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Since my kids were toddlers, I’ve regularly purchased new activity books for them before long plane trips or road trips. Pulling out a surprise activity to occupy them in the backseat, during a long layover or while being delayed on the tarmac helps keep everyone happy – including Mom! Here are some of our family favorites:
Activity Books for Toddlers & PreschoolersI’ve been known to pick up simple-word board books at the grocery store when I’ve been running late in packing for a trip. But if you have some time before your next vacation, I recommend ordering Stickers! An Activity Book from Seven Footer Press. Two- and three-year-olds will need help peeling and pressing the stickers onto the pages (oh, who am I kidding; they’ll probably try to eat the stickers). So, this is not a “do-alone” activity for youngest travelers; but four- and five-year-olds could likely manage alone.
My all-time-favorite activity book company is Chicken Socks collection on the Klutz website; some activity books and kits are better for traveling than others. For example, the Melty Beads book wouldn’t fly in my book, as I don’t need beads flooding the backseat of my minivan and the designs need to be ironed to complete. But Totally Tape and Amazing Lacing would be great.
Activity Books for School-Age KidsOur family copy of Family Travel: A Kids’ Backseat Survival Kit, also from Klutz, is falling apart (pictured above). My children have done most of the activities, art projects and games in the 100-page game pad. My 11-year-old daughter received Klutz’s Cat’s Cradle as a gift several years ago, and still plays with the looped string. Other favorites include the Made You Look book, TripTivities, the Klutz Book of Inventions, The Only Coloring, Puzzle, Game, Dot-to Dot Activity Book You'll Ever Need and The Slightly Odd United States of America. Truly, you can’t go wrong with most of the Klutz books designated for travel for kids ages 8 and up.
Rand McNally also makes several inexpensive ($3.95) activity books kids aged 9 to 12, such as multi-state road trip last summer – education and fun!
Activity Books for the Whole FamilyI really like the book Miles of Smiles: 101 Car Games & Activities, first printed way back in 1993, then reprinted in 2002, but still available on Amazon.com. I pulled this out when traveling with my mom and mother-in-law last year, and all three generations enjoyed giggling at jokes, saying funny tongue twisters and playing memory games that are detailed in this slim paperback book.
My family has fallen hard for Family Edition - to keep on our dining room table. We pull out a couple of cards to read each night. They definitely keep the dinner conversation lively!
Photos by Kara Williams.
Do you have any favorite activity books or games to help pass the time while traveling? Let us know in the comments!
I've got a cross-country flight to take with two young boys in August. This list will come in handy!