Best Space & Sanity-Saving Travel Toys

Making travels memories with your kids is priceless, but getting well-armed with boredom busters for the waiting and queuing and hours spent in planes, trains and cars is critical. As we all know packing light is nigh on impossible with a family, we’ve picked our top travel toys that are space-saving too. So you don’t need a Mary Poppins bag to bring 'em along for the ride.

1. PEN & PAPER

Crayons and paper have been the fall-back to ban boredom since I was a kid - and some things never change. We love The Jam Tart's The Animal Alphabet Colouring Book cos it keeps them occupied and teaches their alphabet via 26 stylised animal letters, each with supporting sentence like ‘B is for Bee’.

The Jam Tart's The Animal Alphabet Colouring Book

2. Their First Camera

If they fancy themselves as a traveling photojournalist, and can’t get enough of your camera, treat them to one of their own. Classic World My First Camera has an adjustable focus and wrist strap, to keep it safe when they’re out and about. Every time they take a pretend pic, they can see their results through the kaleidoscope.

3. Travel Pals

Popular open play brand Tegu has created travel versions of their fantastic toys so your kids can enjoy the magic of their magnetic blocks even on the road. Once they realise the construction possibilities of even just a few blocks, there'll be no stopping their creativity. They all come in a natty felt case and we love that this set lends itself to travel-focused vehicles like a boat, plane, even a rocket.

4. Play Tape

Bigjigs Runway Tape is brilliant entertainment for travelling, especially for stints on trains, planes and ferries. Simply roll out the tape and they can make their own fun track on the table / wall / floor (space and other passengers allowing, obviously) with the plane or train toy that's included. With several metres of mess-free tape on every roll - once it's time to go, just peel it off - there's masses of impromptu fun to be had.

5. Collapsible Frisbee

Say hey to the ultimate flexi Frisbee by Scrunch that you can literally fold and pop in your pocket or suitcase. Waiting for grub in a pub garden or outdoor venue? No worries. Initiate a quick game of catch. It's a toy that takes up no more space than your wallet: in fact, we'd say it's a crucial as your wallet.

6. Magnetibooks

It's no surprise Janod's Magnetibooks
are one of our best-selling items, year in and year out. They're just the right size for taking in the car, on trips, or to nanny's house and there's a whole range of games and puzzles to choose from. The sturdy board box has a magnetic lid that flips up into a playing surface and all the pieces can be packed away nice and easily. Educational, fun and practical. Bonus points all round!

Petit Collage also make handy magnetic games for taking out and about - their Magnetic Travel Bingo and Magnetic Dress-Up Games come in their own sturdy tins too.

So there you have it, some handy boredom-busters that won't take up too much space but might keep you from going loco on vacay! And remember, if you need any more guidance, our Live Chat Team are always here to help, 7am-11pm, every day. Just hit that purple button, bottom right.