Iso: List of items to bring to keep kids occupied

[LilMamiBella]

Does anyone have a list of things we can bring for the kids to keep them occupied for the long drive and long lines at Disney? We have a dvd player and gameboy but I'm also looking for quiet things they can do in the truck as well.

 

[Rapunsel]

I have gone to the dollar store and picked up travel games.. Try after christmas sales to get card games, crayons, minature white boards..

I don't think you will experience long lines when you go. Also there is so much to do and see standing in lines. We play eye spy all the time..

 

[Daisy Duck 5]

I got a travel book at Cosco a long time ago for myself. They still have it for sale. That kept me busy we went on long drives. There is a section to write down all the licence plates you see for each state and canadian province. It is also filled with different games to play. It is called Kids Travel: A Backseat Survival Kit. Amazon does not have it right now but read the customer reviews. http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/t...102-4189446-5735357?v=glance&s=books&n=507846
I live in Canada and saw it at our local chapters(bookstore). I am not sure if you have the store in the United States but here is a link
http://www.chapters.indigo.ca/item....talog=Books&N=35&Lang=en&Section=books&zxac=1

 

[WDWAurora]

As long as it doesn't make them sick, why can't you just go to the library and get them some books? "Back in my day" we didn't have that other stuff, but I survived 25+ trips with books alone, and did 5 trips in the past year, reading the whole way there and back. If they get sick while riding or are too young to "really" read the whole time, I can understand that may not be an option (as it wouldn't be if they had any other difficulties preventing them from reading).

 

[kldmom2000]

Depending on the age... STICKERS!!! I bought tons of inexpensive stickers and little sticker books that kept the girls entertained forever!!! (my girls are 2 and 4)

 

[Beth8266]

Color wonder markers, coloring books and paper!! Great invention!! Dont have to worry about marks anywhere. I have also brought playdough on the airplane or silly putty and comics. Crayons are always good.

 

[dthogue]

I second the crayola wonder markers - these can keep my dd's entertained for quite awhile.

We get books on tape from our local library as well.

Tammy

 

[kkcolton5]

Colorforms stuck on the window are good. Play bingo with cards you made ahead of time with things like "cement mixer, farm, cows, red VW Beetle, stop sign, schoolbus, man driving while wearing a hat, skyscraper, etc." you know, things you're likely to see, and the kids can cross off what they see until someone gets Bingo. That was a great one for long trips for us! Play The Map Game, if they're old enough. One person picks out a town on the map, the other has to find it. The little, obscure towns are hard to find and will keep the other kid busy for a long time! Play a game called "Fortunately": One person starts with something like: "The dog ate my homework." The next person starts with "Fortunately..." and adds something that makes sense, like "Fortunately, it was early and I had enough time to re-do it." The next person continues, but with "Unfortunately...." like, "Unfortunately, my pen ran out of ink." And you keep alternating with statements that begin with "fortunately..." and "unfortunately..." Eventually it ends, and it takes a long time, and it's fun!!

We got a million of 'em.....

 

[JanaV]

How old are your kids? We're just back from our first trip with dd, 4 and she loved have a mini magna doodle while we waited in line. We'd write down words and she'd sound them out or she'd draw shapes and we'd guess. She had a better time sometimes in line than on the rides! Ds, 9 brought a new toy called 20Q. It's a little handheld ball game thing that plays 20 questions with. It's really pretty amazing. You think of something and it asks you questions to try to figure out what it is. He also had one of those YakBak toys that proved to be very entertaining. I kept everything in a little backpack that I carried everywhere.

 

[ErinInCT]

They make these invisible ink books which my dd loves when we travel. Keeps her occupied for a long time. They probably have Disney ones too to get the kids in the mood! I know dd gets the ones for littler kids (she is 4) but I have seen some for older kids too (6 & up). I have seen them at Toys R Us, Walmart, Target, etc.
We brought bubbles for the lines at Disney & for waiting for shows to start. If the kids were tired we pulled out the bubbles & it rejuvenated them!
We have a dvd player in the car. Best invention ever!!
Oh yeah, dd also has a Leap Pad. She keeps the books & cartridges in a little backpack. That is fun too.
Good luck!

 

[BelleBeautyandtheBeast]

I do "surprises". I buy lots of little stuff at the $1 store and wrap it in tissue paper. Every 20 minutes - 1 hour I hand out surprises. The kids love it (ages 2, 5 & 6).

I always bring along books, CD's, the cool Crayola Wonder paper & markers, stickers, invisible ink books, card games, small magna-doodles, etch-a-sketch and little cars.

One of my kids favorite toys from our last long car trip (to Myrtle Beach) was Crocodile Dentist. You take turns pushing down his teeth and he bites when you push a random tooth! It kept them busy for hours. It is a quiet game with no batteries or reading necessary.

 

[sconstantz]

My DS loves the velvet art posters you can get at Micheals or Ben Frankllins. they have all different sizes. And we pack a large zip lock baggie with his favorite color markers. These are great while driving, because the velvet helps keep him within the lines. If the marker goes on the black velvet, you can't see it. We buy several of them and he works on them in the car and in the hotel room. And we make sure we save one for the ride home.

He has other favorite toys that we always bring. And a deck of cards. A good long game of WAR can take time.

Shelly