Travelling with kids can be a wonderful adventure, but it can be a struggle to keep their minds focused. Every parent has this struggle, but it’s not an impossible task. We understand that challenge and wanted to create a list of activities to keep your kids busy and make the family trip a blast. Here are six easy activities to take along your journey to keep your children entertained and educated at the same time.
1. Travel Bingo
How to Play:
Create bingo cards featuring common sights specific to your travelling journey. For a car trip, include items such as “red car,” “traffic light,” and “road sign.” For flights, add “airplane,” “snack cart,” and “security checkpoint.” When your child spots an item on their bingo card, they can mark it off. The first to check off everything on their lists wins!!
Why It Works:
Travel Bingo keeps children observant and engaged with their surroundings, turning the journey into a fun game. It makes every journey a more memorable experience, and it encourages them to look out the window and pay attention to their environment, making time pass more quickly.
2. Storytelling Relay
How to Play:
Start with a single sentence to begin a story. Each person then takes turns adding one sentence to the story. The narrative can be as silly or as serious as you like, depending on the mood and creativity. We’d recommend something like “There was a lady on a beach”… and go from there.
Why It Works:
This activity encourages creativity and collaborative thinking. It’s a great way to bond as a family and requires no additional materials, making it perfect for any travel situation. An even better thing about this game is it can end whenever you like. It could end after an hour, or last the entirety of your trip. It goes as far as your creativity can take it!
3. Portable Art Kits
How to Play:
Pack a small kit with crayons, coloured pencils, a small sketchbook, and some stickers. Children can draw what they see, create their own travel journal, or decorate a notebook. They can collect and stick in items they collect along the way, like tickets, receipts, shells from the beach and everything in between!
Why It Works:
Taking a portable art kit encourages creativity and provides a quiet, calming activity that can be done anywhere. It’s a wonderful way for kids to document their journey and express themselves artistically. It builds their memories, gives them an activity to do throughout their trip and brings a greater affinity to their time away!
4. Audiobooks and Podcasts
How to Play:
In the digital age of 2024, it’s become so easy to download and listen to whatever content you’d like wherever you go. While away on a family trip, downloading age-appropriate audiobooks or podcasts before your trip is a must-do! Mix and match different topics and genres to keep your children interested and give them several options across your journey. Bonus points for anything holiday related!
Why It Works:
Audiobooks and podcasts bring value with entertainment and education. It allows your little ones to take their eyes off screens for a little while, but still feel digitally connected. It’s a soothing way to pass the time, especially during long trips. They can also listen along while still doing other activities too!
5. Scavenger Hunts
How to Play:
Create a list of items you’re likely to find wherever you’re going. Things like a massive leaf or a pretty seashell work perfectly, as small little collectables that are common enough to find.
Why It Works:
Scavenger hunts keep kids engaged and give them something to focus on besides the length of the journey. It turns travel into an exciting adventure as they eagerly search for the listed items, adding a sense of adventure and fascination. You can even combine this with the travel journal to make the scavenger hunt even more memorable!
6. Interactive Apps and Games
How to Play:
Download a few interactive, educational apps or games that do not require an internet connection. Look for games that touch on problem-solving, maths, language and other fundamental skills needed for young people.
Why It Works:
Technology can be a great tool for keeping kids entertained, especially in short bursts to maintain their interest levels. Apps with fun games to keep their minds sharp and learning on the go is a certain way to make the most out of their downtime.
These six activities are designed to be flexible and enjoyable for kids of various ages, making any travel experience more pleasant and less stressful for everyone involved. Whether it’s a short drive to the beach, or a trip abroad this summer, you’ll have a full list of ideas to keep your little ones entertained throughout the whole time, all whilst making amazing memories along the way!
