Bop it to 'Em

They weigh less than a pound (including the box!), pack easily, and pack a LOT of (somewhat) safe PUNCH!  Hours of fun with these Soccer Boppers from Schylling Toys - a classic toy that has withstood the change of times.

They come as a pair (although the box shows a friendly 'match' of 2 pairs) and can be taken anywhere or used for all kinds of fun BOPPING at home!  We suggest taping out a 'ring' and letting kids have fun with the boppers.  Make up your own rules to keep things fun and safe, and we suggest adult supervision.

These make a great holiday gift for a kid or for those that are kids at heart! 

A fun way for kids to take out their frustrations:  let them punch the couch, put up your hands as target - endless ways to avoid them taking it out on their siblings! 

Chess - Perfect for Kids On-the-Go

Keep your kids UNPLUGGED with these Chess sets. The Kids Book of Chess Set and has everything needed to develop the next Grand Master.

• game board showing each piece's move
• sturdy pieces with storage box
• easy to follow instructions
• fully illustrated

Don't want to set this up for travel? Study the book and get a magnetic chess board to withstand sharp corners or a little airplane turbulence. This Chess set from Magnetic Poetry has small but secure pieces, and zips for safe transport. Case measures approx 6" x 6" x 1.5" and fits in any travel bag, or the pocket on the back of a carseat. These also make great games for gift giving, play at home, rainy days, or teacher classroom supplies.

Check out MORE magnetic games HERE.

A small Investment for PEACE while traveling

Yes, I will admit, I am no admirable blogger (it has been a MONTH - horrors!), but mostly due to being primarily a one-woman operation (excuses, excuses), it's tax season..... BUT, that being said, I still have LOTS of ideas, just not ALWAYS the time to put them in type...

My thought of the day as I was putting my new Nordic skis on the roof is that I am thankful to have a roof rack that keeps them safe and on TOP of my car (leaving room for all the other things we will soon pack IN the vehicle to go to "Ya-Ya's" house later this afternoon). My point? When one invests money in things, like a trip (are you starting to see where I'm going with this?), it seems silly, and perhaps 'unsafe' NOT to invest in a few things to 'insure' the entertainment of your children for the trip to that lovely beach destination or the exotic lodge for the winter ski trip. Let's keep this in perspective.....

You just spent a few thousand dollars on a big trip, and decided to fore go the money for travel activities. The result? Kids NOT traveling Happy, and as a result, no adult is happy either.

You don't have to spend a lot, just take a look around our site, you can shop by mode of travel, age, theme, activity type and more. We even have CUSTOM kits, where you pick how much money you want to spend, answer a few questions and we do all the work. We will even wrap a few of the items for FREE. Send us an email if you need some advice. We're always happy to help.

Don't forget to check out our Travel Trays, the solution to easy play on-the-go.

Remember, it's a small investment to keep the kids entertained (AND, we'll keep them UNPLUGGED - that's our thing), and we like to think of ourselves as the FROSTING on the cake - maybe not completely necessary, but almost always enhances the experience.

Get a Handle on it

Here are a few things that those young and old should have NO problem getting a 'handle', so to speak. These are also great, as there are no loose parts, so you can play almost anywhere and avoid chasing pieces!

We recommend packing any (or ALL) of these for that next trip, or, they make a perfect gift for that hard to by for kid or adult!

Flip a Ring from Schylling: simple enough, just 'flip' the ring on the string, and get different point values based on where it lands. My 4 year old (with NO technique) is better at this than me. Don't over think (or, over flip) this one - worth every cent of the $2.99 it costs




Wooden Catch Ball: Not completely unlike the Flip a Ring (but, in our humble opinion, a bit easier!). The sense of accomplishment will still prevent you from putting this one down, as it too is addictive. Another gem for $2.99.






Bounce Back Paddle Ball: you can't lose at this one!? A classic wooden paddle and 'pink' ball we all remember from our childhood. Kids will love just pounding at it, and the skilled will try to hit the 'bulls-eye' repeatedly. Yes, another $2.99 bargain!


That's THREE simple, unplugged games for less than $10 (TOTAL!). No more "when is it going to stop raining", "can we watch something"? or restless kids at the reststop!

MORE under $5 ideas? Check 'em out HERE!

Tell ME! Get your family talking

Get unplugged, and get this deck of 50 Fun Questions to get YOUR family talking. These are perfect for family gatherings, road trips, camping, hiking, or anywhere the conversation has gone stale.

Turn off the TV, break the boredom, and get talking! You may learn something! :-) This has a compact, sturdy case that measures approx 4" x 5" x 1". REALLY short on packing space? Stick a few cards in a book, and pull out when necessary. Great for restaurants too!

You'll FLIP over these, so to speak

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!

Visiting the National Parks... where to go (or NOT)

There are nearly 400 National Parks in the United States, and they provide a great way to save money and give the kids a great travel experience (yes even as the cold weather approaches).

Most popular - do you have a guess? Grand Canyon? Yellowstone? No, it's the Great Smokies National Park in TN/NC SEE MORE. With over 800 miles of hiking trails. however, you will still be able to get away from others if you choose!

Check out some of the less visited (but equally spectacular) in a pictoral Slide show (this is wehre we'd rather go, personally!)

Search ALL National Parks here: National Park Links

And, don't forget, KidsTravelHappy.com is always ready with suggestions to keep little (and NOT so little) ones busy on that next road trip.

• See ALL Road trip toys & games
• Let everyone know where you are going with the Magnet Message Maker Boredom Breakers Kit Make fun bumper stickers customized for YOUR trip!
  
• Flashcards WORLD landmarks are perfect to pass the miles and learn about (plan!) the NEXT travel destinations
• Road Maps for Kids are a fun way to keep kids involved with navigation, or relative placement of states in the United States (and other fun facts too!)
  

Take your kids once a year (or more, of course) to this great network of protected lands, which the US can take credit for establishing. You'll find yourself enjoying it as much as the kids (and, perhaps more)

Thanksgiving Traditions, Travel, Kids

It's not so many weeks away, less than 3, when most of us will either be hosting or be 'hosted' (that is, the guest/customer) at some sort of Thanksgiving gathering. I, personally, always enjoy the festivities, or, more importantly, my kids love to get together with their cousins and be silly.

I wonder, however, although the family aspect of the gathering is always recognized, how do we teach children, at their age appropriate level, the meaning for the holiday? As my 6-year old son understands, it is a gathering to commemorate the celebration of the success of the first settler's survival of their first winter, and the harvest that following fall. He knows that Pilgrims and native Indians were involved, but that's about where it ends. And, for 6-years old, that's pretty good. Curious about what we could do as a family to add a bit more appreciate to the holiday, I started thinking about a few things we could begin this year.

Here are my suggestions (pre-thanksgiving)

1. have kids make seating tags, this is a fun, easy craft, and helps kids learn/know names of everyone attending: Try to get a 'headshot' of each attendee and make a label with the person on it. This is especially fun if the photos are 'not quite perfect'.
   
2. check out these sites for other ideas:

• Turkey Place Markers
• Nifty Name Plates from Family Fun Magazine
• Pilgrim Hat, Indian Headdress Place Cards

For Thanksgiving Day

1. have kids make up the 'kid table' with seating assignments
2. kids can do the 'adult' table too, as they have fun making everyone sit wherever they want.
3. start dinner with a brief reminder of why we celebrate Thanksgiving Day (it's good to let kids know this is not JUST about food & football, but have a basic understanding about the reason for the food)
4. then, go around the table and have each person name one thing they are thankful for (our rule, cannot re-state what someone before you has said!)
5. eat up and enjoy the company

For those who go out to eat, and may need quiet activities for the kids to enjoy at the table, here are our top picks. Also be sure to check out our new category "Restaurant Fun", with 100's of ideas. Here are some of our faves!

• Doodles to Go: Just in time for any type of travel or vacation, this book of doodles will keep young travelers busy. Whether they're waiting at the airport, stuck in the backseat of the family car, or just taking some downtime on a camping trip, young artists will find endless hours of creative fun in this how-to book. For ages 9 and up
• Scramble Squares: the 9 piece brainteaser puzzle - They're Not Just For Kids! Challenging educational puzzles with powerful graphics keep boys, girls, and adults captivated for hours! Perfect for all of your travel delay passing needs (or rainy day, or restaurant table/food waiting and more!)
• Dinner Games: Keep your little ones focused on the family meal with this collection of 51 dinner games to play while you eat! These quick, simple games, like Fruity Feeling, Rainbow Dinner and Magic Spoon, break up dinnertime routine and add fun to family meals. No game board or game pieces required - just food and family. Kids learn expressive language, the five senses, creative thinking, social skills and more. The games even encourage kids to eat their veggies and finish their milk! Beginner version is for families with kids ages 3 to 6, ORIGINAL is for families with older kids.
• Find-It Games: This is a brightly colored contained adventure. It contains 48 hidden items for you to find, conveniently listed on the top of the game. The items found in this sealed container are geared toward kids. SPIN IT, TWIST IT, SHAKE IT! Be the first to find the hidden Penny, Marble, Balloon, Letters of the Alphabet, or …? This game is enjoyed by adults as well as children. It is great travel game, terrific learning center activity, or is fun played as a timed game with others. The Kids version comes with red plastic ends, giving the games an exciting, colorful look. The game comes boxed and contains a tear off tally pad to check off as you find each item. Skills used: deductive reasoning, object identification, early reading/ letter recognition, as well as patience!
• 3D Slide Puzzles: The perfect take anywhere puzzle! Within each 4" x 4" tray are eight puzzle pieces that glide into place - with a bit of finesse - to form a colorful raised image of the EARTH. Challenging enough to entertain for hours. Be sure to check out all of the designs. Kids young and old will enjoy these puzzles.
• Bananagrams: The multi-award winning game that will drive you BANANAS! Described as the "Best Travel Game Out There". Fast and Fun, requires NO pencil, paper or board. Educational and great family game. Appropriate for beginning spellers or New York Times crossword regulars! Comes in funky Banana 'bag' ready to go anywhere.
  

The bottom line? We find that if we engage the kids in one way or another, we're all happier!

Kids Magnetic Poetry & GIVEAWAY INFO - CLOSED

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!

Have a Ball - kids of all ages love 'em

This topic occurs to me as I'm siting at the computer and my kids are running out the last of their evening's energy. Balls, any kind, size, or form see to spark the imagination and play of almost any child (or, adult for that matter).

We have a rule in our house about how high a ball can go (knees or below) EXCEPT when we play toss around the living room. It DOES have to be a soft ball, and if anything breakable becomes at risk we DO end the game, but oh what fun. We each choose a corner of the living room, and begin by tossing a couple of balls around. Simple, cheap, nothing to plug in, nothing to do the thinking for you (or the kids). OK, I must say, I couldn't resist and had to join in the fun with "Daddy" and my 2 boys, 3 and 5 years old. This lasted 30 minutes or so, until it was time to get PJs on and transition to bedtime stories, but would've lasted longer had we started earlier.

This got me to thinking, never leave without some sort of ball to pass the time. What can we offer at KidsTravelHappy.com? Here are a few easily packable suggestions....

• Guatemalan Footbag: perfect for a game of toss anywhere, or to 'hack' around, indoors or out
• Inflatable Globe Beach Ball: packs flat, educational, blows up to a fun-sized beach ball, and ready for hitting back and forth
  
• Hi Bounce Ball: great for rest stops or super-bouncing, not so great for inside, as it's quite hard
• Juggling Balls: aside from learning/practicing one's juggling skills, these toss well too
• Skytail ball/star from Sarah's Silks: perfect and safe for inside or outside games, beautiful and fun to watch fly through the air

Another way to make sure your "kids travel happy", and make sure they always "have a ball"!

Scramble Squares will have you 'puzzled'

Looking for a 'fit in a handbag', 'keep the kids (and adults!) busy for hours' type of game? Then you should check out Scramble Squares by b.dazzle. It seems simple enough, 9 squares that need to be put together to solve the 12" x 12" puzzle, such that the graphics on the pieces' edges match perfectly to form a completed design in every direction. Oh, did we mention that there are 95,126,814,720 different possible solutions?! (minor detail).
This is perfect for passing the time at a restaurant, and because there is really no 'right-side' up position for the puzzle, it's really easy for all sitting around the same table to participate. The puzzles come in a variety of patterns and styles. We carry 11 different ones that cover a range of interests.

Another cool fact is that there is an educational panel of info on the back of the header card of each puzzle. This info relates to the design on the puzzle, and answers the trivia question also included.

If you happen to be in Bethel, stop by our shop, and take the 5-minute challenge. You could go home with your own set of Scramble Squares for FREE!!

Scramble Squares make for an inexpensive gift for a birthday or any holiday, a packable travel activity, or a rainy day pastime at home. Scramble Squares are the winners of countless awards including a Dr. Toy's 10 Best Educational Products.

Good luck, and happy solving!

Elaborating on some practical 'traveling with kids' advice

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

- Magnetic Board (letters NOT included) $3.95 (9" x 11.5") or $7.49 (12" x 16") then add Magnetic Poetry and other magnetic games and save taking the fridge (check out this BLOG for more info)

- 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.