Little ones sure hate sitting in their car seat, facing backward, with nothing to look at! Finding the right car toys can make all the difference!
After 2 kids and lots of car time, we have our go-to car toys that keep the little ones busy and happy when she’s stuck in her car seat. Some of these car toys are more categories than specific toys. You may just already own something you haven’t thought about bringing on your next car ride!!
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase. Get my full disclosure here.
BEST CAR TOYS FOR BABIES VIDEO
1. BABY DOLLS
Not just for the house! They make fantastic car toys. My babes LOVE to snuggle (and chew on) baby dolls. My littlest reaches and grabs for hers the second she’s put in her car seat. Just make sure nothing can come off in your little one’s mouth while you’re on the road. Here we have Baby Stella (left) and another baby who we call Baby Amy (right).
2. TEETHERS
Another favorite car toy for babies to play with are teethers. First of all, they’re designed to be safe. Unless they’ve become worn or damaged, I don’t worry much about them when I can’t keep a close eye on what my little one is doing in her car seat. Second, they’re for more than just chewing on! They’re great for banging on things too! We like the non-toxic rubber teethers like Sophie La Girafe and silicone teethers like this cute lollipop. Whatever your babe likes to gnaw on or bang around will certainly keep them busy in the car too. It will make a perfect car toy!!
3. BLANKETS/LOVEYS
My-oh-my do my kids like their blankets. Now first things first – I realize we aren’t supposed to give a blanket to a baby to SLEEP with until at least 1 year of age. Being in a car seat facing away from mom and dad could pose similar risks. SO, use YOUR best judgement as far as this goes. I wait to let my kids play with blankets until they have mastered the art of playing peek-a-boo. This tells me they have the strength and know how to pull a blanket off of their face (so they won’t suffocate). Also, I never give baby a blanket until I’ve folded it a few times and draped it over my own face to be sure it doesn’t impede breathing AT ALL. Little noses and lungs will struggle with anything that even slightly decreases their oxygen supply. So I’m no expert, and I advise you to decide for yourself if this is a safe car toy for your baby. But the thin muslin blankets make my babies SO HAPPY!!! Loveys are a close second, but the blankets are what get the legs kicking and the giggles rolling.
I absolutely love these Aden & Anais KNOCKOFF blankets from Amazon. They are called Hudson Baby Muslin Swaddle Blankets and they are amazing. I inherited a left-behind blanket with my first daughter by this brand. I had to have a few more with baby #2. To my delight, they are extremely affordable, super soft, and HUGE! It’s perfect to have them hanging out in the car because we also use them to drape over a stroller when baby is sleeping.
We also have Lovey Duck (pictured) and Lovey Mouse. I don’t know if either design is still available as ours are several years old. You can find something similar here. Carter’s frequently comes out with new designs, but there is always some variety of these available.
4. RATTLES/NOISE MAKERS
Oh the sweet sounds of noise! Okay yes, I realize anything titled “noise maker” is probably not what you think of for a car toy when you will be trapped in a small space with it, but hear me out. You know what sound is WAY worse than a shaking rattle or crinkling butterfly toy? The sound of a crying child. It’s especially upsetting for a mom, because we’re genetically programmed to have a response to our child’s cry. So, if it keeps your little one from crying (for their sake and your own), I say it is TOTALLY worth it. Some of our favorites are this Bright Starts Rattle (I LOVE the easy grip that even uncoordinated hands can grasp) and this Bright Starts Fly By Butterfly Rattle with crinkle wings and moving beads.
5. HEATED STUFFIE
This heated plush lamb is a baby AND mom favorite!! Seriously – it may be my favorite thing I’ve discovered in the past 2 years. My older daughter has a penguin, and my younger daughter has this lamb. I borrow them for myself all the time! You throw it in the microwave and in about a minute it is warm and cozy.
I use them to preheat the girls’ car seats on cold days. I set them in there a few minutes before we’re leaving the house. Once they’re all buckled up the animals move to their laps (under a blanket with them for extra cold mornings). They continue to get snuggly warmth while playing with their stuffed friend – the perfect double duty car toy.
I love these SO much I’ve even considered carrying one around in an infant baby carrier because it would feel soooooo good. BUT if I look like a crazy person carrying a stuffed toy in a baby carrier, I fear I’ll look like an unfit mother, so I don’t.
6. MUSICAL TOYS
Again with the noise! At least this time it’s music, right? We got this little sound effect car toy for Christmas. We love it because it has sounds and sensory textures.
Not pictured (because they’re lost in the depths of the car somewhere or perhaps got carried inside unintentionally), are a much loved Baby Einstein Musical Toy, as well as a toy phone and remote control (which play lots of little tunes). The phone and remote are most likely missing because they are SO loved that every time the baby is playing with them, big sister decides she wants to play with them again. These little guys all make perfect car toys.
7. RAINSTICK RATTLE
Although dubbed a “rattle”, this is more stimulating than most. It sounds like a rain stick (so much less irritating to the rest of the passengers in the car). The whole time they’re shaking this car toy around they are watching how the beads inside respond, so they’re learning cause and effect. As they get older they’ll experiment with holding it horizontally and seeing that the beads remain stuck in their little chambers, and then they tilt it and watch how it responds. I think this car toy is great from the infant days into the preschool years. You can find it here.
8. HANGING CAR SEAT TOYS
This category has many types in it, but essentially they’re all toys that hang on the handle of the infant car seat. This is a prime location to put car toys so they can’t be thrown out of the car seat. We have Freddie the Firefly who is full of textures and colors to explore. We also ended up with two of these adorable turtles with a mirror on the belly . Depending on how your car seat’s handle is situated, your baby may or may not be able to see their reflection in the mirror. But if they can, it’s wonderful.
Some hanging car seat toys allow baby to pull them down, and then they jiggle on the way back up. Both girls have adored this pink unicorn. We also loved a zebra that had the same feature…until our dog ate it. I can’t find a link to the zebra, but here’s something similar (in case your little boy doesn’t want a pink unicorn).
Then there are the “chimes” that make a pleasant little sound when baby shakes them. These are good for moving back and forth between the car seat and stroller because, although they entertain baby with sound, it is so unobtrusive and pleasant that it doesn’t bother people around you.
And to go with all of your hanging car seat toys, you’ll want to grab one of these plastic chains. On their own, they’re a teething toy, a rattle, and a car toy to bang on things. But they are also great for extending hanging car seat toys that aren’t quite long enough for baby to reach.
LOOKIE WHAT I FOUND
While looking up all the links for this post, I came across a car toy I haven’t yet seen. It will definitely be our next purchase for our little one. You can view it here. I’ll let you know how it goes after we’ve tested it out for awhile. I’m REALLY excited about it, and have high hopes. It has a mirror, things to pull on, plays music (teaches cause and effect), and is designed for those little legs to kick!
SHOP THIS POST
Baby Stella Baby Doll
Hasbro Baby Doll
Sophie La Girafe Rubber Teether
Lollipop Silicone Teether
Hudson Baby Muslin Swaddle Blankets
Lovey Animal Security Blanket
Bright Starts Rattle (easy to grip)
Heated (microwaveable) Stuffed Animals
Sassy Sound Effects Do-Re-Mi Toy
Baby Einstein Musical Toy
Fisher Price Phone + Remote Control
Rainstick Rattle
Freddie the Firefly Hanging Car Seat Toy
Turtle Hanging Car Seat Toy
Pink Unicorn Hanging/Vibrating Car Seat Toy
Lion Vibrating Pull Car Seat Toy
Car Seat Chimes Toy
Plastic Chain Teething Toy/Car Seat Toy Extender
Kick & Play Activity Center (Our Next Purchase)
What are some of your favorite car toys? I’d love to hear from you! Please leave a comment below!!
Thanks for stopping by!
XO,
Morgan
The Cheeky Homemaker
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