Kids Travel bags

[disneegrl4eva]

since my dd has been a little girl (shes going to be 24 on Sun.) I havent been responsible for any little tykes much and usually I drive from early am (4 to be exact) so the kids are sleeping most of the way...however, this trip, we will be leaving around 4ish pm or so and I need to make up some little travel bags for the kids to keep them busy...I will have a 2 almost 3 yo boy and a 6 almost 7 yo girl...anybody have advice on stuff I can get to keep their little hands busy and that will be fun for them?

 

[pixiewings71]

Cards, coloring books, blank paper for drawing/writing on, we have a DVD player so we always take movies as well. If they have portable game systems those are great. I really don't know what to suggest to be honest, my girls pack for themselves and they bring what they want to keep themselves occupied. You can also play 20?, we do that and our answers are usually Disney related.

 

[3Minnies1Mickey]

I got a bunch of coloring books and stuff from the $$ section at Target & Michael's.

Color Wonder markers are great because they only write on the special paper (and not your car seats!).

Magna doodle boards

And my personal favorite: DVD player in the car

 

[callmeblissful]

For either of them, I'd suggest some cute Disney coloring books and activity books. You can get them cheap at the dollar store if there is one nearby. Toddlers and preschoolers especially love to color, and I find it usually catches on with the "older" kids too.

Little dolls or stuffed animals for the 6 year old would definitely go over well, playing pretend is fun anywhere!! Picture books to look at for the toddler....

If you had some sort of tray for the kids to use, you could try some Crayola Model Magic - it's like playdough, but it doesn't crumble as easily. You can stretch this activity even farther with cookie cutters and rolling pins, etc.

Sticker books and magnetic play books are fun, as they can generally be used over and over again. Just make sure you get the kind of stickers that can peel off after you stick them someplace or you'll find your car windows, etc. covered with stickers....

One great idea I found from a quick search online is bringing a magnetic white board, dry erase markers, and magnets. Sounds like something any kid could have fun doing.

Children can entertain themselves with the smallest and cheapest of trinkets, and the silliest of games. If they are bored enough, they will do anything...

 

[carebee21]

We take a dvd player and a few movies. Then we take a backpack and put in a nintendo DS, spiral notebook and colored pencils so he can draw, a couple books, and then let him fill up the rest of the room with a few small toys of his choosing. And make sure to bring plenty of snacks and water. Also keep in mind that they may just get so bored they fall asleep. My son is almost six and when we drive even 30 minutes away, he still has the tendency to just fall asleep.

 

[disneegrl4eva]

I got a bunch of coloring books and stuff from the $$ section at Target & Michael's.

Color Wonder markers are great because they only write on the special paper (and not your car seats!).

Magna doodle boards

And my personal favorite: DVD player in the car

great ideas...especially the magna doodle boards...can you get mini ones??? I havent looked for those things for years

For either of them, I'd suggest some cute Disney coloring books and activity books. You can get them cheap at the dollar store if there is one nearby. Toddlers and preschoolers especially love to color, and I find it usually catches on with the "older" kids too.


Children can entertain themselves with the smallest and cheapest of trinkets, and the silliest of games. If they are bored enough, they will do anything...

yes! we do have a dollar store nearby and I will definitely be visiting there this weekend....and you are so right, they will play whatever if they are bored

And make sure to bring plenty of snacks and water. Also keep in mind that they may just get so bored they fall asleep. My son is almost six and when we drive even 30 minutes away, he still has the tendency to just fall asleep.

oh yeaaaaaaaaaaaah..snacks are a definite thing and the falling to sleep thing is what im afraid of...we are leaving at 4 in the afternoon and its about 5 hours or so and I really dont want him sleeping long because then he wont want to sleep that night and that will make for a lonnnnnnnng night for all of us..specially me

Im trying to think what to get to put the stuff I get them in ...I want to keep them separated so his is his and hers is hers...we all know about that kind of thing dont we???? I know I could put the stuff in plastic bags but I really want to make it special so any ideas on what I could get to put the stuff in?

 

[callmeblissful]

Trick or treat bags or buckets might work!! They have all sorts of those, even at places like grocery stores or drug stores. Hallmark, Target... I'm sure it'd be no trouble finding different ones. Oftentimes they even make special bags to go with specific costumes. Or you could go the route of getting them something to use later - a little bag (purse) for the 6 year old, a little backpack for the toddler...

 

[disneegrl4eva]

Trick or treat bags or buckets might work!! They have all sorts of those, I'm sure it'd be no trouble finding different ones. Or you could go the route of getting them something to use later - a little bag (purse) for the 6 year old, a little backpack for the toddler...

trick or treat bucket sounds like a great idea..thanks

 

[Capt. Swan]

Just a thought, but if you get something fun for the older one, get the same thing for the small...as long as it would not be dangerous for the little one.

little tykes want to copy the older sibling, and that's where a lot of little squabbles happen: when the older kid has something cool that the little one wants.

 

[LavenderPeach]

When I was little I would sometimes bring with me on trips pipe cleaners in all different colors. I would bend them in all different shapes (i remember specifically making butterflies). It was fun and not messy. Also, books are good. The little one might need board books so it's easier to turn the pages and so the pages don't get ripped. We always have a collection of books in the car for DS.

Also, keep in mind that not all little boys of that age like to color for very long periods of time. My DS (just turned 4) will color for about 1 minute - max. And I know he's not the only one because my DMIL works with 3 year olds and she says most of the boys she sees aren't interested in coloring either. Just wanted to point that out so you aren't counting on the coloring books being a big source of entertainment. My DS will however play with the magnadoodle for longer periods of time and yes they come in different sizes. We have one that is about 8 inches or so and is good for traveling. They also have smaller ones but then there isn't very much space for drawing anything.

 

[Brady's Mom]

I second Lavender - I live in a house full of boys and they are good with coloring for up to 5 whole minutes. Then they are totally bored with it.

Scotch tape and paper so they can "make" swords and airplanes - that would be up my boys alley. They only want to color something like the sword handle. They also use a lot of paper making light sabers and coloring the handle.

Go to a party store (we have Partyland and Zurchers in our area) and see if they have the little ninja guys or alien guys that come in a package of 12 ish. My little guys love those and can entertain themselves for several hours. Girls like them too, but there are girly things you could find, I'm sure - I just don't know what they are!!

DVD player for the car - we actually have a player with 2 screens and it can play one movie for both little kids or 2 different movies at the same time and we also have a single player that our DS 13 uses. This keeps EVERYone in our car happy!

 

[Disney Fool]

Remember playing with an Etch-A-Sketch? They have mini-versions that are perfect for traveling on a plane, or in a car. They're about 4" wide,come in a variety of colors and are sold at Wal-Mart just as you go through the check out aisles. Another idea: playing cards with Disney characters on them.

 

[disneegrl4eva]

excellent ideas guys...thanks so much for all your help...think we can find some stuff for sure now...

Just a thought, but if you get something fun for the older one, get the same thing for the small...as long as it would not be dangerous for the little one.

little tykes want to copy the older sibling, and that's where a lot of little squabbles happen: when the older kid has something cool that the little one wants.

so so true capt. swan and also it goes opposite..the older sibling gets mad if the younger sibling has something or does something cooler than them...btw it looks as if you will be at DL at the same time we are yeah???? Are you going to TOT?

Go to a party store (we have Partyland and Zurchers in our area) and see if they have the little ninja guys or alien guys that come in a package of 12 ish. My little guys love those and can entertain themselves for several hours.

its sooo funny you said that....he has some of the little army men and he calls them his "people" ...cracks me up when hes in the bath and one of them is on the floor and he says "yen (cant say L's yet haha) gimme my peoples"

 

[pixiewings71]

Wiki Stix, they are coated w/wax and you can bend them into shapes.

As for bags, my girls each have their own bag. I'm not sure a ToT bucket will be big enough for everything you want to take for them.

 

[Brady's Mom]

excellent ideas guys...thanks so much for all your help...think we can find some stuff for sure now...






so so true capt. swan and also it goes opposite..the older sibling gets mad if the younger sibling has something or does something cooler than them...btw it looks as if you will be at DL at the same time we are yeah???? Are you going to TOT?




its sooo funny you said that....he has some of the little army men and he calls them his "people" ...cracks me up when hes in the bath and one of them is on the floor and he says "yen (cant say L's yet haha) gimme my peoples"

Sounds like some new "peoples" are in order. Something he doesn't have?? Or something that looks totally cool that his mom would hate??? Oops - did I just type that out loud?? I love to give things to nieces and nephews that their parents will "thank" me for!

 

[caligirl stuck in va]

I was in Target today and they had small dry erase boards in the dollar section along with stickers/sticker books, color books and small disney related books. Also, Dollar Tree has little Disney figurines (my DD5 calls them her collectibles).