Travel Books for Babies and Toddlers

One of my favorite gifts to give expecting mothers with the wanderlust gene is a good travel themed baby book. These are a great way to introduce young ones of any age to the magic, wonder, and excitement of travel. Having received and purchased so many of these baby travel books myself, I’ve been able to compile a list of the best travel books for babies and toddlers!

Full disclosure – this post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase any books by clicking the links – I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. 

Lonely Planet Language Books.

It’s never too early to introduce babies to the holy bible for travelers. This series is a top baby travel book option for those 0-6 months, but really, for any age. The style of the series is clean, straight forward, and vibrant. Each page features one item, an image, and the word in both English and the chosen language. I especially like that the foreign translation is on the page as well. The book is short and therefore easy on the attention span of a little one who is super eager to always be moving onto the next shiny toy or object. Too basic for your child? Lonely Planet also has a phrases version instead of just singular words!

Hello World (Martha Zschock)

These delightful picture books will FOR SURE get you and your little travel buddy hyped up for a new day in a new destination! Read all about the history and important landmarks and things to do in places like Philadelphia, New Orleans, and Brooklyn! After reading the book together in the morning, go on a quest and see how many of the spots from the book that your family can find. We did this when Henry was just two months old and had a complete blast taking photos in all of the spots in his baby book. Bonus, if you’re not a planner, this book inadvertently gives lots of suggestions for what to do with your little one in a new place. 

BabyLit Primers Classics.

At first glance, these do not seem to be travel themed baby books. However, consider this. The renowned books of a country or the famous works of a country’s author help any traveler to better understand that culture. Whenever I travel, I always read poems and books set in the place where I am heading – especially works of classic literature. The BabyLit Primer Classics are child-friendly versions of classics such as The Odyssey (Greek classic)and Anne of Green Gable (Canada.) The plots are incredibly simple but typically true to the classic storyline. Some in the series even take learning one step further beyond just literary skills. For example, the Les Miserables baby lit primer book helps your little reader learn basic French words. Just about any favorite classic can be found for your child in this series. 

Good Night Our World (Adam Gamble)

Is there anyone who isn’t a Goodnight Moon fan!? The Good Night Our World travel series is a riff on the classic. The narrator bids a good night to the more famous landmarks and experiences of the titular destination. This is a great way to revisit what you and your little one have seen and done throughout the day, and what you hope to see tomorrow! I especially like these books because they tend to have serene and mellow illustrations. If any parent or guardian already does a ‘Goodnight Moon’ routine (walking around the house and saying goodnight to toys and people) this is a fun twist when on the road.

Children’s Books by Local Authors.

What better way to experience local culture than to buy a book written by a local author?  Books set in a particular destination written by local authors tend to be a treasured souvenir because they are unique and bring back treasured memories when reading them at home. These make great travel books for toddlers or even older children. Young readers can gain a better sense of the culture of a place when reading from an author who lives in the place he or she is visiting. The sense of setting tends to be strong, and authors will often discuss the history, society, and culture of their home within their works. It’s a great way to get an authentic vibe of a place. 

New Orleans has HEAPS of children’s books set in the city as well as Louisiana that are specific to the unique Cajun and Creole culture of the region!  

Hello World Books (Ashley Evanson)

Each book in this series introduces your little reader to a new part of the world. I especially love that each book has a ‘theme.’ For example, the Paris book centers on shapes whereas the London book features opposites. It’s a great way for kids to learn about both a destination and a new skill or learning concept. With just one sentence on each page, these are developmentally the perfect travel books for toddlers. 

My Little Cities. (Jennifer Adams)

Are you a city fiend? Because, same. This series was created for the offspring of people who prefer the grit, history, and sociability of cities as opposed to the calm of beaches and sparsity of farms. As a certified educator and English major, these books out of all travel themed baby books have some keen literary merits. I was really impressed by the nuances of the cities that the author is able to recognize and impart.

For instance, in our New York book – the fact that Shakespeare in the park and feeding pigeons on a bench, mostly local-only activities, were included as opposed to defaulting to tourist traps. This was well appreciated by this Brooklynite. There are anywhere from four words to a whole sentence on each page. The absurdly cute illustrations introduce little ones to concepts such as opposites 

Little Traveler Board Book Set. (Mudpuppy/Erica Harrison)

I adore this little board book series! To start, these wonderful travel books for toddlers and babies take up next to no space and come in their own adorable baby-sized box. Each book discusses a different aspect of travel (transportation, cuisine, and landmarks.) Experts agree that from birth through one year, children do best reading any book, but particularly books with one to three words on a page.

The books show baby, for instance, a landmark (The Statue of Liberty) and then go on to say that it can be found in New York City. The colors are vibrant and appealing. It is never too early to practice associating words with images. The fact that they’re board books means they’re durable and can stand up to baby and toddlers tossing them, drool on them, dropping them, and using them as teethers. I have gifted this many times at baby showers, and it is always the favorite baby travel book collection of expecting moms. 

First Bilingual Books (Milet Publishing)

The perfect written guide for toddlers who are learning a second language. Each page has a number of items (food, clothing, objects) in both English and a second language and each page is further sorted by color. These are practical and useful travel books for toddlers as they are in a prime place developmentally for learning a second language with ease. 

Our son has this book in both Russian and Italian and loves them. Just saying…for moms looking to, I don’t know…learn Russian because your husband and in-laws speak it, and it’s been six years and you still don’t know it… this book is helpful. 

Comfort Books for Babies and Toddlers

These are not necessarily in the travel themed baby book category, but they are important when actually traveling. One of the biggest takeaways I’ve learned as a new mom who travels is the importance of having a sense of ‘normalcy’ when hitting the road with a baby. Wherever we go, we bring comfort items from home: a familiar blanket, favorite toys, and our son’s top picks for books which make him smile from ear to ear.

Bring your little one’s preferred books, and keep some semblance of a routine with them. Read them together in the morning in your hotel room, or in the evening after bath time. Little pieces of home help your baby adjust to a new setting quickly and eagerly. It reinstates that home is not necessarily a place, but rather, wherever we are with our family and when we are doing our favorite activities. New places don’t seem so scary for little ones when there are familiar touches embedded within the accommodation! 

Henry’s Top Picks in Comfort Books:

1 – Your Baby’s First Word Will Be Mama/Dada by Jimmy Fallon

2 – Peek-A-Boo I Love You by Sandra Magsamen

3 –  The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle

4 – The Artist Who Painted a Blue Horse by Eric Carle

5 – The Pout Pout Fish by Deborah Diesen