long road trip with 1 year old

Road Trip With a 1 Year Old: A Handy Guide

• Date: July 18, 2022
• Time to read: 5 min.

Traveling in the car is a great way to vacation with a one year old! It can be tricky, but I got all the tips and tricks you need!

Plan to Stop every 2 hours, pack a variety of snacks and travel during nap times to make the trip go as smoothly as possible. Plan stops where babies can walk around and get in some exercise. Pack the essentials in arm’s reach to make stops easier. 

When you are traveling with a 1 year old I like to keep a diaper basket under the seat. Keep diapers, wipes, diaper cream and a changing mat in this basket so that you can quickly grab everything for a diaper change. 

Older babies can enjoy some toys on a road trip as well. Pack some books, small toys and snacks in another basket that is in easy reach. 

Stopping every 2-3 hours is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics to help prevent positional asphyxia. This can happen when babies slouch down in their car seats and stop breathing. 

This happens more often in younger babies, but it can happen in older babies if they get themselves in a weird position and cannot get out of it. 

As a general rule, you should have an adult ride next to the baby to monitor their breathing and their comfort. 

Be careful when offering snacks on the road and be sure that you monitor the baby if they are eating to ensure they are not choking. 

Be sure to slow down and enjoy the trip. Traveling with a baby has it’s own pace and it may take some getting used to, but slowing down will make the trip much less stressful. 

Spend an extra night at the hotel, make an extra bathroom stop, slow down and embrace the trip. 

Packing for a 1 Year Old 

When you are packing for your one year old I recommend that you pack 2 extra outfits per 5 days of your trip , and be sure to have a plan if you need to do laundry. 

Eating habits can change on vacation and that can result in some messy outfits. 

Be sure to pack your regular brand of diapers, wipes and diaper rash cream. This can avoid a painful rash or allergic reaction while away from home. 

Choose engaging toys for travel times when your baby is awake and ready to play.

I have a packing for kids guide that might be helpful when you are making your packing list and organizing all the little outfits. There are some free printable checklists included in the linked post.

Great Road Trip Toys for a 1 Year Old

A 1 year old may be distracted by some well chosen toys on your road trip. 

These are the best, low mess, solutions that have worked for our family on 10+ hour road trips. 

Small board books are a great toy for the car. We love big sets of small books like the linked set, and classics in small board book form. 

Corduroy , We’re Going On a Bear Hunt , and Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? have all been winners with my babies. I often find these at local thrift stores. 

Reading these to babies can be a great distraction on a long stretch of driving. 

When you need a sure fire distraction bubbles can be really special in the car. Choose a bottle that fits in the cupholder to keep the mess down. 

If you have responsible older kids this can also be fun for them to blow bubbles for the baby. 

Magnet toys are great for the car and they stay contained very well!

We enjoy magnet blocks like Magna Tiles . Just 2-3 blocks are really fun for a 1 year old. They also rattle when they are shaken, which is fun for a baby as well. 

Light Up Toys 

If you will be traveling at night, a light up toy can be super engaging. 

Simple toys like a small flashlight, a puck light, or glow sticks can be magical in a dark car. 

I know that my kids love traveling at night because it is such a new experience and the light up toys are just magical even for my 7 year old. 

Tips for a Traveling Alone With a Baby

I recommend that you travel with two adults whenever possible, but I know that sometimes you must travel on your own with a baby. 

I love a good adventure and this is what I have learned by traveling alone with my babies. 

Stop Frequently

You should plan to stop every 2 hours or less. This gives you time to check in on the baby and to be sure that they have what they need. 

This also gives you a chance to feed and change the baby. 

Mirrors that allow you to see your baby can be helpful, or a deadly distraction, consult your pediatrician about installing a mirror. 

Pack snacks and drinks for both of you in case you need to change plans suddenly. 

Be sure to pack any special foods that your baby needs, formula, snacks or medicine should be well stocked. Don’t forget mom’s favorites too, pack substantial snacks and cold drinks in the cooler. 

Having everything you need just feels good and makes you feel more secure. 

If you don’t feel comfortable stopping or your baby is sleeping you can choose to keep rolling and eat out of the cooler. 

I always think of my car like Mary Poppins carpet bag, or Herminone’s purse. Full of everything we could possibly need. Magically prepared. 

Be Sure To Rest

Drowsy driving is really dangerous and traveling alone with kids is exhausting. 

Be sure you are getting enough sleep to safely drive. Caffeine can help for a short time, but if you find yourself getting tired, plan to stop. 

The biggest tip I have for you is to go slowly. Do one thing at a time and try to be intentional. 

For example, be sure to put the keys in your pocket before leaving the car to unbuckle the baby, be sure to change diapers at each stop and double check buckles before you start driving. 

There are so many little things to do and check it is easy to forget and become overwhelmed. 

Rushing can make things much more stressful. 

When I travel with my husband he loves to rush and do things quickly, but I have to go slow or we will regret it later. 

Don’t be embarrassed by your pace if you are with a group of kid free companions. Focus on mindfulness and be present in each task. 

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Long Road Trips With Toddlers Can Be Fun! Here’s How

Does the thought of long road trips with toddlers fill you with excitement or dread?  Long family car trips are doable, can be fun, but you need to plan more than for a short road trip with a toddler. Here’s how.

This post may contain affiliate links.  Please read my  disclosure  for more info.

Travel Hacks for Long Road Trips with Toddlers and Kids

If you are searching for how to keep toddlers busy on long road trips or tips for long road trips with toddlers, this post will answer all your questions.

I’ll show you 2 year old road trip activities, and activities for 3-year olds and up too.

Before my daughter was born, some of my favorite trips were long road trips. 

My little fuel-efficient Honda Fit carried us on many road trips.

One of my favorite road trips in the Fit was driving and camping our way to Longmont, Colorado and back through Yellowstone National Park and Glacier National Park.

I didn’t want the long trip fun to stop after I had my daughter. I was determined to take her on adventures too.

After lots of learning on many road trips, I developed 11 tips that help immensely if you are taking a long trip with young children.

Related content:

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11 Sanity-Saving Tips For Long Road Trips With Toddlers

When our daughter was born, we didn’t think long car trips and camping had to end (we were hoping anyways!)  

Long road trips with toddlers are not the same as traveling as a couple, or road trips with older kids. 

In some ways even traveling by car with a baby can be easier because toddlers are in that go-go-go demographic.  

How do you keep an active toddler busy in a car seat? Extra planning is essential. 

Here is your survival guide to long road trips with toddlers so you can keep on adventuring.

Related reading:

• Road Trips on a Budget: 10 Awesome Tips for a Kick-Ass Road Trip
• Ultimate Road Trip Hacks with Kids – How We Survived 28 Hours In The Car With Our Toddler

1. Get your Toddler Used to Being Bored

This is by far one of my favorite tips for long road trips with toddlers, and it’s something you do before you even start your road trip.

Before you go on long family road trip with toddlers, let them get used to the feeling of being bored.

Kids don’t always need to be entertained, but if they are through constant interaction with parents or through a lot of screen time, they will get used to being entertained.

Little kids are just starting to develop their imaginations and they have amazing ones.

They don’t need constant exciting noisy toys around the house or when they’re playing outside. Exploring leaves and dirt and twigs outside is fun.

Leaving kids be to get a little bored will be such great training for when you’re on a long family road trip.

When inside the house, you’re not your toddler’s hired entertainer (though I know I personally feel like I am on some days).

It’s perfectly fine to spend time playing and reading with them, and then go to wash the dishes.

You don’t always need to set them up with something.

They can play with a toy they choose or they can play with nothing, and yes that’s a great option too.

Don’t knock yourself out trying to schedule in boring time for your toddler. But do let it happen naturally, work on your own discomfort with boredom, and don’t be too quick to fill all their time.

Getting your child used to feeling a little bored on occasion in their everyday life will set you up well for traveling long distances by car with a toddler.

Related post: Cheap Beach Vacations: The Best Frugal Tips to Save Money on Beach Holidays .

2. Take your Long Break When Your Toddler Needs to NOT When You Need to

On a road trip with kids, definitely stop if you need to get gas or for washroom breaks for anyone.

But wait to take your long break on your toddler road trip until your toddler needs it. 

You will know when your toddler needs it!

Snacks and toys and other distractions will stop working and they will get fussier or if you’re really lucky you could get a full-blown tantrum .

• How to deal with your toddler’s tantrums without time-outs and punishments

When to Take Breaks on Long Road Trips with Toddlers

I try to catch it before my toddler gets to that point and find somewhere to stop.

If we are doing a long day of driving we will usually time our stop around lunch.

She gets to escape from the car, we all eat, and she can run around and play.

She’ll usually doze off sometime in the afternoon drive.

We don’t pick a set time for this lunch stop. It could be 11am or it could be 2pm.

She gets snacks throughout the drive (more than she gets at home) so this lunch stop is less about the food and more about letting off energy.

If she’s getting really squirrely earlier we will stop then.

These road trip breaks are usually a whole hour and make a big difference to her mood and our ability to do longer days on a long road trips with toddlers.

3. Bring New Books AND Familiar Books

This is something I forgot in the  mountain road trip we took last spring .

I bought a few new books, I took a ton out from the library so we were covered on new toddler books.

But I didn’t think of bringing some of her favorite standbys on that trip and she asked for them.

On the most recent long road trip with our toddler we took, I brought a good mix of old and new books.

Especially when she was tired at the end of a long travel day in the car she wanted the books that were her own and familiar.

• Mountain road trip: Frugal family fun in the Rocky Mountains

I love love love this book for road trips that doubles as an activity and learning toy.  There are so many different things in this book to figure out and play with, including a clock for learning to tell time, shoelaces to learn tying, buttoning, and much more.

4. Start Low Tech on Road Trips

When starting out on a road trip with a toddler, when your toddler needs something to play with, start low tech.

Give them books or little games, a stuffed animal or something like this reusable water color set  which is a no-mess paint with water coloring book.

Our toddler also loves this magnetic doodle drawing toy and will play with it for up to an hour by herself.  There are fancier ones but we have this really basic one and she loves it. 

You might need to work your way up to the blingier toys on your family road trip, but start with the quieter, simpler ones.

Again this goes back to my point about letting your toddler experience boredom in their everyday life so it’s not so unsettling on a road trip.

One of my favorite travel toys is a travel busy board .  We have this wooden latch board below and our toddler will spend so much time opening and closing all the different latches – she loves it.

This next travel busy board is more of a splurge but it’s absolutely gorgeous!!

And a plush activity cube :

This adorable wooden cheese threading set is small and would be perfect for long road trips with toddlers:

5. Use Screen Time if Needed on Road Trips with Kids – And Don’t Feel Guilty

When we need a bit of electronic distraction (we use this sparingly at home so it’s a treat and a novelty on road trips with our toddler) we use these:

2-in-1 LeapTop Touch  – Our toddler only gets to use this on trips, or at home when I have a conference call for work.

Call & Chat Learning Phone

Calculator toy – my toddler adores calculators of all kinds.  My mathematician father would be proud.

I like the learning component of all these toys, and for electronic toys that make noise (the calculator doesn’t), I find these ones the most pleasant to listen to. Which matters a LOT if you are on a long road trip in a small space together.

6. Wear the Most Comfortable Clothing in the Car

This makes sense in general, you’re not going to get very far dressing a toddler in something that they don’t find comfortable. 

This goes for a short trip to the library but it’s essential for a road trip with a toddler. 

Even though our daughter is perfectly comfortable wearing jeans in everyday life, I don’t put her in jeans for a long road trip. 

Jeggings are okay, so are leggings or sweatpants or even pajama bottoms, but I never dress her in pants with more structure or any that have buttons, snaps or a tighter waistband. 

I also don’t dress her in a hoodie for long car trips.  The extra material of the hood behind her back I would think would be super annoying if you’re all harnessed-up in a car seat. 

Channeling my inner toddler for that one.

• Toddler tantrums getting dressed…how to deal so you can move on with your day

7. Snacks, Snacks, and then More Snacks

Do you think you have packed enough snacks for your upcoming road trip with kids? You didn’t. Pack more.

On a road trip with kids, having plenty of snacks and drinks to offer are essential for a successful road trip. 

My favorite cup I bring everywhere for my toddler is this insulated thermos with a straw .  It’s hard to spill (not impossible if you have a rascal of a toddler but much better than most cups), and keeps drinks cool for hours and hours. 

This means she can have milk during the drive and I don’t have to think about putting it back in the cooler so it stays fresh.

I pack easy to eat car snacks.  There is definitely more packaged food on long road trips than I would give my toddler at home. 

Certain foods that I give her at home when she’s eating at a table, like raw baby carrots, I would not give her while we’re driving. 

Crackers, dried fruit, and even trail mix (with small pieces like pumpkin seeds and cashew pieces) are a hit. 

Yes your car will be a disaster and you will need to vacuum it when you’re back.  Let this go.

• 5 Tips for van camping road trips with a toddler

8. Figure Out a Diaper Change Area Ahead of Time

Your toddler will not poop conveniently when you are at your rest stop at the gas station or visitor information center. 

They will need to poop when you are in the middle of nowhere. 

If you have a toddler in diapers, think about where you will do diaper changes. 

If it’s cold and windy and you are nowhere near a rest stop and your toddler needs a diaper change, stat, you’ll want to know where you will be changing them.

Some of you might be wizards who can do diaper changes with your toddler standing up but that doesn’t happen over here. 

We have a small hatchback so sometimes we have laid her diaper pad on top of the luggage in the back, but we made sure there was enough room ahead of time. 

If you have a bigger vehicle you’ll have more options as long as you don’t over-stuff your car or van or truck.

If you’re one of the lucky ones with a potty trained toddler (can you tell which group I am in?), bring the potty with you and plan that you’ll have lots of potty breaks. 

I wouldn’t say a long road trip is the best time to break out a brand new travel potty. 

Toddlers are known for being, uh, particular about the way things are done. 

Bring the potty they have used at home. 

If you only have room for a smaller road trip potty, have them get used to this new travel potty at home before you go on your long road trip.

9. Pack a First Aid Kit on Family Road Trips

Bumps and bruises can happen anywhere.  At home you’re equipped to deal with these things.  On long road trips with toddlers, make sure you have all the basic first aid items in your car. 

You might be in the middle of nowhere, not anywhere close to a pharmacy. 

Also include Kids’ Tylenol or Advil and I usually bring Benadryl too just in case.  It’s better to be more prepared than less. 

There is a luxury first aid kit and a more budget-conscious first aid kit for car below. Get the best your budget allows.

10. Keep Things Reachable

It’s not very useful if all the items you carefully packed for your long road trips with toddlers are out of reach. 

Keep a bag or tote close to you so you don’t have to stop driving to pass your toddler food or toys. 

If you don’t have a toddler with a penchance for throwing toys and snacks, you can also consider getting a tote where your toddler can reach some of their own goodies. 

If you go this route I would still keep some things in the parent tote. 

Novelty is your friend on long road trips with kids so you want to hold some things back for when they’re really needed.

These car organizers are a lifesaver on long road trips:

11. Be Prepared to Sit in the Back on Long Road Trips with Toddlers

At the end of the days on long road trips with toddlers, expect that you might have to sit in the back seat and be the entertainment, or the comfort, or the prep chef or all of the above. 

Leave room in one of the back seats so you’re not having to shift all the things last minute when your toddler is starting to have a meltdown.

(Notice I didn’t say “if”)!!

• 6 Best tips on air travel with a baby

Let’s recap…

How to Take Long Road Trips with Toddlers Checklist:

• Get your toddler used to being bored (before the trip)
• Take a long break each day
• New books/toys and familiar books/toys
• Start low tech
• Embrace some electronic distractions when needed
• Comfortable clothing
• More snacks than you think you need
• Plan a diaper change area or bring a potty
• Pack a first aid kit
• Keep things reachable
• Be prepared to sit in the back

Long Road Trips with Toddlers FAQs

How can a 2 year old travel long distances.

With planning, 2-year-olds can travel long distances very well.

If you plunk them in their car seat and hope for the best, well good luck to you.

But with thinking about their two-year-old needs (potty, food, drinks, entertainment, connection, comfort), they will often surprise you with how great toddlers do on long road trips.

See the checklist above to help you remember everything so your long drive with young kids goes smoothly.

How Do I Keep My 2 Year Old Busy in a Long Car Ride?

Here are tried-and-tested tips that work:

• Get your 2 year old accustomed to the feeling of not always being entertained, before you go on your road trip
• Pack more snacks than you think they need – they won’t go to waste. I go to the Bulk Barn before trips because you can get a little bit of a lot of different types of things. Novelty is your friend.
• Start low tech and progress to screen time as you/they need it. Don’t start off with screen time, it doesn’t work well going backwards.
• Bring familiar and new books to flip through. Use the library to save money (just make sure you keep track of all those books!)
• Pay more attention to their cues than you do at home. Preventing meltdowns is easier than dealing with them after they happen.

How Do You Take a 2 Year Old on a Road Trip?

Delicately. And with planning.

Don’t let the naysayers scare you away from car travel with kids.

After having my daughter, I heard a lot of “it will never be the same!”, “brace yourself”, and “it’s easier just to stay home”.

And while some/all of that is true, it’s still a joy to take your kids on road trips.

When kids are toddlers, it’s the best thing to them to have parent attention for big stretches of time – like the time when the whole family is in the car together.

Being organized will help lots, so you’re not floundering around trying to find what your child needs. This car organizer is fantastic, and this car tray works really well to keep toys and snacks accessible to your 2 year old.

The road trip essentials in this blog post are a great way to ensure you have fun toddler road trips and want to keep traveling together as a family.

Related reading: How to Save Money on Travel – 6 Smart Hacks for Budget Travelers

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What are your best tips for long road trips with toddlers?

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Syed Brothers

Saturday 18th of April 2020

Yes I have kids and I really enjoy spending time with them and going on road trips with them. It does has its flaws but we as parents its our responsibility to cooperate and make sure to keep our kids entertained during such trips.

TheCuriousFrugal

Road trips are my favorite! :)

Saturday 11th of April 2020

Hiya, we want to do a road trip to visit my sister in another country and the journey is 26 hours. We have two route options, one passes through two countries and requires an overnight ferry and the other passes through 5-6 countries all on road. We've done the route with the ferry twice and it takes us about 5 days because my husband doesn't drive. He said he'll learn so we can do it faster but I'm just thinking it's too long for a 1.5 year old? We'd prob still break it up into 4/5 days but with a different place to sleep each night are we just asking too much of her? We did a road trip with her at 6 months which was 5 hours and an overnight ferry and she was amazing, but it's a whole other ballgame now she's older. What would you do? I'm thinking we should fly in the end but with everything that's happened lately the car seems a cleaner environment, not to mention lugging strollers and travel costs through the airport and after is a nightmare!! Thanks x

Hey! Personally I can't imagine when the next time is that we'll be flying but that is totally a personal preference thing when this lets up a bit. I don't think we'll fly until there's a vaccine. I would pick one of the driving options myself. I also just really love road trips :) We often move around each night when we do road trips with our daughter. We find that she does really well. She likes new places, and she loves exploring different hotel rooms so much that she needs less toys :) I like having our stuff with us in a vehicle too, that's kind of nice. We did long road trips at that age and watched her cues. We always put in the longest day on the first day. It makes such a difference. She's not yet tired of being in the car and is excited about it because it's different. Then we taper from there. We make sure there is one full hour break each day where she can run around. At 1.5 (and still now) we can do about 7 hours of driving in a day, broken up. This will depend on the kid. Good luck with your decision, hope this helps! xx

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45 Road Trip Activities for Toddlers That Will Keep Them Entertained For Hours

This post may contain affiliate links. See the disclosure tab for more details.

Road trips are a great way to bond as a family during travel but little ones can get antsy sitting for so long.

If you're planning a road trip with your toddler, it's important to be prepared with activities to keep them occupied.

After all, a bored toddler in the backseat is a recipe for disaster! 

To help you out, we've put together a list of road trip activities for toddlers that are both fun and educational.

With these 45 road trip activities for 1-year-olds and 2-year-olds, your little ones will stay busy (and happy) throughout the entire journey.

Road Trip Activities for 1-year-old Toddlers

My 1-year old absolutely loves pop-its . They are quiet, easy to find, and light to pack – the perfect travel toy!

2 Audiobooks

Playing an engaging audiobook will help distract your toddler. Be sure to choose books with a very animated narrator to catch their attention.

3 Little People

Little People are a hit with toddlers. They love to look at them, hold them and explore them. Consider grabbing a set and offering them to your toddler on the road trip.

4 Bristle Blocks

A few bristle blocks can go a long way on a road trip. Toddlers will love building with them, and they can even teach some basic shapes and colors.

5 Fabric Books

While 1-year-olds aren't the best book handlers, they can still explore soft fabric books . Choosing one with different textures and interactions is a great way to keep them busy.

6 Finger Puppets

A finger puppet set will keep your toddler's hands busy. They'll love putting the puppets on and moving them around.

7 Vtech Remote

There's just something about the remote that is highly fascinating to 1-year-old toddlers. We love the Vtech toddler remote which is complete with functioning buttons and sounds – the perfect road trip activity for toddlers.

8 Chewbeads

If your toddler is in the chewing stage, silicone chew beads should be on your road trip list! These links are not only safe for chewing, but your toddler can bend, fold, and connect them together.

9 Magnatiles 

If you're looking for a more educational road trip activity, consider packing a few Magnatiles . These tiles are great for little ones to stack and build with in the car and at home!

10 Animal Figurines

From dinosaurs to farm animals , your toddler will enjoy handling animal figures on a road trip. Look for lifelike figures with distinct features to grab their attention.

11 Cheerio Bracelet

Snacks are a hit for 1-year-olds on a road trip, but try offering something a little more creative than a snack cup. Look for some flavored cheerios and string them on yarn for a ring of snacks they can see and enjoy eating! Bonus – there's less chance of them throwing them on the floor!

12 Textured Bean Bags

Toddlers love exploring sensory items and these bean bags are one of the best road trip activities for toddlers.  The toys are brightly colored and have interesting textures that will keep toddlers engaged. Come up with some sorting games or ask your toddler to hand you a certain bean bag.

13 Buckle Toy 

This soft pillow buckle toy has plenty of activities to keep your toddler busy. They can zip, lift flaps, and learn to buckle.

14 Hot Wheels Cars

Hot Wheels are a fun toy for you toddlers to bring on a road trip. These are something small they can hold, and you can point to out similar cars on the road.

15 Blocks & Balls

Infantino Balls, Blocks and Buddies set is a something 1-year-olds will love for a car activity. They can touch different surfaces and even chew on them them. Divide them up by type and offer them at separate times for more variety.

16 Baby Dolls

A soft baby doll will not only be a cuddle toy but a great road trip activity for toddlers. They can dress the baby and give her a bottle.

17 Sing-Alongs

One of the best road trip activities for toddlers is music . Sing-alongs are always a hit, and there are plenty of classic kid songs to enjoy. Choose a kid's music channel on your favorite streaming service.

18 Peek-a-Boo

This simple game is one that never gets old. You can play it with a stuffed animal, blanket, or your own hands. Peek-a-boo is sure to get some giggles from your 1-year-old during your trip.

19 Snack Breaks

Snacks are essential for a fun road trip, but they're especially important when you've got little ones in tow. Hunger and thirst can lead to crankiness in even the happiest of toddlers, so make sure to pack plenty of snacks and drinks for the journey. And if you're looking for healthy snack ideas, see our list of road trip food for kids.  

20 Playground Stops

It's important to take breaks often when you're on a road trip with toddlers—both for their sake and for yours! Consider making pit stops at playgrounds along the way – they'll love getting to run around and explore!

Road Trip Activities for 2-year old Toddlers

1 the quiet game.

This is among many parent's favorite road trip activities for toddlers! If your toddler is any good at this game, you'll be enjoying plenty of relaxation on your trip! See who can be quiet the longest and that person wins a special surprise!

2 Paint with Water

Paint with water sets are the perfect toddler road trip activity. Water Wow sets from Melissa & Doug include a fillable pen that holds the water and comes out the brush. Virtually mess-free and very amusing for your little one.

3 Sticker Books

We love sticker books to keep toddlers entertained on a family road trip. They love peeling the stickers which is a great fine motor skill.

4 LCD Drawing Tablet

If your 2-year-old loves to color, LCD drawing tablets are a must. They can color whatever they want and erase it when they want a new canvas. Not only is it mess-free, the tablets are an inexpensive travel toy!

5 This or That

One of our favorite road trip games is one we made up. I played this with my oldest when she needed to be distracted in the car. Say two things and ask which is their favorite. You can use animals, food, or toys for example. It's a great activity to avoid meltdowns when things are going south.

6 Counting Things They See

Keep your toddler learning by counting the things you see. Look out the window and see 3 birds – 1, 2, 3! This is a great activity to help keep them occupied while on a road trip.

7 Squigz Suction Toys

These suction toys are a great road trip activity for toddlers because they will keep them entertained with building and creating new designs. Additionally, the suction cups on the toys will stick to windows and other surfaces, providing an extra level of fun.

8 Magnetic Puzzles

Magnetic puzzles can keep toddlers entertained for hours while on a road trip. The puzzles are easy to carry and keep toddlers busy as they try to move the pieces with the magnetic pen!

9 What Do You See Out the Window

Practice object recognition, colors, and shapes with your 2-year-old by asking them what they see out the window. If they see a tree, ask what color is the tree? Continue the conversation with questions for them to answer.

10 Connectable Fidget Tubes

Fidget tubes can be connected together to create a chain, and your toddler can twist and turn them to their heart's desire. This will keep them occupied and happy, which is essential on long road trips.

11 Lacing Cards 

The repetitive motion of lacing and un-lacing helps to develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. We love these small lacing cards as they are portable and offer just enough practice for a 2-year-old.

12 Lego Duplo Blocks

Let their creativity run wild with Lego Duplo Blocks. They can build towers, cars, and other structures with the blocks that come in various size kits.

13 Memory Game Cards

While 2-year-olds may be a little young to play Memory, they will certainly enjoy looking at the picture cards. Memory cards are durable and the perfect small, learning toy to bring along on a road trip.

14 Vtech Laptop

The Vtech laptop is a fun learning game for toddlers. It's not quite screen time, but it is interactive with songs and games that will keep them engaged.

15 Glow Sticks

Road trip activities for toddlers don't have to be limited to just watching movies or looking out the window. A great way to keep them entertained is by bringing out some glow sticks . If you're traveling in the dark these are an ideal way to have some fun when you're almost to your destination.

16 Reusable Sticker Scenes

Reusable stickers are a great car activity because they can easily be moved and manipulated by your toddler. They will enjoy creating stories and using their imagination. Just ask them what they made!

This classic road trip game is perfect for toddlers because it's easy to adapt to their limited attention span. Keep it simple by spying something that's a certain color or shape.  Keep the “spied” objects inside the car to give time for your toddler to find them!

18 Masking Tape

Toddlers love playing with random objects, and masking tape can be used to your advantage. They will enjoy peeling it, balling it up, and making designs on the windows. This is a great way to keep them entertained in exchange for a little cleanup.

19 Mess-Free Coloring

Coloring is a great way to keep toddlers occupied, plus it's a quiet activity that won't disturb other passengers in the car.  Crayola Color Wonder is an amazing gift to parents. The markers only draw on the special paper and leave no other mess. They come in cute sets and are sure to keep your toddler busy.

20 Road Trip Scavenger Hunt

Make a scavenger hunt list of things they can look for outside the car window. Include things like different colors, shapes, and animals.

21 Seek and Find Books

Seek and Find books are excellent road trip activities for toddlers because they can keep them busy and engaged. Bring along a few beginner seek and find books to look at together when they need a break from looking out the window.

Limiting screen time is one thing, but you may need a little more of it on a road trip with toddlers. Download some age-appropriate apps on your phone or tablet for them to play during the drive.

23 Story Time

Reading stories is always a hit with toddlers. Bring along some of their favorite books or download some digital ones before you hit the road.

24 Pack Some Surprises

Save some of your toddler's favorite snacks or toys as “surprises” for later in the trip. This will help break up the monotony and give them something to look forward to. These are also great to take out when things aren't going well (i.e. traffic.) 

A portable DVD player will give your toddler the comfort of their favorite movie. Use movies to wind down before rest time on your road trip.

Road Trip Activities for Toddlers

A road trip with toddlers doesn't have to be stressful—as long as you know how to survive a road trip with kids !

1-year-olds and 2-year-olds have unique needs when it comes to car activities.

They have a shorter attention span and need a larger variety of things to keep them occupied.

However, with these 45 road trip activities for toddlers, you can rest assured that your little ones will stay entertained the whole way!

And who knows, you might even have some fun yourself in the process!

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Road Trip With A Toddler: 15+ Tips After 50,000 Miles On The Road

Family road trips can be either amazing or super stressful. This is especially true with younger kiddos who have a harder time sitting still and entertaining themselves. But clocking in over 50,000 on the road in the last few years with our 5 young kids has taught us some tips to road trip with a toddler.

Here are some of our favorite toddler road trip tips, road trip hacks, and family road trip essentials. I hope they help make your journey a little smoother and more enjoyable!

1) Road Trips With Toddlers: Start Small

My first tip to successfully road trip with a toddler is to start small. A full 8 hour road trip with kids is probably not the best way to start out. Kids take time to adjust to new situations, and if you haven’t road tripped before, that’s a lot – even for an adult! Instead, start small. Start with a 1-3 hour ride. Get acclimated and make sure everything is comfortable and in working order. Once you have a few of those under your belt, you can slowly start to increase your hours in the car. You will be a road tripping family in no time!

2) Pack Clean Snacks

One of my favorite tips for road trips with toddlers! If your kids are anything like mine, they like to be eating practically nonstop when in the car or RV. But we’ve definitely made the mistake of choosing snacks that cause a giant mess and we regret it forever after. We also don’t like giving them tons of junk – that just makes them even more wiggly and unsettled. It works better for all of us if they have regular meals and healthy snacks. Definitely our most important family road trip essential!

Here are 50+ of our favorite healthy (and non-messy) road trip snacks for kids !

3) Use Stops To Get Out Wiggles

When we first started road tripping, we’d treat stops like we did when it was just adults – to sit and eat food. But we quickly figured out that road trip stops with kids are a different animal. Instead, with kids, we like to use these stops almost exclusively for movement.

It’s hard for young kiddos to sit still for long periods of time in a vehicle. Their bodies are designed to be moving frequently! So whenever we paused for gas or for a break, we make sure to take this time to get out wiggles. This might mean pulling over near a big field or playground where they can run around. Or it may mean doing jumping jacks on the grassy area of a gas station. Either way, we try to get out as many wiggles as possible.

Plus, movement often takes less time than sitting and eating. Kids often get antsy sitting down for full meals, anyway, so there’s no reason to make them sit in a restaurant and then sit even more in their seats. Instead, we like to pack easy-to-eat road trip meals that they can have while we’re on the road.

Of course, be very cautious about food that you give to young children and make sure they are supervised, and avoid choking hazards.

4) Always Use The Proper Child Restraint

This is at the top of the list as far as importance goes for road trip tips for toddlers. It can sometimes be tempting to allow a young child to slide under a shoulder belt to sleep while the car is moving. This could be super dangerous in the event of a crash. Instead, if you have a child who is likely to fall asleep in the car at some point, avoid using a low-back booster that requires them to keep their bodies upright.

Instead, a 5-point harness is a safer option when road tripping with toddlers. If your child has outgrown a 5-point harness, a high-back booster or this booster Ride Safer Vest are great options that keep them in better positioning. (Here are our favorite travel car seats .)

5) Make Sure Everyone Packs An Activity Bag

I love having each of my kids pack their own travel backpack with essentials that they can easily access. This can be especially useful for long road trips with toddlers. This also tends to keep things better contained than a basket of stuff, which often gets stepped on or otherwise destroyed.

I love that having their own activity bag means they can choose what they’re interested in for a long family road trip. This makes it so they are much more likely to stay engaged with those activities. This is a great way to keep toddlers busy on long road trips.

Here’s everything they keep in their kids’ travel backpacks . They often bring more activities for a road trip than when flying, of course – more books and perhaps a few little toys to keep them occupied. And here are our favorite toddler road trip activities !

6) Give Everyone A Spillproof Water Bottle

When on a road trip with toddlers, spillproof water bottles are the very best way to make sure spills don’t ruin the car and its contents. We make sure everyone has their own so they can stay hydrated.

Insulated kids water bottles are my preferred oens so that drinks stay cold for a while (especially helpful if you need milk for younger kiddos). I like this  hard spout insulated sippy  for babies and young toddlers. The  Contigo Stainless Steel Water Bottle Autospout  and the  Thermos Funtainer 12oz. are great travel water bottles for younger kids. I also like  the Contigo Spill Proof Tumbler  (which is surprisingly spill-resistant, but the straw can get dirty since it doesn’t have a cover).

My older kids absolutely LOVE the  Takeya Actives Insulated Water Bottle  – it’s a great size, fits in a side pocket, and keeps drinks cold for sooo long. If we’re planning to hike quite a bit on our travels, my kids pack their amazing  kids hiking hydration backpacks  and generally just use those for water on the road trip (we don’t often fly with these).

For adults, we really love the  Contigo Autospout Water Bottle and Hydro Flask Wide Mouth Straw Lid .

7) Listen to Audiobooks & Music on Long Road Trips

Audiobooks are for sure our #1 favorite way to pass time on long road trips with kids. We almost always download them from the Libby app through our library, then play them via Bluetooth on our car’s speaker system. Everyone stays interested and engaged and QUIET, and the grown ups like them as much as the kids. You could also just read out loud to everyone if you prefer! Podcasts can also be great, especially for younger kiddos (Circle Round is wonderful even for toddlers!).

If kids want to listen to individual audiobooks, the Yoto player is perfect for that. These headphones are perfect in the car because they’re soft and don’t interfere with car seats. (My oldest prefers these .) Music on the Yoto is also really fun to listen to! (You can use this link to purchase, and the code PREETHI10 for 10% off the regular Yoto player.)

Here are some of our favorite USA road trip novels for kids .

8) Pack 8 Million Baby Wipes to Road Trip With a Toddler

Even if you don’t have kids in diapers. Even if you think you have enough. I promise, you will use them for everything. Cleaning faces and hands. Wiping down the car dash or seat. So many things on a road trip with a toddler or even big kids.

9) Keep Trash Bags Accessible

All those baby wipes need to go somewhere! A great long road trip tip is to hang trash bags where kiddos can reach them and immediately throw stuff away instead of letting it all accumulate. Of course, be very cautious about not having plastic bags too close to babies and young children.

10) Put On A Bib For Little Ones

We absolutely love full coverage bibs at home – they’re the only ones that actually work to keep kiddos relatively clean, it seems. And they work in the car, too! Since they go on from the front, we just put them on their arms on top of the car seat, and it keeps them a little bit cleaner during family road trips.

Ikea is the cheapest place to get them (and ours have held up perfectly for years and years), but if you don’t have one close by, you can also purchase the Ikea one on Amazon . There are also some similar ones available , as well.

11) Pack Extra Ziplock Bags

This is another item where I’m often shocked at how useful they are. Handing out snacks. Gathering up snacks. Or, in the event of a car sickness emergency, handing back as a sickness bag that can then reseal. They’re so helpful in so many instances when road tripping with kids.

12) There’s No Shame in Technology On Family Road Trips

There’s no shame in watching movies while on the road. We usually hold off on them because our kids tend to get grumpy when we watch too much. So we might have one at the end of a really long road trip driving day, but they’re rare. But if they work for you? Awesome. They might be absolutely worth it for your family and might be great with your kids. There’s zero shame in that. Use it if you need to. Use an iPad if you need to. It’ll be just fine.

We personally LOVE traveling with kids Kindles . They’re easy to pack, the battery lasts for forever, and they hold soooo many books. They keep our reading-on-their-own age kids occupied for hours especially on busy family road trips.

13) Use Sleep Cues to Successfully Road Trip With a Toddler

If we’re driving late on a long road trip, it’s often best if we can get our kids to fall asleep in the car. Neither Dan nor I is good at staying up through the night, so we never drive that long. We have gotten in well past kiddo bedtime many times before.

We find it’s really helpful to have their regular sleep cues handy while driving. As it gets closer to evening, we have them change into pajamas, get an animal (and pacifier for the baby), and sometimes a blanket or pillow (easier in the RV).

We also have one particular CD of peaceful religious music that we’ve had for years, and it always signals to our kids that it’s time to go to sleep. They’ve heard it during enough late-night drives that it cues to them to settle down. We’ve also been known to play white noise on an app on our phones that we play through Bluetooth on the car stereo, but this is obviously less pleasant for us to listen to. 😉

14) Carry Emergency Supplies for Family Road Trips

There’s nothing like having a vehicle break down while on a road trip with kids. We always like to carry a few emergency supplies just in case. Here are some family road trip essentials for emergencies:

• Portable car battery jump starter (can jump your vehicle without another one present)
• Car tire air compressor
• First aid kit
• Drinking water
• Portable phone charger

15) Practice

“Practice makes perfect” is true for road tripping with kids, too. My final tip to road trip with a toddler is to practice. Our kids have gotten really good at road tripping and occupying themselves on the road because they’ve done it a ton. And anytime we haven’t been on a long ride in a while, they get more antsy the first day, but then get the hang of it by the 2nd. If it doesn’t work out the first time, try again. Try different things that might work for your family. Stop frequently if you need to, or drive longer through the night if it works better. Figure out what is best for your family to successfully road trip, and do it.

IF YOU LIKED THIS POST ABOUT TIPS TO ROAD TRIP WITH A TODDLER, YOU MIGHT LIKE THESE POSTS TOO:

• Toddler Road Trip Activities
• 50+ Healthy Road Trip Snacks for Kids
• Tips for Travel with Baby or Toddler

DON’T NEED TIPS TO ROAD TRIP WITH A TODDLER QUITE YET? PIN THIS POST FOR LATER!

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11 responses.

Hey Preethi! Love this post:) we have almost 5 kiddos (#5 in June) and our eldest is 6. I want to be more comfortable with road trips and I found this really helpful. I can’t find a link for the bibs you recommend. Any chance you could share that with me?

Thanks you!

Congratulations on your baby!! I’m so glad this was helpful. And so sorry about that – I’ve updated the bibs info with links. Enjoy!

Love this! My parents live about 3hrs away, do kids are used to a longish drive. We are inbarking on our first big road trip this Spring.

Q – how many hours do you try to drive a day, if you’re going far from home? Especially without an RV? I(‘m anticipating that 6 hrs is the most we might do in a day, and am really only expecting 4 hrs at most before meltdowns begin.)

Hi Leticia – how fun!! It really depends on how far we drive based on our destination, how much we’re seeing along the way, etc. If we’re just trying to get to a destination, we’ve done up to 12-13 hours in a day before. I wouldn’t do that as a first big road trip, but it also totally depends on your kids. Have a great trip!!

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Road Trippin’ with a 1 Year Old

Feb 24 Uncategorized

• Pinterest 3.2K

Traveling – especially road trippin’ – with a 1 year old can be tons of fun, but it can also take a turn for the worst if you don’t prepare for it properly. We took our first family road trip with our oldest daughter when she was one and we had one baby on the way. Our final destination, Seattle, was 15 hours from our hometown, but we stopped at the 12 hour mark, which was Portland, to spend two days before heading up to Seattle.

Pack Plenty of Snacks and Water

One of my favorite things about road trips is all the snacking I get to do! Of course, I don’t want it to be a full-blown snack-fest, but it does make the road trip go faster if you can eat along the way. While we normally only do one snack in our home each day , when we went on our road trip I let our daughter eat snacks several times along the way.

The best kinds of snacks for one year olds are finger foods , like fruits and veggies, cheese, crackers, muffins, dried fruit (if you already know your child can safely eat them without problems), etc. Yogurt is also a great idea if you can keep it cold and aren’t worried about the mess. If your one year old is closer to two or has more teeth, you may want to take homemade trail mix, granola bars, and homemade cookies.

To save a little money, you will want to take most of your own food, and possibly even make your own homemade baby food to take on the road. I did that on this particular road trip, and I even had an entire week’s worth of food I had prepared and frozen just for my daughter. We put the ice cube purees in the bottom of a cooler and covered them with ice, but we didn’t realize that even after replacing the ice every time we stopped for gas, the food would not make it the whole way! I wish I would have had this list of 7 incredibly easy and healthy snack ideas instead so that I didn’t have to deal with the stress of melty homemade baby food!

If you are still breastfeeding your child, be sure to take care of yourself, too, by drinking plenty of water and eating lots of snacks along the way!

Bring Music

Music is a wonderful distraction for littles that are restless and don’t want to be stuck in their car seat. Be sure to have a list of songs at the ready that you can sing (you might have to sing until they zonk out!), or have a playlist on YouTube or a favorite Pandora radio station that your child can listen to and calm down. It’s also fun to just be one of those families that is singing at the top of their lungs as people pass by and stare!

Remember Books and Toys

It’s quite obvious that you will want some toys and books for your child to keep them further distracted, especially when snacks and songs just aren’t working. A few days or weeks before your trip, set aside a few toys and books that your baby really likes but you know they won’t really notice are missing. Then when you are on the road, and they need something now, get out one book or one toy and they will be excited to see it! You could also just buy some new toys and books for those moments when you feel like you are losing absolute control!

Drive at Night

One thing we did on this trip that I would highly recommend (especially for kids who can sleep well in their car seats) is to leave in the middle of the night or even right before bed time. If your destination is 10-12 hours away, this would be perfect to arrive in the morning. The only people who would probably not enjoy this solution so much is mom and dad, of course!

If you do decide to drive at night so that your baby can sleep for a lot of the ride, make sure you have something that can prop your child’s head up if it falls down while they are sleeping.

Take Frequent Stops

You’re probably not going to arrive at your destination as fast as you could without kids. With a 1-2 year old, you’ll probably want to stop every 2 or 2 1/2 hours so they can walk around and explore for a good 15-30 minutes.

Before you leave on your trip, check along your travel route to see what places you could stop at. There will probably be some parks or a mall that would be great for running, walking, and just stretching your legs. We stopped at Walmart about 3 hours into our trip, and my daughter had a really good laugh when my husband kept hiding from her and popping out.

Block Out the Sun

The biggest complaint I noticed from our daughter was the sun in her eyes. We were traveling to the west and had left at 6 AM. Once the sun came up, it was hitting her eyes, because she was facing backward. So I put a thin blanket over the top of her car seat so she could be shielded from the sun until it got high enough in the sky.

The window coverings we had on both sides in the back were not very effective, and I would have loved to get the type that cover the entire window. The downside to those, though, is that reviewers said that you cannot see through them and it creates a problem when you are trying to change lanes and cannot see in your blind spot to safely move over.

Keep Baby Cool

Traveling in the summer? You will probably have to come up with a solution for keeping your baby cool as you drive. Turning on the A/C full blast in our car did not work very well, especially because her car seat was facing backwards. You could keep some cool water in a container and have a washcloth that you give to your child and change out after 10-15 minutes. This would work best if one parent is sitting in the back near the child and can help them do this. It would also work to have a fan and a spray bottle, again, if a parent is helping the child in the back seat.

One Parent Can Ride in the Back

Which leads me to my next point. If you only have one child, they will probably get bored in the back by themselves, so you may want to take turns sitting in the back with your child if it is just you and your spouse. We did this, and noticed that our daughter had a much better time because she could actually see us and interact throughout the trip. We could also give her toys, books, and snacks without stopping the car.

Bring Stuff for Messes

Obviously, you will want to remember to bring plenty of diapers and wipes for your baby, but you may also want to bring a few extra plastic changing pads. Not all rest stops are clean, and a plastic changing pad that you don’t care about could be a lifesaver.

I would also suggest that you bring towels and paper towels to clean up any big messes that might happen in the car. Not all kids can handle a car ride for very long, and you may have to unfortunately deal with a child who has car sickness or lots of diaper blowouts . So remember some extra outfits as well!

Finally, you will want to keep a few empty sacks in your car for any trash that will inevitably happen.

There are just a few other things I would mention to help make your road trip one of the best ever (with kids!).

First, don’t forget your baby’s favorite “thing,” whether that be a binky, blanket, bottle, or toy. A road trip can make kids all kinds of uncomfortable, so your child will be needing their lovey more than ever!

Second, if you think your child might struggle on a long road trip because they have shown signs of not enjoying car rides in the past, consider bringing calming bottles to hand over to them in these moments. A calming bottle is a wonderful way to soothe your baby and help them deal with their big emotions. You can find some really great ideas for calming bottles over on The Realistic Mama .

And finally, if you have room in your car bring the big stroller. We made the mistake of taking just our small umbrella stroller, and it was a bit difficult to push that thing around some of the places we went. A larger stroller also has space to hold bags and belongings, which would have been so nice since I was pregnant at the time and carrying one more thing on my shoulder wasn’t my idea of a vacation!

What tips would you add for traveling with a one year old?

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02.18.21 at 5:11 pm

This is perfect! We are planning a trip in a couple of months with our now 17month old and I’m pregnant. So all these tips are extremely helpful that not a lot of other articles bring up. I love the blanket to shield from the sun idea. Thanks!

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20+ travel toys for a 1-year-old: entertainment for road trips and long flights.

Keeping your infant entertained on your next vacation

I won’t deny that one-year-olds can be one of the most difficult ages to travel with (ok, for parents!) especially flying! They are still so tiny but wriggly and active and unsure of what is happening around them; they are not quite a toddler but beyond a baby .

How on earth do you entertain your one-year-old while you’re travelling?

There are plenty of great one-year-old toys, but for this age group, they are often large, clunky, interactive (i.e. noisy!) and not particularly luggage friendly!  You really do need to consider a separate set of portable plane and travel toys for 1-year-olds. 

Other than our baby travel essentials , here we’re going to talk you through over 20 great ideas on what you should be packing to entertain a 1-year-old while travelling – our big focus is on being road trip and flying friendly toys.

This post is part of our tried and tested travel gear series – don’t forget to also check out our baby travel advice home page

Buckle buster, finger puppets, classic baby beads, cute character snack cup.

• Lamaze Plush Puzzle Toy

Sensory Fidget Toys

Learn to dress monkey, felt quiet books, stacking cups, tissue pouch toy, board books, soft activity book, chunky crayons, magnetic drawing board, fubbles bubbles, sand toy kit, toy safety straps, what 1-year-old toys should i leave at home, more tips for baby travel.

If your child is slightly older, don’t miss our post best travel toy ideas for a 2-year-old . 

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The Best Travel Toys for a 1-year-olds

The most difficult thing about this age group is their propensity to want to either a) insert everything they find into their mouth or b) throw it on the floor! 

Therefore, finding travel toys for 1-year-olds that are made for chewing is great, but also look for items that are easy to clean and not too small so you can find them if they fall into a small confined space! 

Here’s our selection of the best travel toys that have stood the test of time with our 1-year-olds.

Buckle Toys Buster is ideal for travel as he folds up quite small and is great for those fine motor skills and problem-solving.

There are six different clasps and buckles, allowing for several different activities. Buster also has many colourful pals these days, some bulkier than others, but all offer great opportunities for your tot to work on their hand-eye coordination while keeping them occupied on the move.

An interactive fun way to play along with kids is  finger puppets .  They definitely fit well into the portable category, much smaller than most soft toys but not too tinee tiny that you will lose them under a plane seat!

These are the best toys for one-year-olds in any situation, as there are plenty of imaginative games you can make up—and worst case, if they simply end up in your tot’s mouth, it’s not the end of the world!

Manhattan Toys Classic Baby Beads  are a baby essential from this maker of unique educational toys ( do check out the  full Manhattan toys range   – we ended up with a toy box full of their stuff we loved them so much! )

The beads are solid wood but portable, and the rattle is fun but not an overpowering noise it won’t annoy your neighbours on a plane. It’s great to see young toddlers through the  teething stage , and also perfect for those fine motor skills.

We all know just how important it is to keep little bellies satisfied, whether it’s at home or on the move. And we all know how quickly kids knock these things over?

Cue the latest generation of infant snack cups from Skip Hop that are not only designed with an (almost) spill-proof lid; they come in some cute and fun designs too that will only add to the enjoyment factor of snack time – hence we include in here amongst our favourite travel toys for 1-year-olds as they have definitely been a saviour in the past for quick and easy toddler entertainment – two birds and all that.

Lamaze Activity Spiral

Have we mentioned before how much we love Lamaze products? Their activity spiral is an absolute beauty and the perfect travel toy for a 1-year-old.

With all the sensory pieces that we love above Lamaze, it is easily attached to your tot’s infant seat, ideal for long road trips.

A reluctant inclusion as I truly hate any baby travel toy that makes an irritating sound – if it’s annoying me, it’s got to be annoying others around me too – but car keys really are one of those wonderful reality toys that infants simply can’t get enough of, perfect for long car rides.

No losing your own keys mid-journey, these B.Toys Funky Toy Keys are super easy to fit into any diaper bag and a sure-fire quick win for teething tots – even if just a little noisy, they are the closest to ‘the real thing’!

These simple plastic contraptions have taken the world by storm! Even since my bubs have grown into tweens , they STILL love these sensory toys .

The small but satisfying pops and different textures are a great way to keep fingers busy in a way that’s non-disruptive to other passengers.

Bonus if you can find a fidget toy with a suction cup , too, for on-the-go; they can easily be placed on windows, an airplane tray table, and even bathing; a sensory toy is perfect for a 1 year old when travelling.

Learn to dress mo n key is a wonderfully loveable teddy that comes with 11 different activities for small hands, from ties to zips and buttons. A guaranteed entertainer and perfect for long flights, he’s pretty loveable and cuddly too.

Also comes in Learn to Dres s Kitty if you are after different designs, a great toy for travel and at home.

Felt Quiet Books are a fabulous baby entertainer and make the perfect travel toy for 1-year-olds in any situation.

Young children can independently explore with a variety of different scenes to choose from. All the parts attach to the quiet book, so no missing spare parts, and no problem if it ends up in their mouth as it’s machine washable.

Such a simple but vital travel toy. We never went anywhere without our stacking cups – in fact, I’d argue these were our favourite travel toys!

Because they so stack away so small, they’re an easy grab-and-go item, and most importantly, we have been able to double these up as a portable bath toy and a baby beach toy on the go, too – these should be in every family travel bag!

Hands up whose infant LOVVVVVVES pulling tissues out of the box? OK, any infant worth their grit in cookie crumbs will work out this is a fake next to the real thing, but the My Tissue Pouch Travel Toy is as close as it can get to the real thing for this super fun baby activity!

With 11 brightly coloured, machine washable and totally reusable ’tissues’, plus a fun character packet to play with, this will surely gain you 5 minutes of peace on long road trips with your 1-year-old, right?!

We will always throw in at least one set of board books traveling with babies and toddlers.

They’re great travel toys as they’re small enough to slip a different one in your diaper bag or carry on each time you leave the house and pretty robust against little fingers and searching teeth!

Another great book option for a one-year-old is a soft activity book.

The MAMMA Kiddie soft activity book is a great travel toy for a 12-month-old as it comes with lots of added extras, including sensory touches that are chewable and bead counters. It’s still super light, so an easy carry-on bag inclusion for your one-year-old.

As your baby transitions to the toddler years, colouring games are great, but finding the right sort of product is tough.

We love the chunky crayons by Honeysticks – completely infant safe made from Beeswax and easy to grip in those sweet chubby little hands, an ideal travel tour for 18 month old.

Is your infant ready for a car seat travel tray? As infants progress to toddlers, they may benefit from having a good surface to eat and play on on long car journeys especially – see all our favourite car seat trays here!

Another super portable toy that’s not too chunky for travel is a magnetic drawing board, best from 18 months+. Always best not to go too cheap in design for these products – and not too many ‘extras’ that can go missing.

We like the design of Fly2Sky Magnetic drawing board as it has a sealed back to prevent scratching, and it’s small enough to still slip into a carry-on.

This one is not for you to hand to your one-year-old unsupervised, but more an emergency piece of kit that every travelling parent should have handy!

Be it making a roadside stop and getting your little one to stretch their legs, or when you’re waiting for rides at an amusement park, a quick bubble blow is an INSTANT crowd pleaser! – be warned, though, other kids will always want to join in!!!

We like Little Kids Fubbles No Spill Bubbles , which are much less messy than larger novelty wands if it’s for travel. (NB, obviously this includes liquid, so not a good one for the plane – but it’s one of our favorite camping toys for toddlers )

This was another reluctant inclusion as we know it can be a little bulky for travel – we’re hardly suggesting this will work for the plane – but no beach vacation with the kids is complete without your very own sandcastle!

From activity moulds to a watering can, you’ll want some sort of beach activity kit if you’ll be travelling anywhere with sand; these are the best travel toys for 1-year-olds on a beach vacation.

We share more beach toy ideas for toddlers over here!

Last but not least, we’d be remiss at this point not to introduce you to the sheer genius of Toy safety straps .

No more dropped pacifiers on the plane floor or sippy cups that have fallen in the seat well at your child’s feet. Anything that you can strap on – do! These work great for all types of toys with a loop that can be locked into any of your 1-year-old travel toys.

These are items that we have either had bad experiences with or, for the sake of safety or commonsense, we do not recommend using as a travel toy for one year olds:

Tablets/iPads – I won’t deny that I’ve let my kids use our devices from a pretty young age. But not all the time, and certainly not on the plane. The main reason is the best younger kids’ apps tend to be noisy, and a one-year-old is not for keeping headphones on. Save the screen time and toddler apps for at least 2+.

Playdoh – there, I said it. I’m going to have some haters shouting NOOOOOO!! But sorry, this one is on my banned travel toy list!! Some love it, but it’s icky, messy and ends up everywhere, but where you want it (mashed under fingernails, smushed into the airplane seat), you get the picture. At your peril.

Reusable Stickers – these are still really a bit too small and chewable for the one-year-old age group and they may not yet have the fine motor skills for peeling, leading to frustration. Felt books are the best alternative for this age.

Musical instruments – no matter how much they love these at home, loud, noise-making toys on a plane or transport with others is a big no-no.

Jigsaws – again, these may be favorite toys at home, but too many items have been lost down the side of a seat over the years. I recommend this as a good travel toy.

Shape sorter – for much the same reason as jigsaws. We love the hand-eye coordination aspect and won’t deny that they’re great toys for 1-year-olds, but with small pieces that can easily get lost, they don’t make our best travel toys list.

Novelty Suitcases – sorry folks, one is waaaay too young for these!! When they reach at least 2, you can start introducing their own cute independent toddler backpacks with a harness , but I would wait until at least 3 or 4 before trying ride on or wheeled luggage for kids.

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

Search Different Age Groups

Toys for 2-year-olds

Toys for 3-year-olds

Toys for 4-year-olds

Toys for 5-year-olds

Are you new to travelling with a baby , 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:

• Our very best baby travel advice
• Safety, essential gear and tips & hacks you will want to know road tripping with a baby
• 10 baby travel essentials for every journey
• How to tackle your very first baby flight
• Are you ready for a camping trip with a baby?
• How to fly with a baby once they no longer fit the baby bassinet
• Do I really need a travelling high chair?
• Best pop-up sunshades for babies and toddlers at the beach
• Best lightweight strollers for travel (that can even fit on the plane)
• The best infant sleep solutions on the go

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2 thoughts on “ 20+ Travel Toys For A 1-Year-Old: Entertainment For Road Trips And Long Flights ”

My 1 year old son loves Melissa & Doug Take-Along Shape Sorter. I gave it to him to keep him busy on his first plane ride. The shapes are of good quality and a good variety. I was worried that it would be too difficult for him in such many shapes, but he caught up in no time. It’s easy to move, overall, he loves it! I would definitely recommend it to others. It is made of excellent quality materials and will keep your child entertained.

So glad you enjoyed it, it’s definitely a winner travel toy.

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