We hope you love our recommendations! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published.
Car journeys with young children have the potential to turn into a bit of a hellish experience.
There's nothing quite so intolerable as a baby's prolonged wail in an enclosed space coupled with an infuriating chorus of 'are we there yet's. That's where a good set of car seat toys comes in.
A car seat toy is a toy, game or book that can be attached to (or used in) your child's car seat, and that will keep your baby entertained whilst you're driving. They usually attach directly onto your baby's seat, hang over the top or fix onto the seat in front of them, so that they're perfectly placed to engage your little one's attention.
These toys for babies in the car are specifically designed to be baby safe, and many feature similar elements to sensory toys, such as textures, noises and interactive parts, which will aid your child's cognitive development and help develop their fine motor skills.
With all these benefits in mind, we've gathered together a range of the best car seat toys for babies and toddlers so you can embark on your next journey in a more tranquil state. Take a look below!
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Kidadl's Top Pick
Whilst all the car seat toys on our list come highly recommended, this car play centre's got it all.
1. Taf Toys Car Play Centre
This Taf Toys play centre hangs off the back seat, perfect for keeping a baby in a rear-facing car seat entertained. It's super easy to install and adjust, and the sweet, whimsical design is immediately engaging. The jingling koala toy, crinkly rainbow and rattling snail with attached teether provide endless opportunity for amusement and sensory development, whilst the large, baby safe mirror at the top is curved, allowing parents in the front to check up on their little one by peeking back at their reflection. A worthy purchase for your next journey.
Main Features
- Price: £39.95
- Age: 0+
Best For Sensory Development
2. Manhattan Toy Baby Whoozit
There are tons of baby activity toys out there that claim to aid sensory development but this Whoozit car seat toy has proved super popular with parents. It's a great means of keeping babies occupied whilst also assisting cognitive development, aiding the advancement of fine motor skills and stimulating mindful play. It's super soft and squashy, too, providing plenty of tactile stimulation and making it the perfect snuggle companion on a long ride.
Main Features
- Price: £9.99
- Age: 0+
Best For Long Journeys
3. Bright Starts Tiger Toy Bar
There's plenty going on on this activity bar, which has enough interactive parts to keep your little one entertained for hours. The cute animal design is bright, bold and stimulating, whilst the little mirror, roller ball, beads and rings provide endless opportunity for play. Flashing lights and four fun melodies make this an engrossing car seat toy for longer trips.
Main Features
- Price: £10
- Age: 0+
Best For Drive-Along-Fun
4. Taf Toys Car Wheel Travel Toy Activity Centre
If you're looking for toys for forward-facing car seats, this one is a winner. Young kids love to join in with whatever they see happening around them, and this car wheel activity centre provides the opportunity for just that kind of enjoyment, with a miniature wheel, gear lever and 'rear view mirror' for your baby to play around with as you drive. With plenty of fun sounds and effects, this toy will have your little one excited for every journey!
Main Features
- Price: £26.99
- Age: 1+
Best For Under 5s
5. Lenbest Snack And Play Car Travel Tray
This travel tray is ideal for slightly older kids, who can eat, drink, draw and play from their car seat on its sturdy surface. It comes with a set of whiteboard pens (perfect for scribbling on the shiny board) and a range of educational drawing sheets. Plenty of stretchy mesh pockets make great storage for books, toys, crayons and snacks, whilst a handy strap at the back is designed to keep a book or tablet in place. It's a nice robust design that's easy to adjust and when your journey is over it all packs neatly away so it can be easily stored or transported. Win.
Main Features
- Price: £20.99
- Age: (we recommend) 2+
Best For Families On A Budget
6. Red Kite Baby Spiraloo Peppermint Trail
This spiral toy is perfect if you're looking for a budget-friendly toy. Considering the price it's surprisingly well made: the colours and patterns of the winding coil are immediately eye-catching, and the cute little animals are nice and soft. The crinkling and rattling effects are sure to grab your baby's attention and the toy winds easily around the handle of their car seat. At under a tenner, you can't go wrong.
Main Features
- Price: £8
- Age: 0+
Best For Design
7. Taf Toys Mini Moon Pram Arch
This pretty pram arch may be designed to fit on a buggy, but it also makes a great car seat toy when fitted onto the handle of your child's car seat. It's a lovely toy; the hanging moons and stars rattle and ring, providing ample stimulation and amusement, whilst the arch itself is easy to clip on, adjust and fold away.
Main Features
- Price: £24.99
- Age: 0+
Best For Musical Entertainment
8. Baby Einstein Star Bright Melodies Take Along Toy
They say classical music has all sorts of benefits to offer babies, from improving memory skills to aiding cognitive development. If you're looking to expose your little one to these many wondrous effects (or simply get them off to sleep) on your next journey, this smiling star is just the thing. Just clip it onto the handle of your baby's seat and it will play a number of classical tunes and sounds (20, no less). Glowing lights provide the perfect soothing accompaniment.
Main Features
- Price: £13
- Age: 1+
Best For Versatility
9. Lamaze Play & Go Freddie The Firefly
The Lamaze hanging animal toys are already a much-loved range; we think this little firefly makes for a great car seat toy as well as the perfect addition to the pram, cot or playroom. There are tons of interesting textures and patterns to engage your little one on a journey; the clip fits perfectly onto car seats - hang it up to fly and see how it delights your baby.
Main Features
- Price: £15
- Age: 0+
Best For Keeping In The Car
10. Taf Toys Laptoy Activity Centre
The flat design of this laptoy means it slips conveniently into the pocket on the back of a car seat; a great option to keep in the car to entertain little ones when you're running errands. With 12 interactive activities for your child to enjoy, there's no end of fun to be had; there's a mini maze, peek-a-boo switch, rattling ball and fun music and light effects activated by the pressing of a bear's nose, all perfect for keeping your baby occupied whilst improving hand-eye coordination.
Main Features
- Price: £26.99
- Age: 6 months+
Best For Interactive Play
11. Bright Starts Shake and Glow Monkey Toy
This fun little monkey from Bright Starts is activated when your baby hits it; one touch from a little hand sends him swinging back and forth, setting the coloured lights aglow and emitting jungle sounds as he goes. Not only is this an absorbing car seat toy, it also introduces your baby to the concept of cause and effect - bonus! Just clip onto the handle of your baby's car seat and you're good to go.
Main Features
- Price: £9.99
- Age: 3 months+
Best For Educational Play
12. First Words Flash Cards
If you're hoping to get your little one learning as you travel, these first word flashcards are a great call. They're the perfect size for a toddler to hold, and the big, bright illustrations and large, simple text will have your child recognising different objects in no time. The handy ring keeps them all together and is perfect for clipping onto your baby's car seat, or popping onto a hook in the car.
Main Features
- Price: £9
- Age: 1+
Kidadl Best Buys selects the top parent-recommended products across the web for families of all ages. If you liked our guide to the best in-car toys for babies, why not take a look at our pick of the best baby travel toys or our top double buggies for babies and toddlers.
Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
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