As a passionate traveler and an auntie of a baby niece and a toddler nephew, I’m always on the lookout for travel-themed gifts for kids. Whether it’s for a birthday, Christmas/holiday, or just a random visit, I want to be giving gifts to the little ones in my life that will inspire travel and hopefully influence them to wander the world one day!
If you are a travel auntie like me, or maybe a travel mama, dad, grandparent, or friend, this list of 13 travel-themed gifts for kids is sure to inspire the special kiddos in your life.
Pin it: 13 Travel Themed Gifts for Kids
1. Kid’s Airplane-shaped Luggage
First on the list is this airplane-shaped suitcase because what encourages travel more than a suitcase to pack up your stuff for a trip?! Not only is it awesome for kids to take on their first travels, but it’s also a fun item to play pretend travel in the house with.
I got my nephew this cute shark suitcase for his 3rd birthday (I would have gotten him the plane one instead if I would have found it earlier!) and we played pretend travel for hours by packing up his suitcase and visiting different “countries” around the house – including the guest room which was Colombia haha!
To buy: amazon, $59.99
Age: 2+
2. LeapFrog Magic Adventures Globe
What makes you more curious about the world than an interactive globe that will teach you about countries and their capitals plus explores cultures, animals, habitats, and more through 5+ hours of BBC videos?! This fun learning tool will get kids well acquainted with the world and will more likely than not inspire them to visit the places they are learning about.
To buy: amazon, $48.95
Age: 5-7
3. Wally The Wandering Wallaby Books & Stuffed Animal
Well, I might be biased since I wrote these books and created this stuffed animal, but it was inspired by the birth of my nephew and has since inspired hundreds of kids around the world to explore the world! Wally The Wandering Wallaby is a curious creature who wanders the globe in search of new experiences and new friends with a wide-open heart and mind.
In the first book of the series, Wally The Wandering Wallaby’s Around The World Adventure, Wally brings children to Australia, Thailand, Japan, Italy, France, Tanzania, Mexico, and Peru where they can learn about the world’s many different cultures while experiencing the joy and magic of travel.
In the second book of the series, Wally The Wandering Wallaby’s Wonders of The World Adventure, Wally brings children to discover the Wonders of The World including The Great Wally of China, Taj Mahal in India, Petra in Jordan, Chichen Itza in Mexico, Machu Picchu in Peru, Christ The Redeemer in Brazil, Colosseum in Italy, as well as the last Ancient Wonder of The World – The Great Pyramid of Giza in Egypt.
These are more than just picture books – these books include a 9-page educational reference section where children can learn 8 greetings from around the world, plus dozens of terms including people, places, and things found in Wally’s adventures. Wally The Wandering Wallaby stuffed animal perfectly pairs with Wally The Wandering Wallaby’s Around The World Adventure and Wally The Wandering Wallaby’s Wonders of The World Adventure children’s picture books for fun and animated storytime!
buy book Wally The Wandering Wallaby books & toys: amazon, $14.99-19.99
or on Barnes and Noble, $14.95
Age: 2-8
4. Kid’s First Camera
I think this is such a cool travel-themed gift for kids because photography and documenting your trip is such a fun part of travel. Not only will this gift inspire kids to get out there in the world and take pictures of new and interesting things, it also encourages kids to get creative.
And don’t worry about your little ones dropping this thing – the shockproof shell provides effective anti-fall protection!
To buy: Amazon, from $27.99
Age: 3-10
5. World Map Animal Backpack
With all the princess and superhero backpacks out there, how cute would it be to send your little one to school, daycare, or camp with this world map backpack! I think this is such a fun travel-themed gift for kids that will get them excited about the world and all of the amazing animals found in different parts of the globe. And if I had to guess, this might be one of those backpacks that kids will want to show off to their friends at school!
To buy: amazon, $28.99
Age: 3-10
6. World Map Jigsaw Puzzle and Educational Toy
Similar to the globe, this interactive map puzzle will get kids excited about the world and the possibility of visiting these places that they are learning about! What is the capital of China or what does the flag of Brazil look like? This puzzle doubles as a great educational toy with the capitals and flag stickers that come along with it. It also includes a separate Europe Map to help children get a magnified view of European countries.
To buy: amazon, $21.99
Age: 5-8
7. Barbie Travel Dolls With Travel Accessories
When I was a little girl, me and my sister played with Barbie dolls for hours – no, DAYS – on end. Whether you believe in Barbie dolls or not, I like the fact that Barbie includes a few “traveler” barbies. You can purchase Nikki, who is a traveling artist always with a camera in hand, you can purchase Barbie who comes with a suitcase and some fun travel accessories, or you can purchase both for more fun!
to buy: amazon, $49.97 for both dolls
Age: 3-7
8. Kid’s Passport Holder & Passport
If you’re known as the travel auntie like me, how special would it be to give the little one in your life their very first passport? The passport application fee for children under 16 is $80, so what you can do is write them an $80 check and include this fun passport holder which they can eventually put their passport in! I think this is such a creative and meaningful gift idea.
To buy: amazon, $11.90
Age: any age!
9. LEGO World Animals Building Bricks
From the lions and giraffes of Africa to the whales of the Pacific and Pandas in China, your preschooler will have fun learning about different animals and ecosystems with these animal figure toys. This educational LEGO set for toddlers includes an adult and baby giraffe, adult and baby lion, adult and baby panda, adult and baby deer, adult and baby whale, penguin, toucan, fish, rabbit and a squirrel plus a traveler, pilot, surfer dad and child and a canoer dad and child. This set is the perfect way to teach your toddler about respecting wild animals in their natural environment and the fun that comes with exploring the world!
To buy: amazon, $99.99
Age: 2-7
10. Travel-Themed Airplane PJs
How adorable are these airplane PJs?! I think these are such a fun travel-themed gift for kids, no matter what age. Heck, do they come in adult sizes…
To buy: amazon, $16.99
Age: 2-12
11. Travel Neck Pillow & Matching Eye Mask
Get the little one in your life ready for their first road trip, train ride, or flight with this matching neck pillow and eyemask. They’ve got all different kinds of animals to choose from, but I thought the koala was a fun way to get kids excited about Australia and the interesting animals that live there.
To buy: amazon, $18.99
Age: 2+
12. Kids World Map Hooded Towel
I remember going to so many pool parties as a kid, so I thought it might be fun to gift the kid in your life a world-map hooded towel to bring to their next pool party, to camp, or even to the beach! It’s not only super cute, but it’s practical and will likely inspire them to become curious about the world.
To buy: amazon, $20
Age: 5+
13. LEGO Architecture London Skyline Building Set Model Kit
And last but certainly not least, is this super cool LEGO set modeled after the London skyline! This gift is definitely for older kids, as it’s a pretty complicated build with lots of little pieces, but will keep kids occupied for hours as they build one of the world’s most famous cities. They also have Tokyo, Dubai, Sydney, and Paris sets, so there are lots of options and gift ideas to inspire travel. Who knows, maybe they’ll even travel to each of these cities they build to see them in real life!
To buy: amazon, $31.99
Age: 10+
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