The best screen-free travel toys for babies, toddlers & preschoolers

Waiting for your food to arrive. Passing the time at the doctor’s surgery. Counting the minutes until the plane lands. When you’re away from home with a young child, even short stretches of sitting still can feel painfully long. Having the right toys to keep your child engaged – and away from screens – can make all the difference.

That’s why Lovevery created the on-the-go Mini Kits, a new collection of screen-free, stage-based play solutions designed specifically for travel and everyday outings. They can help you make the most of those in-between moments, with travel-friendly playthings that encourage learning wherever you go.

Here’s how to find the right kit for your child’s age and where you’re headed:

Out and about with a baby

“We’re heading out for a walk”: Floor to Stroller Mini Kit, 0m+

Your newborn’s eyesight is still developing, so they can’t fully take in the scenery just yet. Give them a bold, high-contrast pattern to focus on instead. Clip on the Stroller Mobile for gentle chimes and movement, or slide the Simple & Complex Black & White Cards into the Stroller Card Holder. If you stop at a friend’s house, unroll the soft Roll & Go Play Mat for tummy time anywhere.

“I need my hands free”: Busy Baby Mini Kit, 3m+

Meeting a friend for coffee can mean a baby on your lap, a drink in your hand, and a conversation you’d like to finish. The Attach & Play Crossbody Bag turns you into a wearable play space: the scarf, soft book, teether tags and mirror clip straight on, so your baby can play while you hold them – without anything ending up on the floor.

“We’re running errands”: Grab & Go Mini Kit, 9m+

Shopping and waiting in a queue go much more smoothly when your baby has something interesting to explore that isn’t your phone 🙃 This Mini Kit gives curious little hands plenty to do: press the Click Shape Player for a pop-up surprise, spin the Stick & Spin Colour Wheel, or pull the crinkly tissues out of the Stainless Steel Snack Cup and put them back in. The lift-the-flap board book helps your baby explore their growing understanding that hidden things still exist.

On the road and in the air

“We have a long drive ahead”: In the Car Mini Kit, 18m+

In the car, any toys you give your child should be soft and lightweight, so they don’t become a hazard during sudden braking. That rules out plenty of favourites from home, which is why this Mini Kit is ideal for the back seat. The Drive Around Town Lap Mat unfolds into a little town with peek-a-boo flaps, and the soft Drive Around Town Cars zoom along its roads. The Vroom & Zoom Slider gives restless hands satisfying clicks and a textured road to trace. A Mini Cotton Baby Doll comes along as a travel companion, with the ‘It’s Your Day, Baby’ Activity Book to guide it through its day.

“We’re flying with a toddler”: On the Aeroplane Mini Kit, 18m+

Read ‘Liana’s First Flight’ in the days before your trip so the airport, security queue and take-off feel familiar. On board, the Real Airport Sticker Cling Book offers reusable stickers to peel and place on a tray table. The House Tour Switch Board has a quiet, lights-only mode for the people sitting nearby, and the Stick & Pop Star is great for pushing, pulling and popping during the descent.

When you have to wait

“Our food isn’t here yet”: At the Restaurant Mini Kit, 18m+

At a restaurant, you need playthings that are quiet, stay on a highchair tray or tabletop, and won’t leave a mess behind. Your toddler can push and pop the Say & Smash Shape Cups independently, or you can spin the wheel together for a shape and colour matching game. The Strong Hands Water Pen reveals pictures in the ‘Farm & Food’ Water Activity Book, so there are no crayons rolling under the table. ‘Sam at the Restaurant’ shows a child their age ordering, waiting and eating out, while ‘Farm & Food’ helps them learn where their food comes from.

“We have to wait”: Busy Toddler Mini Kit, 18m+

From queuing for a haircut to waiting while the car is serviced, everyday errands can involve a lot of waiting. The Colour & Shape Lock Cube takes trial and error to unlock surprise images, while the Match & Stack Cup Board clicks satisfyingly into place. When attention starts to fade, sing your way through the ‘Play Songs’ Board Book with the Play Songs Puppet Set. Turning downtime into a conversation like this is a lovely way to support language development.

Away from home, or when you need a few minutes

“We’re staying somewhere that isn’t home”: Set the Scene Mini Kit, 2Y+

A hotel room or a grandparent’s spare room can feel unfamiliar at first. The Bear Habitat Storytelling Scene unzips into a little world where bears hide in a cave and catch fish beneath a waterfall. Add the Real Animals Sticker Cling Book and the Wooden Character Creator, and your child has a story to return to wherever you’re staying.

“I need them to play independently for a while”: Let’s Go! Mini Kit, 3Y+

Some moments call for your preschooler to stay in one place and play independently. The Let’s Go! Lap Desk opens into their own portable play space for drawing, character magnets and building bricks. The Shake & Search Tube and Colour Sort Magnet Maze offer more to explore when they’re ready for something new.

Make the playthings last the whole trip

Novelty is a powerful draw for young children, so a plaything they only see on outings tends to hold their attention longer than one that’s been on the playroom floor all week. Keep each Mini Kit packed and ready for travel and other outings, so it still feels new whenever you open it.

Once you’re settled, offer one plaything at a time. With fewer choices in front of them, children tend to play longer and more deeply with each one. Save a favourite for the final stretch, when their attention starts to fade.

Find the right kit for your next outing in our collection of on-the-go and travel Mini Kits.

The Mini Kits

Learning through play that’s sized right for gifting or giving Lovevery a try

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