Editors of Adams Media - Kids Activities for Traveling: 25 Boredom-Busting Ideas for Tons of On-The-Go Fun!

Kids Activities
for Traveling

25 boredom-busting ideas for tons of on-the-go fun!

Adams Media, a division of F+W Media, Inc.

Avon, Massachusetts

Contents

Introduction

As the parent of a young child, you have a unique role and opportunity. Studies show that early home life and experiences have the strongest impact on a childs development and future success. You can add fun, learning, and enrichment to your childs life every day with activities. Smart activities can also make your own life easier by entertaining your little one without large amounts of materials or advanced planning. There are many reasons why you may choose to do activities with your child, and theyre all good ones.

Since traveling with a little one can often be a difficult and trying experience, its important to have a repertoire of stimulating activities for those times when youre on the go whether youre in the car, at the airport, in a hotel, or even out and about at a zoo or park! The right activities will help nurture creativity and imagination while also teaching your child effective communication strategies, and deepening the bond between the two of you. Plus, fun activities make the time go by much faster, and youll be much less likely to end up with an unhappy, bored child!

Here, weve collected 25 of the best traveling activities for young children and toddlers to try any time youre away from home. Some activities are games, some are small arts and crafts projects that can be done on the go, and others are simply old favorites re-imagined. Most of the activities are quick to pull together, and require few if any specialized materials. And all of them, regardless of what type of activity they are, are sure to entertain your little one for hours of fun wherever you are!

Name That Tune

This activity will help develop your toddlers listening skills while passing the time.

Activity for a group

Age group: 3040 months

Duration of activity: 20 minutes

Activity Materials

None

1. One person softly hums a familiar tune, such as Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star.

2. The person who guesses gets the next turn at humming a tune.

Buzzing Bee

This activity is meant to help children with separation issues. You can dream up many potential variations. For example, you can be the moon and your child can be a spaceship. Or perhaps you are a gas station and your child is a car.

Activity for an individual child

Age group: 1830 months

Duration of activity: 15 minutes

Activity Materials

None

1. You are the flower, so you sit or stand in one place.

2. Your child is the bee who can buzz all around you and return for pollen!

What Is Happening?

Art exhibits do not have to be boring for your children. Encourage your child to use his imagination with this activity. You will also be developing his vocabulary and literacy skills.

Activity for an individual child

Age group: 1840 months

Duration of activity: 1 hour

Activity Materials

None

1. Find pictures that depict people. Abstract or still life paintings will not work for this.

2. Ask your child to make up a story based on what he sees. Maybe your child will have a new idea about why the Mona Lisa is smiling.

Handy Dandy

Here is a new version of a simple game.

Activity for an individual child

Age group: 1840 months

Duration of activity: 5-10 minutes

Activity Materials

A small object of your choosing

1. Show the child both of your hands. Place a small object such as a coin or a piece of candy in one of your hands. Remember, dont let your child have the object if she is still putting things in her mouth.

2. Put your hands behind your back, and tell your child that you are moving the object from hand to hand.

3. Close your hands into fists and bring them back to the front of your body. Hold one hand higher than the other.

4. Recite the following poem and ask your child to guess which hand is holding the object:
   Handy dandy midley moe
   Which do you pick, the high or the low?

5. When your child picks the correct hand you can either give him the object to keep or let him take a turn at hiding it.

Story in a Bag

Here is a way you can spark your childs creativity and encourage her to create her own stories.

Activity for an individual child

Age group: 3040 months

Duration of activity: 20 minutes

Activity Materials

Paper bag

5-6 objects of your choosing

1. Place five or six common objects into a paper bag. Suggested items include keys, a bell, a comb, and a flower.

2. Have your child remove the items from the bag. You can either have your child look at all of the items at once, or have her remove the objects one at a time. Help her create a story incorporating these items. For example, One day a man heard a bell ring. He combed his hair. He used his keys to lock his door and he took a flower to his friend.

3. Consider having your child draw illustrations for her story. Alternatively, write down her story so that you can reread it together.

Play Phone

What better way to get your child talking and build vocabulary than to have her use the phone?

Activity for an individual child

Age group: 3840 months

Duration of activity: 15 minutes

Activity Materials

Toy phone or powered down cell phone

1. Encourage your child to pretend to call a friend or loved one. Your child will probably not need much encouragement. Dont be surprised if she carries on full conversations, imagining the other persons part.

On the Road

Here is a fun way for your child to play with his toy cars in the car without losing them under the seats. When your child tires of roadway play, he can also use the tray with magnetized letters and toys.

Activity for an individual child

Age group: 1840 months

Duration of activity: 25 minutes

Activity Materials

Cookie sheet (or other metal tray that magnets will stick to)

Toy cars

Adhesive magnet discs

Masking tape (optional)

1. Attach the magnets to the bottom of the toy cars.

2. Let your child drive the magnetized cars all around the tray.

3. If desired, help your child use masking tape to outline roadways on the tray.

Favorites

Help pass the time by engaging your child in this simple game. As a bonus, this activity will help your child with categorization skills and will enhance his vocabulary development.