Traveling with children is a real challenge because it requires you to leave your comfort zone. No matter how much you plan to enjoy a peaceful and relaxing vacation, adventure is guaranteed. The more children you bring on the trip, the more excitement and action there will be. Experienced traveling families already know this, but the most difficult time to travel with a child is between the age of 9 months when they become squirmy and mobile, and the age of reason bargaining, cartooning and snacking at around 18 months.
Here are some ideas to keep your kids entertained without using electronics while you travel.
1. Story Telling Time
Storytelling opens children’s eyes to new worlds. It allows them to learn new ideas and information. Without realizing it, they are learning valuable life lessons by listening to an engaging, exciting story. Reading and storytelling to babies and children promote brain development and imagination, as well as the development of language and emotions and the strengthening of relationships. You can read on occasion. You can also look at picture books, sing songs, or tell stories from your culture from time to time.
2. Magnetic Travel Games
The advantage of magnetic travel games for children, teens, and adults is that the pieces stay in place better than their traditional counterparts. You must still be cautious not to lose the pieces. Many of these games do not include extras, so if one goes missing, your game is over. This offers a fun way to keep kids entertained during travels so don’t miss to bring one along with the must-have items for traveling with kids to ensure a flawless vacation.
3. Make Them Excited
Make your child excited about the trip by flying in an airplane. Telling your children about the exciting things in the destination you’re going to, reading books, looking at maps, and watching movies about your travel destination are all great ways to get them excited. Older children who helped plan the trip will be more pleasant on the flight. Always reminding them positively about the trip, as well as keeping them up to date on what’s going on around them, is a good way to keep them entertained. Prepare them for flying by discussing with them what it means to ride in an airplane or any other vehicle. Explain the enjoyable aspects, such as watching movies, flying, eating special meals, and visiting new places. Inform them of their limitations, such as the need to sit quietly and be respectful of other passengers.
4. Avoid High in Sugar Food and Snacks
During the flight, only bring sugar-free snacks and a variety of healthy snacks for your child. Sugary snacks can cause them to be hyperactive which will cause you so much inconvenience while the healthier snacks will keep them full allowing you to buy more time while on a plane or long car travel. This is one of the important things to know when traveling with kids of all ages which will greatly guide you to plan a seamless trip with them. You can distribute these snacks at specific times throughout the flight to avoid running out of food. Bring water bottles and milk that comply with TSA regulations. Limit your children’s water intake when traveling with multiple children to reduce the number of bathroom trips.
5. Show them Relax
Relax! When your children see you as calm and serene, they are more likely to relax and enjoy themselves during the flight. You can reduce the number of things on your hands. Because you are already bringing a lot with you on your trip, show them that you are not stressed while traveling by setting an example.
6. Window Seat
Children enjoy sitting in the window seat. When you reserve one, you can buy window clings and peel-off stickers for your child to decorate the window. These stickers peel off easily, leave no residue, and can be moved around. You can encourage your children to use their imaginations to create a story and scenes. Allow them to be creative as long as you can supervise them, waiting for them to tell you what they want to do and recommending an exciting trip that they will never forget.
7. Create a Fake Wallet
How many times has your child spent hours playing with your wallet or purse? Why not create your own version for a trip? Fill an old wallet with used gift cards, photos, blank coffee shop loyalty cards, old hotel keys, and other trinkets that will keep them entertained for hours. This is one of the most effective ways to keep a child entertained on a plane and it’s free!
8. Memory Game
This easy-to-make travel memory game is ideal for taking on your next road trip. The biggest challenge of traveling with kids is keeping them occupied. The more enjoyable things to do and play, the less likely you are to hear the dreaded “Are we there yet?” phrase. Pre-schoolers will enjoy the fun challenge of matching the shapes, and you will appreciate the quiet, mess-free play and learning.
9. Magazines For Kids
There is a wide selection of magazines for toddlers, preschoolers, and older children. Pictures, short stories, and activities encourage even the most reluctant readers to read. When traveling, magazines can be a good way for kids to unwind with a good story on their own time. It also gives them something to look forward to and relax about.
10. Dinosaur Pack
Bring a dinosaur pack with a variety of dinosaurs from which they can choose which ones to play. Researchers believe that a child’s instinct for curiosity and discovery is the source of a dinosaur obsession. Dinosaurs are a fun way for kids to learn about science. Their young minds can comprehend that these enormous creatures once existed without having to comprehend mathematical principles for example chemistry.
11. Animal Spotting
Who can spot the most animals on the trip? Any moving or once moving creature can be counted: deer, livestock, birds, you may ask them to name specific types, roadkill, and even sun-dried insects caught between the dashboard and windshield. Make it as competitive or as non-competitive as the situation requires; perhaps offer a small prize to encourage everyone to participate. You might even appoint someone to keep track of who said what, so you know who gets the prize at the next rest stop.
12. Make a Travel Journals
Travel journals are ideal for entertaining young children and serve two functions. For starters, they can help to generate excitement and give children a reason to begin learning about their upcoming destination. In preparation for a big trip, children can start filling them out by making lists about what they will pack and the activities they hope to do. They can also log their travel itinerary information and begin a section on unique facts about your vacation destination. As a family, you can research details like what the flag looks like, what languages are spoken there, and what the weather is like ahead of time.
13. Musical Instrument Toys
The most popular instrument for children to learn is the guitar. Many people idolize and want to be like their favorite popular musicians. The guitar, like the piano, is a great foundational instrument with the added benefit of being able to learn familiar songs while traveling. These small musical instruments, which include a metal or wood guitar, a flute, a harp, a harmonica, a whistle, a violin, a trumpet, and a ukulele, can entertain children while they travel.