Traveling with Children this Summer?
COMMENTS FOR THIS GIVEAWAY ARE NOW CLOSED.
Thank you to all who shared a travel tip! I was amazed at all the wonderful suggestions our readers shared for traveling with children.
As a result of the large number of entries received both here on Moon Child and on Instagram, we chose TWO winners!
Congratulations to Meredith Baldwin (no relation) who won one of the Travel Baskets for sharing the following tip:
Travel tip: go to the bathroom before you leave 😉
I stapled a bunch of blank pieces of paper cut down to a smaller size for little children and told them to “write stories” by drawing pictures or using stickers and to tell me what was going on in their story. (They couldn’t write yet)
You can play this game: every person takes a turn saying a word or two going around to create a story. My girls LOVED a version of this when we made up quick fairytales-each person getting a turn.
Amanda Gregg @wholenessmom was the Instagram winner of the second Travel Basket.
All Moon Child readers are invited to SAVE 10% off all items our Travel Games and Toys Collection through July 31, 2017 with coupon code: TRAVEL10. Valid only on in-stock items, while supplies last.
Enter Our Summer Giveaway to Win this Basket of Travel Games, Art Supplies, & Crafts!
Last week on Moon Child I shared my “Top Tips for Stress-Free Travel with Kids.”
This week, Bella Luna Toys is delighted to host a giveaway for a basket full of exciting games, art supplies, and crafts that will make traveling with children a lot more enjoyable.
This exciting travel tote includes one of each of the following:
⭐️ String Game from Sarah’s Silks
⭐️ Children’s Card Games Set
⭐️ Travel Bingo Game
⭐️ Bag of Crayon Rocks
⭐️ Box of Stockmar Modeling Beeswax
⭐️ eeBoo Jumbo Double-Sided Colored Pencils
⭐️ Quick-to-Knit Scarf Kit
⭐️ Rainbow Covered Woven Lunch Basket
TO ENTER
Earn one entry for each of the following actions:
- SHARE A TRAVEL TIP: Receive one entry by sharing your own travel tip or leaving a comment in the Comments section below this blog post.
- FOLLOW + LIKE TO WIN: Follow Bella Luna Toys on Instagram and like our Travel Goodies Giveaway photo by double-clicking on it.
- TAG FRIENDS: Receive one additional entry for each friend that you tag in the comments section of our Instagram Travel Goodies Giveaway photo.
Entries must be received by midnight PDT on Saturday, July 22th, 2017. One winner will be selected at random and announced on Sunday, July 23th, 2017. By entering, you confirm that you are 18+ years of age, release Instagram of all responsibility, and agree to Instagram’s terms of use.
Happy Travels and Good Luck!
Enter our giveaway by sharing your own travel tip or leaving a comment below!
210 Comments
Lots of snacks ( some special ones they don’t get very often included), paper on a clipboard to draw, books on tape, i spy/where’s waldo books, stickers, wrapped new books, find it tubes, and frequent short stops or planned hikes a few hours into the trip to tire them out!
We pre-pack meals and snacks in a cooler so when we stop, the kids can just focus on getting some energy out instead of sitting some more and eating.
Individually packaged snacks, a few new books, and water wow books would be wonderful additions to a travel bag for kids.
Our favorites have been audiobooks, regular books, drawing/coloring, and games which involve finding items along the road (license plates, alphabet , etc.)
Definitely books. Though we also keep a few toys just for use in the car to keep them a bit more exciting – felt shapes for creating felt pictures, magna-doodle like toys, etc.
Having everything in a small travel backpack for each child. It is within reach.
Keep an old quilt in the car for impromptu picnic breaks. Great giveaway, thanks for the chance to win!
If at all possible, we try to travel at night when our little ones are most likely to be sleeping. When we travel during the day, we make sure to rotate toys. We have a basket on the floor behind their (rear-facing car seat) with alternate entertainment options and then also have a basket between both car seats within reach of both of them so they can pick and choose. We also like to play I Spy!
We use pads of paper (so pages don’t go everywhere) to draw in and a tiny stuffed animal to join on the adventure. Sometimes we have cheap, but new or new to them toys that will divert attention and preoccupy them in case of plane turbulence (which can be upsetting). Gum or chewy candy for ears, of course.
They like having their own backpacks with access to their own little games, etc. It makes them feel in control of their own good time.
Extra set of clothes and swim gear! Oh–and a big blanket whatever outdoor activity comes up, from picnics to taking a nap!
We used stickers and magnetic tins that included movable “scenes” on our most recent trip with a toddler.
We bring along yarn and do finger crocheting to make a long “rope” that then gets used in various ways for decoration or bundling things. The kids pass it along from one to another, adding different colors.
Love this!
A covered cake pan or homemade drawstring bag (each child’s choice of fabric ), with reading book, word search book, mad libs, coloring book, small action figures, snacks, markers/highlighters, and a map of where we are going to highlight as we go, score pads for I Spy and license plates, juornals to write in at night or at stops, Zip lock bags for found treasure, Washi Tape for journals, stickers, and, a small pillow and stuffy. Bonus points if pillowcase is designed or made by child! Each box is custom made and has items either new or only allowed for special such as church. You could also make travel portfolios instead of the box, but beware liquids! I made double sided drawstring bags which were well received
We bring snacks, books and plenty of good music for long car rides! Sticker books are also a hit!
I’ve been known to switch car seat positions half way through on a really long trip – the change of perspective seems to break up the time on a day long drive.
We enjoy listening to Lamplighter Theatre. The stories really engage our children’s minds.
Lots of books, stickers, crayons and paper to color on, and the gel window clings to decorate airplane or car windows over and over!
New things the kids have never seen, small bits to keep the hands busy, and a few fun facts about the travel and where you are going!
We recently took a long flight to Europe, we travelled at night close to their bedtime and dressed them up for bed,traveling with slipper socks and their favorite blanket. We had prepared their own backpacks with a small toy, new paperback books and their favorite snacks(lots of oranges as the air can get dry on a plane and lentil and nut banana bread to keep tummies full without the sugar spike). I also packed a blank pirate map to fill out the landmarks as we flew over countries.
I’m sure this has a formal name to it, but we’ve just begun to practice joint storytelling on long car rides. I begin the story, my sons adds to it, then I add to it, then he adds to it, and so forth. Pretty soon, my son will be off on his own, creating stories without anyone else’s “help” or input. Very fun and rewarding and no advanced preparation required!
Pipe cleaners and beads! Kept 3 and 5 year old occupied during a 10 hour epic car trip!
We always have a pillow in the car to make naps more comfy and last longer!
Sing alongs, make up stories using scenary and lots of snacks can help lessen stress of long car rides!! Or any long trips for that matter ! Love your blog Sarah !!
We sing and rhyme back and forth about the sights we encounter on the road.
Having a stash of musical toys- like shaky eggs or a harmonica. I like to keep them hidden and pull out when the boredom really hits.
My son loves reading books in the car and we always have plenty of snacks. I spy books are great!
We like to sing songs and let my two year old choose the subject of the next refrain. Monsters on the Bus got a genuine belly laugh from the back seat!
We place books in between the car seats and snacks in front and on the sides. Activity books and sticker books are great as well as stories on CD our girls pick out ahead of time from the library.
For trips by air:
– Some new creative small toys in a box help to keep my very active 3y.o. busy for a while. For example dress up dolls or small animal sets;
– Favorite books;
– Storybook Torch, we use the one from Molin Roty. It projects a colorful story when pointed at the wall, my little one loves it;
– Coloring and sticker books;
– Large wool shawl to use as a blanket if it is chilly
– Extra set of clothes for all of us;
– Natural disinfectant to clean the surfaces that my toddler and my baby will touch
Back an extra outfit for yourself and your little one in your carry-on, just in case.
On our recent trip, we used a small 6-compartment tackle box to put snacks in for each kid. That way they could have a variety, but in small proportions and I could ensure they had healthy options, as well as a treat. It wasn’t refilled until they finished what they had, so I knew they weren’t just eating an entire bag of potato chips without my noticing.
Snacks, sun hats and sweaters are always in my car. Long car rides have their lap blankets and a jug of water to refill their bottles.
Books, small games, snacks for in the car/prepared foods for a picnic stop. Get out energy at a playground or rest stop to explore. Look at the map together and have them look out for specific street signs to show progress made. Dr. Seuss or other favorite books on CD.
We have done many cross country trips starting when our first daughter was four. We have found that Audiobooks, regular books (new ones they have not read yet), lots of snacks, and a lap desk with paper and pencils/crayons has been enough to keep our girls going!
When flying or taking a long train trip with a little one in diapers, we dress them in leg warmers instead of pants. It makes diaper changes soooo much easier in public restrooms and tiny airplane bathrooms – no clothes to wrestle on and off; just off with the old diaper and on the with new one!
Combine that with babywearing through the airport and travel is a breeze. We also pack a little mini-bag of everything we need on the plane so that I’m not trying to dig around for things in a diaper bag under the seat while holding a baby in my lap. When we board, we throw our bag under the seat and tuck the little baby supply bag into the seat back pocket for easy access throughout the flight. Makes a big difference, especially when traveling alone.
For our children we like to give them an visual itinerary of sorts that I print off, so that they can see what we are going to do and be prepared for it mentally. It takes a little bit on my part, but it is totally worth it. The kids are more calm when they don’t go into something blind and they can begin to look forward to the trip. Also we listen to audio dramas that are appropriate for their age like Lamplighter Theater.
Stopping when you pass a play park, some great finds made that way and really makes a journey worth remembering. If travelling really far, go a day before and stay overnight somewhere.
Our best travel successes have been when we packed our own snacks and lunches, and stopped at parks (or at least rest stops with places to play) for at least an hour. We all get to stretch our legs and enjoy a bit of nature before we got back into the car! Also, never rush. Vacations are meant to be fun!
The best travel tip I have is to make sure everyone is buckled in properly and bring tons of books 🙂 I spy is another fmily favorite!
We always fill their canteens with water and don’t allow any other drinks during travel. That way, there are less bathroom breaks with little ones. Also, we take turns letting the children choose which song they want to hear and keep several playlists with all of their favorite songs.
Whenever possible, we like to start our road trips while it’s still night. They sleep half the trip away!
Audio books are great! And interesting stop along the way, maybe a park for a walk or some play during longer trips.
We go to the library and stock up on books on CD (audio books). These distract the kids and they all get wrapped up in stories. Hand crafts for older kids, colored pencils and paper, and picture books for little ones help, too. Sometimes some quiet novelty busy toys help. Our nine kids can survive a 12 hour car ride with only a few stops for gas, snacks, and restrooms as long as they have enough to keep them busy!
have your child’s favorite Song ready to be played!
Pack good food, not just snacks. We like to make calzones for the kids to eat in the car (no dipping sauce!). That way we can stop at parks along the way and use the break just to get the wiggles out.
Also, a chamberpot and screw top container have proved priceless for those moments when someone has to go NOW.
One of our (currently) favorite games in the car is the “alphabet search” game. Whether looking for the letters themselves (on street signs, license plates, etc) or looking for things that start with each letter (apple tree, bicycle, etc), this game really helps the time and miles fly by — and also keeps us looking out the windows to appreciate the view of our surroundings. It can be collaborative (all working together) or competitive (everyone on their own list), and is full of possibilities for variation. While we usually work through sequentially (you have to find “a” before you can find “b”), you certainly don’t have to. Even the grown-ups have enjoyed our alphabet search adventures!
Look up old car games (I Spy, License plates – states, alphabet) and mad libs are great for the older kids!
Threading toys and some new books (Elsa Beskow’s lovely fairy tales!) helped our toddler through a trip earlier this year.
I tend to overpack on books, and love easy snacks packaged for each child–water, snap peas, grapes, little tomatoes, pretzels…. Love reading everyone’s tips!
I have many see-through zippered pencil bags full of different kinds of toys/activities like: lacing, sea animals, mini trains, coloring and stickers, etc. I pack a mini (magnetic) doodlePro, the bags and books in a heavy duty canvas bag for my toddler.