Car travel with infants and toddlers is far from an easy task. Restless children very quickly become bored children, who in turn become frustrated children. That’s why car seat toys are a necessity.
With experts including the World Health Organisation strongly advising against sedentary screen time for babies and toddlers, parents must equip themselves with alternative forms of entertainment to provide for their young ones while in the car – don’t just give them an tablet or phone.
Your trusty servants at Parkers have come up with a definitive list of the best car seat toys for babies and toddlers. All of the toys below are fun and interactive but crucially, they aid in your child’s development. We’ve loosely split the toys into two sections: car seat toys for babies and travel toys for toddlers; though there are some that are suitable for a wide range of ages.
Top car seat toys for babies
From New Zealand mother and baby brand Haakaa, this is a must for teething children. Made from BPA-free, food-grade silicone, this teether is very easy to hold thanks to its palm shape. While providing relief for teething children, this toy also helps with developing motor skills. Sterilise by boiling in water for two or three minutes.
A simple toy with an amazing ability to provide a lot of learning. The bubbles can be pressed down and make a popping noise. It helps develop motor skills and sensory learning. Made from food-grade silicone. BPA-free, it is recommended suitable from 12 months old.
Price: $4.99
Price: $4.99
This 9cm-diameter ball is great for babies. It’s soft and flexible and the 32 holes are intriguing – you could even thread through some ribbons or muslin cloths. It comes in five colour options.
Price: £20
A classic baby toy. You can either wrap the spiral around the car seat handle or played with in a child’s lap. It has a range of shapes and textures for stimulating a child’s senses, while also featuring a ring teether for helping relieve sore gums.
Price: $19.99
Price: $19.99
Give your infant a fun introduction to the tech world. It’s a rattle, a mirror, and a teething toy. The green ‘home’ button works and produces sounds. There is also a grip on the back which makes it easy to hold and turns to make clicking noises. BPA-free, suitable for all ages.
Top car seat toys for toddlers
Price: $18.99
Price: $18.99
Aimed at preschool-aged kids, this lacing set is a classic form of building dexterity and hand-eye coordination. There are 10 cards and laces. Everyone adores The Very Hungry Caterpillar story.
This A4-size book designed in the UK is a wonder for fun and learning. It is made up of 12 pages full of interactive activities from colour-matching to practising tying shoe laces. The activities in this book build fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, telling the time, and more. It’s strong and durable and suitable for ages 12 months and up.
Rrp: $32.98
Price: $29.98
Rrp: $32.98
Price: $29.98
This peculiar-looking thing is a wonderful, multi-award-winning creative play tool for infants and toddlers. It plays the alphabet song; counts through numbers one to twelve; teaches six colours with the light-up mole head; it also has a number of other features. Whack to learn is a new educational method, it seems. Designed to develop language, motor, and cognitive skills, this brilliant toy is suitable from six months old. BPA, PVC, and phthalate-free.
Tested by mum Sophie Knight: “This whack-a-mole toy is great fun, but beware, the songs might drive you barmy on a long journey. Great for learning colours and numbers.”
Tested by mum Sophie Knight: “This whack-a-mole toy is great fun, but beware, the songs might drive you barmy on a long journey. Great for learning colours and numbers.”
Clip this toy to the headrest in front, and let your child take the wheel. As well as the steering wheel, there is a little ratchet gear lever just behind it and a mirror too. The colours are bright and engaging, and the buttons on the steering wheel produce musical sounds (you’ve been warned). Suitable for ages 12 months and up.
Price: $14.00
Price: $14.00
Stickers and similar toys are some of the best interactive activities for young minds. It’s good for developing a range of skills including cognitive and even social skills. This vinyl sticker pad comes with more than 165 reusable stickers for creating countless combinations in five scenes. This is a vehicle-themed pad but there are numerous others to choose from including Prehistoric and Fairies. Aimed at ages three and up.
Rubik’s are super for adult minds and its junior range is just as effective on little ones. You can also get a bear, kitten, or puppy. What they all have in common is an ability to entertain young problem solvers. The blocks twist and turn to create bizarre shapes. It’s not too challenging in order to give infants a sense of accomplishment but encourages creativity. Recommended for ages three and up.
