The first thing you have to think about while planning a trip is car activities for toddler to keep them entertained for hours in a car! The last thing any parent wants is a restless, cranky toddler mid-drive. With some right activities, your little one can stay happy, engaged, and hopefully meltdown-free!
Here’s a list of doable, screen-free, and fun road trip activities to make your journey smoother.
1. Make a “Car Activities for Toddler” Box
Choose A Safe Box. Use a small plastic container with compartments or a simple lunchbox. A tackle box or craft organizer works great! Fill the box with Engaging Items like:
- Mini Board Books are short stories, lift-the-flap books.
- Magnetic Puzzles are mess-free and easy to play on the go.
- Coloring Supplies like crayons, mini notepads, or mess-free Water Wow books. Water-reveal coloring books (like Melissa & Doug Water Wow!) are zero mess and keep kids busy for a long time. Tip: Bring an extra refillable water pen!
- Stickers & Sticker Books. Toddlers love peeling and placing stickers! Get reusable sticker books with themes like animals, vehicles, or their favorite cartoons. You can use a plastic lunchbox lid as a reusable sticker surface!
- Fidget Toys are soft squishy toys, pop-its, or simple puzzles.
- Finger Puppets encourage storytelling and pretend play.
- Mini Cars or Figures are great for imaginary road trip adventures.
- Pipe Cleaners & Beads are stringing beads which improves fine motor skills.
Keep Shuffling the Items: Don’t give them everything at once! Introduce new toys in every hour or every few hours.
Add a Surprise Element: Wrap small toys or snacks like a gift to make it extra exciting.
Add something favorite: Include a small favorite plush toy or something comforting from home
2. Carry Verities of Snacks/ Food
Load up on Mess-Free Finger Foods like –
✅ Cheese Cubes or String Cheese – Protein-packed & easy to eat.
✅ Crackers or Rice Cakes – Mild and non-sticky.
✅ Mini Sandwiches or Wraps – Cut into small bite-sized pieces.
✅ Dry Cereal (Cheerios, Puffs, etc.) – No-mess and toddler-approved.
Healthy & Nutritious Options are –
🍎 Fruit Slices (Apple, Banana, Grapes, Berries) – Pre-cut and stored in a container.
🥕 Veggie Sticks (Carrots, Cucumbers, Bell Peppers) – Pair with hummus in a spill-proof container.
🥜 Nut Butter Pouches – If no allergies, almond or peanut butter pouches are great.
🧁 Homemade Mini Muffins – Healthy, less crumbly options like banana or oatmeal muffins.
🥜 Trail Mix (Toddler-Safe) – Dried fruit, whole-grain cereal, and yogurt melts.
Hydration & Dairy-Based Snacks are also important –
🍼 Milk Boxes (Shelf-Stable) – Easy to store without refrigeration.
🍶 Water Bottles with Straw or Sippy Cup – Keeps spills at bay.
🥄 Yogurt Pouches – Less mess than cups, perfect for road trips.
Here’s Some Fun Treat Options for Variety –
🍿 Popcorn (For Older Toddlers) – Light and fun to eat.
🍫 Dark Chocolate Chips or Yogurt-Covered Raisins – A little sweet treat.
🍪 Homemade Oat Cookies – Healthier than store-bought snacks.
3. Car Window Gel Clings for Toddlers
Car Window Gel Clings are a fantastic mess-free and reusable travel toy for toddlers! They stick to windows, are easy to reposition, and keep little hands busy. Here are some fun themed gel clings to consider for your road trip:
🛻 Vehicle Theme 🌈 Weather & Nature 🦕 Dinosaur Theme🎄 Seasonal & Holiday Themes🔠 Alphabet & Numbers
🐠 Ocean Creatures🌌 Space Theme👩🍳 Food & Treats👦 Favorite Cartoon Characters
🚗 Where to Find: Dollar stores or craft shops.
4. Audio Books & Fun Song Play-Lists
Load up on toddler-friendly audiobooks or create a playlist of their favorite nursery rhymes.
1. Classic Stories & Fairytales Like –
📖 Guess How Much I Love You – Sam McBratney
📖 Where the Wild Things Are – Maurice Sendak
2. Interactive & Engaging Books
📖 Pete the Cat series – Eric Litwin & James Dean
📖 Llama Llama series – Anna Dewdney
3. Fun Learning Books
📖 Dr. Seuss Collection – Rhyming and silly stories
📖 Press Here – Hervé Tullet (interactive & fun)
5. Road Trip Games
Games are one of the best car activities for toddler. Some popular games are:
Play Bingo:
Make a simple bingo sheet with pictures of things they might spot: a red car, a cow, a truck, a stop sign. Let them mark things off as they see them!
How to Play: Print or DIY a Bingo sheet with common things found on the road (stop sign, truck, dog, cow, gas station, red car, police car, airplane, etc.). Give your toddler stickers to mark off when they spot an item. Once they get a row or full card, they win a little treat or a fun song break! You may use a magnetic board or laminated Bingo sheet with a dry-erase marker for multiple rounds. Offer a small treat when they complete a row! 🙂
Play “What’s in the Bag?”
Put small objects inside a bag and let your toddler feel & guess what’s inside without looking! Items to Use: Small toy animals, Soft fabric swatches, Mini cars
Learn more about Road Trip Games.
6. Pipe Cleaners & Beads
Toddlers love threading beads on pipe cleaners. It keeps their hands busy and improves fine motor skills!
🎨 Variation: Bend pipe cleaners into shapes or letters for added fun!
7. Storytelling with Felt Boards
Bring a small felt board and felt cutouts (animals, trees, cars). Let your child create stories while on the go!
Best Theme Ideas: Farm animals , Fairy tales, Space adventure 🚀
Learn more about Felt Board:
8. Car Yoga & Stretching
Toddlers get restless—plan quick stretching breaks! Teach them simple moves like:
🧘♀️ Stretch like a cat! (arch back)
🦒 Stand tall like a giraffe! (reach arms up)
🐸 Hop like a frog! (mini squats)
9. Magnetic Drawing Board
A reusable doodle board lets toddlers draw endlessly without crayons rolling away! ✍ Bonus Game: Draw shapes and let them guess what it is!
10. Find Toddler Podcasts & Interactive Stories
Some podcasts are made just for toddlers! Try “Circle Round” or “Little Stories for Tiny People” for fun & engaging short stories.📻 Perfect for quiet time!
Plan for Frequent Breaks!
No matter how many activities you prepare, toddlers need movement breaks. Plan stops at parks, playgrounds, or even picnic areas to let them stretch, run, and reset. 🚙 Remember: A well-planned road trip = a happier toddler (and parent!).
Finally road trips with toddlers can be chaos—but with these activities, you’ll have fewer tantrums and more cheerful moments.
What’s your favorite way to keep your toddler entertained on long drives? Share your tips in the comments below! 😊
Read more about childcare here.
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