Toys for Ultralight International Travel
Freya and Jasper are now ages 1 and 3 and have cumulatively been on close to 80 flights to twenty countries. As such, we’ve had a lot of opportunities to try out toys that travel well and fit our ultralight travel requirements (2 pieces of carry on luggage for the entire family) and want to share our favorites with you! Early on, I got this Melissa and Doug toy take along soft shape sorter bag that I pack the toys we’re going to take into for each trip. My policy is that if it doesn’t fit in this little bag, it can’t come, which is super helpful for keeping the toys to a minimum. The one exception is the compact Amazon Fire 7 kid’s tablet we take for both kids to share, which travels with us on international trips separate from the toy bag.
Good to know: We don’t have any partnerships with the products in this review
Our shape sorter bag we put all the toys in that we take on international trips. If it doesn’t fit in this bag, we don’t take it!
Magnet Tiles
One of our most successful toys we’ve been taking on international trips recently have been a set of mini magnetic tiles. We purchased the 26 piece microMAGS travel set from MAGNA-TILES and the kids have spent endless hours playing with them on every trip. I took them out of the tin case they come in to save space and added and two crane arms from a separate construction magnetic tile set for extra fun. The best thing about the magnetic tiles is that the kids found other magnetic things in airports and our lodging that they could incorporate into their play. For example, there was a large metal tray in one of our Airbnbs that was magnetic and they had the best time building elaborate structures on that tray as they were stronger having that magnetic base.
Playing in an airport with our microMAGS
Using the magnetic crane arm to pick up other toys we discovered were also magnetic
TOOBS Miniature Figurines
We bought a small tube of TOOBS farm animals from a local toy store before our last trip to Europe and both kids had a blast playing with them. They’re awesome because they’re basically indestructible, small and easily packable, and can be played with inside, outside, and in water. Both kids loved building little pens for them over and over and over again out of the magnetic tiles. You can buy a big variety of miniature figurines from TOOBS so you can pick animals (or even people) that will appeal most to your little one(s).
A few of our TOOBS farm animals
Matching Games
We often take this wildkin transportation memory matching game and both kids love it. We like it because it’s super small when you take it out of it’s box (I keep it in a ziplock bag in the toy bag) and can be played over and over. Even though Freya is too young to really play, she still loves to line up the pieces and look at the pictures. There are other matching games like this so plenty of alternatives if you want to match something different.
Matchbox Cars
A handful of Hot Wheels/matchbox type cars are also a staple of our ultralight travel play set up. They pack so well, are also fairly indestructible and can be played with outside, inside, and in water. Jasper is obsessed with cars and Freya loves them too, so they can both drive them around for hours without needing a single other thing to create whatever play scenario is in their mind. They do disappear pretty easily on airplanes since they obviously have a tendency to roll many seats away if they get dropped, so we only take ones that are “less special” in case they get lost and try not to play with them much on flights.
Jasper playing with his little cars while hiking the Camino de Santiago in Portugal and Spain
Novelty Items
I always like to throw in some random little novelty toy items that they haven’t played with before when we go on a really long international trip. It provides some extra excitement to the every time standards like the magnetic tiles and cars. Examples of things we’ve taken are mini toy measuring tapes, NeeDoh squish toys, mini metal Tonka vehicles that come in cute little cases you can take them in and out of, sunglasses, coin purses, and a mix and match build your own cardboard truck set.
Mini measuring tape - you’ll be amazed how many times a toddler can measure something
Mix & match cardboard truck game I found in a bookstore. A huge hit while we were hiking the Camino de Santiago.
One of the mini Tonka trucks that come in a little box that double as another toy
Wimmelbooks
Wimmelbooks publishes amazing textless picture books that can keep a toddler busy for hours. The pictures are incredibly detailed and the point is that kids can tell their own stories as they look through it or you can make up stories with them. They come in a variety of topics so you can pick something that interests your toddler (we have the safari, construction, and farm ones) and they print miniature versions that fit in our Melissa & Doug carrier. I only take one due to weight and size, but have found that Jasper can look at it over and over. It’s even perfect for playing “I spy” and can be used as a story book at bedtime too if that’s part of your routine.
One of the super detailed pages from our farm Wimmelbook
Non-Toy “Toys”
I think non-toy items you take on trips (or gather along the way) that can double as toys deserve a special mention. Toddlers have such wonderful imaginations and are so curious about everything that just about whatever you pack for your trip can double as a toy for them. Some favorites of our kiddos include:
Headphones from flights, which make great tow ropes, microphones, telephones, etc (with supervision due to strangulation risk)
Toiletries - especially toothbrushes!
Our clothes, which are used to make tents, caves, play peek-a-poo, picnic blankets, make nests to pretend to be baby birds, play dress up etc
Cups and utensils from flights
What are some of your favorite toys for entertaining toddlers on international trips? We and our readers would love to know! Leave us a comment!