15 Best Travel Toys for Kids (Grade School to Tweens)

The best travel toys for kids make the difference between a cherished family vacation and a long journey you’d rather forget. Avoid hearing “Are we there yet?” with these engaging playthings for big kids, from grade‑schoolers to tweens. This curated list of activities, games, and crafts will keep the whole family entertained during road trips and long-haul flights, as well as back in the hotel room. Below are some fabulous travel toys to buy before your next trip!

Looking for great travel toys for babies and young children? Check out my guide to the best travel toys for toddlers.

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Travel Board Games

Many board games come in travel versions. These are not only fun for the journey, but also for playing in your hotel room or vacation rental home. Challenge kids to a classic game of backgammon, chess, or checkers with 3 in 1 Magnetic Chess Checkers Backgammon Board Game Set. For even more game play on the go, take a look at my family’s favorite travel games for kids.

Playing Cards

Easy to pack and versatile, card games are entertaining for kids of all ages. A wide variety of games can be played with a regular ol’ deck of cards. Up the fun factor with a LotFancy Card Games for Kids, which includes special decks for playing Go Fish, Old Maid, Crazy Eights, Memory Match, Animal Playing Cards, and Slap Jack. (But please save Slap Jack for play in the hotel room and not on the airplane tray table!)

Rubik’s Cube

Scramble up the colors of a classic Rubik’s Cube and challenge your grade‑schooler or tween to solve it on the go. My son loved showing off his cube‑solving skills, and it’s amazing how quickly it helped him make friends during our family travels. This brain teaser is not only entertaining but also a great icebreaker in theme park lines, airports, or anywhere kids gather.

A timed round can turn travel downtime into a fun competition, and speed cubes make it easier for kids who want a bigger challenge. Get a Speed Cube Set for a variety of challenges and maximum fun.

Mad Libs

Go old school with Mad Libs, a great way to play together as a family while traveling. Parents can participate from the front seat on a long car ride as the whole family takes turns naming nouns, adjectives, verbs, and more to create laugh-out-loud stories. There are themed options to match your vacation style, like United States of Mad Libs, Vacation Fun Mad Libs, Travel Far and Mad Libs, and Mad Libs on the Road.

Wikki Stix

Colorful Wikki Stix are bendy craft items sure to spark your child’s imagination. Kids can bend and shape them into all sorts of 3‑D creations, and they double as handy fidget toys on long car trips or flights. Best of all, they’re mess‑free and reusable, making them perfect for travel. Grab the Wikki Stix Bilingual Traveler (French and English), a compact case loaded with twisty activities for kids.

Bead Kits

Girls and boys alike enjoy stringing beads to make jewelry for themselves or for mama. A Melissa and Doug Wooden Bead Kit is a classic that travels well thanks to its sturdy pieces and tidy tray.

For families who want something even more portable and lightweight, choose Just My Style Make & Believe Unicorn Pop Beads. This travel set comes with its own carrying case and lets kids snap together necklaces and bracelets. No strings or scissors are required, making them perfect for airplane travel or a car trip.

LEGO Sets

All of the kids in my life, from nieces and nephews to my daughter and son and their young friends, could spend hours happily building with LEGO’s colorful toy bricks. What I’m saying is, buying LEGO sets will buy you lots of whine-free time on your next flight!

I especially like the 3-in-1 LEGO Sets because kids can build multiple creations from one small kit instead of buying multiple sets. You could also go with a vacation theme, like this LEGO Friends Beach Glamping Building Kit.

For easy building on a flat surface, be sure to get a LEGO Baseplate. And, with so many small parts that are easily lost, you’ll want to keep LEGO bricks safe and sound with a handy LEGO Classic Creative Suitcase.

Fashion Kits

Creative kids will love fashioning their own imaginary clothing lines with a kit. This Fashion Plates Travel Kit is sized for creative play on the go. Kids use a rubbing tool to design fashions easily. It comes with eight fashion Plates, 10 sheets of paper, four coloring crayons, two rubbing crayons, one crayon holder, one drawing tablet with a storage tray, and one idea guide.

You can’t go wrong with Melissa & Doug. Their Fashion Design Art Activity Kit includes nine double-sided, textured fashion plates, four pencils, one crayon, a crayon holder, and a storage case.

Quality Marker Set

Think coloring is just for young kids? Think again! Many big kids (and adults!) are happy to pass the time in an airplane, train, or car while coloring. My artistic daughter recommends her Ohuhu Markers for creative travelers. They even come with a travel-friendly carrying case.

Colored Pencils for Travel

If colored pencils are more your child’s style, then you can’t go wrong with this highly rated Castle Art Supplies Colored Pencils Set. The tin box keeps 72 rainbow-colored pencils secure during travels.

Coloring Books

Coloring books are a calming way to keep kids entertained while traveling. They help all ages relax and pass the time with something simple and engaging.

The Big Book of Colouring: Animals is a popular choice for grade school kids, with its fun facts about species and interesting designs. For a more mature version, middle schoolers and teens will appreciate FUN LAVIE Adult Coloring Book Mandala Animal Designs for its quality paper and intricate patterns.

Children’s Books About Travel

Of course, you’ll want to bring along books for travelers of any age. Get kids excited about your family vacation by purchasing a travel-themed book or two. The classic This Is series by Miroslav Sasek highlights such destinations as Paris, New York, Texas, and beyond. This Is the World includes abridged versions of the most popular books in the travel series. For more ideas, look at the best travel books for kids recommended by family travel experts.

Flying Disc

A flying disc, or Frisbee, packs so much fun without taking up much space. Toss one in the backseat for pit stops on a long trip, or slip it into your suitcase for beach days and family camping trips.

A light‑up disc is extra cool, especially for big kids who love staying up late at your vacation rental or campground. Families love the Tosy Flying Disc for its bright, adjustable LED lights, 16 million RGB color options, and hours of fun outdoors. Plus, it’s rechargeable and waterproof.

Sand Toys for Travel

If you’re planning a beach vacation with kids, sand toys are a must. These Collapsible Beach Sand Toys for Kids double as vacation bath toys, too! The collapsible buckets save space in your suitcase while still being perfect for sandcastle building. The mesh bag makes it easy to shake out sand and stay organized, too.

Amazon Fire Kids Tablet

Watching movies on the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet will make the miles zoom by, no matter the mode of transportation. It comes with a kid‑proof case and a two‑year, worry‑free guarantee. (Yep, if they break it, Amazon replaces it!)

With six months of Amazon Kids+ included, your kids can dive into books, games, and shows from Disney, PBS Kids, and more while you drive or fly in peace. Easy parental controls keep you in control, and the long battery life ensures your little travelers stay entertained even on long journeys. It comes in four different designs: Grape, Blue, Disney Pixar Cars, or Disney Princess.

When traveling with children, most parents (me included!) give in to the lure of tech‑induced peace. Even if you skip screen time at home, bending the rules on trips can save your sanity. Just be sure to reset house rules once you’re back. And if you’d rather go unplugged, check out my tips for a tech‑free road trip with kids.

Buy the Best Travel Toys Now

Click the links above to purchase these children’s travel toys, or explore them all in one place in my Travel Toys for Big Kids Amazon List. You can also find additional recommended purchases for travelers in My Amazon Store. When you shop through my links, you help keep this website running at no cost to readers like you. Thank you!

More Tips for Traveling with Children

Save money on accommodations, meals, souvenirs, and more with my top traveling with kids budget tips.

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Avoid getting sick on the go with these healthy travel tips for families.

Yes, you CAN find romance while on a family holiday! Here are tips for a romantic vacation with kids.

Traveling with little kids? From sensory toys and finger puppets to sticker books, discover toddler travel toys for babies to preschoolers.

Save These Travel Toys for Kids

For future reference, keep this list of the best toys for travel with kids. Simply pin the image above to Pinterest for safekeeping. I hope you’ll follow Colleen Travels Between on Pinterest while you’re at it!

What are your family’s favorite travel toys? Share your thoughts and questions in the comments below!

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