BEST TRAVEL GIFTS FOR TODDLERS
Since we are a full-time travel family, with a toddler, it’s only right we write about the best travel gifts for toddlers.
Before we get to that, can we go on record and say 2021 was an interesting year? I am sure, like most of the world, you were impacted in some way by the pandemic.
Disclosure: “Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. Click here for the full disclosure statement.” “As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.”
Whether that impact was good or bad, the one thing we have to look forward to is the holidays.
The holidays are my favorite time of year, even more so now that our little one is a toddler. For this post, we classify toddlers as kids from ages one to five.
Our list of toddler travel gifts is based on the premise that they can be used while traveling, or inspire travel, while stuck at home.
We wouldn’t be ourselves if we didn’t include an educational element (the preschool teacher in me).
If you are looking for other fun and educational travel gifts for your toddler, check out our other posts below.
- Road Trip Toys for Toddlers (Educational & Screen-Free)
- Toys to Keep your Toddler Busy on Airplanes
- Toddler Travel Essentials
- Travel Toys for 1-Year-Olds
- Best Travel Toys for 2-Year-Olds
- Toddler Road Trip Essentials
TRAVEL GIFTS FOR TODDLERS AGES 1 – 2
We think it’s never too early to start traveling with your little one.
If you can’t travel, how about feeding your toddler’s natural curiosity with travel gifts that will help them learn about travel.
From globes to tablets, your toddler can learn about the world from home.
Plus, these toys can be taken with you on road trips to see family.
Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Globe
Is there a better way to teach your little ones about travel than getting them a globe that they can understand?
The Fisher-Price Laugh & Learn Globe is the perfect travel gift for toddlers.
The globe teaches them about animals, different modes of transportation, continents, colors, and even global greetings.
Also, you are introducing your little one to concepts such as foreign languages, geography, and social studies.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a toy for toddlers if it didn’t have music and games. Plus, there is a book that tells the story of how Pup and Sis travel around the world.
Your little one will be a world traveler without leaving the house.
kidpal Learning Tablet
Tablets are learning tools that are here to stay. Much like our phones, they have become an essential part of everyday life for many kids.
This kidpal Learning Tablet was designed specifically for babies as young as six months up to toddlers as old as three years old.
This learning tablet allows your baby or toddler to learn while having fun. We know it’s all about having fun while learning.
This toy helps them learn animal sounds, colors, numbers, music notes, and image recognition using animals.
As your baby becomes a toddler, the tablet will ask questions to help them identify animals by name or sound.
This interactive toy engages with them, even if they give an incorrect answer. It will encourage them to try again and celebrate their success.
We all know how essential reassurance is for building our little one’s confidence.
If you are looking for the perfect travel gift for toddlers that’ll help them learn as they grow, this is it.
VTech Touch and Swipe Baby Phone
I think we underestimate how much our kids watch and emulate us.
When our son started “talking”, the first thing he did was pick up the remote, hold it to his ear, and say hello. (He really said helro, which is adorable)
Toddlers learn through imitation, so phones are the perfect learning source because they see us using them all day.
The VTech Touch and Swipe Baby Phone is a fun toy to help your little one learn using a device they see every day.
The buttons are set up like apps with a camera, music, the weather, a clock, and even a pretend calendar.
Like with other toys this also helps your toddler learn letters, numbers, songs, and encourages pretend play.
We recommend this as a travel gift for toddlers because it can be taken on a trip easily.
Throw it in your diaper bag to keep your little one busy on a plane on in the car.
LeapFrog Scout and Violet 100 Words Book
We include the LeapFrog 100 Words Book in each of our toddler toy buying guides.
It is one of our favorite toys for our toddler because it helps him learn words in English and Spanish.
We take our word book everywhere we go, which is currently Mexico.
Since our little guy is learning how to talk, this book helps him learn words appropriate for his age.
12 different categories help toddlers understand opposites, fruits, mealtime, vehicles, animals, vehicles, and body parts. It is all in a way that they can understand.
Trust us, we have this book and LOVE it. We take it on flights, in the car, and play with it at home.
This travel gift will be a hit for toddlers, plus it’s inexpensive.
Related Post: Best LeapFrog Toys for Toddlers
Baby Elephant Adventure Toy Book
As an elephant lover and teacher, it wouldn’t be right not to include a book about my favorite things.
I think toddlers should always have books. We have three books that we take with us all over the world.
I love the Baby Elephant Adventure Toy Book because it is a book, toy, and puzzle all in one.
The puzzle pieces are large and made of foam, making them easy for toddlers to grip and harder to destroy. Plus, the illustrations are just so cute!
BEST TRAVEL GIFTS FOR TODDLERS AGES 2 – 3
Now that our little guy is almost 2 years old, we have started to transition from his infant toys to more “big boy” toys.
These are travel toys that encourage not only learning but essential skills such as communication, financial literacy, writing, encourage curiosity and learning emotions.
The recommended travel gifts for two-year-olds will help them transition to preschool thinking and kindergarten preparation.
LCD Writing Tablet
For parents who are not ready for their toddlers to have a tablet, the LCD writing tablet is the perfect alternative.
It’s a mess-free way for your toddler to draw without having to clean up their masterpieces.
Also, it’s small enough for your toddler to carry in their backpack for road trips or airplanes. I think it’s just a modern-day etch-a-sketch, but it’s still pretty cool.
The best thing about this writing tablet is clean-up. To clean you, just need to do is press a button.
I wish there was a device with a button that cleaned up his toys and the kitchen.
Pretend Felt Money
As a long-term travel family, finances are very important. We not only have to manage our budget in US dollars but in other currencies as well.
For this reason, we started teaching our toddler about financial literacy early. We have this felt pretend money set to help him learn how to count money.
Although he is still young, we have a lot of fun playing store and farmer’s market.
Teaching your toddlers about money helps them understand the concept of hard work, counting, decision-making, and verbal skills.
Toddler Kidnoculars
As a parent of ad adventurous, curious, nature-loving toddler we have started encouraging his love of the outdoors by allowing him to investigate and explore.
If you have a fellow explorer, Kidnoculars would be the perfect travel gift for your toddler.
These binoculars are designed for kids, which are three times larger than the normal size binoculars to make it easier for your toddler to see.
You can take these anywhere for your little one to play with, they are perfect for families that love to hike.
The best part, no batteries are needed. There is no need to focus, the autofocus with 2x magnification lets your toddler play without your little one getting frustrated.
Bluetooth Toddler Headphones
We can’t have a travel gift guide for toddlers without including headphones. The Picun Kids Bluetooth Headphones are our favorite headphones for three-year-olds.
We love these headphones because of the volume limit of 85 dB and the long battery life.
These headphones last up to 15-hours via Bluetooth and have infinite playing time with the included wire.
The material is toddler-proof, making them almost indestructible. If you need to use these headphones for virtual learning, there is a built-in microphone.
There is a 12-month replacement warranty if you have any problems.
Related Post: Top 10 Bluetooth Headphones for Toddlers
Fire HD 8 Kids Edition Tablet
Parents usually start thinking about tablets for their toddlers around the ages of 2 or 3. The most popular tablet for toddlers is the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition Tablet.
This tablet has a battery life of 12 hours, 32 GB of storage, one year of Amazon FreeTime Unlimited, and a 2-year worry-free guarantee.
Your little one can learn, play, and enjoy this tablet for hours.
We like to restrict our little guy’s screen time to one hour per day. He is also allowed to play games on his tablet for 30 minutes per day.
Related Post: Best Tablets for Toddlers
BEST TRAVEL GIFTS FOR TODDLERS AGES 3 – 4
VTech Kidizoom Duo Selfie Camera
The Kidizoom Duo is the kid’s version of a real digital camera. The durable design has grips for your little one to hold, a 2.4″ LCD screen, and a rear-facing camera for selfies.
This toddler camera is everything your kid needs to start having fun on Christmas morning. To kick up the fun there are games and photo effects.
To keep this camera from getting lost there is a wrist wrap to tie to your little one’s wrist or backpack.
You don’t have to remember to charge this camera, it operates with batteries.
Note: We recommend buying a micro SD card for additional storage. You don’t need anything large, 16GB is fine.
Related Post: Best Cameras for Toddlers
Pool Ball (Bounce on Water)
I added this to our travel gifts for toddlers’ guides because I thought it was cool. The Armour Shell Water Balls are pool balls that skip on water.
How cool is that? Plus, these balls will never sink, so they can never get lost, at least not at the bottom of the water.
Related Post: Best Beach Toys for Toddlers
Learning Resources Puzzle Globe
The Learning Resources Puzzle Globe is a cool 3-D puzzle of the world. The pieces for this globe are large enough for your toddler’s hands and only come with 14 pieces, to keep from getting lost.
If you are looking for something to help teach your toddler about the continents, this is the way to go.
The only drawback is the puzzle isn’t interactive, like most of the other globes on our list.
Scavenger Hunt Flashcards
I had to include at least one travel game on our list, and this is it. The travel scavenger hunt is perfect for long road trips with your toddler.
Although the cards are perfect for road trips, they can be used anywhere. These flashcards are waterproof and tear-resistant, which is essential for our little guy.
Read More: Best Travel Games for Families
It’s A Small World Hello, World!
The book It’s A Small World Hello, World! is one of my favorite books because it represents different people from around the world.
It teaches kids how to say hello in 10 languages. It’s short enough to keep your toddler’s attention, and the illustrations show people from around the world.
The only criticism I have is that this book does need a refresh. I’d love for other lesser-known people and languages to be featured.
Related Post: Travel Books for Toddlers
BEST TRAVEL GIFTS FOR TODDLERS AGES 4 – 5
We all know as your little ones get old, their Christmas lists get more extravagant and expensive.
While your kids are young is the perfect time to get them into travel and experience, as opposed to gifts.
For our son’s first Christmas, we went to LEGOLAND and had a blast. He won’t remember anything, but we have lots of pictures and videos to show him.
As your kids grow up memories, are more important than having stuff.
I am sure your kids will love a family trip instead of shoes, maybe not in their teens, but while they are old enough to remember and young enough to think you are still cool.
With that being said, here are a few gift ideas for the final year of the toddler stage, you made it.
Waterproof Action Child Camera
This waterproof action camera has everything you need for your little one to start taking pictures and recording anywhere.
Out of the box, you get the camera, waterproof case, micro SD card, charger, lanyard, silicone case, and flash drive.
This camera is designed to withstand active kids. If your kids love being in the water, this is the camera you need. It is the perfect travel gift to capture moments in the water.
There are built-in video filters, photo effects, and other cool features. There is no need to focus as the camera detects faces automatically, making it easier for your toddler to take pictures.
You can capture images up to 30 meters (100 feet) underwater, with over 2 hours of battery life.
Your 4-year-old would love this for Christmas or their birthday, either way, it’s the perfect gift travel gift.
Related Post: Best Action Cameras for Kids
VTech KidiZoom Smartwatch
Smartwatches have become increasingly popular over the last several years. Much like everything else, if the adults love it, so will kids.
So now, there is the VTech Kids Smart Watch that gives toddlers everything they need on their wrists. This watch has games, a camera, video, a voice recorder, and time apps.
This watch not only helps them learn time, but it also counts their steps and encourages your toddler to move.
Related Post: Best Smartwatches for Toddlers
VTech KidiBuzz Kids’Smart Device
The VTech KidiBuzz Smart Device is the perfect smartphone alternative for toddlers.
Your toddler can send pictures, videos, and voice messages to parent-approved contacts. How cool is that? Your little one can talk to mom, dad, grandma, or uncle at any time using the KidiConnect app.
This smart device looks like a real smartphone that your little one will enjoy.
There are over 40 learning games that help focus on science and math. You can also download other learning or game apps for your toddler to enjoy.
Learn & Climb US Interactive Map for Kids
With all of the uncertainty in the world right now, road trips have become more popular.
Help your toddler learn the states by getting them an interactive map of the United States.
This map will help teach them fun facts about the country which, include population, state size, capitals, presidents, and quizzes.
Make learning fun with your little one.
Kids Binoculars
I think kid binoculars are one of the best travel gifts for toddlers. They encourage imagination, pretend play, and curiosity.
My favorite thing is they encourage kids to go outside and explore.
Interactive Kid’s Globe
You’ll notice that our gift guide includes a map or globe for the different learning and development stages of your toddler. This interactive globe is perfect for toddlers.
The unique thing about this globe is the lack of names and borders. There are only pictures to help your toddler learn about the world. The cool thing about this globe is how interactive it is.
Your little one will learn hands-on using any device such as a tablet, iPad, or smartphone.
You and your toddler will have fun for hours learning over 1,000 facts about the world. If this doesn’t inspire your little one to travel, I don’t know what will.
TRAVEL GIFTS FOR TODDLERS THAT REALLY HELPS PARENTS
Parents are forgotten when it comes to kids. We haven’t forgotten about you. As moms to an adorable toddler, we know what it’s like for people to ask about the baby and not you lol.
Our family usually calls us to talk to our toddler, who can only say a few words. It’s a little hurtful lol. Here are travel gift ideas for toddlers that make your life as a parent easier.
If you have friends who are avid travelers, this section is for you. Trust us your friends or family will be eternally grateful.
Jiobit Child Tracker
The Jiobit Child Tracker is a real-time location tracker that will give you peace of mind. We all want our children to be safe, but things happen.
This child tracker is smaller than a cracker, so it’s not noticeable and clipped on their pants.
I was playing hide and seek with Caleb inside Target, and I lost sight of him for 10 seconds, and my heart skipped a beat.
The Jiobit helps put your mind at ease by giving you the real-time location of your children.
You don’t have to worry about security because it is government-level encryption. Track your kids from an unlimited distance, and it even works internationally.
The major downside of this product is the subscription plan that is required. The monthly plan is roughly $13 per month, and I believe there is a discount if you sign up for the annual plan.
If you are looking for a tracker for peace of mind, it doesn’t get any better than the Jiobit Child Tracker.
Trunki Ride-On Suitcase
I wanted to buy the Trunki Ride-On Suitcase, but it isn’t realistic for long-term travel. It’s the perfect travel gift for toddlers, for families that travel a few times a year.
You can pull them through the airport with no problem. Plus, it is so cute and cool.
We all know toddlers love to feel like big kids, so this allows them to have a sense of responsibility while being helpful to you.
A bonus is this suitcase isn’t just for travel. You can take it to daycare, use it at home, take it to grandma’s, or even pull it around the stores.
This suitcase also comes with a 5-year warranty, so it’s a win/win scenario.
Kids Toddler Backpack with Safety Harness Leash
If you have a curious toddler, like us, you may need a backpack leash. This allows your little one to carry items in your backpack, but keep them close by your side.
Toddlers can get excited and runoff, it’s their curiosity that sometimes gets the best of them. They can carry their toys, wipes, pull-ups, spare clothes, and snacks.
This backpack is water-resistant and has a breathable fabric that’ll keep your toddler cool.
The shoulder straps are cushioned for comfortability, making it easy for them to wear for longer periods.
Joovy Gloo (Large)
We all love our children, but we do not want to sleep with them.
For some reason, when they sleep alone, they are angels, but when toddlers (or kids in general) get in the bed with you, they become MMA fighters.
Maybe that’s just my experience, if so, the little one and I have some things to work out lol.
If you want to travel without sleeping with your toddler, we recommend using the Joovy Gloo.
We recommend this toddler travel bed because it can fit toddlers up to the age of five, and you can even use it for babies six months and older.
This portable travel bed is the perfect travel gift for parents with toddlers. It can fit in a suitcase, has mosquito net protection, and is sun protected.
Trunki Kid’s Waterproof Swim & Gym Bag
The Trunki Kid’s Waterproof Swim & Gym Bag is the perfect travel gift for families that love the beach.
I will be purchasing this bag as soon as our little one is old enough to wear a backpack. I am looking forward to when he can carry his stuff.
This bag has everything your toddler needs for a day at the beach, at the pool, or even at daycare. There are reflective strips to keep your little one safe in the dark.
My favorite feature in the fin pocket, you can put your money and cards in there while swimming.
The Trunki Grip lets you hang things from the bag without getting dropped or lost. Plus, the roll-top close with the clip ensures that nothing inside gets wet.
There is a medium and large sizes available for older kids, but the medium is perfect for toddlers three and older.
Trunki Kid’s Travel Neck Pillow
Traveling with young kids can be exhausting, especially if you plan to take a long flight or road trip.
Having a comfortable journey is essential, this pillow will make you and your little one less frustrated.
The Trunki Kid’s Travel Neck Pillow will keep your toddler comfortable in an airplane, car seat, or booster seat.
The cute, cozy, and plush pillow will give your little one neck support and help them maintain a good posture.
Read More: The Best Travel Pillows for Toddlers & Kids
Personalized Luggage Tags
We know there is nothing glamorous about personalized luggage tags, but they are cute.
If you are planning black suitcases, they make it easy for you to identify your luggage.
Also, it makes everyone responsible for their things. Once they are old enough to push, you are responsible for your suitcase.
Tula Ergonomic Toddler Carrier
A toddler carrier is essential when traveling with a kid that can’t walk long distances.
A toddler carrier is more convenient than a stroller, especially if plan to travel to places like Europe, where cobblestone sidewalks make it difficult to use a stroller.
The Tula toddler carrier can hold kids up to 60 lbs so you can put your kid comfortably on your back when they are tired.
Trust us; if you want to give the perfect travel gift to parents of a toddler, a carrier will be a big hit.
Zoe XLC Travel Stroller
It is no secret we love our Zoe Stroller. We have the Zoe Stroller Tour+ because our son needs a belly bar to keep him from trying to escape.
If he didn’t try to escape, we would have purchased the Zoe Stroller XLC. It is our favorite compact travel stroller.
If you are looking for a stroller to use for your baby or toddler, get the Zoe stroller, you will not regret it.