Toddler-Friendly Stocking Stuffers That Double as Great Travel Toys

Yes, this is a gift guide—but trust me, when you're unexpectedly waiting on the tarmac for 45 minutes and the tvs don't work, you'll want to pull out one of these as a surprise.

Each month, I’ll send a curated gear guide about a specific area of toddler travel. These posts may contain affiliate links, which means if you make a purchase through them, I earn a small commission. I promise I’ll only recommend gear I’ve personally tried and loved. Thank you for supporting Travel with Toddlers!

This is a Christmas-specific post, but the toys in this guide all have one thing in common: They can fit easily into a diaper bag or backpack to pull out “just in case” you have one of those *suuuper fun* travel moments. You know them. When we flew to Orlando a few weeks ago, we waited at baggage claim for a full HOUR. These toys are for that moment. Surprise! Something new! Please be entertained for more than five seconds!

Anyway, these toys happen to fit very neatly into a stocking as well. I try not to buy too many toys (I’m sure if you walked into our house you’d say something like, “Really!?”) so what I do buy has to be open-ended, flexible, and fun. And if you’re gonna buy them, you might as well do it on Black Friday/Cyber Monday so at least it’s on sale.

The secret of great travel toys is hiding them until the right moment.

I have a bin in our basement that is high enough my toddler doesn’t think about looking there. It contains all of our travel toys and surprises and I only bring them out when we’re going somewhere. This includes a few very special travel stuffies! I also have a craft bin upstairs that I often pull from for traveling (we are big play-doh fans in this house.)

If you’re new to toy rotations, I highly, highly recommend them. This Montessori concept really works because it reduces choice paralysis and keeps my toddler playing independently, which is a concept that pays off when you’re trapped on a plane or in a car for hours. I rotate the toys every month or so with this formula:

• 1 flagship pretend play item (like a play kitchen)

• 1 gross motor skill item (like foam blocks)

• 1 open-ended crafting thing (like crayons and paper)

• 1 puzzle or fine motor skill toy

• 1 vehicle (we MUST have a vehicle lol)

• 1 stuffie

• 3 misc. smaller toys

• Seasonally-themed books

The same formula works for my travel toys when I’m packing, though everything is on a much smaller scale.

The travel toys that keep my toddler entertained and playing independently

My favorites that also conveniently fit in a stocking. All links below.

• I’m gonna probably recommend these spinners about 10 more times, they really are the GOAT.

• This stuffie-blankie hybrid always comes with us.

• But if you’re going somewhere you can’t make a mess, go for these water-based coloring books.

• I brought out this sticker book for our last flight and we spent 30 entire minutes with it, a minor miracle.

• We use these wooden cars literally any time we go anywhere.

• Mr. Buckles comes with us every trip.

• We also love a mini Duplo set, which is best for older toddlers.

• Magnetic dress up is another one for slightly older toddlers.

• And of course, some great headphones because at some point Bluey is going to make an appearance and that is 100% okay for travel situations. We use an old pair of Bose headphones, but these ones are affordable and do the job. You gotta do what you gotta do.

Small books that fit in your suitcase!

This is awfully specific but thank goodness for board books, because I can cram way more in a backpack or suitcase than regular picture books. A few of our favorites:

• Hippos Go Beserk! by Sandra Boynton: I have this memorized.

• Amazing Machines Set by Tony Milton: We are vehicle-obsessed here and these are great.

• Peek Inside How a Plane Works: The joy from my toddler while we were on a plane reading about the plane! Bonus for being interactive.

• A Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle: Still a classic.

• Tails! Lift the Flap by Matthew van Fleet: Okay, this one is a little bulkier, but there is so much interactivity in it that it keeps us occupied for a while.

Drop some of your favorites in the comments! I’m always looking for good toddler books, especially because I have to read them about a thousand times.

Thanks for being here.

Winter walks with my mini-me, in a gajillion layers.

I look forward to the holidays so much more after having a kid, because the magic is real. Lean into the light, friends, and try to find joy wherever you can. This season can be stressful, but remember it’s not *actually* about the gifts, but about being together and loving one another. Bake some cookies, put on the cozy Christmas jazz, and pretend it’s not dark at 4 PM. I am coping with this by checking out a copy of Lonely Planet’s 100 Best Beaches from the library as I hope to find myself on one of them very soon.

If you have topics you’re thinking about or want me to cover, I’m starting to plan next year’s newsletter. Please, please leave a comment or reply to this email and let me know so I can help you out!

Thanks for reading,

Kayla

Thank you for supporting Travel with Toddlers! If you liked this issue, please like it, share it, all the things. It really does mean a lot. I’m just a mom in the thick of the toddler years trying to create core memories for our whole family while minimizing meltdowns—I sincerely hope this helps you do the same.