The kids these days love their toys, and the question arises that if you are traveling for a vacation from one place to another, would the Transportation Security Administration let your kid keep their toys with them in the luggage or carry them onto the plane?
The toys are mostly allowed on the planes unless they are not sharp, pointed objects, or similar to guns, knives, and weaponry.
This list of things is allowed and in specific quantities:
| Item Name | Carry-on Bags: | Checked Bags |
|---|---|---|
| Aerosol Insecticide | No | Yes |
| Air Mattress with Built in pump | Yes (Special instructions) | Yes |
| Air Brush Makeup Machine | Yes | Yes |
| Alcoholic Beverages | Yes (Less than 3.4oz/100 ml allowed) | Yes |
| Alcoholic Beverages over 140 proof | No | No |
| Ammunition | No | Yes (special instructions) |
| Antlers | Yes | Yes |
| Arc Lighters, Plasma Lighters, Electronic Lighters, E-lighters | No | No |
| Artificial Skeleton Bones | Yes | Yes |
| Axes and Hatchets | No | Yes |
| Baby Carrier | Yes | Yes |
| Baby Food | Yes | Yes |
| Baby Formula | Yes (Special Instructions) | Yes |
| Baby Powder | Yes | Yes |
| Baby Wipes | Yes | Yes |
| Balloons (not inflated) | Yes | Yes |
| Bang Snaps | No | No |
| Baseball Bats | No | Yes |
| Basketball/Baseballs/Footballs/Soccer Balls | Yes | Yes |
| BB Guns | No | Yes (special instructions) |
| Bear Bangers | No | No |
| Bear Spray | No | No |
| Belts, Clothes, and Shoes | Yes | Yes |
| Bicycle Chains | Yes | Yes |
| Bicycle Pumps | Yes | Yes |
| Bicycles | Check with Airline | Check with Airline |
| Billy Clubs | No | Yes |
| Binoculars | Yes | Yes |
| Black Jacks (Self Defense Weapons) | No | Yes |
| Blankets | Yes | Yes |
Parents these days often prefer to bring their children’s toys with them wherever they go because it can be a hassle for the parents to calm down their hyperactive kids.
They want to pack their toys on the plane journeys because it can be complicated to handle the children, as toys prevent kids from making noise, crying, and being overly clingy with their parents.
However, is it okay to bring toys on the plane journeys?
We are already familiar with the kids on planes experience. The cries of the young tiny uncomfortable infants have been a terrible experience on the long air flights.
As childless passengers, we had been making every possible attempt to block the crying noise with high volume music, movie, or using those earmuffs for the loud snoring neighboring seats.
Now the times have turned and we ourself being a parent want to keep our child and ourself comfortable on the flight.
Therefore, relating to the situation and planning things, we are writing this article with a list of suggestions and ideas, which can help your little buddy remain occupied and enjoying instead of being a cry baby.
We know how airport security strictly operates, and you don’t want to leave your child’s favorite toy behind with the airport security.
And sometimes, some toys can be inappropriate for long journeys, and you do not want to annoy other passengers.
Most of the toys are permitted, providing they fit within the assigned hand luggage allowance.
The exclusions here are toys that may be similar to weapons, such as swords or water guns.
Battery-operated toys may also be questioned to further scrutiny.
Even though most toys are generally allowed on board the aircraft, there are a few exceptions. It’s essential to understand the guidelines for each of these toy categories.
Can you take battery-operated toys on a plane?
Small, battery-operated toys are usually forbidden by most airlines. This includes toys such as hoverboards, self-balancing boards, or aero wheels.
Some enthusiasts may not think through their beloved Hoverboard as a ‘toy,’ many children have these in their toy collections. So, it makes a list.
Whether you intend to check these in or carry them on, airlines are saying no. And for a good reason, several brands have been evoked by the Consumer Product Safety Commission, following reports of hoverboards blast and explosions. The hazard is in the battery being overheated.
While many laptops and phones contain an identical lithium battery, toys such as hoverboards have a much bigger battery.
Few brands cut corners to produce cheap hoverboards and, unfortunately, skip on essential core elements of producing them with quality control and thorough, safe testing.
Can you take toy cars on a plane?
Remote-controlled toys like fire trucks, racing cars, or even toy cars are generally allowed on board the plane.
However, the Transport Security Administration (TSA) issued an announcement advising travelers to expect stricter monitoring of remote-controlled toys.
Due to the increase in alleged terrorist activities, Transport Security Officers have been clamping down on any questionable products.
Remote control toys are usually a red alert at the airport’s screening because they can be used as detonative explosives.
Due to this reason, the security officers keep a tight watch on such types of toys and do not let them pass through.
The TSA recommends packing these into your checked luggage rather than carrying them in hand-carry.
They also advise that additional screening may be required for those wanting to take these on board.
And, if it’s anything like a noisy remote-controlled toy car, it will undoubtedly annoy the passengers.
Can you take toy guns on a plane?
Toy replications can look just like the real deal in an x-ray. For you, that water gun may be the perfect picture of backyard summer fun. To a security officer, it could mean the next terrorist attack.
Toys like nerf guns, water pistols, or swords can be pretty real under the scanner. This could lead to postponements and delays at the security checkpoint or evacuation if worsened.
While these items can be taken in the hand carries, the Transportation Security Administration recommends checking these items to avoid frustrating delays.
However, fake explosives like toy grenades are banned altogether. So, it is recommended to either put it in the luggage or at home.
Can you take magnetic toys on a plane?
Most magnetic toys can be transported in hand carries or checked baggage. However, you need to check them with your airline in advance. This will help you minimize the disturbances and fit them easily in overhead or under the seat with no problems.
What toys can you take on a plane?
Now you are familiar with what to avoid, so what toys can you take on board in your carry-on luggage?
We’re kind of lucky these days as in many planes with plenty of child-friendly entertainment. On a long flight, a screen may not hold the attention of a little one for much duration.
In addition to it, we cannot ignore the health issues that come from prolonged screen time sessions and need to limit the screen time for kids.
Kids are eager to change activities after one movie’s worth of screen time. For children, screens alone are not enough.
So here is a list of the kind of toys you can take with you on a plane:
Small Toys
Remember you have a pretty small weight allowance in your hand-carry luggage. The weight limits are different in several airlines but usually remain below 10 kg of weight.
Keeping this in mind, we need to find toys that occupy the least volume and are light weighted. Heavy toys are difficult to drag around and are awkward to move when you need something else from the same bag.
So, it’s better to take small toys with you as it will save you from regret and a total breakdown later on.
Quiet Toys
All you want to do during long flights is relax and ease yourself, but that one kid behind you playing with noisy toys can make your travel experience go down the drain and causes annoyance.
We don’t believe for a second that, as parents, you need to go out of your comfort zone to accommodate people at the expense of your children’s enjoyment.
However, noisy toys can be irritating for you, so pack toys for the plane ride that are quiet or less noisy.
Open-ended or Multipurpose Toys
These are the toys that can be used in various ways, restricted only to a child’s imagination and creativity.
Several parents love to keep these in their travel bags because they can entertain a kid for hours.
Try combining an open-ended toy with some simple animals, people, or cars. This helps extend the use of the toys for way more hours.
I hope this article was informative. We would love to know about your air travel experience and your kid’s favorite travel toy.
Lastly, we encourage you to share your experiences so that a fruitful discussion could be built with guidelines for the people who are new to these air travel experiences with kids.
