Travel toys: So there is no time for boredom on vacation

It is jerky, it is tight and the children whine - toys for the journey have to be handy and still provide fun for a long time. We have summarized some ideas for holiday toys for children of all ages and revealed which products are best suited for buses, trains and planes.

Take toys with you when you travel - you should keep that in mind

If you are planning a vacation with your children, you need toys for two situations: the arrival and departure and the vacation itself. Pay attention to the following features:

• Small and robust: No matter which toy you take with you, it should take up as little space as possible and, ideally, be very robust. Especially in the car something likes to fall down and sensitive toys can quickly break on the beach.
• Replaceable: Even if one or the other favorite toy of your child has to come with you, it is best to choose things that are easy to replace in an emergency. Because especially on longer trips, something quickly gets stuck.
• Practical: Especially the toy for (car) driving should contain as few small parts as possible that can be distributed anywhere in the car. It is best to commit yourself to a larger toy that only consists of a single part.
• Finally, the principle applies to holiday toys: less is more. Everyday things such as sand toys or balls often take up a lot of space and can be bought cheaply at the holiday location. Your child also needs significantly less toys during the holiday weeks than at home in the room - after all, you do a lot together during this time and there is rarely room for boredom.
• Tip: You can now buy almost any children's toy online. Thanks to our free vouchers at shops like MyToys, you can often get away cheaper than in the store.

Travel toys for babies and toddlers

A vacation with the baby is also meant to relax. So that the car ride or the outbound flight does not become a test of patience, you should take plenty of distractions with you for your toddlers. Since they usually don't play much themselves, small things are often enough:

• Hanging toys: Hanging toys of all kinds are particularly suitable for babies. You can not only attach this to the baby bouncer, but also with a cord on the handle above the car windows or the luggage rack on the top of the train.
• Soft toys: Whether it is a monkey, a dog or a Barbie doll - almost every child has a favorite cuddly toy. Of course, this should not be missing on any trip and is perfect for playing alone or in pairs.
• Attention: Babies in particular often don't need a lot of toys. In the best case, you sleep the entire journey. If the little ones are awake after all, it is often enough if you deal with them as you do at home. Tell a story, play gossip games or play with the kids.

Children's toys for the ride

If your offspring is older and can already occupy themselves, the selection of travel toys is huge. There is something for everyone here:

• Maltafeln: Coloring books and countless colored pencils are rather unsuitable for travel and are easily lost. A magnetic board is better. It fulfills the same function, can be cleaned quickly and offers the little ones enough space to live their creativity. Particularly practical: in most models, the pen and painting forms are connected to the board with a cord - so that no individual parts are lost.
• Toy cars: There are many chic and fast cars on the highway. What could be more exciting for a child? Right, drive a car yourself. So pack one or two small toy cars that your child likes to play with. Then the back seat quickly becomes your own freeway and the travel time passes much faster for the little ones.
• Magnetic games: Board games are not only fun, they also keep all passengers occupied - perfect if you are traveling with several children. There is a special travel version for almost every game so that the little characters do not fly around everywhere when it wobbles. There the game figures are provided with magnets so that they hold on the game board and do not slip. So don't let people annoy you, play mill and chess perfectly on the go. There are even whole game sets that take up little space.
• Card games: Card games of all kinds are also perfect for longer journeys. The classics Uno, Mau-Mau and Schwarzer Peter are of course particularly popular. Especially if you are traveling with several children, the games together are ideal. Just make sure to choose a deck of cards where you have to put as little as possible. There is usually very little space on the back seat, on the train or on a plane.
• Books: Of course, because of all the special children's toys, you must not forget the classics. Therefore, pack picture books or normal books for reading out if your children find it fun.
• Technology: Of course, special children's tablets and mobile game consoles such as the Nintendo 3DS are also perfect companions. Just pay attention to age-appropriate games. If you take technology toys with you, it is also worth investing in a power bank. This allows you to charge electronic devices even while driving.

Toy ideas for the vacation spot

• Which toy you take with you for the holiday primarily depends on your travel destination. A beach holiday naturally includes appropriate digging toys, a camping trip especially space-saving board games.
• When planning, also note that many of the games for the trip can be played again on vacation. This is especially true for card and board games you take with you.
• It is best to sit down with your child before departure and think together about what you want to play together. So you take exactly your little one's favorite games with you.