Whether you’re looking for unique travel gifts for toddlers or preschoolers of your own or of your friends or family, you’re in for a treat today! In this guide, we’re unveiling 25 unique toddler gift ideas to ignite the wanderlust within your favorite little one and make their travels truly memorable.
From gadgets and gear to make their parent’s life easier to travel-themed toys and games the little one will love and that will inspire them to travel the world!
Are you short on time? Check out the editor’s top three toddlers’ travel gifts by budget.
- Large budget: Suitcase for toddlers & preschoolers (#5)
- Mid budget: Bilingual laptop toy(#12)
- Small budget: Scavenger hunt for the car (#20)
Table of Contents
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Toddler travel gifts for large budgets
#1 Plush globe
Toddlers and preschoolers love soft, plush animals, but what if you could give them an even cooler plush item?
This plush globe will get the little one interested in the world from a very young age. Something that’s very useful for kids with parents who love travel.
They can cuddle with planet Earth wherever they go, and instead of bringing a stuffed animal, they can bring their stuffed globe.
#2 Toddler-friendly tablet
Now, I know that opinions vary about allowing kids as young as three to watch tv or tablets. So before buying this gift, make sure you know how the toddler’s parents feel about this.
But truth be told, road trips with toddlers are a lot easier with tablets ;).
So if you want to give parents a little peace of mind, and they have no problem with their kids looking at screens, then this toddler-friendly tablet is perfect!
#3 Camera for toddlers
This is one of my favorite preschoolers’ and toddlers’ travel gifts; a camera that’s toddler-proof.
The little one can touch it with dirty hands and drop it as often as they want because the camera is specifically designed to endure all that. It even has a selfie lens, a zoom function, and games, so they will never want to stop playing with their cameras.
It’s perfect for toddlers with parents who love taking photos; instead of having to pose for every picture, their kid can now take photos of him or herself.
#4 Travel-themed puzzles
If you love to give gifts with an educational purpose, puzzles are a great idea. They stimulate hand-eye coordination as well as problem-solving skills. And besides that, these two world map puzzles also teach them about the world!
The one for toddlers is made from wood and contains about 12 pieces. For preschoolers, you can go for the slightly more difficult floor puzzle that contains 24 pieces.
#5 Monkey suitcase
When I worked as an au-pair with a toddler, one of his favorite games was “going-on-vacation”. We would pretend to go on a vacation and his favorite part of the game was to run around the house with my carry-on suitcase. So I can only imagine how much toddlers will love having their own money suitcase!
The fact that it has four wheels makes it super easy for toddlers and preschoolers to push around. The good thing is that the handle can be adjusted to adult height as well. So in case the little one gets tired and doesn’t want to carry their own case anymore (something that’s very likely to happen), their parents can easily take over without breaking their backs.
#6 Backpack for toddlers
A backpack is a great gift to make the small ones feel like big boys or girls. They can carry some of their own toys when traveling with mom and dad!
I loved this dinosaur one, mostly because I know how much the toddler I looked after loved dinosaurs, but it’s available in seven different animals.
#7 Airport DUPLO
DUPLO is always a good gift for small kids, from the age of two they will love playing with anything DUPLO.
But if you are looking for travel-themed gifts for toddlers with traveling parents, then the DUPLO airport set is perfect. This set will spark their interest in airplanes, pilots, and control towers for their next flight.
#8 Wireless headphones for toddlers
If you are looking for preschoolers’ and toddlers’ travel gifts that will make child and parent happy, these headphones are perfect.
If you’ve ever had to listen to kids’ TV shows or YouTube videos for more than 10 minutes, you will understand why. It drives you crazy!
So if you want to give the parents some rest, these headphones are perfect. Though, they are probably more practical for preschoolers as they might be too big for toddlers.
#9 Travel-themed busy book
Busy books are great gifts for toddlers and preschoolers in general, but this one is even better for kids with parents who travel a lot.
It’s a busy book with a travel theme and includes pages about airplanes, camping, road trips, and packing bags. The activities in this book are rather easy which is why it’s best for toddlers. If you are looking for more advanced busy books for preschoolers, check out #17.
Do you need gifts for kids of different ages? Check out more travel gift guides for children here!
Toddler travel gifts for mid budgets
#10 Water toys
These water toys are not only great to make bathtime more fun, but they are also great travel gifts for toddlers who spend a lot of time at the beach or pool. Preschoolers may still be interested in these toys, but I think these toys are best for toddlers.
For more water-related gifts, check out #14.
#11 Sushi wooden play set
Pretend cooking is something most toddlers and preschoolers love doing. And if you want to get them interested in foreign foods from a young age, this wooden set of sushi toys is one of the best gifts! It’s particularly great for toddlers with traveling parents who love Japan.
#12 Bilingual toy laptop
This is one of the best travel gifts for toddlers and preschoolers whose parents are raising them bilingual.
Not only will they learn Spanish in a fun and entertaining way, but they will also love the fact that they have a laptop of their own. Small kids love everything that makes them look like the big kids. And that’s exactly why they will love this laptop so much. They’ve probably seen mommy or daddy working behind their laptops countless times. With this laptop, they can be like their parents and learn Spanish.
The manufacturer’s age advice is 3+, so maybe it works better for preschoolers instead of toddlers, but I’m pretty sure toddlers will love the idea of having their own laptops as well.
For more bilingual travel gifts for toddlers and preschoolers, check out #19 and #22.
#13 Coloring tablet for preschoolers
This portable table is the best gift for preschoolers who love drawing. The tablet allows them to make unlimited drawings, without needing paper, and without making a mess (something their parents will be quite happy about).
The cool thing is that the color of the line changes depending on how much pressure they use when drawing.
#14 Floaties for toddlers and preschoolers
Have you ever met a kid who doesn’t love floaties?
I haven’t, and that’s why this unicorn floatie is a great gift for both toddlers and preschoolers who spend a lot of time around water.
#15 Beach toys
Are you looking for the best travel gifts for toddlers and preschoolers whose parents love the beach?
Then this set with 18 sand toys is perfect. The best thing about it is that it comes with a toy backpack that makes it easy to carry and that lets all the sand fall out.
#16 Phone for toddlers
It’s sad but true, toddlers love phones. Most kids know how to swipe and use a phone before they can even speak.
So instead of fighting against it or denying this sad fact, why not give them a phone of their own?
Alright, they may not be able to call or watch YouTube videos, but they can actually swipe and pretend to call with this VTech smartphone. And just like the laptop, having a phone of their own will make them feel like a big kid.
#17 Busy board books
As the name of this gift already suggests, this busy board is a great toy to keep toddlers and preschoolers busy.
And the best part?
It doesn’t come with all the noisy sounds like most electronic toys nowadays.
For the young ones, it’s just a fun sensory toy, and as they get older they can use it to learn numbers, letters, colors, and shapes.
The board can be folded and carried like a suitcase, so it’s easy to take anywhere
#18 Ryan’s World International figures
Is the toddler for this gift a huge fan of Ryan’s World? And if it’s a toddler who lives in the US, chances are he or she is. (It’s only one of the top 10 most-subscribed YouTube channels in the United States).
Then the Ryan’s World tour suitcase is an awesome gift idea.
The suitcase comes with 12 mystery figures that represent different countries in the world. There are 80 figures in total, so even if the toddler already has a suitcase, there are more figures to collect!
It’s a fun way for them to get acquainted with different looks and clothing around the world, which will make them more open-minded as they grow up.
#19 Bilingual toy book
This is another cool gift idea for toddlers and preschoolers who are raised bilingual. It’s an electronic book that will teach them Spanish words if they press on the image.
It’s a slightly easier toy than the laptop, which is why it will work for 1-year-olds as well as 5-year-olds. This is great because that way your gift will actually be used for a few years.
Toddler travel gifts for small budgets
#20 Scavenger hunt games
Scavenger hunts are fun activities for both toddlers and preschoolers. And for traveling families, there are two options that work well.
The first one is an outdoor version which is perfect for families who love camping and being outdoors. The second option is a game that can be played in the car, and as you probably already guessed, this is best for families who often go on road trips. Technically it’s designed for children aged 4 and up, but you can easily play it with younger kids, and use the images on the cards to ask your toddlers to spot an item.
#21 Binoculars for toddlers & preschoolers
This is one of the best travel gifts for toddlers and preschoolers who love exploring. The binoculars magnify everything times two, so it’s a fun and safe way to get them interested in things like nature and animals.
The manufacturer’s recommended age is 3+, so technically it would be best for preschoolers, but I would say that curious toddlers will love these kidnoculars too. Especially if they have parents who often use binoculars to spot birds or wildlife. With their own binoculars, they can be just like their parents.
#22 My first 100 words book – Spanish
No worries if you prefer old-school and non-electronic gifts. Not all travel gifts for toddlers and preschoolers on this list require batteries. And this book is a great example of that.
My First 100 Words books have always been popular gifts for toddlers, but this one is even better for kids who will be raised bilingual. There is no need for a laptop or electronic book, mum and dad can simply read to their kids!
The good thing about this book is that it works for toddlers as well as preschoolers, depending on how fast they learn words of course, but generally, this book will be interesting for them for a few years.
#23 Mess-free activity book for preschoolers
Activity books are great gift ideas for preschoolers as they are old enough to play alone and understand what the activities are about.
The only downside of using activity books in the car (and everywhere else) is the mess. Because kids will be kids. And markers may not only be used on paper but on the seating as well.
And that’s why this mess-free activity book is perfect! It comes with markers that only work on special paper, so if the kid accidentally colors on something else, it won’t give any stains. Trust me, both the preschooler and their parents will love this gift.
#24 Mess-free coloring book for toddlers
This is the best option if you are looking for travel gifts for toddlers who love Paw Patrol. And really, is there any toddler who doesn’t love Ryder and his pups?
Just like the activity book for preschoolers, this coloring book comes with special markers that only work on special paper. So it doesn’t make a mess when they accidentally use more space than just the paper.
I actually gave this coloring book to the toddler I looked after when I worked as an au-pair and he loved it.
#25 Books with a travel theme
I love gifting books to toddlers and preschoolers because it’s something both they and their parents love!
And if you are looking for preschoolers & toddler travel gifts, a book with a travel theme is perfect.
One example is the Good Night book series. They have all sorts of nighttime books, but for travel families, the US states variations are perfect. You can gift one from the state they will visit soon, the state you live in, or the state the family lives in.
Save these travel gifts for toddlers
Did you save these travel gifts for toddlers & preschoolers on Pinterest yet?
Final notes on travel gifts for toddlers
Alright, I hope you found the perfect gift, and if you need some more inspiration, check out my personal top 3!
- Large budget: Suitcase for toddlers & preschoolers (#5)
- Mid budget: Bilingual laptop toy(#12)
- Small budget: Scavenger hunt for the car (#20)
