14 Best Travel Toys & Gadgets That Keep Kids Entertained (& Quiet) On Flights
Lifesavers
By Dawn Pillay -
Share this article
The school holidays are coming up soon, and if you’re planning to bring the kids overseas on a long-awaited family vacation, this one’s for you.
It can be nerve-wracking to fly with young children on a plane for hours. To avoid potential scenarios like general fussing and full-on meltdowns, the best thing to do is to keep them happily occupied while up in the air.
From activity kits to kids’ tablets (including multi-tasking tablets great for shared family use), here are different kids’ travel entertainment options below that you can consider packing your carry-ons with.
These travel toys and gadgets will hopefully make the journey a little calmer and smoother for mom and dad, along with the rest of the people on board the plane - fingers crossed!
Best Screen-Free Travel Toys and Activity Kits for Kids
For parents looking for screen-free alternatives to help keep your children engaged in learning and play while on the road or up in the air, check out the travel toys and activity kits below!
Best Music, Audio Book, and Podcast Player
Yoto Player + Starter Pack Bundle
I’ve definitely added this to cart - the Yoto Player is auxh a simple but truly useful gadget to help keep kids entertained, whether at home, in the car or travelling by plane.
It’s a screen-free Bluetooth alternative that entertains children with music, stories and even podcasts via speaker or headset. There’s a cute pixel display to help bring audio to life, a headphone jack and kid-friendly tactile controls.
It even doubles as a nightlight, clock and sleep trainer too! This starter pack bundle comes with the Yoto Player, as well as seven cards, including:
- My First 100 Words Activity Card
- Hotel Flamingo Story Card
- Songs From The Playground Music Card
- Robin Hood Story Card
- Story Shed Podcast Card
- Crackling Fire Sound Effects Card
- Make Your Own Yoto Card
PS: There’s a mini version of the Yoto Player, if you’d prefer something smaller to pop into your travel bags!
How much: From $349
Shop on Amazon
Shop on ToysCentral SG
Best Fabric Busy Book For Toddlers
Curious Columbus Montessori Busy Book For Toddlers
This busy book is great for toddlers in that curious stage, and allows them to learn skills such as tying shoelaces, telling the time, and even brushing teeth through play.
It’s made of fabric which makes it gentle on little hands, and comes in four different versions - My Big Day Red, Away We Go, My Big Day Blue, and When I Grow Up.
Your child will be able to have quiet fun on the plane, exploring the busy book with everyday concepts to learn, including self-dressing.
How much: From $53.07
Best Educational Travel Memory Game
Aberlls Travel Memory Game
Prefer something that allows you to actively participate in your kid’s travel activity to keep them engaged and learning new things?
The Aberlls Travel Memory Game comes with 12 themed memory matching cards, including Alphabets, Numbers, Shapes, Fruit, Farm, Vehicles and more.
Easily teach them different concepts in a memory-based game and keep them entertained for longer while in transit!
How much: From $34.40
Shop on Amazon
Best Creative LCD Writing Tablet
Zhehao 3 Pack LCD Writing Tablet for Kids
Give yourself a little break and provide your toddler with this LCD Writing Tablet, where they can unleash their imagination and be entertained throughout the flight as they draw or write anything they fancy.
It’s slim and compact, making it highly portable and convenient to slip into your carry-on.
Otherwise, you can even use it to play creative travel games with your child, such as Guess The Number, Draw An Animal, and more!
How much: From $25.21
Best Reusable Sticker Books
Jelly Reusable Sticker Books For Toddlers
Sticker books are a great way to keep young kids entertained, and these Jelly Reusable Sticker Books come with reusable jelly stickers - stretching the total playtime you can get from them.
Perfect for toddlers aged one to three, it comes with six fun themes - Supermarket, Vehicles, Farm, Animals, Ocean, and Space.
It’s a simple and truly useful teaching tool to let your children learn as you keep them nicely occupied while on the plane.
How much: From $28.86
Shop on Amazon
Best Mess-Free Colouring Books
Melissa & Doug Water Wow!
If it’s one thing parents love, it’s toys or activities that are mess-free, and this Melissa & Doug Water Wow! set definitely lives up to it.
Coming in a set of six reusable and mess-free colouring books (no ink, no paint!), these water reveal activity pads will provide kids with a quiet activity they can do on their own.
Each activity pad comes with four pages featuring simple line art, along with a water pen that’s perfectly sized for small hands.
How much: From $12.03
Best Wooden Busy Board
Tintecusa LED Wooden Busy Board
Educational and entertaining all at once, here’s an interesting busy board for curious little minds to learn and pick up fine motor skills. While it’s made of wood, it’s still small enough to pop into your travel bag without adding unnecessary bulk.
We particularly like the different switches on the busy board that allow kids to fiddle with their inquisitive fingers while captivating them when it lights up - helping to improve their concentration and learn about cause and effect.
It comes with alphabet letters on the back, making it a great tool for helping kids to learn their ABCs.
How much: From $37.78
Shop on Amazon
Best Portable Magnetic Tiles
Yisbro Mini Magnetic Tiles
For fans of the popular colourful Picasso magnetic tiles, this is a portable tabletop version that lets your children build anything they can imagine while flying. Simply set it atop the tray table, and they’re good to go.
Due to the tiles being magnetic, you won’t have to worry as much about having to bend and pick up pieces that fall and scatter everywhere while seated in the plane too!
PS: There are six options available, ranging from 26 pieces all the way to 98 pieces.
How much: From $12.73
Best Kids’ Tablets
Looking for the best kids’ tablets? Great for travel entertainment and beyond, the kid-friendly tablets below include ones designed specifically for children, and multi-tasking tablets that are great for the family to share.
Best Tablet With Easy-To-Use Parental Controls
Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids
Designed specially for kids, the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids is available in different colours and designs, and features a sturdy kid-proof case with a stand to protect it from accidental drops and potential damage.
The kiddies will be able to safely enjoy YouTube for Kids or Netflix and other sideloaded apps, and parents will appreciate the easy-to-use parental controls.
Although Amazon Kids+ isn’t natively available in Singapore, you can still follow the included instructions to enjoy a free one-year subscription to Amazon Kids FreeTime, to get access to a wide library of kid-friendly content.
And if that’s not enough, feel free to transfer downloaded videos, e-books and music for your children to enjoy, onto the Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids via your computer before you leave for your holiday!
How much: From $188.90
Shop on Lazada
Shop on Shopee
Best Apple Tablet For Shared Family Use
Apple 11-inch iPad A16 Wi-Fi
The most budget-friendly (from the Apple iPad line-up at least) and a premium device that can continue to be used as your children grow, the Apple 11-inch iPad A16 Wi-Fi is highly recommended for parents who want an Apple tablet that they can share with their kids.
Parents can use the Screen Time controls to set app limits, downtime schedules, and monitor usage. Kids will be able to watch their shows, listen to music, or draw, play and learn from their favourite children’s apps when at home or travelling - and even use it for homework if needed.
Parents can also utilise the tablet for work and entertainment, making it a great family gadget that everyone can share.
How much: From $473.90
Shop on Lazada
Shop on Shopee
Best Affordable Kid-Friendly Tablet
Lumos Kids Tablet
We really like this well-designed kids’ tablet by Singaporean brand, Lumos. It comes at a super pocket-friendly price while being preloaded with educational apps that let your kids learn about language, math and more.
Other useful features to look out for include YouTube for Kids, parental lock, and a really cute kid-friendly interface.
The thoughtful drop protection and portable holder design also ensure that you won’t have to worry about your child accidentally dropping the tablet and damaging it, especially when you’re out and on the go!
How much: From $142
Best Budget-Friendly Family Tablet
Huawei MatePad SE 11’’ Tablet
A versatile and affordable option for families who want a reliable device without breaking the bank, the Huawei MatePad SE 11” Tablet is great for streaming cartoons, reading e-books or learning with educational apps.
The device comes with Huawei Kids’ Corner, a built-in digital playground and parental control app that enables parents to control screen time, app access and even protect kids’ eye health via the Eye Comfort mode.
It’s lightweight and easy for children to handle, while still being powerful enough for shared family use.
PS: Along with your device, you can also check if you’re eligible to enjoy a free three-month VIP membership to Baby Panda World, which offers interactive and educational games for kids.
How much: From $197.90
Best Android Tablet For Kids
Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ Wifi
The Samsung Galaxy Tab A11+ Wifi supports Samsung Kids mode, giving parents peace of mind with curated apps, games, and strong parental controls.
It provides a smooth Android experience with a kid-friendly twist, and is perfect for families already using Galaxy devices, thanks to Samsung’s ecosystem integration.
With up to 15 hours of video playback and expandable storage of up to 1TB for e-books, movies and games, you can keep kids entertained easily during travel.
How much: From $362.37
Best Mid-Range Family Tablet
Redmi Pad 2
Boasting a sharp screen with high resolution and battery life worth up to 17 hours of continuous video playback, the RedmiPad 2 is a budget-friendly mid-range tablet that doesn’t compromise on features.
It’s suitable for educational apps, creative activities like drawing, and even online classes, where kids can enjoy immersive video and audio experiences. There are also options for parental controls so you can set restrictions and monitor usage.
Affordable and capable, the Redmi Pad 2 will make a good pick as a tablet to keep your kids entertained as you travel - and for families looking to balance cost and functionality within a shared family tablet.
How much: From $258.90
Shop on Lazada
Shop on Shopee