Toddler Travel: Activities

I think we all know how this begins… travel is wonderful, but toddlers are (often) not. And the journey to wherever you are going (and back home again!) is often the most fraught and trying part of the entire adventure. But with a bit of prep and a LOT of patience, you can definitely feel more prepared and ready to handle what comes your way. And, as I often remind myself, even if all your prep and planning fails and chaos ensues, the plane will land, the car trip will end and you will most likely never see 99.9% of the people you encountered again.

So if your toddler insisted on licking the airport carpet during a pandemic, or threw up almost non-stop during a seven-hour drive, or screamed so long over Ohio that the flight attendant strongly encouraged you to have some wine, I see you, I send you a big hug, a deep breath, and my best toddler travel activities.

Activities: Here is where you can get creative and where it really pays to plan ahead. A semi-secret trip to the Dollar Store or Target and some pre-trip mom magic (i.e. the wrapping fairy) will go a longggg way when you’re on a long-haul flight or your two-hour trip to grandma’s suddenly turned into an all-day ordeal.

I like to have a few tried-and-true favorites at the ready as well as pack a few “surprise bags” with small new treats and snacks. I like to individually wrap little new items and add those with a few snacks in a brown paper lunch bag. When things get desperate you can pull one out. Make it a big production. Guess what’s inside, color on the bag, unwrap things one at a time… deep breaths, you’ve got this!

Here are some items that pack well and provide quite a bit of busy time for active fingers and minds:

  • Small figurines, trucks, etc.

  • Write-on tablet

  • Puffy stickers

  • Polly pocket

  • Magnetic blocks

  • Metal lunch box with magnetic letters

  • Window clings

  • Post it notes / Washi tape

  • Coloring books and crayons

  • Small playdoh kits

Snacks: hangry toddlers are a thing and they aren’t pleasant… plan ahead!

  • Baby: baby food is allowed through TSA so now is the time to bust out those pouches you’ve been hoarding, baby puffs, teething crackers, small tupperware containers of frozen leftovers (they will defrost nicely in transit!), the GOAT — frozen peas. Also, don’t forget a water bottle or cup of choice. Just avoid anything your little one hasn’t had before to avoid any unnecessary stomach upsets.

  • Toddler: make it fun and a bit novel, but still healthy if you can. Cut veggies and fruit, cheese and cheese sticks, crackers, toddler energy balls, freeze-dried fruit and granola bars if you’re in a pinch. I also pack some toddler lolly pops for takeoff and landing, just make sure you watch them closely for potential choking hazards.

  • Older kids and adults: I love to pack a big bag of cut veggies, a few apples, hard-boiled eggs, oatmeal packets, protein bars and powder, some chocolate, and a few types of rice cakes or crackers. Most travel food isn’t great and is wildly expensive, so I’d rather lug a big bag of food than not.

Games: For verbal toddlers, this opens a whole new world of things you can play to keep them entertained.

  • I spy…

  • Count to…

  • Find the…

  • Tell me a story about…

  • What do you think is happening there…

Good luck and happy travel!

Family, TravelDanaComment