Ideas for crafts/activites for plane?

[Honeystar120608]

I noticed that there is a Sticky with print outs. Which is great, I managed to get some good print outs. But my kids can get pretty bored with print outs.
I have an idea to get pipecleaners and a few plastic beads so they can make bracelets, or whatever they want.
My kids are not high strung or anything, but it makes it much easier on me if I can just pull a baggie or something out to entertain them.
Any ideas? Flight isn't too too long (about 5 hours)
I have also purchased mickey head headphones on ebay for about .50 a piece which will come in handy if there are movies, or music. Instead of having to pay $2-$4 while on the plane.
(still haven't booked our flights, but hoping for a morning flight-drinks and snacks always provide some focus for a bit)

 

[wishIworkedforDisney]

If the airlines haven't changed their rules....
If you have a small portable DVD player, this would keep them occupied for a while. Hook the headphones up to it or keep the volume low so you don't disturb other passengers. We used this on the plane for our last trip and I noticed people in the seats behind us trying to watch it as well.
You can get a portable DVD player for as little as $80 or $90. Always come in handy on long car trips too.

 

[Honeystar120608]

If the airlines haven't changed their rules....
If you have a small portable DVD player, this would keep them occupied for a while. Hook the headphones up to it or keep the volume low so you don't disturb other passengers. We used this on the plane for our last trip and I noticed people in the seats behind us trying to watch it as well.
You can get a portable DVD player for as little as $80 or $90. Always come in handy on long car trips too.

That is a great idea! However, we will be driving 7 hours just to get to the airport the day before. We have built in tv headrests, so they will be getting 7 hrs of tv in on our road trip portion. lol That, and I'd need 2 portable players (2 kids..2 of everything)

 

[Mackenzie'sMommy]

We are flying with our 2yo I cannot imagine how hard it is going to be, but I plan on taking little things and basically have a "magic bag" full of stuff. Little things for her to do, a book to look at, crayons and such. Then if she is good Mickey will have magically placed a "special gift" in her bag when we get there.

I'd say with your older kids do goody bags. Decorate your own Minnie/Mickey, or let them get a tote or something to design then they can keep track of their own goodies while at the park.

 

[marmalade]

We have on the past 2 flights brought the Crayola Color Wonder finger paint sets on the plane. It is clear finger paint that only paints on the Crayola paper. I wasn't sure if they were allowed but we have never had a problem with security. I just kept them in the original package and opened them on the plane. They have no smell either so they shouldn't bother anyone.

We also do the DVD player more for my daughter (5) as she will only remain still for 3.5 seconds without having to do something, so the movie will distract her for maybe 10 seconds . My son (3.5) loves to just listen to the music available on the armrest.

 

[wishIworkedforDisney]

Honeystar, I am already exhausted just thinking of your 7 hour drive before you even fly out! I don't think I could do it. Now knowing that, I can see why you would want to avoid the DVD option (and the need for having 2).

This would be work on your part, but this could be fun. Do you or your family ever try looking for hidden Mickey's at WDW or anywhere for that fact? Would if you made a fun booklet of hidden Mickey's? Find a really detailed illustration in a storybook and scan it in your computer. Then digitally hide a mickey (or 2) on it. Do this with several pictures until you've made enough to hopefully keep them searching a while. Or you could just use the same picture over again and again and just hide a Mickey in a different place each time.
If this bores them, bring some plain paper and crayons and have them make a hidden mickey picture for you. They have to draw a picture and hide a mickey in it for you to find. This certainly won't keep them busy for a 5 hour flight, but you could add it to your activity pack.
Hmmm... I think I might try this myself and make a hidden mickey booklet for my kids to have on our flight.

If this doesn't seem to appealing to you, I recently saw some small travel games at Toys-R-Us - check them out.

 

[Honeystar120608]

Honeystar, I am already exhausted just thinking of your 7 hour drive before you even fly out! I don't think I could do it. Now knowing that, I can see why you would want to avoid the DVD option (and the need for having 2).

This would be work on your part, but this could be fun. Do you or your family ever try looking for hidden Mickey's at WDW or anywhere for that fact? Would if you made a fun booklet of hidden Mickey's? Find a really detailed illustration in a storybook and scan it in your computer. Then digitally hide a mickey (or 2) on it. Do this with several pictures until you've made enough to hopefully keep them searching a while. Or you could just use the same picture over again and again and just hide a Mickey in a different place each time.
If this bores them, bring some plain paper and crayons and have them make a hidden mickey picture for you. They have to draw a picture and hide a mickey in it for you to find. This certainly won't keep them busy for a 5 hour flight, but you could add it to your activity pack.
Hmmm... I think I might try this myself and make a hidden mickey booklet for my kids to have on our flight.

If this doesn't seem to appealing to you, I recently saw some small travel games at Toys-R-Us - check them out.

lol The kids have been going to Disney since they were 3 (so the last 2 years) they find hidden mickeys EVERYWHERE. In an oil leak in a parking lot, in the clouds..I mean EVERYWHERE. I don't even need to prompt them. lmao
But that is a neat idea. They would probably get bored with my hidding them, but the idea of them drawing a picture and me finding them would catch their interest. They love to challenge mama.
Im trying to stay on budget, so no spending on games, but I will maybe have print outs for tic tac toe and such games.
DH has his blackberry and ipad, so there are games on there. We are holding out until Christmas to get the holy grail (to the kids) of toys, Nintendo DS. Although, it would be AWESOME to have them for the trip. Won't happen, but it would be nice lol

 

[Honeystar120608]

Honeystar, I am already exhausted just thinking of your 7 hour drive before you even fly out! I don't think I could do it. Now knowing that, I can see why you would want to avoid the DVD option (and the need for having 2).

lol Just wanted to add, we got the built in tv head rests for such trips. We live in Canada, drive down through Main to Portland to get cheaper airfare. (SO expensive to fly out of canada). But it will be in October, fall foliage will be at it's peak. Make a lunch stop, we know of a play park for them to run around in. Then 2 hrs further to Portland. It's our anniversary, so Im looking forward to this more so this year. (And the lack of snow/ice storms to be caught in...3 total in 2 trips...BAH)
My kids are good travellers, but are KIDS. So I will have a bag of tricks, I just want to have LOTS of tricks.
I got bracelets at the dollar store that can fit jibbits (for crocs), and can get the jibbits on ebay for really cheap. So I will have a bag of those (probably for when we have our 2 hr wait for the plane at the airport) to sort through them, decide who's is who's and they can fiddle with those for a while.
I asked them if they had any ideas, DS said that he will sleep and eat and drink pop (soda). lol Yeah, for 5 hours? unlikely.

 

[foltzy]

My dd was 4 and ds was 2 when we went in October. They loved the pipe cleaners. I bought a whole bunch and just split them between the two on our trip. DD and I make her name by shapping each pipe into the letter and then joining them. We made a whole bunch of flowers. We started a game of guess what this is with the pipe cleaners.

Another thing we did was bring plain paper and adhesive backed stickers and they loved them (I would have loved to have found colorforms too), DS was having a blast putting dragons and knights and castles on his paper.

Our trip was only a 2 hour flight though, but I hope that helps.

 

[tjmw2727]

Pipe cleaners are great as are wikki sticks and bendaroos. Stickers are fun esp if you can find the sticker paper that lets you stick and remove the stickers - kind of like colorforms.

Plain paper and colored pencils were a favorite of my kids - they normally used crayons so colored pencils were fun and they don't roll

Eye spy games and where is waldo type books - color by number was also a favorite esp the one where you just color all the 1's then the 2's a certain color and didn't reveal the picture until you were done, can't remember what they are called? I am sure you can find all these online and print out. A clipboard is a lifesaver as well esp for take off and landing when you can't have the try table down.

Tick tack toe, complete the squares, dots and other pencil games - again can be found online.

Also just fyi for the OP and those reading along, they make a splitter so you can use two sets of headphones in one DVD player !! My dd's shared a tiny portable DVD we were given for many flights and it came in handy

eta - a few new snacks they aren't normally allowed to have, for us it was starburst candy - helped alot with the ears and it was new and fun and chewy. I also purchase drinks after security but before boarding so we would have what we liked when we wanted it. Water bottles with the sport top are good for no spills and can help with the ears if the kids suck on them to drink the water.

 

[melancholywings]

I've done small magnetic paper dolls using this website: www.makingfriends.com I printed the dolls and clothing out on magnetic paper. Cut them out a head of time and put them in a small metal lunch box with some markers. Then I let her color them with markers on the plane and the lunchbox makes a 'play area'.

 

[Jessica14]

I was also going to recommend the Crayola finger paint. I had at one time books that had magnetic animals and you used them to create a scene in the story. That really kept my son occupied. I would just recommend keeping everything hidden until you actually get in the plane and it takes off. That way everything is new. Sticker books are also really good or just a new book to read/look at the pictures.
Jessica

 

[DISNEYNV]

Small containers of Playdough, color wonder sets, pipe cleaners, small books, little dollar store/target new toys (wrapped), puppets, matchbox cars, iPod or DVD player.

 

[DISNEYNV]

Oh and lolli pops! I get the Yummy Earth organic pops

 

[Princess&JackMom]

I don't know if they have Michael's (craft store) near you but they just started selling Disney sticker books (Princess, Toy Story, Cars). You buy the books and the sticker packets separately and the books tell a story when you have the stickers in them. My 4 year old twins love them (DS has Cars, DD has Princess). They've already started their books but I plan to bring them with more sticker packets on our flight. I'm also looking for other small sticker books because this seems to be a big draw right now for their age.

I also pack their backpacks with little presents that I wrap for them, 4 or 5 things and ake one out when they get bored. Things like a new book, an inexpensive Fisher Price phone, some dollar store toys, etc.

I sometimes worry about having the wrapped gifts in the bag, but it's never been an issue flying down to FL (we fly out of a little airport; might be more of an issue we flew out of some place major).

 

[Mouse House Mama]

Bubbles. Everyone loves bubbles.










J/K

 

[squirrel]

I like to pack an I Spy Bottle.

I make them by using an empty waterbottle and I alternate filling it with rice and small items (penny, dice, marble, pom pom, confetti, beads, buttons, small toys, etc.) Leave some room at the top so the items can move around to find them. Hot glue the lid.

Kids can search for certain items or certain colors. You can even race each other to find the items.

When flying make sure if it's in the carry on that you pull it out so they don't think it's a full bottle of water-That happened to me, not a huge deal but does save some time.


At the airport, I bring a balloon for my niece to play with. We leave it in the waiting area for another child when it's time to board.

 

[tigger51276]

I noticed that there is a Sticky with print outs. Which is great, I managed to get some good print outs. But my kids can get pretty bored with print outs.
I have an idea to get pipecleaners and a few plastic beads so they can make bracelets, or whatever they want.
My kids are not high strung or anything, but it makes it much easier on me if I can just pull a baggie or something out to entertain them.
Any ideas? Flight isn't too too long (about 5 hours)
I have also purchased mickey head headphones on ebay for about .50 a piece which will come in handy if there are movies, or music. Instead of having to pay $2-$4 while on the plane.
(still haven't booked our flights, but hoping for a morning flight-drinks and snacks always provide some focus for a bit)

I always travel with a portable DVD player for the plane. Another great craft project are the foam shapes. You can make soo many things with those here is a link for an example: http://www.michaels.com/art/online/displayProductPage?productNum=kd1271. Just about any craft store sells them and you can make foam doorknob hangers and signs, hats, etc. My kids love them. Beads and string to make necklaces and bracelets. Cards and small travel games. Books and hand held games, looking out the window....
I also always plan my trips with a meal time happening on the plane as that right there occupies at least 30 mins of the trip.

 

[Zoesmama03]

Magnetic games, portable dvd player are good options to go along with print outs.

Target had a $5 lunchbox sized tin case that came with stickers, magnets and even had a dry erase board and few colored dry erase markers. DD played with that the most, she was 2 then. It was a clearance item and I haven't seen it since though. She did not know I had it. It was new and held her interest long enough that she ended up going to sleep.

DD travels well though, always has. We drove back to AZ from FL when she was 2 she slept most of it. And last year had a long road trip from FL back here to AZ with only an overnight stay in Austin. That was one long drive that I did alone. She slept through a lot of it too.

 

[pinkprincess30]

I actually took a look at this thread for ideas for myself, but I was thinking about those gel window clings. They would be fun for a window seat, and would probably stick to the back of the seat in front of you too. You can get them pretty cheap, and you may even get lucky and find a Disney set.