Are you going on vacation either by plane or car and need some fun things for the kids to do so you aren’t constantly hearing, “are we there yet?!” I found some fun items the kids will love!
You also might be struggling with allowing them to bring their iPads, tablets, or phones. In my house we say no electronics while on vacation.
It’s a struggle for my 8-year old. Last summer she actually thanked me for making her look out the car window. A few days earlier she was singing a different song. She had a tantrum because she could not bring her iPad. My husband and I were of course the WORST.PARENTS.EVER! 
The thank you came as a shock and a reinforcement that we are making the right decisions.
How can a child pass the time in a car without any electronics? Here are some suggestions…
- play travel games ( I’ve got you covered on this
; ideas for you down below) - fight with sibling
- listen to the radio and sing
- talk to the parents
- stare out the window
- daydream
What do you want your kids to remember from their vacation? Seeing nature, historic landmarks, the conversations they had with you, etc., or looking down at their electronic device (the same thing they do at home) while the world passes them by?
There is so much to see out the window!
This is what memories are made of? Isn’t this part of the reason we go on vacation?
Here is a list of 15 items that are fun for the car or plane and are not electronic. No batteries or charging cables required. These are great even for the everyday car ride or to take to a restaurant, doctors office, or any other place where waiting is required. I also included two items to make traveling more comfortable and a bit easier to play these games.
Travel Games for the Car or Plane
This post contains affiliate links which means that, at no extra cost to you, I earn a commission on your purchase through these links. I only recommend products that I use, truly love, and excited to share!
Mad Libs on the Road $3.44. This was one of my favorites as a kid. My daughter has started to have fun with them.
“Mom, I’m Bored” Children’s Activity Book $10.99, ages 3 & up. 22 activities. The pages are dry erase so your child can do the pages over and over again.
The 50 States: Activity Book: Maps of the 50 States of the USA $6.74. This book is full of state trivia, stickers, maps, dot to dots, and other activities.
Regal Games Original Travel Bingo 4 Packs $7.99. This gets packed every time we go on a road trip. It is a favorite in our car!
Kid’s Trip Diary $8.99. This is not a blank book, there are prompts to help the kids start writing about their trip so they won’t forget their vacation.
Ideal Magnetic Go! Chess Travel Game $7.22, ages 5 & up
Ideal Magnetic Go! Checkers Travel Game $9.00, ages 5 & up. This game also includes Tic Tac Toe
Wikki Stix For Doodlers
Molding Sculpting Sticks $4.38. These are made of knitting yarn and food-grade wax. They are reusable and will not break or tear apart but cut easily with scissors. Use them to create anything your mind can imagine and press them together to make your creation 3-D.
Magnetic Fun – Cars Planes and Trains ages 3 & up, $9.30. Your little one will stay busy building city and sky scenes with this magnetic toy.
Magnetic Drawing Board Mini Travel Doodle $12.99. This is sure to keep your kids busy. I bought my daughter one of these for her first plane trip and it kept her busy and happy for hours. This is one of her favorites.
Goplay Magnetic Four in a Row ages 6 & up, $8.99.
The Everything Kids’ Travel Activity Book $7.10. This big book is sure to keep your kids occupied. It is loaded with puzzles, activities, quizzes, games, and songs. The activities can be done alone or with others.
Write and Wipe Games To Go! Activity Book $12.00. This book is full of mazes, wacky math, story fill-ins, code breakers and more. It is constructed of sturdy laminated paperboard and includes a write & wipe pen with eraser for reusable fun. There are 17 pages of fun activities for 1 or 2 kids to play.
Hidden Pictures Discovery Activity Zone $2.62, ages 5 & up. This workbook for preschoolers and kindergarteners has 32 exciting hidden picture puzzles. It sharpens visual discrimination and object recognition, the ability to discern objects against a background, even a busy one–sometimes called figure ground perception. These types of skills are important in learning to identify letters and numbers.
A Couple More Items
Critter Piller Kid’s Travel Buddy and Comfort Pillow, Brown Dog $9.99. Keep your kids comfortable in the car. This pillow is great to cuddle with and is designed to cradle your child’s head. So, no more neck pain when they wake up.
Premium Kids Car Seat Tray $24.45. This tray is a good foundation for your child to use with the games above. It provides a stable surface. The travel organizer tray incorporates stretchable mesh pockets, elastic drink bottle holders, flexible straps for technology / tablets, and multiple storage areas for pens, crayons, books, coloring books, pacifiers, and toys. You can use it in a stroller, car, airplane, train at home, or in a restaurant. The walls and pockets are easily detachable to make cleaning easy or if you just don’t want to use them. The tray can be easily stored away since it can be flat packed.
I would love to hear if you let your kids bring their electronics on trips. Leave a comment below.
1 Comment
I already your 3 games from your article, but I will try all, Great article and thank you for sharing.