Travel Activities for Preschoolers.
Julia, then two-years-old, with her Melissa + Doug puffy sticker set.
Buckle up, readers. The holidays are fast approaching and travel season is upon us. You’re probably excited about the prospect of getting out of town and seeing family. But if (like me) you have young children, your anxiety levels are rising as your brain works through questions like, “How will I not lose my mind during this epically long car ride to Grandma’s?” or “How can I possibly entertain my kid on this cross-country flight that involves (sigh) a stopover?”
We can’t promise that your children won’t scream, cry, or have epic meltdowns. (Spoiler: those are all but guaranteed when traveling, especially during the holidays when everyone’s emotions are a little off kilter.) But we can offer some wisdom in the form of tried-and-true travel activities that will assist in keeping your children engaged.
ARTS + CRAFTS
DOODLE BOARD. This LCD writing tablet for kids is the perfect learning companion for car rides and plane trips alike.
DOODLE STIGS. Got a mini artist who loves to create? For your next road trip, you’ll love this value pack that contains 640 waxed yarn pieces in 13 neon colors.
FLOSS + ROCK CONSTRUCTION MAGNET MULTI PLAY. This all-in-one set will entertain for longer than average with its 20-piece magnetic puzzle, four color-dry pens with erasers, pop out play pieces and a coloring section. Plus, it comes travel ready in a flat case with a handy carry handle.
FLOSS + ROCK WATER CARDS + PEN. A variation on the classic Water Wows, these kits each feature a water pen and 10 reusable cards with words, numbers, or scenes to color in.
MELISSA + DOUG WATER WOW! BUNDLE. The original mess-free coloring that you—and your children—will love.
PLAY-DOH PARTY BAG. We always throw a mini Play-Doh into our bag to break out whenever times get tough. This set comes with 15 fun-size canisters in bright colors.
SUPER SMALLS DIY CROWN + TIARA KIT. Calling all royalty! I rolled my eyes when my daughter picked out this $31 kit at a store this past summer, but I was pleasantly surprised by how much she delighted in the process and the end results—our whole family wore crowns for days. It’s fun and easy and includes 300+ stickers as well as 5 foam crowns and tiaras.
BOOKS
POKE-A-DOT BOOKS. Everyone from my two-year-old son to my nearly four-year-old daughter loves these books that have buttons to pop on every page. The Night Before Christmas, linked above, is especially perfect for this holiday season. The full-size books are bulky, though, so best suited to road trips.
POP-UP PEEKABOO! THINGS THAT GO. Who doesn’t love a lift-the-flap book? Our children are continuously fascinated by this one that explores vehicles of all shapes and sizes.
RICHARD SCARRY’S BOOKS. We are obsessed with Richard Scarry books. The illustration! The detail! The entertainment and creative storytelling is endless.
ELECTRONICS
AMAZON FIRE KIDS TABLET. This best-selling tablet is an essential for any family on the go. (I’m thanking my lucky stars I snagged ours at nearly 50% off during the Prime Early Access sale). It is fully kid-proofed with a rubber case, 2 year worry-free guarantee (Amazon will replace it if it breaks), includes 1 year of complimentary Amazon Kids+ programming, and has parental controls via the Amazon app. Don’t forget a pair of volume-limiting bluetooth headphones and a color coordinating zippered sleeve that stows it all.
HABBI HABBI SPANISH STARTER SET. One of the coolest ways for your kids to learn some Spanish vocabulary, all without a screen. Simply turn on the magic reading wand and tap anywhere within one on the five books, and it will vocalize the word in both English and Spanish. I wouldn’t try this on a flight—less you plan to disturb your fellow passengers—but this would be golden on a road trip.
TONIEBOX STARTER SET. Another road trip gem, the Toniebox audio player provides a screen-free listening experience for children of all ages. Even your youngest will be able to place and remove their Tonies with ease, hopefully resulting in fewer tantrums and parental gymnastics from the front seat. This starter set comes with favorite characters like Winne-The-Pooh, Buzz Lightyear, Playtime Puppy, and more. We like the coordinating headphones, which fit nicely with the Toniebox and up to 6 Tonies inside this travel bag.
GAMES
BRIARPATCH FIRST 100 WORDS MATCHING CARD GAME. Your preschoolers will love the brightly colored cards and the opportunity to show off their vocabulary skills.
BRIARPATCH I SPY TRAVEL CARD GAME. An ideal game to keep kids entertained on your next road trip!
CHRONICLE BOOKS TARO GOMI’S GO FISH GAME. A classic card game that children as young as 3 can learn to play. We especially like this set’s colorful illustrations.
MELISSA + DOUG FLIP TO WIN TRAVEL MEMORY GAME. An old fashioned memory game that includes seven themed cards (like the farm or the zoo) to keep your preschoolers—and even you—engaged.
MAGNETic toys
FLOSS + ROCK MAGNETIC DRESS UP CHARACTER. I can’t even count how many hours my daughter has spent dressing up her Zoey character. Each set features a thin wooden doll, a reversible backdrop scene, and 40 magnetic pieces that can be mixed and matched, all bundled nicely in a travel friendly box.
MUDPUPPY MAGNETIC DRESS-UP KITS. One of our top choices for entertaining the kids while dining out, these Mudpuppy kits are also perfect for traveling. Each magnetic tin comes with two illustrated scenes and a few sheets of magnets for dressing up your figure of choice.
MISCELLANEOUS TOYS
CRAYOLA SCRIBBLE SCRUBBIES. Nurture your child’s desire for taking care of pets—in a totally mess-free way—with these travel-size figurines that your child can color before scrubbing and washing clean.
FIDGET POPPERS. This rainbow two-pack provides soundless soothing. Your airplane seatmates will thank you.
HOT WHEEL 5-PACK. A Batman-inspired five pack for your little car enthusiast. Toy cars are great for the imagination on road trips and airplane rides alike.
ROAD TRIP ESSENTIALS
KENLEY KIDS TRAVEL TRAY. This is genius! A kid sized tray that buckles around the car seat, giving them a wide and sturdy surface to play, eat, etc. Plus, this one comes with a transparent table pouch and tons of pocket storage.
SMOF CAR SEAT ORGANIZER. You cannot be an octopus while driving. Repeat to self. Save your arms and invest $29.99 to get this car storage box that includes multiple pockets, adjustable dividers and handy cup holders.
STICKER BOOKS
MELISSA + DOUG PUFFY REUSABLE STICKER BOOKS. My children have each been working on these since they were just shy of two-years-old; the puffy stickers are easy for the littlest of fingers to grab ahold of. (See photo above.) This three-pack comes in a variety of styles so you can choose whichever themes appeal most to your kids.
PETIT COLLAGE STICKER BOOK. This giant fold-out sticker book features a double-sided scene and three sheets with over 100 reusable stickers.
ROGER PRIDDY FIRST 100 ANIMALS STICKER BOOK. A colorful activity book with over 500 stickers that will keep your children engaged and help build vocabulary.
