or while on the flight, these are no-mess ideal travel activities for toddlers. When the pages dry, the picture will disappear and it can be painted all over again! This is recommended for preschoolers aged 3 and up, but it makes a perfect addition to toddler airplane activities as well.

7. Triangular Crayons

Keep an eye out for these triangular crayons so they do not roll off the table. After you bonk your head for the 5th time trying to retrieve crayons that have rolled off the tray table, you will wish you had these!

8. Post-It Notes

My (now) 5-year-old is learning letters and loves using every single page of a Post-it note to practice his letters. My (now) 7-year-old loves pretending they are trading cards and loves to create each design and then trade them or create a card game as we travel.

They are also fun to stick all over everything as a way to entertain a toddler on a plane. Do not cheap out and buy cheap ones. I suggest sticking to the Post-it brand. They are a bit more expensive but when I have bought the cheap ones the glue is not good and they will not re-stick or half the glue ends up still on the next piece of paper!

9.  Small Animals

I usually grab a pack of plastic animals or figures before our trip and wrap it up.

Whether it be farm animals, dinosaurs or bugs, it is something new and fun for the kids to use their imagination. You can get them in a handy tube so they can be packed up and carried easily!

10. Imaginetics Magnet Board

I have never seen anything quite like these Imaginetics Magnet Boards . The board opens up and creates a scene with a bunch of characters and accessories that stick to the board! Sometimes they are out of stock because they are so popular. This one or this one . are good alternatives.

A popular one is outerspace , but there are also dinosaurs, pirates, ballet, construction sites, and lots of other choices for boys and girls.

11. Kids Tablet

YES, we pack the technology!

A mum has gotta go what a mum has gotta do! We picked up a Fire Tablet and loaded it up with movies that the kids are into and that gives me a break if there is not a seat-back TV.

More and more we have come across flights without TV’s (like visiting Oahu from Vancouver) so we always come prepared. I was recently on an overseas flight to Jordan with a screen that would not work, so I always like to have a backup. Anyone with toddlers also knows that sometimes, there is just a specific show they want to watch again and again!

12. Toddler Sized Headphones

Get headphones that fit toddlers!

We made this mistake on one of our first trips and bought what looked like kid’s headphones. While they say fit ages three and up, they ended up being way too big for toddlers!

Now we look for headphones designed specifically for toddlers and preschoolers. In that search, we stumbled onto Marley headphones. We love them because we have broken about 5 pairs as the kids seem to love to pull on the wires! This wire is removable which means pulling and swinging them around doesn’t break them. They also get small enough to fit toddlers! After purchasing them (yes they are a little more expensive) we have yet to replace a pair of headphones!

13. A package of Band-Aids

Let’s face it, toddlers LOVE them!

And will love playing doctor and fixing your owies! These are inexpensive travel toys for toddlers on airplanes and if they happen to have a scrape or fall, you have them handy! Check out Amazon for their favorite characters!

14. Crayola Color Wonder Invisible Markers and Pads

These are some of the popular toddler plane activities that avoid the mess of markers getting on the tray tables! If you have not seen these, they only produce color on paper. Check them out here

It means no marks are left on the tray tables! I have even seen sparkly ones lately!

If you have a little one that is into coloring, this is a great travel toy for a 2-year-old, when you can’t keep your eye on them for every second, like in the car! They are also great for restaurants and airplanes! My 4-year-old happily uses these, as does my 6-year-old, even though my 6-year-old is a pretty proficient colorer!

15. Skoolzy Travel Peg Board

This is another new one that I recently came across as car activity for toddlers and preschoolers. For those looking for Montessori-type toys, this one is great for fine motor skills! You can get more info here. I like that it has a carry bag to keep all of the pieces together!

16. Paint by Sticker Books

These books allow children to create a picture one sticker at a time.

They require fine motor skills so they are not really a great toddler travel activity, but would be better for kindergarten-aged children and older. It would probably be one of the popular airplane activities for 8 year old who is into art, and crafts or creating things! It is a good price point at less than $10 for an activity for your child on your next flight!

17. Take-Along Shape Sorter

Melissa and Doug is well known for its great toys and good quality items! So many of them make great toddler plane activities! This is one that came up on a recent search that I did and I think it makes a great idea!

18. Neon FX Coloring Board

This one is something I would recommend as one of the road trip travel toys for toddlers that I would pack because it is a bit bulky.

Kids love drawing on it and then changing the lights and the neon felts come to life! You can check it out here or watch the video below!

It really is pretty cool and something that kids can use at home as well! It does say for kids 6 and up, but any kids that are doodling can easily use this! If your road trip occurs in the dark, this is something the kids would have fun with as well.

19. Tissue Paper

Kids love wrapping up and giving gifts, bring some tissue paper and let them wrap up some small items that you have brought for them to play with, and check out the thrill on your face when you open them up!

We did this for almost an hour with my 2-year-old on our first 6-hour flight! Sometimes, if you want to know how to entertain a toddler on a plane, it is the things we least expect that will be the best!

20. Wipe Clean Activity Books

These are great for little ones that are into markers and doodling. Similar to the cards I mentioned above, these are better if you want everything in one place and do not want to be playing 52 pickup!

They can trace shapes and the markers wipe off. If you get these, try and wipe the marker off after your child is done. It makes it much easier than trying to wipe it off a month later when you go to use it again. The marker is much harder to clean off then!

21. Teething Ring

You might already have a teether for your baby but make sure you pack a round one on your travels.

A few reasons: they can go on your wrist when your baby is done with them so they don’t get lost, they are easy to hold with two hands, they make a great sensory object and they are cheap! Grab one of these before your next trip! Once you have one, I doubt you will have another teether leave the house!

22. Sensory Rattle

This is a great product to travel with for young kids. I like it because it is mostly rubber on the outside and easy to wipe clean when it hits the ground! It makes my list of the best travel toys for toddlers on airplanes that still like to chew!

23. Eggs for Babies

These eggs are popular travel toys for one-year-olds. But even my 6-year-old is happy to play with them when there are little ones around! Again these toddler airplane activities are easy to wipe clean with a package of wipes when your little one is on the floor with them.

24. Travel-Friendly Puzzles

I have a puzzle fanatic at my house, so I always hit up the dollar store and grab a few new puzzles for our flights with toddlers and preschoolers. But check to make sure that they are not too big and will fit on the tray table before your flight!

(Yup I have made that mistake too!)

These are also great for before the flight if you have an hour or so to wait at the gate. I tend to go with cheap ones rather than expensive ones in case a piece goes missing I do not mind tossing them out and picking up a new one.

If you want to level up your puzzle game, check out these magnetic ones!

25. Stuffy from Home

When you are packing your toddler’s airplane activities, do not forget their special blanket or stuffy to keep them feeling safe. It also adds an extra person to take care of. When Mattias was four, he loved role-playing and had fun on the plane being “Bunny’s Daddy”

Travel Activities for Kids: School-Aged Children

Our boys are pretty well-traveled kids. Quite often our trips are two legs with multiple hour stopovers. They are often content with technology, but I like to include some travel games for kids as well. We all know that zombie tv-watching child, so at least they can use these while we wait at the airport AND on the airplane. because these items have been so popular with my readers, I have expanded them into their own post on airplane activities for kids.

While I do not bring ALL of these travel games on each trip, I pick a few. They are also great at our destination in the evening!

• Stack the Scoops
• Monopoly Deal
• Boogie Board

Don’t Forget

• Along with your toddler plane activities, don’t forget a neck pillow for your little one (and yourself)! This one has a ton of great reviews for the price. For long-haul, the best I have found is the trtl.
• Do not forget the snacks when you pack for your kids activities on an airplane. Read our updated list of airplane snacks for kids (from toddlers to teens)
• If you want some ride on luggage, or to see what works for kids, check out the best kids carry on luggage article.
• If you are bringing a car seat to your destination, read reviews on the best car seat travel bag.
• Are you headed on a long-haul flight soon? Check out the Savvy Globetrotter’s Post on What to Pack for a Long Flight

Lindsay Nieminen hails from Vancouver, Canada and shares her love of travel on this website. She is passionate about showing others that they should not put off traveling the world just because they have young children or are single parents. She aims to encourage them to seek out adventure, whether it is at home or abroad by providing information on how just about everywhere can be a destination to explore as a family.

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Long haul flight list not accurate but loved the rest of this 🙂 Any advice for long haul flights I would love

These were great ideas for my preschooler. For those looking for more ideas, I took my son to Switzerland when he was only 10 months old. The best thing I did was pack a baggie full of random objects (you know how babies find the most interest in weird ordinary things instead of the toys they have?) like a spring from a spiral-bound notebook, crinkly celophane, clothespin, small empty box, a ribbon, a pincushion (no pins in it obviously), bookmark with a tassle, stickers (to watch them constantly try to pull it off), miniature tongs with the rubber hands on the end, and more than I can’t remember. We used those over and over again on long drives as well as the flights where he wasn’t sleeping.

Wow this is amazing guide for all the moms as kids get bore in airplane during the flight and these activities will keep the kids occupied.. Thanx for such a nice post…..

Im glad it was helpful Pammy!

Great post.,flying for the first time with my 1yr old son ..this article is so helpful, Thank you for sharing.

Glad it was helpful! Enjoy your holiday!! Were any of these items new to you? The Cubebot STILLLLL travels with us and my kids still fight over it! I should just buy another one!

The name of the toy from the 70’s is View Master. <3

YESSSSS!!!!! thank you!!!

Amazing post. I got various new ideas for keeping my child busy during traveling so that he doesn’t get irritated. I was unaware of the triangle crayons. Keep sharing such interesting ideas through such posts.

glad to hear it was useful Kanika!

[…] and if you don’t have a backup plan, it’s likely to be a long flight. Check out these airplane activities for kids which can help pass the […]

[…] Keeping your toddler occupied on a plane can be difficult. Older children might be happy to sit, watch a movie and munch snacks for a few hours. A toddler, on the other hand, doesn’t have the patience to spend an extended period focused on one thing. Plan head and make it easier on yourself. Here are some airplane activities for toddlers. […]

[…] have listed 15 of my favorite airplane activities for toddlers and preschoolers that we pack for my kids (who were two and four and are now almost three and […]

[…] What to Pack – Airplane Activities for Toddlers […]

[…] Diem Our Way: What to Pack: Airplane Activities for Kids and Airplane […]

these photos of them with their huge headphones are adorable! oh happy flight! 🙂

That list is brilliant and the triangular crayons are pure genius! I didn’t even know those existed but will definitely be getting some now! Also like the pipe cleaner and bead idea – ideal for my daughter. Thanks for the great post.

Great ideas! I had no idea that triangle crayons existed….brilliant! Also, I really love the idea of wrapping some little things. Makes it all so much more exciting for children!

Our kids a little older now but we have been travelling since they were 2 years and we used to coloring books and pencils now it is ipads and earphones 🙂

Great list. Wiki Stix were definitely one of our favorites when my daughter was younger!

Very useful! I’ll forward this to a friend of mine who’s going to fly with her little one soon!

It is so nice when parents actually consider bringing”anythin”g for their children to do so this list is a godsend. I get so mad when kids are just bored and acting up and the parents do nothing about it or get mad at them in return. Too bad they all can’t be like you.

Not one but TWO little bundles of high energy trouble and joy to cater for here! I have 2 nephews, one is 5 and the other 8. Going on holiday with my sister I quickly learnt to empathise with the poor mother with the crying baby. But OMG god BLESS technology. The ipad has been a god send!

Baby #1 is on the way and people keep telling me that we won’t be traveling the way we do now. And they are right, it will have to be adjusted, but I can tell you, I do NOT want to STOP traveling just because we have children (in fact, I want them to see the world, too!) I’ve been reading lots about traveling and flying w/ kiddos. For the younger ones, I hear having things tethered down is essential so that pieces, cups, binkies, etc don’t fall into those hard to reach places on planes.

A few solid idea’s there for the kids. My youngest would crazy with the bandaids. We are lucky our girls are at the age where they are happy to watch the in-flight entertainment or sleep.

These are all great ideas and I’m sure enough to keep them entertained and engaged.

My daughter is 11 now and has been traveling since she was 3 months old, I remember the days when I had to entertain her. Those stixs were one of the things she loved. Colored pen and paper also kept her busy for a bit. As long as you take one you out a a time and then whip out technology at the end, the flights was always peaceful for all. Great tips here!

When my kids were toddlers, before they were using iPods or iPads, I brought old cell phones that we were no longer using. They loved playing with those!

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The 27 Best Travel-sized Games of 2024

Our list has brainy word teasers, multiplayer party games, and everything in between.

Best Card Games

Best board games, best word games, best party games, best for little travelers.

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Travel + Leisure / Marcus Millan

Whether you’re in need of kid-friendly games for a long road trip or some cheeky party activities to break the ice with a new group of hostel friends, it’s always worth having a couple of tried-and-true games up your sleeve while on the road.

The following travel-sized games are the best options in our book. These compact card and board games are designed to take up minimal space in luggage, while still offering maximum fun during the inevitable downtime that comes with most adventures (think layovers, long hours on a train, or rainy evenings on vacation). Here are our top picks for all types of travelers.

Mattel Games World's Smallest UNO Card Game

Why We Love It: This teeny card game will fit into the smallest of handbags.

What to Consider: The ultra-compact size might not work for those with vision problems or arthritic hands.

Uno is one of those card games that everybody already knows how to play — and, if they don’t, it takes about ten seconds to learn. That makes this game an excellent addition when backpacking abroad or vacationing with family members of all ages. This option in particular stands out as it’s the “world’s smallest” version of the popular game. The tiny cards are less than three inches tall — that’s smaller than a credit card! – and can easily fit into handbags or luggage without adding any bulk, so you’ll always have an icebreaker at the ready.

The Details : 2-10 players | Ages 7+ | 0.79 x 1.97 x 2.99 inches

Monopoly Deal

Hasbro gaming monopoly deal card game.

Why We Love It: This rendition allows you to play your favorite board game sans tabletop. 

What to Consider: It can be a bit tricky to catch on at first as there’s a lot of fast-paced action.

Monopoly night at home with friends and family can take you through a serious spectrum of emotions, especially if it’s been dragging on for hours. Then there’s Monopoly Deal. The travel-friendly version of Monopoly is cards only and much faster paced than the traditional board game. You’ll still buy and sell property, collect rent, and pass go as you do in classic Monopoly, but the compact card game can be completed in as little as 15 minutes. It’s also easier to play while at the airport or on a long train journey.

The Details : 2-5 players | Ages 8+ | 15 minutes | 0.75 x 3.62 x 5.63 inches

Mattel Games Skip-bo Card Game

Why We Love It: This family-friendly game is both easy to learn and quick to play.

What to Consider: The cards are a bit flimsy and could be more wear-resistant.

Is it just us or will Skip-bo always evoke childhood memories? The classic number sequencing game was huge in elementary school but was also in major rotation on our grandmother’s kitchen table. Not much has changed since then: the fast-paced card game is just as fun and easy to pick up and play now. It’s also relatively small which makes it great for popping into your carry-on or handbag. Note that although this game is designed for those ages 7 and up, it’s a ton of fun for adults as well as kids.

The Details: 2-6 players | Ages 7+ | 0.98 x 8.46 x 6 inches

Wild Card Games Backpacker: The Ultimate Travel Game

Why We Love It: It helps improve your skills as a traveler while learning about the world.

What to Consider: The instructions are quite long and tedious.

If you’re looking for a travel-themed game (and who doesn’t love a good theme?), then you’ll want to consider checking out Backpacker. The quick-moving travel card game is designed to mimic what it’s like to be on the road and all the potential triumphs and roadblocks that come with traversing the globe. We love that this game comes with actual fun facts about each destination so you still learn about the world around you even while playing close to home. The colorful cards are also visually appealing thanks to the high-quality photography and drawings on each one.

The Details : 2-6 players | Ages 12+ | 5.1 x 0.8 x 3.7 inches

Rubberneckers Everyone's Favorite Travel Game

Why We Love It: This game was specifically designed to be played during a road trip.

What to Consider: It’s not as exciting to play in rural areas.

Road trips are, in theory, a nonstop adventure — but, in practice, they can be long and exhausting. Rubberneckers was designed to put the fun back into long drives. The card game is essentially a game of reverse I Spy with prompts like “credit card logo” and “more than three people in a vehicle” designed to get everyone in the car looking out the window to earn points and win the title of the ultimate rubbernecker. We also appreciate the simple and easy-to-read language so younger kids can participate just as easily as older passengers.

The Details: 2 or more players | Ages 8+ | 3.5 x 1.5 x 5.5 inches

Catan Studio Catan Board Game

Why We Love It: This modern classic is a fan favorite — and, although layered, it’s easy to teach to new players.

What to Consider: There are a fair bit of pieces to keep together while on the go.

Catan is one of those games that seems complicated at first glance, but once you get it, you get it. The strategy board game takes about an hour to play out, but can go for longer — so you’ll want to budget that time while traveling. It’s also important to keep in mind that, even though this is relatively compact and travel-friendly, it still comes with several small pieces so it’s better for playing at your hotel or Airbnb rather than on a train or at the airport.

The Details: 3-4 players | Ages 10+ | 60 minutes | 11.63 x 9.5 x 3 inches

MindWare Travel Qwirkle Game

Why We Love It: This game requires smart strategy but it’s very easy to pick up and run with.

What to Consider: Some of the colors are very similar and can be hard to decipher.

We love the travel-sized Qwirkle game: not only is it super easy to learn but it’s also relatively easy to play while on the go. We love that this option is intuitive for everyone and can easily become a go-to for families with younger kids. The colorful tiles and convenient carrying case make this one great for playing while in transit — but you’ll want to keep in mind that some of the colors (especially orange and red) are very similar and can be a bit tricky to tell apart if you’re not playing in great lighting.

The Details: 2-4 players | Ages 6+ | 30-60 minutes | 5.5 x 6 x 2 inches

Hasbro Gaming Guess Who? Grab and Go Game

Why We Love It: There are only a few pieces to this classic board game.

What to Consider: The plastic is a bit flimsy and will require careful handling.

We’ll always have a soft spot for Guess Who? considering we’ve been playing it pretty much forever. The beloved guessing game requires strategic and creative thinking, but makes a particularly good travel game because there are only a few pieces to keep track of which makes it great for playing on the go, especially on a train or plane, or even while waiting to depart. We also like that the Grab and Go size is super compact and can easily fit in a backpack or carry-on without taking up too much space.

The Details: 2 players | Ages 6+ | 1.89 x 6.26 x 9.25 inches

Sorry! Road Trip Series

Why We Love It: This tiny board game is easy to set up and play on road trips or even flights.

What to Consider: Its extremely compact size is not ideal for bumpy roads or those with arthritis.

Who said you can’t play a whole darn board game while in the car? The road trip edition of Sorry! is super simple to set up and play whether you’re in an airplane cabin or the back seat of a car. The little game is designed to fold out into a full playing board on the go and doubles as its own folding carrying case when all is said and done. We love how easy it is to put together and start playing — but keep in mind, the super tiny pieces might be tricky to play with on particularly bumpy roads. 

The Details : 2-4 players | Ages 6+ | 1.00 x 11.90 x 5.85 inches

Hasbro Gaming Travel Battleship

Why We Love It: This game is quiet and slow-paced which makes it great for playing on a plane or at the airport.

What to Consider: The numerous pieces to keep track of are somewhat inconvenient.

The Grab and Go version of Battleship is small enough to throw into your carry-on bag but large enough to engage in a comfortable game without having to squint or deal with too-small game pieces. The boards and pieces are relatively simplistic compared to the full-sized Battleship, but the idea is the same. We also like that this game is pretty slow-paced which makes it a great option for playing in more quiet spaces like on the airplane or while waiting in a lounge.

The Details : 2 players | Ages 7+ | 1.89 x 6.26 x 9.25 inches

FanVince Magnetic Folding Chess Set

Why We Love It: This sturdy, magnetic game board is perfect for playing on bumpy roads and through turbulence.

What to Consider: The individual pieces feel a little flimsy in hand.

You can’t go wrong with a classic magnetic folding chess board — it’s a travel-sized game staple, afterall. The magnetic design means you don’t have to worry about your pieces falling over while going over bumpy roads or through turbulence, which is a major plus. It’s also super convenient that the board folds into its own carrying case when not in use. Keep in mind that chess is also a very quiet game, so this is absolutely perfect for bringing on a flight with you.

The Details : 2 players | Ages 8+ | 20+ minutes | 9.45 x 9.45 x 0.69 inches

Bananagrams Duel: Ultimate 2 Player Travel Game

Why We Love It: This new take on classic Bananagrams is even more portable than the original.

What to Consider: It’s sort of a watered down version of the grid game.

Bananagrams has always been one of our favorite travel games — like a real banana, it comes with its own carrying case! — but Bananagrams Duel makes it even more travel-friendly. The quick-paced dueling edition is themed and the letter pieces are die-like rather than tile-like, so you won’t see that sprawling word grid from the original edition. But this just means the game requires way less table space to play so you can easily play this one on an airplane tray table without running out of room.

The Details : 2 or more players | Ages 7+ | 10 minutes | 1.18 x 4.72 x 6.69 inches

Winning Moves Games Scrabble To-go Board Game

Why We Love It: The tiny version of Scrabble has snap-in letters that stay in place.

What to Consider: The scaled-down board isn’t as comfortable to use.

Nothing can really compare to Scrabble when it comes to group-friendly word games, but bringing the full-sized board on the road just isn’t practical. That’s why we’re huge fans of the Scrabble To-go board. The compact size makes it easy to throw in your bag while the snap-in letters mean you won’t have to worry about them flying off if you hit a pothole on the road or turbulence in the air. We also love that this one comes with its own carrying case to protect the board and pieces while traveling.

The Details : 2-4 players | Ages 8+ | 30-60 minutes | 10.75 x 10.25 x 6.88 inches

Mad Libs on the Road World's Greatest Word Game

Why We Love It: It’s easy, hilarious, and super portable to play in transit.

What to Consider: The paperback game pages aren’t reusable.

Whether you’re seven years old or 37, Mad Libs will never not be laugh-out-loud funny. Mad Libs on the Road in particular makes for a great travel-friendly option. The silly fill-in-the-blank stories are all about traveling, road trips, and summertime adventures. It’s especially convenient that Mad Libs are about the size of a paperback novel, meaning they won’t take up any space in your luggage. All you need is a pen and a couple of grammar-focused friends and you have all the makings for hours of laughs in the car and beyond.

The Details: 1 player or more | Ages 8+ | 5.25 x 0.2 x 8.38 inches

Ransom Notes The Ridiculous Word Magnet Party Game

Why We Love It: This game combines somewhat crude humor with strategy.

What to Consider: It’s definitely on the raunchy side.

Think of Ransom Notes as a somewhat crude hybrid between those poetry fridge magnets and Cards Against Humanity. You’ll get a prompt and your goal is to create a phrase using only magnets that’ll make some kind of sense to the reader. This ends up being downright hilarious in most cases — and we give the game major bonus points for being magnetic. All the pieces stay firmly in place, making it much easier to use en route to your destination.

The Details : 3 players or more | Ages 17+ | 30-90 minutes | 5.25 x 4 x 4 inches

Hasbro Gaming Classic Boggle Word Search Game

Why We Love It: This word game can even be enjoyed by only one player.

What to Consider: The secure travel lid can be tough to get on and off.

Boggle is going to be a major win in the eyes of Spelling Bee or Wordle fans (so watch out if you’re playing against them). The basic word game requires fast spelling and deduction skills; all you have to do to win is write down as many words as possible from the assortment of letters on the dice to earn the number one spot. It’s a whole lot of fun and takes up minimal space while in transit, too.

The Details : 1 player or more | Ages 8+ | 2.01 x 4.29 x 4.29 inches

Brass Monkey Bin-go Get Some Drinks Bingo Book

Brass Monkey

Why We Love It: This is great for introverts and anyone who would rather observe a party a bit removed.

What to Consider: It might be awkward to whip this out in an actual bar or restaurant.

Bin-go Get Some Drinks makes any kind of night out even more interesting, especially if you’re someone who tends to observe human behavior in social settings. The somewhat snarky bingo card is packed with the weird things you’ll see in a bar (like witnessing an obvious first date or someone taking a photo of their drink for social media) and is the perfect way for people watchers to spend the night — especially if you find yourself alone in a new city and prefer to observe the crowd over fostering friends right away.

The Details: 1 player or more | Ages 21+ 

Cards Against Humanity Tiny Cards Against Humanity Game

Why We Love It: It’s a great icebreaker in a compact and cute format.

What to Consider: These cards are tiny and might be hard for some to read.

Cards Against Humanity provides instant fun, even at the most dull parties or awkward social events, since there’s just something about dirty words in absurd contexts. That’s why the miniaturized Tiny Cards Against Humanity is such a great game to keep in your back pocket while traveling, especially if you intend on staying in hostels. (Hey, you just never know when you’ll need to pull the ultimate icebreaker out of a pocket!)

The Details : 2 players or more | Ages 17+ | 30 minutes or more | 4.44 x 2.66 x 1.97 inches

All Things Equal, Inc. Loaded Questions On The Go Card Game

Why We Love It: This card game gets conversations going while still providing friendly competition.

What to Consider: There are only so many questions, so you’ll eventually run into duplicates.

All Things Equal: Loaded Questions is one of those card games that can lead to side tangents and deeper conversation if you let it — but it’s also a great way to see how well you know your friends' minds by guessing each other’s answers to given sets of questions. This game is super travel-friendly (all you need is a few pads of paper and pens) and it’s guaranteed to evoke some serious laughs and possible side conversations as well.

The Details : 4-6 players | Ages 8+ | 3.6 x 0.8 x 5.5 inches

Exploding Kittens Card Game

Why We Love It: This card game is fast, fun, and easy to learn.

What to Consider: The rules and concepts of the game are a bit basic.

Exploding Kittens garnered a lot of attention when it was first released and it’s easy to see why. The eye-catching title and cheeky illustrations make this game instantly intriguing. As it turns out, the game is a whole lot of fun for all age groups and it can be played in fifteen minutes or less which makes it a great option for waiting at your airport gate or sneaking a quick game in before heading out to dinner.

The Details : 2-5 players | Ages 7+ | 15 minutes | 4.41 x 6.38 x 1.5 inches

What Do You Meme? Shotgun!: The Card Game for Road Trips

Why We Love It: Everyone can play in the car — even the driver.

What to Consider: It’s not quite as funny as the original What Do You Meme?.

Shotgun! was conceptualized by the same folks who gave us What Do You Meme?, which means you can expect the same level of (somewhat) boundary-pushing humor. The road trip-focused card game doesn’t come with memes or visual cues, but instead uses the sights and sounds on the road as prompts. Card prompts like “first person to say which side the gas tank is on wins a point” and “first person who gets a wave from another car wins two points” will keep everyone in the car on their toes for the drive.

The Details: 2 players or more | Ages 12+ | 1-2 hours | 1.5 x 4.5 x 6.5 inches

Singing Machine Carpool Karaoke The Mic 2.0

Why We Love It: Who wouldn’t want to pretend they’re starring in an episode of Carpool Karaoke?

What to Consider: The Bluetooth setting could be higher quality.

The Carpool Karaoke Machine was designed to make road trips a whole lot more fun. The karaoke microphone pairs with your car’s Bluetooth in order to provide a surround sound experience for all passengers involved (whether that’s good or bad, we’re not sure). The microphone can also be used with your smartphone for DIY karaoke parties at your Airbnb or hotel room — you’ll just want to be mindful of the noise levels.

The Details : 1 player or more | 3.6 x 2.1 x 10.6 inches

Hasbro Gaming Connect 4

Why We Love It: This game is simple to pick up on.

What to Consider: There are a ton of little pieces involved.

We love Connect Four — it’s a classic for a reason! The simple game is great for little ones who are still practicing spatial recognition, but honestly, it’s just as fun for adults as well. The game is relatively small (it’s less than 12 inches in length) which is enough room for little fingers to easily use but still small enough to pop into a backpack. Keep in mind, though: there are a number of little coin-sized pieces that come with this game, and they can get messy in the car.

The Details : 2 players | Ages 6+ | 20 minutes | 1.6 x 10.51 x 10.984 inches

Winning Moves Games Pass the Pigs

Why We Love It: This cheeky game is all about tumbling — it was essentially made for turbulence.

What to Consider: The game might become repetitive in smaller groups.

Pass the Pigs is hilariously simple, but there’s something about it that is so much fun. The game includes two pig dice, a dice cup, and a pig scoring guide with a scorepad. The aim of the game is to get as many points as possible by rolling the pigs into different positions like the “snouter” or the “sider.” The best part is that this game was literally made to be thrown around so even if you’re dealing with turbulence you don’t have to worry about your pieces tumbling over.

The Details : 2-7 players | Ages 7+ | 1.75 x 4 x 8.5 inches

Briarpatch I Spy Travel Card Game

Why We Love It: This game is a quiet option to play on the plane.

What to Consider: The game is somewhat solitary; not the best for groups of kids.

The travel-sized version of the classic I Spy children’s book provides endless hours of concentration and focus. The stunning visuals are entertaining in and of themselves but having to hunt for the hidden images makes it even more enjoyable. We also like that it can be played solitary and offers something relatively quiet to play while on the airplane or in other spaces where gameplay banter might not be appropriate.

The Details : 1 player or more | Ages 4+ | 0.75 x 3.75 x 5.75 inches

Taco vs. Burrito LLC Taco vs. Burrito Card Game

Why We Love It: This game was created by a kid for other kids.

What to Consider: The instructions on some cards are a little confusing.

Cheeky graphic-focused card games have become pretty popular over the past few years, but we’re still major fans of Taco vs. Burrito. It’s worth noting that the colorful (and super successful) card game was created by a seven-year-old boy with other kids in mind, but it’s just as fun for adults. The basic gameplay is easy to learn and games can be played within 15 minutes — but the action cards are quick to spice things up and add a strategic layer to the game.

The Details : 2-4 players | Ages 6+ | 15 minutes | 7 x 5 x 2 inches

Tricky Riddles for Smart Kids: 333 Difficult But Fun Riddles And Brain Teasers For Kids And Families

Why We Love It: This pack of riddles creates conversation and fosters further curiosity.

What to Consider: There are only about 300 riddles, so the deck might eventually become repetitive.

Kids who love brain teasers will get a kick out of this colorful collection of riddles designed to stump and foster curiosity. The deck is small and easy to transport (it’s about the size of a novel), but it’s packed with hundreds of riddles for kids to work through. The only thing we don’t love is that, while the deck does include lots of options, kids who are keen to work through one after another may deplete them rather quickly.

The Details : 1 player or more | 8-12 | 6 x 0.3 x 9 inches

Tips for Buying Travel-sized Games

Factor in the needed space.

You’ll want to consider the space required for your chosen game(s) and decide how much luggage space you’re able to offer up. This is where miniature grab-and-go board games and card games will come in handy. Prioritizing card games and smaller games that don’t require a board means you can more easily play your games on the move. If you need a table or flat surface for your game, playing while seated at the terminal or on a train may not be practical.

Figure out the game time

You’ll want an idea of how much time a game takes before deciding to pack it. Card games tend to be faster-paced than board games, and most can be completed in 15-30 minutes. Board games and party games can last a lot longer, continuing for up to two hours in certain cases. This can be great for lazy days at the hotel or Airbnb, but might not be the most practical for passing time at the train station.

Consider player ages

Think of the ages of the players you anticipate sharing games with. If you’re planning a backpacking trip and plan to spend time playing games at your hostel, you’ll probably be safe with just about any card or board game. If you’re meeting up with your family for a vacation, you might want to choose games that are suitable for all ages. Note that some games can be altered to be more PG by removing certain cards or phrases, but it’s best to double-check to ensure everyone in your group can participate.

What games are ideal for traveling?

The right games for your travels will greatly depend on what kind of travel you’re doing (road trip games vary greatly from late-night adult-only games, for example). But, no matter what style of travel you’re up to, you’ll want to look for games that are small enough to easily fit in your luggage without being imposing. Opt for games that don’t have many loose pieces or take up too much space when in use. Card games are your best bet if you anticipate playing on the road frequently, but travel-sized board games can also work (especially if they come in a magnetic format).

Are there travel-sized board games?

Yes! There are plenty of travel-sized board games available and many come with their own carrying case or magnetic material that further simplifies the overall travel experience. You won’t find every single board game available in a travel size, but you’ll definitely be able to find the classics from Hasbro like Clue , Monopoly , and more .

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

For this article, Travel + Leisure contributor Kaitlyn McInnis used her experience as a travel writer and former lifestyle editor as well as her own research to curate a list of the best travel-sized games available.

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Product Reviews

14 fabulous travel toys for a 4-year-old.

Thoughtful and engaging travel toy ideas for your preschooler

As summer rounds the corner, I’m sure you are excited as we are to plan a few family trips, whether it be cross-country, across the globe, or a few hours away.  If you plan on taking your four-year-old along for the ride, it’s best to think ahead regarding entertainment options for the journey to your vacation destination. 

For several reasons, traveling with a four-year-old can be MUCH easier than traveling with younger toddlers.  For one, you can usually count on a four-year-old to be well enough potty trained that accidents will be rare.  

Additionally, a four-year-old’s attention span is a bit longer than that of a two-year-old or three-year-old .  This means you might be able to pack fewer toys and other methods of entertainment for your trip.  We view any reduction in luggage to be a plus in our book!

In this article, we’ll introduce you to some of the Best Travel Toys for 4-Year-Olds to make your next layover or road trip as stress-free as possible.

This post is part of our tried & tested travel gear reviews and our best travel toys collection

As Amazon Associates, we earn a commission from qualifying purchases made from this page.

TL;DR – List of the Best Travel Toys for a 4-year-old

You can instantly shop here if you’re in a hurry, or read on if you’d like to know exactly why these are the best toddler travel toys and other ways we keep our 4-year-olds entertained.

What to look for in travel toys for a 4-year-old

When looking for the best travel toys for four-year-olds, remember that interactive play and improving fine motor skills are essential for preschool-age children. 

• Toys and activities that target memory, creating, and problem-solving skills will keep them engaged for extended periods of time, especially when you have a variety of options to choose from. 
• You’ll also want to ensure that you tailor your travel toys for four-year-olds to your travel setting and space allowance .  For example, you don’t want to choose toys and games that make loud noises if you’re flying to your destination – but equally, on a camping trip, DO bring all those camping toys that require plenty of space and allow them to run and play freely!
• If you’re going to allow your child to bring his or her tablet or electronic device on family vacation, make sure that you also purchase headphones to reduce distractions to passengers around you, and set screen time rules.  
• Finally, it’s essential to be aware of how much space you have for your four-year-old’s travel toys.  You’ll want to choose small toys and games that are lightweight and relatively compact, especially if you’re packing for multiple children of different ages. 

Including several activities and new toys in your carry-on bag or backpack and a few in your luggage might be a good idea to switch out later in your hotel room.  

14 engaging travel toys for your 4-year-old

Before we explore each travel toy selection, we’d like first to encourage you to find a suitable backpack for your child, especially if you’re going to be flying anywhere.  You obviously can’t load your child’s bag down with everything they want to take along, but it will help to lighten your load and give them some responsibility in the travel process. 

We are also big fans of travel trays when it comes to car travel & road trips with kids . 

Travel Tray

Travel trays are one of the best things to pack for a road trip. They are an excellent way to keep all of your four-year-old’s travel games, water bottle and activities close by and organized. 

This Lusso Gear Kids Travel Tray is ideal for your next family vacation with small children.  It has a built-in dry-erase board and snack tray, a tablet holder, and plenty of pockets for activity books, markers, and crayons – more on these below!  

Up there in the elite of great travel toys for younger children are the ever-reliable Magformers. This simple kids’ construction toy leads to endless possibilities.

Promoting hand-eye coordination and imagination, they easily fit in your or your child’s carry-on bag and can be taken take anywhere. They are safety-approved for children 3+, so they are perfect for this age group and make an awesome travel toy.

Melissa & Doug Water Wow Coloring Pads

We can’t adequately express enough love for these mess-free coloring pads. Amongst our favorite travel toys for preschoolers, this variety pack has enough coloring pages to keep your four-year-old entertained for hours of independent play, and the best part about these travel coloring pads is that they’re reusable! 

Each page clears as it dries, and you can refill the water pen and store it to use again and again.  These Melissa & Doug Water Wow Coloring Pads also help your child improve multiple skills, such as fine motor skills, reading and writing, and visual discrimination. Suitable for 3 to 7 years, we got so much use out of these, even with older children, they are a fun travel toy!

KLT Wooden Lacing Toy

Your older toddlers can create endless patterns with this unique and travel-friendly threading toy.  We love that the threading tool is attached to each toy (an adorable turtle and starfish), as this minimizes the chances that it will fall between airline or car seats . 

This unique travel toy for four-year-olds helps develop problem-solving and hand-eye coordination and can also build your child’s shoe-tying skills!  They can play with these lightweight threading toys again and again, and they conveniently fit into the side pocket of your diaper bag or your child’s backpack.  

Ellostar Push Pop Fidget Toy

If you’re searching for a noise-free toy to cut down on the inevitable fidgeting and squirming that goes hand-in-hand with long flights and car rides, this travel toy works like a charm with young children as much as older kids.

Pop fidgets come in various shapes and colors, and the lightweight silicone is easy to wash off and wipe clean.  

Your little kids can use this as a fun fidget toy, or they can play a bubble-popping game with their sibling (if age-appropriate).   This Lizber Push Pop Fidget Toy is an excellent way for your child to work on reasoning skills, mental arithmetic, and critical thinking as well (even my tween still enjoys this one!)

Melissa & Doug Flip-to-Win Memory Game

The best travel toys for four-year-olds come with multiple playing options, and this Melissa and Doug Flip-to-Win Memory Game hits the mark.  This is a perfect game for siblings to play with each other or for you to play with your child on flights or in the airport on a layover. 

The wooden memory game comes with seven double-sided cards to add a different competitive element each time, and your child can keep the score right on their game card.   

My Best Toddler Coloring Book

This entertaining book for toddlers is ideal for any little artist who loves to color, count, and problem-solve. 

The activities within the book touch on foundational learning concepts such as numbers, letters, shapes, simple words, and counting, and the thick lines on the coloring pages help your child stay within the lines, reducing potential frustration (some children are very meticulous colorers!). The best part is no batteries are required with coloring books! 

Crayola Art Buddy Pip-Squeak Character Backpack & Art Tools

The perfect travel toy, these art tools come with a carrying case to minimize the chances that your child accidentally leaves that essential purple marker on a plane that’s now heading to Detroit. 

The clear backpack comes with a little bit of everything, which is perfect for providing your four-year-old with different activity options.  The kit contains crayons, Ultra-Clean washable markers, sidewalk chalk, stamps, and a stamp pad.  You can easily remove items you don’t want to bring along to make room for other travel toys as well. 

Melissa & Doug Magnetic Number Maze

Help your four-year-old improve their number recognition and counting skills with this engaging, magnetic number maze.  Children can move the apples into their appropriate number slots with the attached magnetic wand, and the clear cover prevents any unwanted messes. 

The board itself has a sturdy wood construction to protect against accidental drops, and it’s appropriate for ages 3-5, so younger siblings can join in the fun. It’s a little on the bulkier side, so not great for flying and small backpacks, but perfect for car trips and waiting in restaurants.

PlayMonster Magnetic Personalities – Original Wooly Willy

There’s nothing wrong with revisiting class travel toys, and your four-year-old will love giving Wooly Willy all kinds of crazy hairstyles. 

Your child can use the magnetic wand to create fun and funky eyebrows, mustaches, and hairdos, and it’s sure to have everyone in your row of the plane giggling.  

Crayola Washable Dry Erase Travel Pack

Your little artists will love this on-the-go Crayola Washable Dry Erase Travel Pack, which is an excellent, mess-free solution to markers and paper while traveling. 

The travel case opens up to provide your child with two different drawing surfaces, and elastic bands hold the included dry-erase markers securely in place.  Once finished, you can use the E-Z Erase Cloth to clear the drawing board for more masterpieces.  

Wellchild Magnetic Drawing Board for Toddlers

This travel-sized magnetic drawing board is another great idea for your child to create endless drawings without the added clutter of used paper and potential messes of crayons and markers. 

The erasable board comes with the pen attached, ensuring these two items stay together throughout your entire journey.  We also love the four color zones on the board instead of just a black background option.  Three fun-shaped stampers are included and snap securely onto the drawing board.  

Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere – Matching

We’re fans of any travel toy for four-year-olds that are designed to minimize the loss of game pieces, which is why the Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere Matching game has our vote for road trip toys!  

The game can be played alone or with a partner, and the magnetic matching pieces stick securely to the metal playing boards.  This is an excellent way to pass the time on a long car ride or flight, and it can be mixed, sorted, and repeatedly played for hours of entertainment. 

Reusable Stickers

Reusable stickers are one of the best toys for kids of all ages. They lead to endless creative play and don’t take up too much space in your luggage; they are ideal for long road trips, long-haul flights, or even just keeping kids entertained in restaurants with no noise and no fuss. Little hands should have no problems with the small parts at 4-years-old.

Amazon Fire HD 8 Tablet

Although we certainly don’t advocate plugging your child into their tablet for the duration of your travels, we also cannot deny that a tablet can be one of the best travel toys for four-year-olds.  There are times when they’re going to be required to sit down and be quieter than usual, and there is nothing wrong with allowing them screen time to watch a few downloaded episodes of their favourite show.  

The Kindle tablets are wonderfully customizable so that you can set time limits for your child each day in all content areas.  Don’t forget a secure, kid-friendly case to protect against bumps and falls; it even comes with a two-year warranty.  

Kids Headphones

And, of course, the golden rule of tablet use – bring headphones! Although 4-year-olds are a little more careful with these things than the toddler crowd, you still need something robust and volume-limiting as the AILIHEN I35 Kid Headphones have proven to be one of the most reliable and long-lasting with our kids.

Other ways to engage your kids on long trips

Sometimes all the toys in the world aren’t going to help keep your kids entertained. You’ll need some good old-fashioned family engagement!

Games – check out some of these great ideas for family word games and guessing games that can work superbly on a long journey.

Audiobooks – a great way to engage together is to listen along with a favorite audiobook – trust me, parents, you’re never too old to enjoy this, and I’ll bet you enjoy reliving some of the classics too! Why not try a Free Audible trial on Amazon over the summer?

• For this age group, we can recommend classics like the Dr Suess collection and fun new stories like Pete the Cat’s Super Cool collection a s a great option.

Podcasts – similarly, podcasts come in short, sharp episodes perfect for this age group with humorous stories and interesting facts that can engage for short periods of time. Adams World is a fun favorite to try, or Noddle Loaf for a laugh.

Snacks – why have we waited so long to mention snacks? Whether it’s the anticipation of an exciting snack stop or keeping energy levels going along the way, a good arsenal of healthy travel snacks will immensely help your pre-schooler on a long journey.

Leave us a comment below if there are any other four-year-old traveling favorites you think we should add to our list! (or something that should definitely be left off!!)

More tips for pre-schooler travel

Are you new to traveling with a toddler or preschooler, or would you like some more pointers and advice to make your first trip run smoothly? We recommend you also pop over to these pages:

• Best lightweight strollers for travel (that can even fit on the plane)
• Helping kids sleep on planes – the best airplane sleep devices
• How to survive road tripping with young kids
• Hiking with young kids – how to make it fun & essential gear to pack
• Healthy Toddler & Kids snacks for long trips

Helpful? Bookmark this page or pin it for later

Don’t miss our latest travel toy guides:

• Best travel toys for every age group
• Tried & tested travel toys for a 1-year-old
• Travel toys perfect for your 2-year-old
• Terrific travel toys for a 3-year-old
• Engaging toys for toddlers on road trips
• Best kids toys for the beach

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36 Best Gifts and Toys for 4-Year-Old Girls of 2024

These unique toys and educational items are the perfect presents.

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"Four-year-olds are full of questions as they begin to decode the patterns and processes driving the world around them," says Rebecca Parlakian , M.A., E.D., a parenting expert from Zero to Three , an organization that focuses on early child development. "They're also all about problem-solving and enjoy mastering new challenges." Additionally, friendships and social play are a major source of joy for preschoolers, their attention span is growing and pretend play is really heating up at this age.

With all these new skills, ideas and behaviors in their heads, there are lots of toys that appeal to 4-year-olds the most. Parlakian suggests giving kids construction toys for building and problem-solving, challenging puzzles of 20 to 40 pieces, costumes and play sets that encourage imaginative play, art sets for motor skills and simple board games that'll let them try logic and strategy along with patience and turn-taking.

The Good Housekeeping Institute evaluates toys all year long, in addition to keeping track of trends and new releases, to choose winners for the Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards . Lab experts first evaluate the toys for safety and quality, and then hand them over to real 4-year-olds who give their brutally honest opinions about the toys, helping us find the best gifts for 4-year-old girls in 2023. This year, 4-year-old girls love toys that mimic caring for pets and animals. Surprise collectibles are also still hot, as are sets that give kids hands-on STEM experience.

Our top picks:

• Dolly Parton's Billy the Kid Makes It Big Picture Book , $11 at amazon.com
• Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Pets Arctic Snow Explorer , $23 at amazon.com
• Mindware Magic Potion Science , $30 at barnesandnoble.com
• Educational Insights GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope , $33 at amazon.com
• Melissa & Doug Paw Patrol Mighty Skye Role Play Pack , $46 at amazon.com

Melissa & Doug PAW Patrol Mighty Skye Role Play Pack

For this mission, we'll need ... Skye! this roleplay set allows Paw Patrol fans to "become" the flying pup with a wearable backpack with wings, plus a mask, stick-on patches and more. “She loved putting on the mask and backpack and pretending to fly,” one parent said. Ages 3+

RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Best Toy Awards

Crayola Scribble Scrubbie Pets Arctic Snow Explorer

Good Housekeeping Institute toy testers have been fans of Crayola's Scribble Scrubbie Pets from the very beginning because they let kids color in their animals, rinse them off and color them in all over again, fostering their creativity. The Arctic Snow Explorers won a Good Housekeeping Best Toy Award because it adds a color-changing element to the fun: The pets turn white when warm and or blue when cold. The set comes with three pets, six washable markers, two snowboards, two tubs, a scrub brush and a vehicle that can be used as storage. Ages 3+

Kinetic Sand Deluxe Beach Castle Play Set

Good Housekeeping experts have long been a fan of Kinetic Sand because of the sensory experiences it offers, with sand that's always the perfect moldable texture. This play set goes a step further by letting kids make a sand castle no matter where they are, with accessories like walls, bridges, towers and arches along with tools like scoopers, diggers and cutters. "My child hasn’t stopped asking to play with it,” one parent said. It also comes with two and a half pounds of sand. Ages 3+

GeoSafari Jr. Talking Microscope

This talking microscope, featuring the voice of Bindi Irwin, comes with 20 prepared slides and 5x images to help introduce preschoolers to the wonders of the world around them. The microscope comes with two eyepieces, so there's no squirming one eye to learn. Now, there's also a new GeoSafari Jr. Talking Telescope for kids who want to take their science knowledge even further. Ages 4+

Dolly Parton's Billy the Kid Makes It Big

Celebrity kids' books are a dime a dozen, but this one was a hit with Good Housekeeping Institute testers young and old. It charmed readers with a winning story about a pup who wants to be a musician, despite the derision of others. It even features an original Parton song, “Makin‘ Fun Ain’t Funny," and reviewers loved the anti-bullying message. Ages 4 – 7

RELATED: The Good Housekeeping Kids' Book Awards

MindWare Magic Potion Science

Budding scientists (or sorceresses!) will adore this kit which gives them the opportunity to create their own safe and exciting experiments while combining the excitement of magic and the fun of science. Our little testers loved mixing up different experiments to do cool things like creating a crystal wand or "magically" blowing up a balloon. The results had a big "wow" factor. Ages 4+

Fresh Dolls Store Individual Fresh Fairy Sunny

These three-inch dolls are tiny, but mighty. The Fresh Fairy Collection represent ethnicities and fashions from all over the world with features like head wraps, authentic Bantu knots and Afros.

Children can collect the whole collection of fairies and clip them onto any bag with the accompanying keychain. “Both of my girls had to clip them on their bags,” one parent said. Ages 4+

Plan Toys Waffle Set

Her kitchen will get a lot yummier with this food set, which is sure to get her imagination fired up. It comes with a waffle iron, waffle, sliced fruit toppings, a syrup bottle, tongs, a wooden knife and fork and a plate to serve it all on. It's made from sustainable rubber wood colored with organic pigments. Ages 2+

Glitter Girls Gia & Gypsy

"This is perfect for my daughter who loves dolls and horses," one parent tester raved. "It really made her feel like a big girl because of its size." Good Housekeeping Institute experts also appreciated the price, which is less expensive than other 14-inch doll lines. The set comes with the doll Gia and her horse, Gypsy, plus pastel accessories like the saddle, harness, boots and cowboy hat. Ages 3+

LEGO Anna and Elsa’s Frozen Wonderland

Bring the magic of Frozen to kids' bedrooms when they recreate Elsa’s one-of-a-kind ice castle. This castle will leave them starstruck when them play on its revolving dance floor and fun playground. Explore all day with Anna, Elsa, Olaf and three snowgies. Plus, our young testers were able to follow the instructions and parents noted the starter blocks are great for even first-time builders. Or, if you're looking for a smaller stocking stuffer, there's LEGO sets for Anna's Castle Courtyard ($8), Elsa's Castle Courtyard ($10) and the Nokk's Ice Stable ($12). Ages 4+

RELATED: The Best Frozen Gifts for 2023

Coding Critters MagiCoders

Get them started learning to code without a screen or device . With this set, Skye the unicorn responds to coded "spells" that get her to do things like dance or chase her ball. It also comes in dragon form . Ages 4+

Scruff-a-Luvs Cutie Cuts!

Kids can practice their nurturing and empathy skills while caring for these pets, in the form of a full salon experience. It comes as a big fluff overgrown scruff, and kids can trim its hair (and stuff a pet bed with the excess), style it and even paint its claws. Then they'll be able to tell if the pup is a Yorkie or a Frenchie. Ages 4+

Disney Princess Deluxe Dress-Up Trunk

They can dress up as four of their favorite classic Disney princesses with this set, which comes with ensembles patterned after Belle, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. It also comes with a bevy of accessories like chokers, bracelets and tiaras. A second trunk adds on outfits for Rapunzel, Jasmine, Tiana and Ariel. Ages 3+

VTech Marble Rush Corkscrew Rush Set

Take your old marble run to the next level with this set, which has marbles flying through corkscrews, whirling through vortexes and dashing down fast tracks. Good Housekeeping kid testers say they liked how easy these were to put together in different configurations, so they could go straight to the marble racing. Ages 4+

Ada Twist, Scientist: Brainstorm Book

If Ada Twist, Scientist has her all fired up about STEM, this is the activity book is for her. It has prompts for drawings, mazes matching games, sequences and other activities that'll get her mind working. Plus, it has four double-sided posters she can put up around her workstation to keep her motivated. Ages 4+

Camping Outdoors Jumbo Puzzle

She'll be so pleased with herself when she uses her logical and critical thinking skills to put together this 48-piece puzzle. And it'll look like a big accomplishment, too: It takes up 21" x 14" of floor space! When it's together, it'll show a delightful picture of campers doing outdoor activities like roasting marshmallows or rowing a canoe. Ages 4+

Turtle Stepping Stones

Kids with lots of energy can practice their balance and coordination on these turtle-shell-shaped stepping stones. You can arrange them however you like, indoors or outdoors, and see if they can hop from shell to shell. The shells come in two sizes (smaller ones are an extra challenge), and the set also comes with a spinner, activity cards and a bag to store it all in. Ages 3+

Hoot Owl Hoot Board Game

The object of this simple board game is to get the owlets all back to their nests before the sun comes up. But players can move any owl on the board, so there's an element of strategy involved. Best of all: It's a cooperative game where all the players either win or lose as a team, which fosters collaboration and communication. Ages 4+

Numberblocks 1-10 Activity Set

The "M" in "STEM" (math) often gets forgotten when it comes to toys, but Good Housekeeping testers loved this math activity set, all thanks to the characters from Netflix's Numberblocks . Kids can build the characters from the show, and then use the activity cards to practice counting, addition and subtraction. “My kids have learned so much math from it, it’s mind-blowing,” one parent reported. Ages 3+

She can create, squish, squash, and shape this play foam that never dries out. The no-stick formula lets her sculpt anywhere without making a mess . This particular play foam variety pack comes with eight colors, creating endless possibilities for little hands to try. Ages 3+

Marisa (she/her) has covered all things parenting, from the postpartum period through the empty nest, for Good Housekeeping since 2018; she previously wrote about parents and families at Parents and Working Mother . She lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, where she can be found dominating the audio round at her local bar trivia night or tweeting about movies.

Rachel Rothman was the chief technologist and executive technical director of the Good Housekeeping Institute for over 15 years , overseeing testing methodology, implementation and reporting for all GH Labs. She also managed GH's research division and the analysis of applicants for the GH Seal and all other testing emblems. 

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Nehas Montessori Educational Activity Book for Toddlers - Interactive Sensory Toys for 3 4 5 Year Old, Travel-Friendly Busy Board with Fine Motor Skills Development

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• MONTESSORI-INSPIRED LEARNING: Montessori educational activity book for toddlers, perfect for sensory development in 3-year-old
• TRAVEL-FRIENDLY ENTERTAINMENT: This toy is an essential baby travel item, perfect for keeping little ones entertained on long trips
• BIRTHDAY GIFT: A versatile busy board that doubles as a baby activity center, making it the perfect gift for 3-year-olds
• EDUCATIONAL VARIETY FOR TODDLERS: Educational toys for toddlers aged 3+ that stimulate sensory development
• HANDMADE SENSORY EXPERIENCE: Interactive busy board with fine motor skills development, ideal for 3-year-old+ boys and girls

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Introducing the Montessori Educational Activity Book for Toddlers, the perfect interactive sensory toy for 3 4 5 year old! This travel-friendly busy board is designed to help develop fine motor skills in young children, making it an ideal toy for ages 3 4 5. Whether you’re searching for toys for a year old boy or girl, this Montessori-inspired activity book is sure to provide hours of fun and educational play for your little one.This sensory toy is not only great for toddlers age 3 4 5, but also serves as a wonderful tool for sensory development in toddlers up to age The bright colors, different textures, and interactive elements of the busy board will captivate your childs attention and keep them engaged while on the go. Plus, with its compact size and durable construction, its a must-have baby travel essential that will keep your little one entertained during long car rides or flights.In addition to being an excellent learning tool for young children, this activity book also makes a great gift for year old boys and girls! Parents will appreciate the educational value of this toy, while kids will love exploring all of its exciting features. Dont settle for just any baby toy - choose the Montessori Educational Activity Book for Toddlers and watch your childs imagination blossom as they play and learn.

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Breaking news, nyc high school soccer game canceled after group of about 30 migrants refuse to leave the field — even after cops showed up.

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A high school soccer game at a public field in East Harlem was canceled after a group of migrants refused to leave the pitch so the kids could play.

“I directly asked them to leave and some of them kind of took it into consideration, but then four or five of them said, ‘You know what, f–k it, we don’t have to leave, we can do whatever we want,'” said Erik Johansson, the coach of the Manhattan Kickers 17-year-old boys travel team.

About 40 boys from both teams showed up on Sunday, April 14 at Thomas Jefferson Park for the 5 p.m. match.

The Kickers were set to face off against FA Euro New York.

But a group of about 30 men who appeared to be African migrants and spoke little English, wouldn’t leave — even when the cops showed up.

To resolve the conflict, the cops asked to see a copy of the club team’s city permit.

“When you show up with two teams in uniform, a ref and two coaches, usually nobody is asking to see your permit,” said Johansson.

By the time Johansson’s assistant was able to forward a copy of the Kickers’ permit, the game had been delayed 30 minutes and the teams didn’t feel safe.

“Even when the game is over, you don’t know if they’re waiting for you, so even if the cops kicked them out, it may not be over. So we just all agreed, this is too dangerous,” Johansson said.

In his home country of Sweden — which saw a massive influx of migrants in recent years — the clashes on the pitch were all too common.

“I have seen this before, I know how bad it can get,” he said.

Parents told him they were rattled by the incident, and don’t want to play at the field anymore. Johansson said they don’t plan to return.

At other fields, like in East River Park, they don’t have these issues — but field space in the city is limited and they take what they can get.

“It’s so frustrating that the guys who refused to follow the rules won,” Maud Maron, a SoHo mom whose son plays on the team, told The Post.

“That’s the message the kids got.”

She said it is a sign of the Big Apple becoming “lawless.”

The East Harlem field is packed with teams competing with adults for weekend time on the turf, parkgoers said. Randall’s Island, which sits on the other side of the Harlem River, was converted into shelter space for 2,000 migrants last year at the expense of the popular youth soccer fields.

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45 Best Gifts for 12-Year-Old Tween Girls and Boys That They'll Actually Appreciate

They won't roll their eyes at these trendy, popular, and unique gift ideas.

Every item on this page was chosen by a Woman's Day editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

In some ways, younger kids are easier to figure out. The best gifts for 4-year-olds involve cars or princesses. Six-year-olds like Bluey or Gabby's Dollhouse . But 12-year-olds? They're in the swing of figuring out who they are. Maybe they're on the more introverted side and like journaling and reading. Perhaps they're outgoing, artistic, or athletic. The key to gifting is zeroing in on a budding interest and giving them something that will help them explore that side of themselves.

Below, we've pulled together the best gifts for 12-year-old boys, the best gifts for 12-year-old girls, and gender-neutral gifts that will delight whoever receives them. Unusual gifts, crafty gifts, sentimental gifts , we've got 'em all!

Our top picks for the best gifts for 12-year-olds in 2024:

• Tower 28 LipSoftie™ Lip Treatment , $16 at tower28beauty.com
• Klutz LEGO Gear Bots , $21 on amazon.com
• ModernMade Glow in the Dark Blanket , $30 on amazon.com
• FlashCatch Light Up Football , $30 on amazon.com
• Radio Flyer Flyer Kickstart Max Kick Scooter , $57 on amazon.com
• Essential Popover Hoodie , $59 on ambercrombie.com

Not seeing what you need? Check out our related gift guides for kids:

55 Best Gifts for Kids of All Ages | 40 Best Gifts for Teenage Girls | 40 Best Gifts for Teen Boys | 37 Must-Have Gifts for Any 11-Year-Old

ModernMade Glow in the Dark Blanket

Every night can be movie night with this glowing blanket, which comes in three colors. It'll easily become their go-to for sick days and snuggles. No age listed

GoSports Slammo Game Set

This volleyball-style game pits two teams of two against each other. It comes with its own carrying case, can be set up anywhere, and has thousands of glowing reviews on Amazon. All ages

BaubleBar Kali Tennis Bracelet

Gifting jewelry to a 12-year-old can be a tricky affair. You want to get something nice, but not too nice. At a perfectly reasonable price point, this colorful tennis bracelet from BaubleBar is just the ticket! No age listed

Expressie Quick-Dry Nail Polish in Sk8 With Destiny

Whether they're only just dabbling with the occasional manicure or they have a full-on salon in their bathroom cabinet, you can't go wrong with Essie's line of quick-dry polish. There are nearly 50 glossy colors, all of which dry in about a minute. No age listed

RELATED: Best Gift Ideas for Girls of Every Age

Ooly Chroma Blends Watercolor Set

Encourage them to express their creativity with premium watercolor paints from Ooly. This set comes with 12 pearlescent paint colors, a brush, and a heavy-duty paint pad. No age listed

Tech Deck Competition Legends 8-Pack of Fingerboards

Celebrate the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris with this very cool set of fingerboards from Tech Deck. Each board represents a different legendary skater, and you can even get a limited-edition ramp to go with the pack. Ages 6+

Lola and the Boys Sequin Ombre Dress

Sweet and sparkly, the sequin ombre number from Lola and the Boys will make her whole day. The brand's bestselling dress comes in sizes 1-14 and will be the envy of every other 12-year-old at the party, we promise.

STMT D.I.Y. Custom Candles

STMT has a bunch of cool D.I.Y. projects for tweens and teens. This highly rated kit has enough supplies to make two scented candles, but if that's not their jam, check out the brand's bath bomb kit , agenda set , or crystal terrarium maker . Ages 8+

Big Feelings Madden Cropped Pajama Set

If Big Feelings hasn't already taken over her Instagram, it will soon. These coveted PJs are as cute as they are cozy. They come in size XX-Small to XX-Large, but grab 'em while you can — this color will sell out quickly!

FlashCatch Light Up Football

Give them a reason to stay playing in the backyard past sunset with this cool football. While it may look like a toy version of a football, it grips like a real one — laces and all. Ages 8-15

America's Test Kitchen 'The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs'

Are they always trolling around the kitchen, wondering what's for dinner? Put them to work with The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs: 100+ Recipes that You'll Love to Cook and Eat . Ages 8+

RELATED: A Tween Chef Will Love These Cooking Gifts for Every Level

Klutz LEGO Gear Bots

This little LEGO box contains enough parts to make eight creatures! Kids will learn about gears, cranks, and basic physics by putting these together. Ages 8+

Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 Instant Film Camera

Smartphones are cool, but can they print out all your photos the moment after you take them? Nope. Help them put all the pictures on their bedroom wall with this instant camera from Fujifilm. There are five colors and you can even purchase a bundle that comes with a bunch of accessories . No age listed

"Awesome Since 2012" T-Shirt

Everybody loves a novelty shirt! This one comes in 16 colors and tons of sizes — seriously, every size from 2T to 6X Tall.

Super 3D Pen

Kids can create whatever they want to with the PLA filament in this crazy-cool 3D pen. It comes with three colors included, which is enough to start building, but you may want to include some extra refills . No age listed

'EXIT: The Game: The Disappearance of Sherlock Holmes'

EXIT: The Game is the perfect way to engage kids and teens on a rainy night. Filled with brain-bending puzzles, these boxes are basically escape rooms that you can do from the comfort of your living room. There are also tons of different themes , ranging from novice to expert depending on the players' skill level. Ages 12+

Nike Air Force 1 Shoes

It's hard to go wrong with a pair of Nikes these days. The beloved Air Force 1 sneakers come in four standard colors or you can customize them for $20 more. The unisex shoes come in sizes six through 18 for men or five through 12 for women.

'Holes' by Louis Sachar

Not sure what kind of books they're into? Gift them one of your favorite books from when you were 12! In this editor's humble opinion, Holes by Louis Sachar is age-appropriate and an absolute classic. No age listed

StubHub Gift Card

Every household is different, but 12 can be a great age to take them to their first concert. If you know who their favorite artist is, look up when they'll be in town. If not, grab a StubHub gift card and they can pick who to see and when to go. No age listed

Radio Flyer Kickstart Max Kick Scooter

Amazon reviewers love the sleek, lightweight design of this popular scooter. Radio Flyer's Kickstart Max is adjustable, foldable, and durable enough to keep them scooting well into their late teens. Ages 8+

After over a decade as a digital editor, Maggie Panos is navigating freelance writing and full-time parenting. She covered entertainment for POPSUGAR from New York and San Francisco before setting down roots in tree-covered Portland and focusing on local journalism. A self-proclaimed "okay baker", Maggie is interested in all things lifestyle — especially if those things involve Bravolebrities. 

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The ‘fallout 4’ next gen update is not going great.

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Bethesda is riding high off the success of Amazon Prime’s Fallout TV show, which has blown up interest in the last four Fallout games, Fallout 3, 4, New Vegas and 76, increasing sales and playercounts massively.

It is great timing that Fallout 4 just got a “next-gen” update after many years, except that…it is very much not going well, and for some it’s doing more harm than good to the game, and reinforcing Bethesda’s “buggy” reputation. What’s going on?

• PlayStation players who got the game through PlayStation Plus Extra were not able to upgrade to the next-gen version, confusing many. Bethesda has now chimed in that it will indeed be available without explaining what happened, but hopefully at least that aspect will be cleared up soon.
• On PC, there is concern that this really did not do all that much and actually broke a lot of things. The number of bugs fixed is not all that many for an update supposedly this big. The update has broken a number of longtime Fallout 4 mods many players have been running for years and thrown future mod projects into chaos. And while there is now ultrawide support for the game, it stretches out the UI with no FOV slider to be able to fix that. The game is also still locked at 60 fps on PC and cannot go higher.
• Steam deck users have had their settings wiped out by the update in addition to the above PC issues.
• Quality mode for the game is broken on Xbox Series X/S, according to reports. Disabling performance mode doesn’t do anything, as the game stays at 60 fps and the resolution remains the same. This does not appear to be happening on PlayStation.

Best Nintendo Switch Games: It’s Mario’s World, We’re Just Visiting

This does seem to be going at least somewhat better on console than PC, which I suppose was the main focus of the “next-gen” update, given the next-gen consoles we’re talking about. But it’s not a great start and many players excited to play an upgraded version of the game have been left disappointed. Perhaps this will all be fixed in time, but it shouldn’t have rolled out with all these issues, that’s for sure. I thought Bethesda was getting a bit better with this stuff (I legitimately did not have a single serious bug in my first Starfield playthrough) but this needed some more time and care.

Follow me on Twitter , Threads , YouTube , and Instagram .

Pick up my sci-fi novels the Herokiller series and The Earthborn Trilogy .

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How to revert the Fallout 4 update and downgrade

If your mods have broken, you can downgrade Fallout 4 and reverse the next gen update

If you're looking to revert the Fallout 4 update, then you're one of the many PC players who have unfortunately discovered the long-awaited next-gen patch has disabled certain mods and made their current save unplayable. If you haven't turned off updates for the game and are now on version v1.10.980.0.0 then it's likely that some or all of the customizations you've added to the Wastelands are now broken in some way, which is a significant problem if your current save progress is tied to them. To help you get around this, here's what you need to know about the process to downgrade Fallout 4 to its pre-update state.

How to downgrade Fallout 4 to the pre-update version

Fallout 4 tips Fallout 4 cheats Fallout 4 Power Armor Fallout 4 Bobbleheads Fallout 4 Holotapes 

If your version of Fallout 4 has automatically received the next-gen update then it is possible to downgrade it to the previous version, but unfortunately it isn't a simple process. To revert the Fallout 4 update you'll need to use the Steam console to manually download the previous updates, which are known as 'Depots', as well as the specific localization files for the language you are playing in. You'll also need to manually disable automatic updates for the game so your work here isn't undone, then systematically copy over the Depots you've downloaded . There are a few walkthroughs available to take you through this process, including via the Steam Community and Nexus Mods .

If everything has worked correctly, then you should see that Fallout 4 has reverted to version v1.10.163.0.1 in the corner of the start menu, which was the previous update from December 2019. If you're getting crashes soon after launch, and a message on that screen stating "Game update required to connect to Bethesda.net" then you have Creative Club mods that are causing a conflict. You can fix that by accessing your Fallout 4/Data folder under Steam common and deleting all files beginning with cc (ie Creative Club). That should resolve the issue, but if you're still having trouble then read the comments on those forums for further suggestions.

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Iain originally joined Future in 2012 to write guides for CVG, PSM3, and Xbox World, before moving on to join GamesRadar in 2013 as Guides Editor. His words have also appeared in OPM, OXM, PC Gamer, GamesMaster, and SFX. He is better known to many as ‘Mr Trophy’, due to his slightly unhealthy obsession with amassing intangible PlayStation silverware, and he now has over 500 Platinum pots weighing down the shelves of his virtual award cabinet. He does not care for Xbox Achievements.

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Boston Red Sox | Red Sox vs Cubs: Lineups, pitching matchups,…

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Boston red sox | patriots trade down to select washington wr ja’lynn polk 37th overall, boston red sox | red sox vs cubs: lineups, pitching matchups, game times, and how to watch.

After going 4-2 on their road trip to Pittsburgh and Cleveland, the Red Sox are home and looking to give Fenway the caliber of play the old ballpark deserves.

The Sox went 3-7 in their first homestand, and 39-42 at home last season. They’re 4-4 in series openers this year.

They’ll host the Chicago Cubs for three games over the weekend, then enjoy a day off on Monday before the San Francisco Giants arrive for three games.

Though they’re two of Major League Baseball’s oldest franchises, the Red Sox and Cubs have only faced each other 21 times in the regular season; Chicago has a slim 11-10 advantage. They’ve met in the postseason once, when Boston took the 1918 World Series four games to two.

Red Sox starting pitchers

Kutter Crawford and his MLB-best 0.66 ERA (among qualified pitchers) have the ball for Friday night’s series opener.

The right-hander is coming off his second quality start of the season; he allowed one earned run on seven hits, three walks, and struck out six Pirates over six. It was his first time giving up more than three hits this season, but he’s yet to allow more than one run, earned or otherwise.

According to the club’s media relations department, Crawford, Roger Clemens (1991), Dave Ferris (‘45), and Lefty Grove (‘36) are the only four Red Sox pitchers to post sub-0.70 ERAs over their first five starts of the season in the Live-Ball Era (since 1920). He also hasn’t allowed a home run in his last 43 ⅔ innings, the longest active streak for a Major League starter.

Crawford has made one career start against the Cubs, a six-inning, one-hit, shutout performance last July 16 in which he issued four walks, hit a batter, and struck out a career-high nine batters.

Josh Winckowski and Tanner Houck will start the remaining two games of the series, on Saturday (4:10 p.m.) and Sunday (7:10 p.m.).

Cubs starting pitchers

Crawford will square off against Cubs left-hander Shota Imanaga, 30, whose MLB career is off to a near-perfect start.

The Red Sox are 3-3 against starting southpaws, and Imanaga won’t be an easy target. The newcomer, who left Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league to sign a two-year, $22.5 million contract during the offseason, is 3-0 with a 0.84 ERA, 21 strikeouts, and only two walks and two earned runs (one homer) over 21 ⅓ innings.

The Cubs have not announced a starter for Saturday, but Jordan Wicks is scheduled to take the mound for the Sunday Night Baseball series finale.

Red Sox lineup

Jarren Duran CF

Tyler O’Neill RF

Rob Refsnyder LF

Rafael Devers DH

Connor Wong C

Pablo Reyes 3B

Bobby Dalbec 1B

Enmanuel Valdez 2B

Ceddanne Rafaela SS

Kutter Crawford P

Cubs lineup

Nico Hoerner 2B

Mike Tauchman RF

Ian Happ LF

Christopher Morel 3B

Michael Busch 1B

Dansby Swanson SS

Matt Mervis DH

Miguel Amaya C

Pete Crow-Armstrong CF

Shota Imanaga P

Red Sox injury updates

Vaughn Grissom (groin) is on track to be activated from the injured list and make his Red Sox debut during the second series of the homestand, against the San Francisco Giants next Tuesday-Thursday.

Cubs injury updates

The Cubs placed outfielder Cody Bellinger on the 10-day IL this week with a pair of fractured ribs on his right side.

To fill Bellinger’s spot on the active roster, they called up their top prospect, Pete Crow-Armstrong, on Wednesday. MLB Pipeline ranks the 22-year-old outfielder as the No. 15 prospect in baseball.

Crow-Armstrong debuted last Sept. 11, but went hitless in 13 big-league games. On Thursday, he finally collected his first hit: a two-run go-ahead homer that made the difference in the Cubs’ 3-1 victory over the Houston Astros at Wrigley Field.

Fun fact: he’s the son of actress Ashley Crow, who played the mother in the 1994 film “Little Big League.”

How to watch Red Sox vs Cubs

TV: NESN (Red Sox), Marquee Sports Network (Cubs)

The series finale is the Sunday Night Baseball game on ESPN.

Blackout restrictions may impact streaming.

Radio: WEEI 93.7, WCCM 1490 AM (Spanish), 670 The Score (Cubs)

Upcoming Red Sox games

The Red Sox have an off-day on Monday, then finish up their second homestand with a three-game set against the Giants and Mike Yastrzemski.

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