Best Car Seat Toys
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Whether you’re headed to the grocery store or on a full-fledged road trip, car seat toys can help make the ride more enjoyable for you and baby. They give your little one something to look at and interact with, potentially preventing a meltdown, so you can keep your eyes and attention where they belong — safely on the road. But that doesn’t mean any old toy will do.
What to look for in a car seat toy
When it comes to a car seat toy, here’s what Kathleen Grady, MD, a pediatrician with UH Rainbow Babies & Children’s in Cleveland, Ohio recommends to look for in a toy that will keep baby safe and happy:
- Made from baby-friendly, non-toxic materials. Additionally, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends soft, lightweight toys.
- No detachable, small parts. The toy should not have any components that could become loose as they could become a potential choking hazard.
- Easy to clean. You want to make sure you’re able to avoid the spread of germs.
- Attached to the car seat. “A lost toy is likely to make for an unhappy baby if your baby drops it while playing with it.” If your child is a toddler, she may be able to grab it, but it’s always a smart idea to have a few toys and books within arm’s reach or your child — just in case — Dr. Grady suggests.
- Developmentally appropriate toys. This is an important consideration when choosing a good toy, for the car or anywhere, Dr. Grady says. “Young infants may enjoy the contrast of a black/white/red toy, while older baby’s can be entertained by a mirror, especially as baby starts to recognize herself,” she says. “Toys that make noises when touched and have various textures are great for baby's senses once they are able to reach out and grab objects.”
- Avoid tablets. “Toys and activities that allow active participation in play are much preferred over tablets or screens,” Dr. Grady says. “Active play fosters developmental achievement in a more meaningful way. While play is certainly restricted during a car ride, offering toys and books that your child may reach for and touch are more beneficial than merely watching a screen.” The AAP concurs and recommends children under 18 months old not have any screen time.
With that in mind, here are our favorite car seat toys.
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Most Entertaining Car Seat Toy
VTech Baby On-the-Moove Activity Bar
Recommended age: Newborn to 3 years
Strap this activity bar across the handle of baby’s car seat and settle in for your drive. Baby will giggle when she presses the cow’s heart shaped button — it activates music and cheerful phrases. (It’s preloaded with over 45 songs, sounds and phrases.) Plus, she can shake the cheerful yellow bird to watch and hear the beads rattle, or play peek-a-boo with the ladybug’s mirror.
Weight: 9.3 ounces
Dimensions: 2.05 x 13.15 x 7.4 inches
Best for Babies Under 1 Years Old
Infantino Spiral Activity Toy
Recommended age: Newborn to 1 year
With four hanging toys that baby can bat at and grab, this BPA free toy will engage babies 12 months and younger. It’s easy to wrap the spiral shape around the handles of an infant car seat as well as most strollers and cribs.
Weight: 3.2 ounces
Dimensions: 11 x 9.6 x 3.2 inches
Best Budget-Friendly Car Seat Toy
Bright Starts Shake & Glow Monkey
Recommended age: 3 months and up
Your little one will stay happy and out of trouble when you attach this toy to her car seat. It lights up and plays sounds every time she bats or shakes it to introduce the concept of cause and effect. It’s recommended for babies 3 months and up.
Weight: 1.12 ounces
Dimensions: 1 x 5 x 5 inches
Best Car Seat Toy for White Noise
Lil' Jammerz Baby Music Toys
Recommended age: Newborn to 1 year
When you need to soothe baby, sometimes only white noise will do. The plush microphone of this three-piece plush set hides a Bluetooth speaker that you can control from an app on your phone. The app includes free streaming of white noise and nature sounds, along with classical music and lullabies. Meanwhile, the drum has a squeaker in it and the guitar is a rattle.
Best Portable Car Seat Toy
Baby Einstein Star Bright Symphony Toy
Recommended age: 3 months and up
This bright and colorful star will instantly amaze your little one with its gentle glowing lights and six classical melodies. It attaches to the handle of baby’s car seat with a Velcro loop and is lightweight so you can stash it in your diaper bag, too.
Weight: 7.05 ounces
Dimensions: 7.25 x 2 x 7.25 inches
Best Forward Facing Car Seat Toy
Taf Toys Car Wheel Toy
Recommended age: 1 year and up
Once baby is large enough to sit facing forward, she will enjoy copying mom or dad as she drives right along with you. The steering wheel clicks, an interactive gear lever moves and there’s a horn and other buttons that’ll make her feel like she’s in the driver’s seat. It attaches to the back of the passenger seat with sturdy plastic triangles.
Weight: 15.5 ounces
Dimensions: 17.32 x 9.65 x 4.53 inches
Best Car Seat Toy for 3-Year-Olds
DMoose Kids Travel Activity Tray
Recommended age: Toddler and up
When you’re on a road trip or a plane flight, sometimes you need a little screen time. (Kids over 2 years old are allowed up to an hour of quality screen time daily, per the AAP’s recommendations.) This tray has an adjustable strap to hold a tablet securely in place and plenty of mesh pockets to hold books, toys, crayons and more.
Weight: 1.17 pounds
Dimensions: 16.5 x 12.5 x 1.5 inches
Best Pull Down Car Seat Toy
Infantino Hug & Tug Musical Bug
Recommended age: Newborn and up
A pull down toy, this sweet little bug plays a calming tune for about 90 seconds when your little one grabs and pulls it all the way down. It attaches to the handle of your child’s infant car seat and can also be used for floor play once you arrive at your destination.
Weight: 3.2 ounces
Dimensions: 5.7 x 3.1 x 5.8 inches
Best Double Duty Car Seat Toy
Tiny Love Meadow Days Sunny Stroll Stroller Arch
Recommended age: Newborn and up
Though this was originally designed as a stroller toy, inventive parents also use it as a car seat toy. And we can see why: With three colorful hanging toys, lights and noises that baby can activate on her own, it’s a guaranteed way to keep baby’s attention while on a stroll or the road. It’s also easy to attach and take off from both a stroller and a car seat.
Weight: 1.35 pounds
Dimensions: 2.75 x 18.5 x 13 inches
Best Classic Car Seat Toy
Manhattan Toy Baby Whoozit
Recommended age: Newborn to 3 years
A classic for a reason, this award-winning toy offers a soft, multi-sensory activity experience complete with a big smiling face that babies love. It uses bright colors and various textures to help engage and delight little ones, and features plenty to grab and play with. With its handy dandy Velcro top loop, it easily attaches to your child’s crib, car seat or stroller for plenty of fun on the go.
Weight: 2.56 ounces
Dimensions: 5.12 x 3.15 x 10.04 inches
Best Versatile Car Seat Toys
Blppldyci Baby Hanging Rattles
Recommended age: Newborn and up
These bright and colorful animal friends offer plenty to watch and play with, and easily attach to any car seat handle thanks to the included plastic loops. Each toy has its own built-in wind chime which makes a soft, soothing sound with a gentle shake by baby. There’s also a teething toy attached to each furry friend for use as baby gets older.
Weight: 8.2 ounces
Dimensions: 14.5-18 inches
Most Popular Car Seat Toy Gift
Lamaze Freddie the Firefly
Recommended age: Newborn to 2 years
A popular shower gift, this car seat toy is easy to use with its clip-and-go function, is super cute, and features plenty of educational opportunities for baby. The cushy velour body is perfect for snuggling, while the different textures on the wings help to awaken your little one’s tactile senses.
Weight: 4.4 ounces
Dimensions: 10.24 x 2.64 x 10 inches
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