It’s almost time for Spring Break and then summer travel will be here before you know it. Today I’m sharing a few of our favorite things to pack and tips on how to entertain kids while traveling.
There’s always a lot of focus on the flight or long car ride when it comes to “how to entertain the kids”. But don’t forget that you have a hotel or rental house and many meals out. Try to pack things that can be used at different places throughout the trip. These are items we use for traveling to the destination and while we’re there too.
I pack light or at least try to. When you are trying to pack light and travel with 7 people, extra room for “toys” is not usually in the cards. These 10 things don’t take up much space and typically all of these go in my kids carry ons. So the items below are all small, flat and don’t weigh much.
I have mentioned this before but I am not a big device person while traveling. I think they end up creating more headache than help. We let the teens use phones for photos and downtime at the hotel/rental house but that’s about it. We usually do have 1 iPad or Kindle along that I like to save if it’s an absolute must: this helps it be just that… a distraction if needed but not something they can freely use.
Speaking of screens, a tip for overnight flights & the tvs: I don’t give them headsets or headphones so they have nothing to do but sleep. Then on the way home the plane tv is very exciting/ they sit and watch for most of the flight.
Adding a simple list and then a bit about why below along with more links to different options.
How to Entertain Kids While Traveling
- LCD Writing Tablets
- Cards and Card Games
- Sticker sheets
- Plus Plus Blocks
- Soppycid
- Matchbox cars & tape
- Nets & shell bags
- Magnetic Checkers/ Tic Tac Toe
- Camera That Prints
- Journaling supplies
10 Things to Bring on a Trip:
These are the easiest, lightest item to pack and so much fun. Even my big kids like them. They can draw pictures, play tick tac toe or hangman, write things that drive their siblings crazy (jkjk!). We’ve used the original size forever but recently I got the large ones and they’re really cool. (12 inch version). I also love these mini LCD writing tablets that attach to their backpack. There’s a cute unicorn and dinosaur. These are great on airplanes and in the car but also something fun to use on the trip as a toy too.
Cards are fun for the plane and also the easiest thing to play in a rental or hotel. It’s also an easy activity to pack that the whole family can play. Want to relax and sit at dinner a little longer? Bust out the cards from your purse. We always pack a pack or 2 of playing cards (War, Go Fish, Gin, Speed, etc). Then we love Uno because it’s something ever age can join in on. This set is my favorite for travel because it comes in a zipped case. Then we recently discovered these waterproof Uno cards which are fun for the pool or beach. Two other card games that we love on trips are Guess in 10 and Spoons.
Stickers and sticker sheets are an easy thing to bring along on a trip. A few years ago, I discovered these packs of sticker activity sheets that are my #1 favorite for restaurants when we travel. There are SO many out there and I have a stash and mix it up. Here are a few of my kids favorites that I have gotten over the years:
- Make A Face Sticker Emoji Stickers
- Make a Dog Face Stickers
- Make a Pirate Stickers
- Make a Fire Engine Stickers
Have you tried Soppycid reusable water balloons? We tried them last summer and were hooked. They’re awesome for travel because they take up barely any space in the suitcase and are hours of fun in a pool, lake or beach. Soppycid also comes with a little mesh travel bag so they are 100% ready for a trip!
If you are going on a trip that involves the beach or a lake, I highly recommend these two items. These nets that lay flat and are super light are easy to pop into a suitcase. After I searched stores in Italy a few years back because all my kids wanted were nets for the beach, it’s something we always pack now. The shell bags are also easy to pack and perfect for hours of collecting shells on a trip.
All of my boys will spend hours with cars. They don’t play with them a ton at home so it’s a fun novelty when we travel. A roll of roadway tape and you are set. We’ve even added road tape to an airplane tray table.
Magnetic Checkers/ Tic Tac Toe
Checkers is a family favorite and we always bring one on trips. We like this magnetic set because it also includes tic tac toe. We’ve also used this set which is under $10.
For kids that enjoy building Plus Plus Blocks are a great toy to toss in a carry on because they come in a tube and light and easy to travel with. There are generic sets and sets to build specific things,like dinosaurs or this airplane set that’s a favorite for trips. There’s also this fun set that comes in a zipped case if you prefer that over the tubes.
My kids love taking photos on vacation (I wonder where they get that from?). We’ve had cameras before for the kids but they really like having them print right away to put in their journals. One year we tried bringing an Instamax but it was SO bulky and ended up falling and breaking in a museum. For our trip to France I invested in a Kodak Printomatic and it was a huge hit. The kids loved using it and we have the cutest photos. We’d take photos throughout the day and then they’d add them to their journals at dinner. Right now it’s on sale for $53.99 which is the lowest I have ever seen it.
We started doing this years ago when a kindergarten suggested it when one of the kids was going to miss a week of school. Since then it’s become one of my favorite things to entertain them with at restaurants, on trains etc and then make the BEST souvenirs. They add photos and collect stuff to put in them during a trip. If we leave a museum and they want something in the gift shop: they each pick a postcard or sticker. We collect things during the day and they add them into the journals. We have train tickets, restaurant napkins, you name it, they save it and tape it into the journal.
For cute ideas on journal supplies and creating a summer journal, find @jordan.and.co on Instagram and she has a whole highlight reel of details and links.
Storage Must Haves for Travel
Also, a few go to storage container sets for traveling with kids. These bags are awesome and I like the variety of sizes. For $15.99 you’ll be able to organize everyone’s carry ons, luggage and have bags to use while you’re there too. For snacks (or candy!) these are great little trays for the car or plane.
So who’s ready to plan a trip with the kids?!
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