I have done my fair share of traveling with kids.
Our first flight with our daughter was halfway across the country when she was only 8 weeks old.
Traveling with Kids is Unpredictable so You’ll Need a Plan
While we were taking off, my sweet girl had a massive blow out (all the way up the back…). Thankfully, we had a nice women sitting next to us who laughed as we scrambled to change her, but I’m most thankful for being prepared that day!
Here are my favorite tips and activities for traveling with kids plus the essentials that you don’t want to forget to pack!
This post contains affiliate links to show you the items that we actually use and love on the road! You can find our disclosure policy here.
Activities for Traveling with Kids
- Make a matching pole with something we all have lying around the house (or hotel room). | Testy Yet Trying
- Or, make a sticker matching pole with seasonal stickers.
- Use our favorite traveling books (Melissa and Doug Water Wow books) to make a no-mess watercolor pen!
- Grab a box and make a travel kit for kids. | Daily Mom
- Print out your own road trip bingo sheets. | Moms Minivan
- Make your own brain teaser for older kids. | Skip to My Lou
- Create a binder out of zippered pencil pouches and pack them full of activities on the go. | Kids Activities Blog
- Or, get inspired by this activity binder, too. | Mama. Papa. Bubba.
- Make a play mat to take with you on your trip.
- Let kids draw all over your face. Literally… | All for the Boys
- Make your own velcro sticks for endless play. | Desert Chica Ramblings
- Check out this easy, portable twist on the i-spy game. | Meet the Dubiens
- Make your own magnetic puzzles. | Amy Agimudie
- Take the classic memory game with you when you travel (love how soft this is). | Kids Activities Blog
- Grab some felt and sew a marble maze. | Serving Pink Lemonade
- Take legos with you with this adorable kit. Your kids will thank you. | Mama. Pappa. Bubba.
- Or, use legos to make picture puzzles. Genius! | I Can Teach My Child
- Keep it really simple on the airplane with this no-mess art activity. So creative! | How to Be Awesome at Everything
- This isn’t for airplanes, but it’s the perfect diy magnetic tray for the road! | Sunny with a Chance of Sprinkles
- Turn your empty spice jar into a fun fine motor activity on the go. | Kara’s Classroom
- Keep your felt scraps and make a quick button snake. | Activity Mom
Although the activities listed above are mostly DIY ideas, here are a few must-have Amazon purchases that I never leave the house without.
7 Must-Buy Activities for Traveling with Kids
- Magic Grow Capsules – ask for a small glass of water on the flight or throw a few in an extra water bottle for the kids to watch. They are a lifesaver waiting for food at a restaurant, too!!
- Wipe Clean Books – These are FABULOUS and should be the first thing that you buy for 3+ year olds on your trip. There are tons of activities that you can do with a dry erase marker and then just wipe them clean to do again. Geinus!
- Reusable stickers – we used these stickers on the airplane windows and the airport windows (they don’t leave residue) as well as the scenes that they come with. The packs are BIG, so if you are flying with them, I would recommend cutting each page in half (as best you can around the stickers) and rolling the scenes up like a map and storing them in a bottle holder on a backpack or diaper bag. MUCH easier than taking the whole thing…
- Paper & pens – somehow, I always forget these, so I’m including this one!
- Kid’s Headphones – these were perfect for both my 2-year-old’s and my 5-year-old’s little ears and they have super cute designs. If you have more than one child, don’t forget to grab a headphone splitter so that the kids can listen at the same time!
- Kid’s Luggage – both of my kid’s had their own luggage this last trip. It might seem like a bit of a pain, but they each had their own activities packed, snugglies (what we call stuffed animals), a blanket, headphones (see above), and an extra jacket. When I was pulling both at the same time, I stacked the two pieces of luggage on top of each other like hamburger buns and held both handles so that I could roll both at once. You have to roll them while the kids sleep, but otherwise, it’s great to have something that’s ‘just for them’ on the trip!
- M & M’s or BIG Lollipops – I’m not one for bribing or giving my kid’s candy (seriously), but when you’re sitting in an airport parking lot at 1 am or you’re stuck somewhere because traveling is unpredictable, I was SO grateful to have a stash of these M&M’s that no one knew about but me! Lifesaver!
This post contains affiliate links.
When you’re traveling with kids, you want to be prepared for the unpredictable. So, be sure to pack these basics as well
8 Essentials for Traveling with Kids
- First aid kit and fun band-aids
- Huggies Wipes – they’re not only great for diapering but amazing for cleaning hands and surfaces, too.
- Sunscreen
- Nail clippers
- Small snacks (squeezer applesauce {or if you’re brave enough, fill your own reusable squeezers!}, trail mix, crackers, etc.) along with these small trays (aff link). They work great for little projects on the road/airplane, but we also use them to give snacks to our kids in the car or the plane!
- Extra jackets (can be used for blankets/pillows in the plane or car)
- ‘Snuggly’ or their favorite stuffed animal
Prepping for Traveling with Kids
If you’re nervous about traveling with your kids, just know that you’re not alone. I’ve traveled with little ones many, many times. Some good, some TERRIBLE!
Leave a comment below if you need some encouragement or inspiration OR find me over on Instagram where I’m always sharing new, simple activities for kids.
You’ve got this!
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