Entertaining young kids while traveling can be a challenge. Portable electronics, books, and toys can help to pass the time, but those often only last for a limited time. Below are some interactive ideas to help beat travel boredom!
Travel Tickets: Before you leave, make tickets. Give your child a bag full of pre-counted tickets. Every 20 or 30 minutes, they can turn in 1 ticket to you. When the tickets are gone, you’ll have reached your destination!
Surprise Packages: Fill small opaque bags with things such as small toys, books, stickers, and snacks prior to leaving. These bags can then be given at certain times, landmarks, or points on a map.
Mini Racetrack: Using a shoebox or the top of a file box, draw a racetrack. Bring along Hot Wheels type cars for racing fun so your child can race them around the track
Animal Sounds: Take turns making and guessing animal sounds. Say the sounds and ask your child to name the animal or say the animal and ask your child to say the sound. Then have them quiz you. If you have flashcards, you can show pictures and ask for the name and sound. Be creative with coming up with animals.
Cookie Sheet & Magnets: Bring along a cookie sheet and magnets. You can find alphabet magenets and likely other ones at the dollar store. The tray can also be used for snacks and games.
Color Search: Name a color and have your child find things of that color. This game would be a bit challenging on a highway with infrequent stops, but would work well going through towns or a city.
Play Peek-a-Boo: If your child is very young, hide your face behind a book. For a toddler, hide a small toy in different spots in the car. You’ll be amazed how many “hiding” spots there are for small toys that are still within sight of your child.
Sing Songs: Bring along music to sing along to or just use your voice. If your child is old enough to sing along, encourage them to do so. Songs with finger play (such as Itsy Bitsy Spider or Wheels on the Bus) are especially fun.
Simon Says: This is a classic game we all know how to play that can be played anywhere, even when strapped in a car seat. This is great body part identification for toddlers.
I Spy: Identify something you see and then say “I spy with my little eye ………. “. This can be things you see outside or inside the car, and can be a general or specific as is appropriate for your child’s age.
Do you have any travel activities that have captured your child’s attention and helped pass the time?