We hope you love our recommendations! While every product is independently chosen by our editors, BuzzFeed and our publishing partners may collect a share of sales or other compensation from the links on this page. You can read more about how our affiliate partnerships work in our Editorial Standards & Ethics Guide.

Things will go so smoothly you won't even have to threaten to turn the car around.

Promising review: "Absolutely love this busy board! We bought this to keep our 1-year-old distracted on a 3.5-hour airplane ride. She absolutely loved it and couldn’t stop playing with it. We tied it to the seat tray so it didn’t slide all over. It is easy to carry, fits into a backpack no issue, and I love that it is all one piece — no tiny pieces to misplace!"—LEG 585

Get it from Amazon for $16.98+ (available in 11 styles).

Promising review: "Out of a haul of toys we purchased to keep our two very active young boys busy on a flight, this was hands-down the most loved. They are satisfyingly tactile shapes. The pieces fit neatly back into the tin, and it is so easy and compact to slip into a backpack pocket! Would absolutely recommend — awesome toy." —Alexis P

Get it from Amazon for $19.97+ (available in three styles). 

My daughter has had this for a few months, and whenever I pull it out for her to play with, it definitely holds her attention thanks to its variety of activities. She specifically loves pushing the button that opens a little mirror. Not gonna lie, this toy is pretty amusing for me, too, when she is off playing by herself, and I wanna give her a little independence. I like the one that spins with the little balls lol.

Promising review: "I cannot express how awesome this toy is and how much entertainment my 15-month-old gets out of it!! I had my eye on it for a while because the price point was in Christmas-present territory for me, but it's absolutely worth it. My son plays with this toy every time we drive somewhere, and it hasn't lost its novelty after about a month, which is a big deal for a toddler toy. He plays with the tiles, he throws the tiles around the car, and bangs on the board, it's just a lot of fun." —Roz Roth

Promising review: "I bought these as an additional item to keep my kids busy on our long car ride this past summer. They were a hit with our 9-, 12-, and 16-year-olds. I'm not ashamed to admit my husband and I also both enjoyed tinkering with them. There are so many movable parts; they aren't terribly noisy when you move them, which is good for quiet, enclosed spaces. For me, personally, I struggle with small noises, so these little fidgets were great." —Shelby B

Get them from Amazon for $9.98+ (available in various colors and pack sizes).

Promising review: This was perfect for a mini family road trip with my 6-year-old. It was nice to see her take a break from the tablet and let her imagination go wild. They were easy to wash off my seats since some of them lost their lids. Luckily, they still clicked into the case even without the lids." —Asia

Get it from Amazon for $12.97+ (available in three versions). 

Promising review: "Great to entertain kids if going on a road trip or flight. This is my go-to item for my children when we are traveling far. Also the pages dry up nicely and can reuse over and over." —Juanita

Get it from Amazon for $5.97+ (available in six styles).

Promising review: "I bought this for our road trip, desperate for something to keep our kids entertained. This was super fun! My husband, I, and our 5-year-old had fun playing it together. My 3-year-old was trying, but is a little bit too young for it. The pictures are fun and engaging. I honestly had a great time and would recommend this to other parents looking for something to keep their kids busy!" —Heather

Promising review: "I love this thing! Not only is it great for holding your phone/iPad on flights, car rides, or anywhere, but it also makes for a great toy for kids. My son used it as a 'hill' for his car for half the flight. He also would park his cars underneath it. It provided a lot of entertainment, and the possibilities for what you can use it for are endless. The best part about it is it doesn’t slide around since it’s made out of a rubber/silicone-like material." —Shelby Hartzler

Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in two versions).

Promising review: "Best entertainment for the money! No assembly required, which is great for my little kids. Easy to pack up and go, small enough to travel. Amazing quality and overall great fun for all my kids ages 3–10." —abs

Get a 10-pack from Amazon for $15.99 (available in two versions and in a 20-pack).

Promising review: "We bought these for a recent trip, and they entertained my daughter for a few hours. We would bring them out occasionally throughout the trip, and she continued to enjoy them. Highly recommend!" —kelsie

Get a three-pack from Amazon for $18.95. 

Promising reviews: "Great for travel/the car. My kids love these, and I do too! Lots of fun without a screen or Bluetooth, which I feel like so many toys have. Sometimes, simple is best. My kids are two and have loved them for the last six months." —julia

"This tablet has entertained my 4-year-old grandson for hours at a time. He loves that he can erase at will and that the drawings are multicolored. I highly recommend this item for 18 months old and up. I bought a pink one for our 18-month-old granddaughter, and she, too, is just enthralled with it and the 'power' she has to erase, create, erase, create! They loved them so much that we bought another set of two different colors so that they would have them at home as well as at 'Grammy's.'" —Kindle Customer Red Heart

Get it from Amazon for $15.99+ (available in four sizes and six colors).

Promising review: "Bought these for air travel and they did not disappoint. My son loved building towers with them and sticking them to the airplane's window. They go back into the container easily, and you really can just rinse them with water, and they are clean and still sticky." —Suzy E.

Promising review: "Got it for a long car trip and it was fantastic. Excellent size for traveling, and different ages had a great time using it." —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $9.84 (also available as a two-pack and in a Bop-It combo pack).

Stitched 4 U By Trippy 2 is a small biz that sells hand-stitched items like cards, bags, and coasters.

This bag includes a laminated list of 24 items for your kiddo to search for.

Promising review: "My daughter loves playing with her I Spy bag! She gets so excited finding the items in the bag and comparing it to the card. Keeps her busy on car rides so that is a plus!" —Jecceka

Get it from Stitched 4 U By Trippy 2 on Etsy for $20.95 (available in various patterns and styles).

Promising review: "This is the perfect game for traveling! It's so much fun and so compact that it hardly takes up any space. This got us through a pretty hefty airport delay this spring. My daughter even uses it in the car on longer drives, although occasionally, if the road is bumpy, it doesn't end well when the pyramid topples over. We have started ordering this regularly as birthday gifts for friends. It's simple, well thought out, and caters to different skill levels (super easy to super hard). My daughter is eight, and she can do most of the pyramid puzzles on her own now, but she still enjoys playing with the puzzle, so I would definitely recommend this!" —Ali Shea

Get it from Amazon for $9.99 (also available as a set of two).

Promising reviews: "Well, I guess this has replaced our Tonie boxes! The convenience of the Yoto Mini can’t be beat. It’s small and easily portable. The battery life is fantastic, and we can get a couple of days' worth of listening on a single charge. The cards are not paper cards like I initially thought. They are durable plastic cards. It’s easy for my 2-year-old and 3-year-old to use. The variety of cards is fantastic as well! I was so happy they have Disney and Paw Patrol options! I highly recommend this little audio player!" —Morgan

"I cannot express enough how awesome Yoto Mini is. I bought it for my 4-year-old son. I was skeptical because he loves TV. It is incredible! He can listen to his favorite stuff like Paw Patrol, but can also listen to music, audiobooks, fall asleep to calming music, etc. I just discovered it has a daily free podcast, which is now part of our breakfast routine. And I love that it doesn't have a screen. I have found him asking for it when I least expect it (instead of the iPad or my phone!), and it's been particularly amazing in the car and when we go out to a restaurant." —Meghan

Promising reviews: "My 2- and 3-year-olds both loved this, and both were able to use it independently on a long car trip. It provided hours of entertainment — way more than I expected. Well worth the price!" —Oh Em Bee

"So nice to have for on-the-go, car rides, or even on the airplane. We have taken this everywhere. No mess and easy for the child to stay entertained." —Emily

Promising review: "I can’t be happier with this toy. I bought it for my kids so they can use it during flights. Our flight was four hours long, and this thing saved me! My kids played with it the whole time! She made flowers, a sun, a self-portrait, a rainbow, glasses, a necklace, and so many more! It is light and sticks to any surface, and best of all, it doesn’t make a MESS! I’m gonna buy some more so she can play with them at home! 😍" —Chad McClintock

Promising review: "First off, this is the cutest and coolest thing ever! Remember, it’s for 6+, if you’re over 20 and find flaws, I think we know how fun a person you are. It’s adorable! I’ve taken sooo many pictures and taken such good care of it she's soo happy! I’m excited to have this by my side ’til the end of time! 🌈✨ There are other Tamagotchis out there, but none have a camera, which makes the Pix the coolest. 😇💖" —Gabii Webber

Get it from Amazon for $99.99+ (available in three colors and three versions).

Promising reviews: "We bought this for my daughter for her first birthday. Not only was she enthralled by it, but she spent 45 minutes, without pause, trying to solve this game. We use this in the car for long rides and have mixed up the pieces by adding her pacifier in. If you are looking for a great brain toy for a little one, I definitely suggest this." —MommingIt

"I gave this toy to my daughter for her first birthday. It didn't take her long to figure out how to take things in and out. It challenges her mind, it's almost a puzzle to her, and figuring out how things work is already a favorite activity. She absolutely loves this toy! Now, you never know what you're going to find inside... That missing binkie? Her favorite teether? An unopened applesauce pouch? The TV remote? Yupp, you'll find it in this cube! We've only been playing with this toy for a couple of weeks now, but it seems quite durable. The bright elastic bands have the perfect amount of stretch to them. The colored shapes are bright and interesting. They're made of a hard plastic with different textures, with almost a matte finish to them. I will probably buy this as a gift for other kids in the future. 10/10 definitely recommend!" —Frankie Garrett

Extra bonus, the whole thing is dishwasher-safe!

Check out a TikTok of the snack spinner in action.

Promising review: "My kids love these snack organizers and it's a great way to offer several choices at once. They're also perfect for traveling because they're easy to take and very compact. They are also fun and engaging when children have to push the spinner to get a new box to open. I would definitely buy these again. I even send them in my kids' lunch boxes! They are super fun and very durable. We most recently took them on vacation with us and used them the whole week." —Brittany Tremblay

Get it from Amazon for $29.99+ (available in five colors, two sizes, and two styles).

Promising review: "Literal must-have for traveling with kids. We use this on long car trips or vacations. It’s a great place to color and keep markers and pencils close, and it's also great for eating in the car. Many vacations we grab fast food to eat while we are driving, and it’s so much easier for the kids to eat with this tray that keeps all their snacks and food close to them. I honestly don’t know how we traveled without this!" —Amazon Customer

Get it from Amazon for $25.99+ (available in 11 colors/patterns).

Promising review: "My granddaughters used these on their flight to Miami and on their train ride to Virginia. They were able to enjoy their games and movies without disturbing other passengers." —Sherrell Mickens

Get them from Amazon for $10.99+ (available in two styles, eight colors, and multipacks).

Promising review: "We went on a 10+ hour road trip with my 4-year-old twins and these were a lifesaver!! They have a great battery life, connect quickly, stay on well and the boys said they were comfortable. They’re really soft and easy for the kids to use. I would recommend these 100%!" —PhillipTriantis

Get it from Amazon for $22.99 (available in 11 colors).

Promising reviews: "My grandsons loved getting these. The best news was my daughter was thrilled with them since they kept the kids occupied on a car trip." —Gary P.

"These are absolutely the best for preschooler aged children. There is no need for adjustment. You just look into the binoculars and see a clear image. My son used these this past summer for getting a closer look at the hummingbirds at our feeder. We also took these with us on nature walks. He really enjoyed using them and after a full summer's use, they are still in great shape. Anything that makes a child curious about nature and the environment gets a A+ in my book." —Rachael P.

EverHeld is a small biz based in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina specializing in home decor, personalized items, and cheeky T-shirts. 

This set includes: a blank board for free draw, a blank face to create a character, Connect 4, Dots & Squares, Hangman, Tic Tac Toe, two dry erase markers, and a durable zip pouch with removable wrist strap.

Promising review: "So adorable! Out of several similar travel game options, my kids liked this one best. The quality is amazing for the price." —Samantha Grace

Promising review: "I bought this for a road trip for my 2-year-old, and immediately we fell in love. It has an amazing rubber case that prevents damage when he drops it. It also has tons of kid-friendly educational games and shows. The battery life is probably the best part, in my opinion. It's small enough for my 2-year-old to carry around himself but large enough to be able to see his games and shows." —Brittany Stewart

Get it from Amazon for $59.99+ (available in three colors and two storage sizes).

* Parenting Products So Good, You’ll Make It Your Personal Mission To Tell All Other Parents About Them

* If The Kids Are Super Quiet, They're Probably Playing With One Of These 39 Toys

* Dresses, Tops, And Jumpsuits Reviewers Swear By For Breastfeeding

* Things That’ll Make Sharing A Bathroom With The Whole Family A Lot Easier

* Parenting Products Under $25 That You’ll Honestly Wish You Bought Sooner

* Products For First-Time Parents That’ll Make The Whole Thing 1% Less Scary

* Toddlers Are Kinda Gross, Here Are 21 Problem-Solving Products To Help With *That*

* Gifts That Are Both Kid *And* Parent-Approved

Plus, kids' mattresses, baby shower gifts, storage and organization solutions, travel must-haves, quiet toys, and finds from Walmart.

The reviews used in this post have been edited for length and clarity. 

BuzzFeed Shopping is service journalism first: our writers and editors spend all day shopping so you don’t have to, vetting products, fact-checking brand claims, and surfacing what actually helps in real life. We center readers over revenue, recommend products with authenticity (using real experiences, not ad-speak), and reflect our diverse audience, inclusive of a variety of price points, people, and needs. We cut through fake deals, favor useful info over glossy fluff, and recommend both budget and splurge options with context so you can decide what’s right for you — and still have a little fun along the way.

Jessica Hall is a freelancer and former BuzzFeed Shopping writer, and is based in Cincinnati, OH where you can find her curating lists on ~a little bit of everything~ (and adding a few things to her own cart in the process).