We find the easiest way to pack for a trip is to keep every list you ever make when you pack (you are making one, right??). I keep an Excel spreadsheet, with a basic packing list - each member of the family gets a column, and a vertical list of things to pack. Each time we go on a new trip, I copy and edit to meet the needs of the specific trip. After a while, I just have to print "RV Trip for one Week Packing List" (or whatever) and go, fine tuning and adding any revisions or notes after the trip! It's a little work to get started, but once you get that first one typed in, I PROMISE, it will save you time, and save you from forgetting things.
Here are a few things on our packing list for a plane trip, thankfully, this one was a non-stop, 2.25 hour trip, so not a ton of stuff we need to pack for the plane trip itself (although, my boys LOVE to pack way too many things in their TRUNKIs!)
The Packing List: a few things we can't do without on a plane carryon (and this is NOT complete, just some top items not to be forgotten, in our opinion)
recloseable bags: for loose pieces, unfinished LEGO building, unfinished snacks, wet stuff, you get the idea
extra set of clothes (kids and you): we've gotten away from this lately as our boys are 5 and 8, and tend to have less accidents and spill, so I'm probably jinxing myself by saying this! But totally recommended especially for new parents!
Games: Card Games, Watergames, handheld/self-contained games (try not to use that SMARTPHONE, unless really desperate)
Toys: we always struggle for games that have longevity on trips, we find the Magnetic GoGames really good, along with the Yes & Know Ink Games, basically something that has variety, and can offer a range of entertainment levels Pen/Pencil activities: one can never fail with some paper and pens, markers or crayons, invaluable
Books: either for the kids to read on their own, or interactive books for younger (nonreading) travel companions
Multi-Use Craft Tray: THE ticket to not losing your things to the floor on the plane or during unexpected turbulence
Another line of products that sticks out in my mind from the NY Toy Fair, is a craft kit company called The Little Experience. They have just arrived at KidsTravelHappy.com, and we feel they will be very popular.
Here are a few things that we really like:
The kits are complete, meaning, buy a kit, and you won't need anything else to assemble it. For example, if scissors are needed, they are included.
There are many different levels of kits, from kits for the the 3-8 year olds, to kits for those 8-12, and some in between.
There are things to stitch, glue, create, and knit.
They are great for girls and boys.
The packaging is irresistibly cute, economically priced, and recyclable.
When the project is completed, there's a new friend to take along.
Most importantly, for our site, they are perfect to take along! They are also perfect for a rainy day, to give as a gift, or for homeschooling families.
Here are a few of the kits (click on the image or kit name for more details and pricing)
Personally, I'm not sure the twos are so terrible, BUT, just in case you may be having a difficult time with a 2-year old in your life, here are some things that may help cure them (at home OR on-the-go), at least for a while! Rainbow Stacker: this simple, classic wooden toy from Melissa & Doug has 8 pieces to stack, sort, and help teach colors. Big on fun, small enough to take along anywhere! ($7.99) Bead Maze: This Cactus Bead Maze from ImagiPLAY is just the answer for those long waits at the Doctor's office or a restaurant - move the beads around, count the beads, name the colors, make up stories about the desert! ($12.99 ON SALE for $8.95) also comes in a Palm Tree version
Wooden Vehicles from Maple Landmark: these Mini Monster Wooden Cars are perfect for little hands and safe for those 6 months and up. There is no paint, just natural wood. Many BIG adventures for these MINI monsters - also comes in Bus and Truck versions - collect them all (only $4.99 each)
PlanPreschool Teddy from Plan Toys; most kids young and old have plenty of plush teddy bears, but this wooden companion is pose-able and sized for small hands. Constructed to be safe for those 19 months and up. It takes teddies one step further! (17.95 ON SALE for $11.95)
Rub a Dub School of Fish: Fish-shaped cup fun from Alex Toys. No child should go without stacking cups with endless play opportunities including TUB play. The many colored, many sized cups lend themselves to stacking, nesting, counting, color recognition, and our kid's favorite, crashing the stack over! (only $10.99)
See, those 'terrible' twos' energy can be redirected to fun, interactive, and educational fun. Easy! (?)
We LOVE these games from Melissa & Doug, as they have NO loose pieces and are self-contained (well, there is a 'loose' dry erase pen for the Hangman....)
WHY? you may ask.... First of all, in reference to all games generally
all are easy to take on any trip (who says you must learn about states and capitals WHILE driving ONLY?)
wooden, quality toys
educational
More Specifically...
Flip to Win HANGMAN: Classic word game with a twist! Think of a word and try to stump your opponent. Includes one game board with erasable whiteboard, self-storing dry-erase marker and eraser. No loose pieces (except for the dry erase pen & eraser lid)
Flip to Win Memory Match: Choose from among fourteen fun themes, slide a card into the gameboard and start looking for matches. This handy memory game includes one game board, seven double-sided game cards and a two-player scoreboard. There are no loose pieces and everything conveniently stores in the board
Flip to Win License Plate Game: Add excitement to travel with this sturdy, reusable classic travel game from Melissa & Doug. Learn the name and location of all fifty states, identify states by their license plate design or simply plot your trip by flipping the states along your route...this is truly fun on the go! No loose pieces to leave a trail! Can be played by one or more players. Backside of license plate has state capitals (cool!).
TRY one out on your next trip (or rainy day!) and you'll be 'flipping' before you know it!
NOTE: To follow, we give you some FREE activity suggestions, BUT also see end of this blog post on how to save 20% off everything on our site thru the end of October (sale items included), in honor of the 1st year anniversary of www.KidsTravelHappy.com~!
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We've all been there. We've packed everything we needed for the trip, but somehow neglected the most important items. Things to keep the kids entertained. Bummer.
We thought we'd let you in on a few activities to do with items you probably brought (by default) but then we'll also suggest something that would have made the activity easier, and perhaps more fun & exciting for the child(ren).
1) One-two-buckle (tie) my shoe... Have a young one that needs practice with shoe-tying. Have them take off a shoe, or better yet, give them an adult shoe, and let the practicing begin. It's helpful if one adult (or older sibling) can demonstrate this task while the younger one attempts it. The KTH alternative: check out the Tie-Up Shoe from Plan Toy. It's wooden, colorful, and easy to use on a lap or travel tray. Child not quite ready for tying? Use it as a lacing activity.
2) Along the same theme as #1, preschoolers can practice such tasks as zipping, snapping, buttons etc. depending on what they and family members are wearing. THE KTH alternative: We think that the Award Winning Dress-Up Princess is a much more fun way to teach all those skills, as the buttons are large (better for small hands, less frustrating that tiny 'adult' shirt buttons), the zippers have 'big' teeth, the snaps are manageable, and the doll makes a perfect, colorful, huggable travel companion! 3) Perhaps your kids are a bit older and have the 'snapping, tying, buttoning' tasks down. There are always the pad of paper (or scrap, or bank deposit slip, or receipt...) and pen(cil) games. Hangman, Tic-Tac-Toe, draw a scribble and then have the child try to make it into something. The KTH alternative: Go Games from Magnetic Poetry make all of the classic paper and pen games a cinch, and don't waste all of that paper! One of our favorites is the Magnetic Hangman. For the scribble and draw, we like the guided, independent nature ofSquiggles on-the-go with a range of themes from colors & shapes to Squiggles On-the-Go Outdoor.
4) You ball up your jacket, sweater, extra shirt and hand it to your sleepy child. Or, perhaps (if you are at all like me), use it to prop up the infant's head who's neck seems to get in an ergonomically inappropriate way, even in the carseat. This is definitely the economical choice. The KTH Alternative: Uglydolls. What you say? Well, they are so Ugly, they really are quite CUTE, and the original sized Uglydoll is not only a kid favorite take-along stuffed friend, but makes a fine, soft, crushable pillow. OR, perhaps a ladybug or a frog is more appealing to you and your child? Check out our kid-sized neck pillows (they are even on SALE!_ - a friend and a pillow. Very cute (and, not ugly at all!)
5) Lastly, here's a game that admittedly, could be played in my handbag. "Find-It", meaning, can you find the penny? the lip balm? the keys? a pen? In the bag? The KTH alternative: The (real) Find It Games, "a contained adventure" that will have your kids (and you) shaking, manipulating, searching and checking them off the list. Make up games with it, time each other, challenge each other to find something within a certain period of time. Comes in Kid Version, Original and Beach themed. For those a bit younger (3 and up), the I Spy Bagsare just the ticket , as they are more malleable, made of fleece, and easier to find the items on the sewn-in list on the back. Either choice doesn't have any loose parts, and lots of fun packed into a safe 'container.
Well, we can't give away all of our secrets in one month, but thanks for reading!
We also want to note that we are celebrating ONE YEAR of KidsTravelHappy.com, as we launched October 20th, 2009. We are not hosting a giveaway on this BLOG this month, but we want EVERYONE to win by saving 20% off any order now through the end of the month (and, with our FREE shipping deal for the month of September, this is a GREAT deal). Just use Coupon Code "Celebrate1" (that's a number ONE at the end, and please do NOT include the quotations), in the coupon code spot at checkout. Thank you for your support!
Magnetic Poetry is traditionally thought of as something fun to clutter up the refrigerator (unless yours is stainless steel, in which case, this will be of particular interest!). Well, if you are inspired to purchase a set for your fridge, that's fine, but we are going to explain how they are a great travel toy (yes, small parts, so NOT for those under 3!). The key piece to the 'fun with Magnetic Poetry on-the-go' however, is the addition of a Magnetic Board. We carry them in two sizes 9.5 " x 12" (best, in our opinion, for all modes of travel, as it fits easily in a standard-sized kid's backpack) and 12" x 16" (a larger surface, more suited for vehicle travel or home use, or rig it up on a stainless steel fridge and NOT feel out of the loop!) We carry a variety of Magnetic Poetry items for kids (click on any photo above for more details) OR, see all of our Magnetic Poetry Items HERE
ABC 123 has over 1" square pieces with single letters or numbers on them, great for those early spellers
Adventure Storymaker (and there's a 'regular' storymaker set too) is the perfect set for those ready become a magnetic 'author'
sets that help teach a language (Spanish or French)
"in other words" teaches synonyms
first words and REALLY BIG words are similar, the major difference being that the REALLY BIG WORDS are physically larger pieces, and more easily maneuvered by small hands. The Really BIG Words also come in their own ready to go tin!
the Monsters & Cuties set has pieces to make funny 'cute' monsters, for those not wanting to construct things with words, letters or numbers
Well, we don't want you to entirely have to take our word for it. We want someone to WIN their choice of any of the kits on this page, along with a Magnetic Board, and FREE STANDARD SHIPPING to any U.S. address. (And, if you care to order anything else, we'll extend the FREE SHIPPING offer to the entire order!)
What do you have to do to enter the GIVEAWAY? Simple. Just leave a comment below (if the comment box is not showing, click on # comments)=with your email contact (spell it out if you don't want it to link, for example folks@kidstravelhappy.com = folks at kidstravelhappy dot com). We want to hear which set you would want and why, or tell us what your 'magnetic poetry' story would be about. Each of the photos are linked back to our site so you can check out more details of each.
Thanks for playing and good luck! Winner will be announced on June 1st!
I can honestly say I have no recollection of where I saw this (You Tube, linked from some other blog or forum? my apologies to the original idea 'generator'), but thought this bit of advice was hilarious...
It went something like this;
Before boarding a plane with a child (or children), purchase a variety of $10 gift cards. When you are settling your child and/or family into their seats, hand out gift cards to any other unsuspecting adult in a seat adjacent to yours. The idea being, now you, the parent/guardian of a potential meltdown, spiller, seat kicker, etc.. now have the upper hand in making peace with those around you. I thought that this idea was brilliant, along with the suggestion that one traveling with a family always boards a plane with a handful of foam ear plugs (they are MUCH cheaper than the gift card option), and similarly, hand them out to those seated around you.
The problem with this approach, however, is that it does nothing for the entertainment of your child or children. That's where Kids Travel Happy comes in.
Here are a few ideas really inexpensive ideas from our site that we are pretty confident you will get many miles out of (literally)! click on item to see more info on our site - Water Games $6.95: adults will remember these games. Best of all? They come empty, so bring them through airline security, and fill up once through!
- Fifteen Puzzle/Frog Slide Puzzle $9.95/$4.95 (respectively); the frog puzzle is designed for 4-5 and up, and the fifteen puzzle is great because it comes with a travel case and a booklet with 40 or so other games to play
- NAMiTs Flash Cards on a ring: $7.95 - Junior, Original, and Challenge Versions: compact and durable, these ringed flash cards provide over 150 categories for naming, and brainstorming, award winning and developed by a mom in Maine
- Are we THERE yet? (Auto and/or Air editions) - cards in English and French to keep you bilingual and keep you and your family entertained for travels by car or plane. Many of the activities are "I Spy" themed - perfect for layovers, rest stops or en route.
- FUN on the RUN: 324 Instant Family Activities (BOOK) $8.95: perfect for car rides, doctor's waiting rooms, restaurants - an 'essential travel tool'
- Set of 2 Sandtimers: 1 minute and 2 minute times $3.50 for the set: we've had lots of fun with these, how many things can you spot in a minute, or, do you need the 2 minute timer?? Make up your own games and watch the time sift by!
- Word Rally: a word Search Game, $1.95 A handy little game, self-contained, pair it with the sandtimers, and have a timed, fast-paced word search game!
- Caterpillar Spillers set of 7, $5.95 - stack, sort, nest, count, connect, NOT your ordinary stacking cups (AND great for the toddler bath!)
There are many other fun, inexpensive items on our site, you can search by 'under $10', or browse the entire range of items. Many fun and high quality products at all price ranges.
First of all, for those of you hoping for a 'food/snack' oriented entry (surely one of those will come later), sorry, but this one is about the stuff you put ON your fridge.
Don't you love magnets? Do your kids have letters, numbers, photo frames, and other stuff (we even have a marble 'run' on ours)? Well, why not pack some of that stuff in a reclosable bag and bring it with you? Of course, you need a place to put it all, and we've found that there are very inexpensive options, much lighter the refridgerator door!
Magnetic Boards provide a fun way to create one's 'Magnetic Poetry' on-the-go. Our site has collected a bunch of fun, kid-oriented magnetic activities to do on a packable 9" x 12" magnetic board, or upgrade to the Jumbo version at 12" x 16". Magnetic Poetry even provides a 'journal'-type board that opens to nearly 17" x 11" (AND, comes with a 100 word starter 'kit' to get the stories 'flowing').
Our kids love their magnetic animals, dinosaurs, and words to take along a trip and make up stories (pictoral and literary). Magnetic activities provide a new and exciting option for travel, just make sure you have a bag, container or tray to contain the spare 'parts' while the masterpieces are being created.
There are also magnetic dry erase boards, but we've found that they tend to have weaker 'magnetic pull' than the non-dry erase versions, and the dry erase markers can get a bit messy 'on-the-go'.
OK, we’ve all done it, gotten desperate during a long travel day, and handed a child the cell phone, on and ready to go, and let him/her push buttons for as long as it remained effective. Then, mysteriously, next billing cycle you’ve realized that you are now signed up for all kinds of new (and expensive) cell phone services. (well, this didn't happen to my phone, but to my mom's, one time when she was entertaining my kids....oops, I probably owe her!) Or, maybe it was your wallet, purse, your secret stash of M&M’s? All of those things that are totally off limits in any other situation, but somehow free game during travel.
Through my travels with my husband, and 2 young boys (2.5, and 5 years old) we have found that providing them with brain-engaging activities makes us all much happier, and 'saves' the adult's phone, handbag, and other items. We also have found that the kids have much more fun when there is a 'play surface' for their activities.
This concept has developed into our website called http://www.kidstravelhappy.com/, where we offer 7 different lap tray and lap desk options, and then hundreds of toys, games, books and activities that are indexed according to the type of tray, age, brand, mode of travel and more. There are even options for layovers, rest stops, rainy days and things to do at the destination.
Most items on the site are not traditionally categorized as travel activities, which is what makes them all that much more exciting. The incorporation of a tray opens the travel activity options to a wide selection of unplugged, creativity inspiring, educational activities, toys, books, and games for the young traveler (and some cool stuff for the adults too!). We hope you are able to use the site and have your “kids travel happy”. Heck, you may even get to read that book you always bring along!
So, please join us here weekly for in depth information on some of the products we carry (and why we think they are great for travel), as well as tips from things we've learned from travel pre- and post-kids.
