The Best Plane Toys For Toddlers

Buying Guide

Toy airplanes have been popular with children and model plane enthusiasts for ages — even before the Wright brothers flew the first powered aircraft at Kitty Hawk. These vehicles, complete with propellers and wings, are an essential part of pretend play. Kids can imagine that they are inside, soaring over and through clouds to explore the unknown.

These toys help little ones develop their fine and gross motor skills, and they can also assist in honing children’s visual tracking skills. Watching a plane zoom through the air is both a cognitive and sensory experience. Kids learn how objects work in their world and predict what they will do as they run the airplane’s wheels over floors and furniture and hoist it into the air.

Some toy airplane kits come with little people to travel in the planes, and others are part of miniature airports or sold with additional toys, like more model planes. Some come with plenty of accessories; you may wish to purchase a plane that has built-in compartments to store the smaller pieces in the set. Others are radio-controlled. You can even find ride-on toy planes that have wheels. Some of these vehicles feature familiar characters, like Mickey Mouse and Goofy.

Older children will appreciate toy plane kits that can be put together. Building a toy plane can be a nice project for parents, caregivers and siblings to join in on. Just remember to check for age-appropriate toys. Some model kits designed for older children have small pieces that could be swallowed by babies and toddlers. But even with smaller children, you can incorporate some construction play by helping them make homemade landing strips or building a garage for their plane to sit in when it’s not flying.

Basically, there is a toy airplane for every child, whether they are simply fascinated by anything with wheels or more interested in learning how planes work in minute detail. You can tailor your purchase to their interests and help them take off — both physically and metaphorically.

• If you prefer toys made from sustainable products, buy ones constructed from wood or ones that are marked “recyclable.”
• It’s always a good idea to read product descriptions and material lists when shopping for children’s toys. You’ll want playthings that are durable enough to stand up to hours of fun over the long term.
• Most toy airplanes are designed to be played with indoors and out.
• You may wish to shop for toy planes that can be personalized by your child. Some include stickers while others come with paint and small paintbrushes.
• Other kinds of toddler plane toys include puzzles, plush airplane toys and soft airplane books. Think how fun it’d be for them to first read about airplanes and then to have one to play with!