Best Travel Toys For 3 Year Olds

Whether you’re planning a long trip by land, sea, or air, it’s a good idea to keep your little one entertained with some of the best travel toys for 3 year olds throughout the journey.

Young kids, while very excited at the start of a trip, can quickly get bored, antsy and irritable! And let’s face it, there are only so many games of I Spy you can get them to play before they lose interest and want to do something different.

We know what that’s like, as do many parents everywhere, and we want to help.

To help you, we have sifted through tons of toys so that we can present you with some fantastic travel toys. Any of these toys is sure to keep your three year old amused and occupied for a long journey.

So if you have a trip in your future, for the sake of your sanity, check out our awesome list of the best travel toys for a 3 year old. We know you’ll find some really cool toys that your child is sure to love!

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Top Travel Toys For 3 Year Olds


LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book

If you’re looking for a top quality travel toy for your 3 year old, then check out this fantastic LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book!

This interactive and colorful word book has twelve categories of words: Pets, my body, vehicles, fruit, colors, opposites, food, animals, mealtime, outside, activities, and clothes.

It has a lovely handle at the top, which makes it easy for your toddler to carry it around. And there’s an option to learn the words in Spanish as well as English.

Your toddler can flip each page of the book, press on the word under a picture of an item and then they have 3 choices.

They can either hear the word describing the item in the picture read aloud, hear cool sound effects associated with the item in the picture, or hear some fun facts about the item pictured.

In addition to that, on the side there’s a gold star that lights up, and when your child presses this star, they get to hear two songs that they can sing along to.

On hand to help our toddler enjoy their experience with this LeapFrog Words Book are their new friends Monkey, Turtle, and Tiger.

There’s more than enough in this wonderful travel toy to keep your three year old occupied for any length of journey! And the batteries are included so your little one can start playing straight away.

The age appropriate words in this travel toy book have been chosen by learning experts which parents find appealing.

Many parents shared that their 3 year old’s reading and vocabulary skills improved considerably through their interactive play with this fantastic LeapFrog Words Book!

Why We Recommend The LeapFrog Learning Friends 100 Words Book

  • Kids love this interactive travel toy and play with it for hours!
  • Twelve categories of words, including pets, food, activities and more to keep your child entertained!
  • Age appropriate words chosen by learning experts
  • Allows your child to learn the words in English and Spanish
  • Has a gold star on the side that lights up and, when pressed, plays two songs your child can learn and sing along to
  • Kids love the Monkey, Turtle and Tiger learning friends on this travel toy
  • Has a convenient handle so your toddler can easily carry it with them everywhere
  • Solid pages with colorful rings on the binder that are easy for your child to turn
  • Your child can choose to have a word read aloud, hear cool sounds associated with the word, or hear fun facts
  • Can help your child improve their reading and vocabulary through fun play
  • Aids in your child’s development through improving their fine motor skills
  • Helps your child improve their memory skills and hand-eye coordination

Toddler Busy Board

If you’re looking for a travel toy for your 3 year old that’s fun, engaging, and can help teach them life skills, then check out this cute Toddler Busy Board!

A great sensory toy, the board has a combination of buckles, ties, buttons, and a zipper. There are a total of nine different activities for your child to explore and enjoy. Although simplistic, this captivating Montessori-inspired toy will help your child learn important dressing skills at their own pace while having fun.

Designed by parents to reflect real life skills, there are varying degrees of difficulty with the buttons and buckles, so this toy will grow with your child.

Your toddler will love the challenge of working out how to undo the ties, open and close the zipper, undo the buttons and do them back up, and lots more. And when they complete an activity successfully, their confidence and self-esteem will soar!

The board itself is made from lovely soft felt, which can be soothing and help bring a calming effect to kids, especially on a long trip. And it’s a great way to help improve your child’s fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and problem solving skills.

Kindergarten teachers and parents alike love this wonderful travel toy that teaches three year olds important self-help skills to prepare them for life at home and in the classroom.

Why We Recommend The Toddler Busy Board

  • Kids get a real kick out of playing with this sensory toy and working everything out!
  • With a combination of buckles, buttons, ties and a zip, your child will enjoy the different challenges
  • Varying degrees of difficulty for the buckles and buttons keep your child engaged and interested
  • Your child will learn important self-help and life skills while having fun
  • Prepares your child to be more independent at home and at school
  • Wonderful way to improve your child’s fine motor skills, dexterity, hand-eye coordination, and problem solving skills
  • Teaches your child how to dress in a fun way and at their own pace
  • Great way to build your toddler’s confidence and self-esteem
  • Made from high quality soft felt material which can be soothing and calming for kids, especially on long trips
  • Easy to take with you on the go and doesn’t take up much room
  • Designed by parents which makes it a very practical toddler toy
  • Will keep your child busy on any kind of trip, as they’ll want to play with it over and over
  • Grows with your child as there are different levels of difficulty for some of the activities

cossy 32Pcs Magnet Tiles Magnetic 3D Building Blocks Set

If your three year old loves building and magnetic tiles, then you really can’t go wrong with this cossy 32Pcs Magnet Tiles Magnetic 3D Building Blocks Set. And it’s the perfect toy to take with you when you’re travelling!

This starter set comes with thirty-two colorful and eye-catching pieces, including 4 wide triangles, 6 regular triangles, 4 long triangles and 14 squares.

There’s no limit to the number of different things your little one can create with this wonderful set!

They can create a rocket, a cabin, a fish, an hourglass, a cube, a heart, the sun and so much more! Whatever ideas your child comes up with, they can have a go at creating it!

Your child can align the pieces any way they want; horizontally or vertically, move them back and forth etc. There’s no right or wrong way to play with them.

Several parents shared that their 3 year olds love the shapes and colors and it’s one of their go-to toys to take with them when they’re travelling!

Made from non-toxic ABS plastic, this is an engaging and fun toy that will stimulate your child’s imagination and help them develop a whole range of skills through play.

Why We Recommend The cossy 32Pcs Magnet Tiles Magnetic 3D Building Blocks Set

  • Kids love creating all kinds of weird and wonderful stuff with these magnetic tiles!
  • Comes with thirty colorful pieces, including 14 squares and 14 triangles
  • The pieces are easy for your toddler to hold and manipulate during play
  • Can help fire up your child’s imagination
  • Encourages your child to be creative and try making all sorts of creative things
  • Can be used to teach your child about shapes and colors
  • Perfect toy for cooperative play if your child plays with it with siblings or friends
  • Can be used to teach your child about shared play if they play with others
  • Helps your child improve their social and communication skills if playing with friends or family members
  • Great toy for helping your child improve their concentration skills, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination
  • Can help your child to think logically
  • Great toy for pretend play and storytelling
  • Comes with an idea booklet and a convenient storage bag
  • Wonderful travel toy for those road trips, plane rides, trip to restaurants and more!

Town Maze Magnetic Game

For 3 year olds that love a challenge or solving a puzzle, check out this awesome Town Maze Magnetic Game by HABA!

An ideal travel toy, this wonderful game is a wooden board that has a number of roadways carved out on it. The idea is for your toddler to use the magnetic pen to guide the balls to the correct garages.

But there’s a catch!

They have to make sure that each colored ball is moved to the matching colored garage. Your child needs to move the red balls to the red garage, the yellow balls to the yellow garage and the blue balls to the blue garage while working out how to get around the town maze!

There are also magnetic blocks that your toddler can move around to create roadblocks so they can direct the colored balls the right way. Plus there’s a little disc turntable that they’ll need to learn to cleverly rotate so that the right colored ball reaches its matching garage.

So your little one is just like a police officer guiding the flow of traffic to make sure there are no long line ups anywhere and ensuring that everyone gets to their correct garage.

Sometimes, the magnetic wand might bring more than one ball with it, but that’s by design to make the game more adventurous and fun for your child!

A number of parents shared that their toddlers love this puzzle board game because it’s a challenge, but it’s also really fun! Plus it’s a great way to improve your child’s fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and dexterity.

Your three year old is sure to have lots of fun navigating this town maze and it’s a wonderful toy for keeping them entertained on any long journey.

Why We Recommend The Town Maze Magnetic Game

  • Kids find this town maze fun, challenging, and entertaining!
  • Wonderful design of this colorful town maze helps keep your child interested for hours
  • The magnetic wand that guides the balls is attached to the board so it never gets lost
  • Your child gets to pretend to be a traffic cop, guiding the balls around town through the road maze to their correct garages
  • Within the maze are roadblocks and a disc turntable your child can maneuver to allow the balls to go in the right direction
  • Cleverly designed so that the balls your child gets into the right garages don’t drop out again if the board gets tilted
  • Magnetic wand might move a few balls at once but over time, as their skills develop, your child will work out how to have it move just one ball at a time
  • Allows your child to improve their dexterity, fine motor skills, and hand-eye coordination
  • Can help improve your toddler’s problem solving skills through play
  • Helps teach your child patience as they work out how to move the balls to the correct garage
  • Encourages creative play
  • Can be used to teach your child counting, colors, and matching
  • No loose parts which makes it a safe travel toy for your 3 year old

Battat Hide & Seek Alphabet Pop-Up

If your 3 year old loves learning while having fun, then this awesome Battat Hide & Seek Alphabet Pop-Up travel toy is going to be a big hit!

This colorful toy has fifty buttons to push and fifty flaps that pop open, ready to teach your child about numbers, letters, colors, and shapes in a really fun way.

When your child pushes a button, they’ll discover a colorful illustration that grabs their attention. And when they open a flap, they’ll hear a kind of clackety sound that kids love!

At the top of the board are the letters of the alphabet in capital letters. When your child pushes those buttons, the flaps pops open and they’ll see a picture of something that starts with that letter. In addition to the picture, they’ll also see the lower case version of that letter.

But this board doesn’t just have buttons with letters, it also has buttons with numbers, colors, and shapes. So there’s lots for your child to have fun with while they’re learning!

There’s a convenient handle at the top which allows your three year old can carry it anywhere they go; to grandma’s house, to a restaurant, on a road trip, or on a plane.

Parents shared that they love the simplicity of the toy, how durable it is, and the fact that it’s good value for money.

This wonderful travel toy is a great way to help your child improve their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and dexterity. It’s also a fun way for your child to learn about letters, numbers, colors, and shapes.

Why We Recommend The Battat Hide & Seek Alphabet Pop-Up Toy

  • Kids love that the flaps pop open when they push the buttons!
  • Can be used to teach your child about letters, numbers, colors, and shapes
  • Can help your child associate letters with everyday objects
  • Great way to improve your child’s memory skills as they try to remember what’s under each flap
  • Kids love the sound the flaps make when they pop open
  • The pictures are colorful and very appealing to young kids
  • Your child won’t even know they’re learning as they push and pop buttons around the board!
  • Can help improve your child’s fine motor skills, dexterity, and hand-eye coordination
  • Kids get excited to see what’s under the flaps
  • Ideal travel toy for your three year old as it will keep them entertained on any kind of trip
  • Well made and good value for your money

Magnetic Drawing Board For Toddlers

Kids love to doodle and draw and if your three year old is like that, then they’re going to be thrilled with this Magnetic Drawing Board For Toddlers!

The perfect size for taking with you on the go, this magnetic drawing board includes the board itself, a magnetic pen for drawing and doodling, 3 fun shaped stampers, and a convenient bag for easy storage and transport.

The magnetic pen is attached to the board so your child won’t lose it and it even has its own little slot at the top.

The three stampers are a heart shape, a star shape and a rabbit shape, and they’re stored in their own slots on the right hand side of the board. Your child can take them out whenever they want to use them and then just put them back into the slot when they’re done.

But what kids really love is the lever at the bottom of the board that they can slide across to magically erase everything so they can start over again!

Made from BPA-free plastic and designed with smooth round corners, this toy is safe for your toddler to play with. Plus it comes with a nice, easy-to-grip handle so they can carry it around wherever they go.

Parents shared with us that what they love most about this toy is that it’s mess free, so it makes an ideal travel toy for their 3 year old to take with them on long journeys. They also like that it’s lightweight, the perfect size for toddlers, and has its own storage bag.

Just think of all the wonderful creations your budding artist can draw with this wonderful magnetic drawing board! And if they make a mistake or lose interest in what they’re drawing, they can wipe it clean and just start over again.

Why We Recommend This Magnetic Drawing Board For Toddlers

  • Kids love to create all kinds of drawings on this magnetic board!
  • Perfect size for your child to hold and has an easy-grip handle
  • Great way for your child to improve their fine motor skills and dexterity
  • Kids love that they can slide the lever, erase their creations, and start again as often as they want!
  • Comes with 3 cool stampers; heart shape, star shape and rabbit shape for extra fun
  • Completely mess free so it’s perfect for cars, trains and planes
  • Made with non-toxic BPA-free plastic so it’s safe for your child to play with
  • Allows your child to express themselves and be creative
  • Helps your child engage in storytelling and imaginative play through drawing
  • Comes with a handy storage bag
  • Durable and holds up well

Boredom Buster Activity Pack

If your 3 year old loves doodling and activity sheets, check out this fabulous Boredom Buster Activity Pack!

Made by Skillmatics, this pack includes six double sided activity mats, one Skilly Billy dry erase pen, one duster cloth, and one achievement certificate.

But here’s the really neat thing about this wonderful travel toy: All the mats can be erased with the duster cloth so your child can reuse them again and again!

Examples of the activity mats your child will get include Spot the Difference, Draw by Grid, Dot-to-dot, Foodle-le Doodle!, I Spy Butterflies, Buzzy Maze, and Game of Shadows.

Your child will learn about drawing, numbers, counting, words, foods we eat, animals and much more. And while they’re having fun learning, they’ll also be improving their fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, problem solving skills, and dexterity.

Each one of the double-sided activity mats is very engaging and will captivate and hold your child’s interest. And as they finish off an activity, they simply grab the duster cloth, erase what they’ve done, and start over.

Parents shared that they love the quality and the uniqueness of this activity pack and it kept their 3 year old entertained and engaged no matter where they used it.

There’s just no way your three year old will be bored with this wonderful activity toy, whether you’re travelling by land, air, or sea!

Why We Recommend This Boredom Buster Activity Pack

  • Kids love all the super fun activities they can do with this variety pack!
  • Comes with six double sided activity mats that can be wiped clean and played with again
  • Also comes with a Skilly Billy dry erase pen which kids love
  • With twelve different activities, your child will not be bored!
  • Can help your three year old learn about numbers, words, different foods, animals, counting and more
  • Doing the activities will help improve your child’s concentration and focus
  • Wonderful way to develop your child’s observation and attention to detail
  • Great way to engage your child in creative play while improving their problem solving skills
  • These activity mats can help your child improve their writing skills, hand-eye coordination, dexterity, and fine motor skills
  • As there are six activity mats, your child can engage in shared play with a friend or sibling
  • Well made, designed to last, and great value for your money given the variety of activities and the fact that the mats are reusable

Playahoy Apple Lacing Plastic Threading Toy

If you’re looking for a unique travel toy, then check out this cool Playahoy Apple Lacing Plastic Threading Toy!

Your child get a lightweight plastic red apple shaped block with sixteen holes in it, and a cute caterpillar that’s attached to a thread. The aim of the activity is to help the caterpillar munch his way through the apple by threading it through all sixteen holes.

This apple lacing toy is a great way to keep 3 year olds entertained as they figure out how to thread the caterpillar through all the holes. And because it’s lightweight and the ideal size for a toddler, it’s the perfect travel toy no matter where you’re going.

Parents love that it’s made from non-toxic BPA-free material, so it’s totally safe for your child to play with. They also love that it’s small, light, and easy for toddlers to hold.

This lacing toy is a wonderful way to develop your child’s focus, hand-eye coordination, concentration, and fine motor skills. And it’s an awesome way to keep your child calm and happy during a trip, as they’ll be totally engrossed in weaving the caterpillar in and out through the holes in the delicious apple!

Why We Recommend The Playahoy Apple Lacing Plastic Threading Toy

  • Kids love how many ways there are to weave the cute caterpillar through all the holes!
  • Super fun lightweight travel toy that will keep your three year old engaged during any trip
  • Kids love the eye-catching red apple!
  • Threading the adorable caterpillar through the holes is an excellent way to improve your child’s fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and dexterity
  • Great way to build your child’s concentration skills and focus, as they have to figure out how to get the caterpillar through all the holes
  • Teaches your child problem solving skills
  • Made from non-toxic BPA-free material
  • Can help your 3 year old with important life skills such as tying their shoelaces
  • Durable
  • Completely safe for your child to play with

Best Learning INNO Pad

If your 3 year old loves technology, then they’re going to be thrilled when you gift them this awesome Best Learning INNO Pad!

Along with the INNO Pad, your child will also get 8 durable plastic double-sided activity sheets, an instruction manual, and three AAA batteries so they can start playing with it right away.

The INNO Pad has different modes, including Learn, and Quiz, plus there are lots of fun sounds and music to make it even more fun to play with!

Each double-sided learning card has an activity on each side, giving your child sixteen activities to play and have fun with. All they do is slip one of the activity sheets into the INNO Pad, turn it on and away they go! They’ll be prompted to do different things, depending on which activity sheet they’ve inserted.

This STEM travel toy will allow your three year old to have fun exploring the solar system, numbers, colors, shapes, animals, transportation, math, family members, and lots more. The activities are very educational and interactive so not only will the activities easily hold your child’s attention, but they’ll also be learning without even realizing it.

There are five levels of volume control, which parents are very grateful for, and if the tablet is left idea for two minutes, it will auto shut down to preserve battery life. Plus it’s BPA, Phthalates, and PVC free, making it completely safe for kids to play with.

With all the incredible features, it’s easy to see why the INNO Pad has won tons of awards, including Family Choice, Mom’s Choice, Parent’s Favorite, and Creative Child. It’s a fun and educational way for your child to pass the time on any kind of journey!

Why We Recommend The Best Learning INNO Pad

  • Kids love all the interactive activities they can do on the INNO Pad!
  • Comes with eight learning sheets that contain sixteen educational and fun activities
  • Can help your child learn numbers, shapes, colors, animals, math, the solar system, and lots more!
  • It plays sounds and music for added fun and excitement
  • Wonderful way to help improve your child’s attention span and concentration
  • BPA, Phthalates and PVC free, which makes it totally safe for your child
  • Promotes hand-eye coordination, and fine motor skills
  • Great way to help with number, color, word, and language recognition
  • Has a volume switch with five levels which parents are grateful for!
  • Comes with batteries so your child can start playing right away
  • It’s easy for young kids to slip the activity sheets into the INNO Pad
  • Light enough for your child to hold themselves
  • Well made and great value for your money

Mickey Mouse Magnetic Zoo

If your 3 year old loves storytelling and adventures, then they’ll have a great time creating their own with the fabulous Mickey Mouse Magnetic Zoo!

The Magnetic Zoo comes in a colorful tin box that has a fun scene of a zoo painted on the inside of the box. Inside the tin are twenty four magnetic pieces, as well as two magnetic sheets with different zoo scenes. Your toddler can set up the zoo anyway they want, either inside the tin or on one of the magnetic sheets.

The twenty four magnets are contained on 3 sheets and they include Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Daffy Duck, Pluto. Goofy, and lots of fun zoo animals.

Parents love the tin box as it makes for easy clean up, storage, and transport. Parents also shared that when they take a long trip, this Magnetic Zoo travel toy keeps their 3 year old busy in a fun and entertaining way.

Kids enjoy being able to create zoo scenes over and over, making each one completely different. And they love being able to invent their very own exciting adventures as they walk through the zoo with Mickey Mouse and other lovable Disney characters!

Why We Recommend The Mickey Mouse Magnetic Zoo

  • Kids love being able to create lots of different zoo adventures with Mickey Mouse and his friends!
  • Comes in a colorful tin box that has a fun zoo scene painted on the inside
  • Your child also gets two magnetic zoo scene sheets and twenty-four magnetic pieces
  • Kids love the fun zoo animal magnets that come with this travel toy
  • Your child can build their story by placing the magnetic pieces anywhere they want, either inside the tin or on the magnetic sheets
  • Encourages your child to engage in storytelling
  • Can help your 3 year old learn more about the zoo and some of the animals that can be found there
  • Great way to encourage role playing and pretend play
  • Wonderful way to have fun conversations with your child while you’re on a trip
  • Magnetic pieces are easy for your child to hold and put into place
  • Can help improve your child’s fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination
  • The tin box makes for easy clean up, storage, and transport

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