Screen-Free Tips for Traveling with Kids

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Summer vacation is upon us, and if you are like most families, you will probably be taking a trip at some point over the next few months.  Are you looking for a few screen-free ways travel ideas to keep the kids entertained in the car?

traveling with kids: screen free travel tips

 

 

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Art Supplies —  When I’m packing for a car trip with kids, the first thing I make sure I bring to help keep the kids busy in the car is art supplies.  I’m talking basic stuff here:  spiral notebook (or a clipboard with computer paper), stickers, and crayons.  When it comes to crayons in the car, I always pack these twist up crayons, that way if they get lost in the hot car, there is less chance of melting issues.  As for stickers, I put some in a baggie and then tons of extras in another bag.  This way I can restock the sticker supply as needed when we stop for bathroom breaks, etc.   Another hint when it comes to stickers:  if your little one has trouble peeling them off on his/her own, peel off the background sticky stuff, leaving just the stickers on the sheet.

Books — We always have books in the car, but when we are traveling I make sure to add a few of their favorites and their LeapFrog TAG books, too.   I also add a couple hidden picture books.  They have these in a wide variety of topics and for all ages.  For younger kids, look for ones that show you a picture of what your are searching for on each page.

Magnets and Cookie Sheet — And, that brings me to the next thing I always take while traveling:  cookie sheets and magnets!   (Word of advice:  make sure the magnets stick to the cookie sheet ahead of time.  One year I grabbed a cookie sheet that wouldn’t work with magnets, and I had one unhappy child!)  To decrease the chance of fighting over magnets, I divvy them out ahead of time in baggies.  I have 2 complete sets of ABC and number magnets.  I also have a new magnetic dress up doll I got for a dollar at the dollar store and some car magnets.  Want to take it a step further?  Make a few simple backgrounds on some paper for them to use.  Better yet, bring some plain paper and they can make their own backgrounds while traveling!

Cookie trays also make great inexpensive drawing boards or play surfaces.  They are perfect to drive small toys cars on while traveling.  (Got to have a few small cars or my son won’t be a happy traveler!)

Water Books — Just about every kid loves to play with water.  And most kids like painting, too.  Why not combine the two in a fairly mess-free activity for car travel?  I originally found a couple Water Wow books at Big Lots for a few dollars each.  They were such a hit that I picked up a few more by Imagine Ink (I think they were $6 each) at the book store.  Definitely worth it!  I just fill the water pens up ahead of time and put them in a ziplock bag, ready to go.  When the kids finish “painting” a book, I take and set them on the floorboards to dry, and they are ready to paint again in no time!  Since it’s just water, the biggest mess you’ll have is the amount of water in the small water pens — if they just squeeze it everywhere instead of painting with it.  (Aquadoodle is also a great way to paint with water in the car!)

Still don’t like the idea of water pens in the car?  There are a variety of other books that allow you to color with special markers that don’t mark on anything except the pages in the book.  (We love this Suprize Ink one.)

 

Doodle Boards — Small Magna Doodle boards and Etch-a-Sketch boards are also a big hit while traveling.

Odds and Ends — Then there are the “odds and ends” I’m bringing on vacation this year.  I have Post-It Notes, ready to be drawn on and then displayed on windows, the ceiling, or the kids themselves.  There are small cans of Play-Doh, which they can mold into a variety of shapes using those cookie sheets as a table.  Pipe cleaners can also be fun for kids to bend and create their own people/animals.  Finally,  tangrams are always fun.  The kids can use these on the cookie sheets to build a variety of houses, cars, animals…whatever they think of!

 

Snacks —  Make sure to have plenty of dry snacks on hand:  dry cereal, goldfish crackers, pretzel sticks, raisins. Snacks like this don’t make a huge mess and are easy to vacuum up later.  And, as long as you are giving out snacks, why not make an activity of it?   Stick a few pipe cleaners and dry cereal in a baggie and they can string their own snack bracelets!

screen free travel with kids

Now you’ve got over 10 screen-free ways to entertain kids while traveling.   

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Comments

  3. Magnets work so well in the car! I know this sounds silly, but I gave my three year old a cheap box of tissues, and he pulled them all out and thought it was hilarious. He did it several times. Totally worth the dollar it cost me!

    • Doesn’t sound silly to me at all!
      Whatever works when traveling! Mine have pulled tissues out at home; I just stuff them back in and figure they’re just as good! 🙂

  8. We are going on a road trip this month and I have been trying to think of what the kids might enjoy doing in the car. Thank you for all of the great ideas! I like the idea of splitting up the supplies into individual bags.

    • And you can find some cute magnets! Or, even make them yourselves if you print off the computer and glue them to magnet backs.

  14. I’m visiting from the Montessori Monday Linkup. Thanks for the tips! We’re taking a road trip with our 3 kids in a couple of weeks. I’m definitely going to use the cookie sheet and magnets idea!

  15. Thanks for sharing these! I hadn’t thought of how very useful a cookie sheet could be on a long trip! I’ll definitely be employing that strategy soon!

  16. I always travel with my kids almost every weekend. I love the idea about keeping books in the car. I think I need to keep several book in the car so that I don’t have to find and bring one every time we go travel.

  17. Great idea for the little one! Right now, we’re entertaining him with Power Rangers or anything with fishes, turtles, etc. on youtube while we’re driving. When he gets older, we will definitely use these and store in the car. Thanks so much for sharing with us @ My Favorite Posts SHOW OFF Weekend Blog Party!

    Jessica

  20. Congratulations! Your post was featured at the Mommy Monday Link Party. Please stop by to grab your “I’ve Been Featured” button and link up again!

  21. Brilliant! I need ideas for our upcoming 11 hour drive to visit the grandparents. Did you find the magnetic dress up dolls at the Dollar Tree, and was it recently? My girls would love, love them!

    • I found the magnetic dress up dolls at the Dollar General, for a dollar. They seem to have them every time I go, or something similar. 🙂

      Have a great trip!

  23. This is very similar to how I travel with the kids. I don’t have a tablet or a portable DVD player, so keeping them entertained with activities and books is key!

  24. Great ideas. We’re actually heading out of town tomorrow four our first trip of the summer. I avoid stickers now though because there are still stickers stuck to my one window that I need to scrape off sometime. Safe travels this summer.

    • LOL — Yes! Stickers tend to do that! We had a strict rule that they could only go on paper…but I do have a few that somehow wound up on the windows… 🙂

      Have a great summer!

  25. These are great! I’m definitely going to look for some magnet books and I’m “stealing” that Cheerios on pipe cleaners idea too. Even if my daughter doesn’t make the bracelet, the snack alone will keep her happy for a bit. 🙂

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