With the world opening up again so many people are travelling so we thought it was about time to do a plane travel blog!
We've divided it into ages but remember most toys are fun outside of the ages we've listed as well.
6-12 months
Whirly Squigz are a winner for a huge variety of ages but are particularly good for babies. They are great stuck to the plane window to spin and distract little ones.
Whirly Squigz are the best plane toy!
PipSquigz Loops are another great option for a plane because they suction to table tops.
Mini silks can be used in so many ways on a plane too. You can put it in a box to pull out, play peek-a-boo, hide things under it for bub to find or even push it into a sensory ball or Skwish.
Sarah's Silks can be used so many ways on a plane - as a sensory activity like above, in a tissue box or a Sensory Ball, Skwish or Quubi.
Skwishes are great to keep those little hands busy on a plane.
Speaking of Skwishes, these are a classic baby toy that will help amuse bub on the plane. Another item in a similar style that's also great is the Quubi! This features silicone pieces that a perfect for a teething baby.
Mini Spinny's are great to keen young kids entertained on a plane.
1-3 years
Anything in the Dimpl range is great on a plane but the Billow and Bright is super fun at this age because it has two pieces. The cloud Dimpl has a variety of sizes to play with and the sun piece has a mirror which is always a winner with babies.
Dimpls are great to get the that fidgety energy out on a plane.
Zippee is an activity toy that encourages and supports fine motor skills, sensory exploration, midline play and cause & effect. Keep those little hands busy on the plane and work on that pincer grasp by pulling the silicone strings through. Each "string" has a different texture creating a wonderful sensory experience.
Some loose parts for posting like Tactile Shells, Junior Pebbles or Grapat Rings/Coins are a great idea. Take a small box or formula tin with you and store the pieces in there. Then on the plan bub can play a posting activity. Pro tip: Put in something to dampen the noise for other passengers like a tissue, wipe, play silk or even nursing pads work in round formula tins perfectly!
Who doesn't love stickers! They're the perfect plane activity. Small and entertaining. You can stick them on paper or even on mummy or daddy.
Play dough might sound stressful but can work really well on a plane for small children. You're right there to help and there is so many ways to play with it! You don't even need to take any tools, just use some cutlery from the plane and squish, roll and play together.
Whirly Squigz and Squigz 2.0 are so great to stick to a tray table. Posting activities are also fantastic on planes too!
Fabric Activity books are perfect for plane travel. They compact and light and you can do so much fun play with them.
3 years and above
Magnatabs are fantastic for travel. They're fun, tactile and easy to whip out in the airport or taxi. The Freeplay one in particular is so versatile and small.
As I said we love the whole Dimpl range but we love the Dimpl Digits for this age range because it can be used in a variety of ways. You can just use it as a fidget toy but you can also do small math exercises with it, like asking your child to pop the number "one more than 3" or the number for "2+3".
Mini Squigz or Miniland Cubes are a really great building materials that stick together so perfect for travel. Either one will give your child plenty of play opportunities and is perfect for a tray table.
Two faves here! Fabric Activity books and Squigz 2.0.
I Spy Airport is a fun one particularly while you're waiting around to board and exploring the airport. It's great for when you're waiting to board and also a fantastic way to talk about the experiences you've had or what's to come when you travel.
Hey Doodle and Scribble Mats are great for travelling! They are a reusable silicone colouring mats and the mini size is perfect for a plane tray.
Boogie Boards are a reusable writing tablets for drawing, writing and even games (they're perfect for naughts and crosses!). They come with a stylus but you can wring with anything including your finger. The LCD screen is cleared with the click of a button and they are super thin but very durable.
The range of Plus Plus is also perfect for travel. The pieces are small and open ended so nice and compact for travel. You can build with instructions or also just with your imagination!
Another great one is the Tiger Tribe activity packs! There are so many options of colouring in, stickers, colour by number and more. They come with everything you need to get creative in the box!
Small figurines like CollectA Tubes or Safari Toobs are great for portable small world play too. You can get little containers and make a little small world they can take with them!
- by Jenna Milburn