Keeping Kids Busy During Travel Delays
Taking a trip doesn’t have to cause stress if you plan ahead and make light of any unexpected events.
Planes, trains and automobiles. They’re essential for travel, but we parents know they can cause motion sickness and make kids antsy, bored and cranky. Preparation weeks before your trip will help make sure your children are ready to sit down, watch people and keep themselves occupied.
Airlines now offer free movies on their apps, and a good set of earplugs or wifi ear buds are a good investment. Watching a movie on the tray table is a wonderful distraction! Pack a surprise bag to take along, too, whether you are driving or flying. Stock it with special snacks, word search books, crossword puzzles, favorite dolls or stuffed animals and new surprises.
The dollar store is a great place to find sticker books and all the other items you will need in your arsenal. Prepare for toddler meltdowns by having special treats to calm those nerves. Fill a plastic egg with special pictures they can look at. Or hide items in their backpacks and tell them to search for them. Any distraction usually works. Try a Slinky, which is quiet, or a pair of new sunglasses your little one can use.
I was flying recently and noticed a grandma holding a child around 8 months old. Every time she started to fuss, out came the big plastic bag and a toy of some kind. I was impressed to see how the child stayed quiet!
Don’t forget that one of the ways to mystify a small child is to tell stories in an animated way. You can craft tales about where you’re going, whom you’ll see and what you’ll do when you get there. You can make up stories about the adventures your luggage is having in the belly of the aircraft. Hand puppets can dazzle your child with stories and a running commentary about the flight. In a pinch, you could even turn an air-sickness bag into a puppet!
A trip is a great time to surprise your kids with a new pair of tennis shoes for all the walking they’ll do. Other novelties include a travel size toothpaste and shampoo they can use in the hotel or at Grandma’s house and a new backpack they can carry themselves. Items like these help kids feel like they are on an adventure and not just sitting in a car seat or plane chair so long.
Be prepared for travel disruptions. You may find your plane delayed or just be facing a scheduled layover. Be sure to pack special pajamas and a small pillow for your little one’s comfort. Calm and cheerful interactions give kids a lot of reassurance, too. One idea is to play I spy… I spy a lady with a black hat, a man with a giant suitcase or another child sucking his thumb.
Travel journals become treasured souvenirs when a little bit of time is set aside each day for writing and illustrating. Children can describe the best and the worst of each day of the trip, giving them a safe space to work through feelings about big, new experiences. They can also keep a daily rating system with whatever kind of scale works for them. One to five stars, smiley faces or hearts can do the trick. Journals can be worked on during plane flights, car rides or while lounging by the pool. Keeping the journal with you throughout each day, along with fun writing and art utensils, is key to making the most of downtime or moments when distraction is needed.
To energize little legs for long treks through the airport, nature walks and hikes and lengthy museum explorations, try a scavenger hunt. This is another activity you can work on before you travel with your child to build excitement. Together you can create scavenger hunts for the family to complete in a variety of circumstances that may come up during your trip. Allowing kids to process these things in advance and to predict what may happen can bring comfort. Make copies of scavenger hunts in advance so everyone in the family has one. Asking your child to reproduce them on her own is another activity to help her pass time after the trip begins. Put stickers in that surprise bag to reward your child.
Audiobooks and guided meditation podcast episodes for kids can be downloaded in advance of your trip to help little ones wind down, fall asleep or stay entertained on long rides. Be sure to have a selection that fits the range of their moods. Choose funny stories for silly times, gentle stories for sleepy times and stories about adventure for when you need to keep your child engaged.
You can’t possibly anticipate all the things that may happen when you travel, but that’s part of the beauty of stepping outside your comfort zone as a family to take a trip. A bit of fun preparation can be a saving grace for all of you. Build excitement, calm anxieties and pass the boredom together with simple ideas. You may end up enjoying these small moments and simple activities as much as your kids do.
Screen-free ways to occupy kids while traveling
Keeping children content while traveling is tough. There is a lot of sitting still, being quiet and calm, and facing boredom. It’s tempting to shove a device into children’s hands, and this is okay some of the time. Here are some other tempting ways to keep those little hands and minds busy.
- Coloring books. Try Color Wonder books and markers that won’t make a mess. Also, bring along blank white sheets of paper and have children draw the clouds they see outside the plane window, the back of the person’s head in front of them, or how they feel about going somewhere new.
- Audiobooks work well for car trips and help the family connect. The library has audiobooks you can rent, or try Audible for downloadable books for your device.
- Dry-erase activities are great. Draw a map of where you are starting, where you are going, and all the fun stops along the way.
- Check into Mom, I’m Bored, and Get Going America online.
- Books! New books and look-and-find books are a treat for kiddos.
- Play road trip games. You can find lots of these online.
Judy Goppert lives in Lee’s Summit. She enjoys drawing on her personal experiences to writes about the nuances of everything wonderful about life.
Sources: FamilyEducation.com, News.Yahoo.com