Planes, trains and automobiles: Whether your family is traveling cross-country or simply going to the shore, the city or Grandma’s, getting there typically entails a lot of sitting still. Alas, most children are not model travelers. They thrive on entertainment — and plenty of it — and we parents don’t want them tied to screens for hours on end.
Bringing the right toys and activities can be a game-changer, so we’ve compiled a list of fun options that are easy to find in stores and online (and perhaps are already in your home).
With price points that range from free to fairly inexpensive, you and your kids can experiment, exchange with friends and readily replace anything that gets lost or left behind.
Books for story time and play, especially lift-the-flap or pop-up editions for younger kids. Comic books and paperbacks are light and easy to store, and in many family-friendly places, you can leave them behind and pick up someone else’s.
Coloring books and blank notebooks, along with crayons, markers, colored pencils, gel pens and the like, are tried-and-true winners. Water-based activities like Melissa and Doug Water Wow or Crayola Color Wonder are mess-less alternatives.
Sticker books, another long-time favorite, are available in every theme imaginable. Don’t forget refills and specialty stickers, including puffy, colorable, holographic, vinyl and oversize varieties for smaller hands. Window clings are a cool variation that also travel well.
Magnetic toys can be ideal for travel since pieces stick to each other, allowing colorful creations to withstand bumps in the road and a little turbulence in the air. Children can also use these with other metal or magnetic toys or items at home, at the hotel or anywhere they go.
Fidget toys that push, pull, click, stick, stretch, squeeze, spin and more appeal to both children and adults. They provide sensory stimulation, reduce anxiety and keep little and bigger hands busy.
Petite and packable classics are travel-perfect by design. Littles will enjoy colorful busy boards and soft-shape sorters while older kids play Uno and other card-based games and mini versions of Boggle, Connect Four and even Hungry, Hungry Hippos.
Road games for long drives — and short ones — are timeless. Try I spy, the license plate game, 20 questions, Would You Rather?, name that song or road trip bingo. Wing it or prepare in advance with homemade or pre-purchased cards and kits.
Non-toy toys are definitely a consideration. Gear from home, or on planes and trains, like headsets, pillows, blankets, cups, straws and utensils, can be used for pretend play. If you’re comfortable with it, the same can be said about adult-packed items like clothing, hats, hair ties and inexpensive jewelry. And don’t say we didn’t tell you: snacks, snacks, snacks!
