This summer, we packed up the travel trailer, loaded the truck with gear (and snacks), and set off from Raleigh, North Carolina, heading for the Keweenaw Peninsula, at the tip of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. It was six weeks of campgrounds, great lakes, pine trees, family visits, surprise rainstorms, long stretches of road, Yooper slang, and the full spectrum of toddler energy—curiosity, delight, strong opinions, and deep belly laughs.
We’d done a big RV trip around the U.S. once before, back in the pre-toddler days, so we had a little practice packing light. This was a long, adventurous loop—but when you’re living small, even temporarily, you learn fast what matters and what doesn’t. Especially when it comes to toys.
We had limited space, limited patience for anything with 8,000 pieces, and unlimited hours to fill in the car, at campsites, or stuck inside during a sudden downpour. What we brought had to earn its keep. This includes our toddler’s toys.
A Quick Note on Age
Our daughter was 21 months old during this trip, and most of the toys we packed were chosen with that stage in mind. So, lots of open-ended play, fine motor fun, and comfort when things felt new. That said, she’s now two and some change, and she’s still playing with all of these. I think a good chunk of them will stick with us for quite a while.
What We Looked for When Packing Toys for the RV
We weren’t trying to bring everything. In fact, we were trying hard not to. Here’s what helped guide our toy picks:
- No batteries (when practical)
- Open-ended use (toys that could become lots of things)
- Easy to clean
- Few pieces (and no tiny ones)
- Simple to pack up
- Tough enough for dirt, travel, and toddler enthusiasm
RV-Friendly Toys for Toddlers (That Actually Got Played With)
What she played with, what helped keep things running smoothly, and what made her feel safe and at home on the road.
Pretend Kitchen / Sink + Stove Set
Tiny kitchen, huge imagination. Pretend cooking and dishwashing were part of her daily rhythm— especially when she could “help” us while we made real dinner three feet away.
We brought the Little Tikes First Sink & Stove. No batteries (a big plus), knobs that click, and a water pump that actually works. She played with it in the RV shower on rainy days and under the trees at campgrounds. At one point it became a “waterfall for dinosaurs.” It fit her play style perfectly: curious, chaotic, and creatively repurposed.
Balance Bike
Our little one is just starting to learn to ride a bike, so we started with a balance bike. One of our campgrounds even had a pump track for bikes. It was a great way for her to burn off extra energy on travel days, too!
We have the Woom Balance Bike, and it handled everything from gravel to grass. It was light enough for her to lift and for us to carry when she was “done.” Strider and Guardian also make great options. Don’t forget a helmet—we always made sure hers was nearby when she was ready to ride.
Dustless Chalk
Chalk is one of those deceptively simple toys that comes in so handy. RV park concrete pads? Giant drawing canvases. Picnic tables? Instant art studio. And so easy to clean.
OK, I highly recommend Fisher-Price Dustless Chalk. It’s so easy, and so not messy. We used it on concrete pads, tree stumps, and even the side of the RV (it wiped off easily—phew). She drew pictures, paths, giant “toad traps,” and all of the abstract shapes. A couple pieces live in the bottom of the stroller now, for emergencies.
Building Toys / DUPLO Blocks
We brought her one set of Lego DUPLO blocks and stored them in a Sterilite shoebox for easy access and cleanup. We also added a DUPLO baseplate, which I think helped spark her imagination and kept things a little more contained—especially inside the RV.
She loved building towers at the picnic table or inside on the floor, then knocking them over with dramatic flair. Sometimes it was a “kitty house,” other times just a really tall skyscraper. Simple, open-ended, and endlessly re-buildable.
Reusable Water Coloring Books
Mess-free coloring that magically resets? Yes, please.
We brought a few Melissa & Doug Water Wow! books—especially animal-themed ones, which she loved. These were car ride lifesavers. Just fill the little pen with water and let them “paint.” They dry quickly, pack flat, and don’t leave marker stains behind.
Tip: Aldi and Lidl often have these books on sale, and they are just as great as M&D.
Audio Player for Kids
A screen-free audio player gave her independence, and it freed up my hands from constantly having to replay the latest Casper Babypants song on my phone, again (and again).
We brought the Yoto Mini (link has a discount, too!), and let her pick from a few cards at a time. She leaned toward music (and the Peppa Pig stories made an appearance). It was perfect for drives and wind-down time, and simple enough for her to use solo.
Also, she uses this everyday. It’s the first thing she asks for in the morning, and I love how simple it is to use. She is ADD DJ, swapping the cards every few seconds sometimes, but it’s one of the best “toys” she owns.
Mess-Free Drawing Board
This was her “tablet.” It’s actually a little LCD doodle board she could draw on, erase, and repeat.
These are actually one of my favorite on the go toys for everyday, not just RV life. We kept one in the car, one in my bag, and one floating somewhere in the RV. She drew shapes, monsters, lines, and very abstract animals. No mess, no caps to lose, and so entertaining.
Fidget Toy / Sensory Spinner
Some toys just invite curiosity. Twistable, flippable, stretchy, movable; the kind of thing little hands can’t help but fiddle with.
We brought Tracy the Fidget Triceratops, and she quickly became part toy, part sidekick. Tracy flipped over, clicked into poses, rawred on command, and became everything from a dinosaur moo cow to a passenger on a boat ride. She was twisted, launched, hugged, and occasionally stepped on. And somehow kept going strong.
Push Cart / Doll Stroller
Nothing makes a toddler feel more important than having something to push.
We brought a foldable Minnie Shopping Cart, and she pushed it everywhere. She filled with rocks, snacks, stuffies, or her farm animals. The handle folded down, which made it a bit more compact. We stored it outside the trailer when we were parked, or in the shower when we were on the move. It felt like her little vehicle, and she loved pushing it around the campground walks.
Headlamp
Not exactly a toy, but once she got one, there was no going back.
We picked up a little frog headlamp at a Menards in Michigan, and she wore it everywhere — around camp at night, inside the RV pretending to be a frog, and even to bed. It made her feel independent and brave after dark, and she loved having her own little source of light.
Musical Toy / Toddler Ukulele
She fully embraced the beach bum life—barefoot in the sand, ukulele slung under one arm, strumming her way through campground afternoons. Around the campfire, she’d serenade us with heartfelt renditions of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (and sometimes just one very dramatic chord played over and over).
She got this 17-inch toddler ukulele as a gift, and it became a favorite fast. It was light enough for her to carry, tough enough to survive travel days, and just the right size for tiny hands with big musical plans.
Inflatable Beach Ball
Sometimes the simplest toys are the most fun. A beach ball takes up zero space when deflated, but once it’s blown up? It’s a full-on game, wherever you are.
We brought one along on a whim, and it ended up being a favorite. She played catch constantly—sometimes with us, sometimes tossing it to herself—and chased it around grassy campsites and quiet campground loops. She used it in the pool, rolled it down hills, and cracked up every single time it bounced the “wrong” way. Easy to store, quick to inflate, and totally worth packing.
Animal Figurines / Farm Friends
A few solid animal figures can go anywhere and be anything. Bathtub? Yep. Picnic table? Absolutely.
We brought a Schleich Farm Animal Set, and she especially loved the cow, pig, horse, and dog. They rode in the stroller “on a mission,” took naps on folded napkins, practiced their animal sounds in the play sink, and held long, serious conversations across campground picnic tables. The pig even made a cameo in the water pump “shower.” They are also great toys to take to restaurants, and help keep her occupied at the table.
Pull Toy / Walk-the-Pup Pug
Sometimes you just need a toy that moves with your toddler—literally.
Our daughter’s Fisher-Price Walk-the-Pup was a hit. She’d walk it down the campground loop like she was taking it out for his evening stroll. The ears flopped, the legs moved, and she’d make it “woof.” Which made her laugh every time. No batteries needed, just a sweet little companion that encouraged movement and she could walk while we walked Frankie Dog.
Stuffies / Comfort Toys
You always have to bring a few comfort stuffies.
We packed her favorites—her bunny, her dolly, and a couple of other small ones. Oh and Elmo, of course. They mostly stayed tucked in bed during the trip, but they were always there for naps, bedtime snuggles, and quiet moments. When everything else around her was new and changing, they stayed the same.
Books / Bedtime and Anytime Reads
Books were our reset button. Morning, nap time, bedtime, car ride, tantrum… there was a book for it.
We brought a mix of familiar titles—Brown Bear, Brown Bear and Cuddle Bug—along with a few new surprises like Maisy Goes Camping and, of course, Goodnight Lake Superior. They were pretty easy to store on a shelf near the bed, and she’d choose one (or five) every night. They helped settle her, center her, and made every place feel just a little more like home.
Storage That Actually Worked
Let’s be real: toy storage in an RV is about survival. If it doesn’t have a place, it ends up scattered about, or just constantly moved around.
Here’s what worked for us:
– Sterilite shoeboxes for bigger categories—chalk, DUPLO, farm animals. I like the 7.5qt with lids.
– Sterilite pencil boxes for smaller items—crayons, tiny toys, one next to her car seat for on-the-go fun.
– All of those lived in a 80-quart Sterilite gasket tote—waterproof—which slid under the trailer or rode in the Jeep’s bed.
– Books stayed on a shelf near her bed for easy access.
Everything had a home, which made it possible to stay organized (or at least organized-ish). I labeled the bins with painter’s tape and a Sharpie, and miraculously, we didn’t lose anything.
Final Thoughts: Small Toys, Big Magic
None of these toys were flashy, or complicated, or had a ton of lights. Most were inexpensive or purchased second-hand.. But they gave her something steady and familiar in a world that was constantly moving. They helped her play, imagine, wind down, and grow. We didn’t need a giant toy box. Just a few thoughtful picks, a couple of good bins, and the room to let her play her way—wherever we happened to be that night.
Some of the links in this post are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you purchase through them — at no extra cost to you. I’ve linked to Amazon here because it’s easy and widely accessible, but I always encourage you to check your local hardware store or favorite small business first.
If you’re looking for more of our favorite RV gear (the grown-up kind), I put together a list here:
My Favorite RV Things →
