No one is better at scouring Amazon than a mom who is about to fly solo with her toddler. I recently made the trek down to Florida with our resident wild man, Graham. I did all the research for the best "stay quiet and seated" activities for the plane and nailed it. Bonus: they all fit in my Fawn Design Diaper Bag! Check out the deets below.
Mickey Mouse Magnet Kit
This toy is so simple, but SO perfect for restaurants and planes. All of the magnets fit into the the holder and it's super easy to stash away in your diaper bag or a small kid's backpack. You can use the magnets to create a story, identify different animals, discuss positional words (next to, above, below), practice animal sounds, or just let your little one take them on and off. There's so many possibilities!
Montessori Busy Book
This plush book brings me joy because it's beyond cute. Another genius find, this book has so many opportunities for play: zippers, velcro, sorting, counting, organizing, the list goes on and on. I'm definitely going to keep this one handy for rainy days at home and restaurants, too.
Reusable Stickers
These were a HIT. Graham loved these so much that the kind woman sitting behind us even commented on how they were the perfect toy for a plane. We went with Baby Shark stickers because Graham's obsessed, but you can find any of your kid's favorite characters by searching "X reusable stickers". Graham stuck sharks on the window, tray, seat, and his own forehead without any damage!
WikkiStix
These were Graham's least favorite on the plane, but definitely worth having on hand. I know LOTS of kids are obsessed with them! WikkiStix are perfect as a fidget toy or can be molded into any shape for endless pretend play. Bonus, they also stick to the window or tray!
iPad Apps
Confession I bought Graham a Kindle for Christmas and he is not amused. He'll only go for the real thing, an iPad. I get it, I'm an Apple girl, too. So, I highly recommend busting out the iPad for flights. Some of our favorite (free!) apps are:
- SmartShapes: easy shape and color sorting
- Elmo Loves ABCs Lite
- Baby Shark Best Kids Songs
- DRAWING FOR KIDS Games!
- Netflix (download favorite shows for offline play)
Extra Special Snacks
When in doubt, SNACKS! Find 5-6 snacks that your child loves or will be new/different/exciting and toss them into a pill dispenser or jewelry organizer to keep them busy. Opening each compartment adds an extra element of fun and you can always refill the compartments several times throughout the flight so bring extra snacks!
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