I know WE are planning a ROAD TRIP this summer. With 4 kids in the back seats we like some entertainment!
My Rules for Entertainment on the Road:
- Save the screens
I am so thankful for all the options we have to entertain the kids on a road trip, but I like to save the screens as long as possible. This allows my kids to play with their toys and build relationships with each other.
- Separate toys by day
I ask the kids to choose a few toys they want and they keep those at their seats. I sew up a few small drawstring bags to fill with toys for each day. This is especially important for trips that require a lot of waiting or lots of travel.
- Educational when appropriate
There is nothing as educational as travel. When you can support that learning with some educational toys it will deepen your children’s learning. Things like wildlife bingo, local hero biographies, maps or picture books can all support what your kids are experiencing. These toys will also be great reminders of your trip once you are home.
I have a few categories for toys and entertainment for long road trips. Choose a few from each category and feel confident that you can all enjoy the drive!
I’ve included a LOT of Amazon links to products that I really love.
All the links below are Amazon affiliate links, if you click on one and purchase an item I will receive a small commission without any extra cost to you.
Screen Free
Tic Tac Toe
This classic is great for siblings to play together. The simple rules make it easy for pre-readers to enjoy.
Cat’s Cradle
This game is played with just a length of string. There is a cool Klutz book that gives even more ideas for pictures. I had this as a child and I think its simplicity makes it a great choice for a road trip.
Etch a Sketch
If your child has never experienced the wonder of this 2 knobed marvel, a road trip is a great opportunity to try it out. There are pocket versions, multi colored versions, and even circular versions!
Crayola Toddler Doodle Board
I found one of these at a consignment sale and my kids LOVE it! It is so great for kids who love sensory play, it is squishy and lights up! The lights also make it pretty fun for night driving. I added a picture here because this might be new to you!
Magnet Maze
These mazes have little magnetic balls and a stylus to pick them up and move them through the maze. I like the alphabet one, this numbers one, this color one and this city one. The color one is my favorite, it is a good size for travel and has lots of beads.
Audiobooks
Finding a story that the whole family will enjoy can be difficult. We have really liked
- Sara Plain and Tall (plus the sequels, there are lots of them)
- Five Little Peppers and How They Grew
- The Little House Series
- A Wrinkle in Time
These have been fun for our family, and if you want more suggestions I totally trust Read Aloud Revival for suggestions they have an audiobook list here. This could be a great opportunity to choose a location specific book. My kids love when they recognize a place name from a book.
Boogie Board
We were gifted a few of these one Christmas and it lasted over 3 years! These are perfect for the car if you are hoping to keep it clean!
These battery powered boards allow kids to draw with a stylus and then push a button and erase it.
Lacing Shapes
3-4 year olds really like the lacing shapes! I have this set by Melissa and Doug and they get a lot of play time from my 6 year old as well. I have seen them occasionally at the dollar tree as well.
We even did a craft once where I punched holes around the edge of a photograph and my kids threaded a ribbon through the holes. It made a great little frame. We still have them!
Great Road Trip Movies for Toddlers
When its time to turn on a movie, I have a secret weapon for finding great entertainment for my kids.
KANOPY
Thoughtful Entertainment
Isn’t that tagline just so perfect?
I tell literally everyone about it.
So Kanopy is a video streaming service that we get free through our Library. You must be online to watch Kanopy, so it is not perfect for every occasion.
You can see if your library has it by going to kanopy.com and searching for your library or university. You will be asked to complete several steps to get set up. The content on Kanopy is just so rich. Make sure you go to Kanopy kids within the app, it is separate from the adult content.
Some of our Kanopy favorites:
- Little Bear
- Science Max
- Tikki Tikki Tembo
- Little Pim (language learning)
- The Lost Letter
- Corduroy
- Making Stuff (probably our favorite)
Offline Options
DVDs
I love using a portable DVD player and a DVD binder, the linked ones are the ones we use. I use DVDs because then the kids can easily choose without being overwhelmed by choices and I have full control of all available options!
I built up my stock by ordering a mystery box on ebay and sorting through it all on the porch before it even came into the house! We got some really great stuff, donated the rest!
Downloadable Content
YouTube Kids and PBS Kids apps both allow downloads for offline viewing! If your kids already have devices to watch, this is perfect. You could even download new episodes while at McDonalds or Starbucks with free WiFi.
Educational
The experience of travel is very educational on its own, but if you would like to add a few extras there are lots of options.
Identification Cards
If you are traveling to a new area, grab some identification cards or plants, animals or bugs in your new area. There are these really cool pocket guides perfect for little hands. We have one for identifying trees that is so sweet, simple and small.
Brain Quest Cards
I recently picked up a preschool set of these cards at a thrift store and my kids LOVED THEM! I think these are a great way for kids to quiz each other. Little kids will love how they are connected and can’t fall on the floor! 🙂
Mazes and Logic Puzzles
My 4 year old loves mazes, it is a trick I use to help him practice holding a pencil or sitting at the table. I looked and looked for books of just mazes that would be appropriate for his age, this is the best one I found.
They are small and very inexpensive and there is a whole series! WiN!
Thinking Tree Books
This company is amazing. If you have never seen any of The Thinking Tree or Funschooling resources, they are thick, mostly open ended journal style workbooks.
Adding one of these journals to your child’s road trip activities invites them to think deeply and research topics of interest to them. There are even some travel dream journals that correspond with travel to:
- India
- China
- Australia
- Israel
- Italy
- Brazil
- Jamaica
- Ireland
- Egypt
But for a road trip you might choose the one for The United States!
These books cover geography, history, arts, tourism, and lots of other stuff. I really love this company and their story. Their prices are very reasonable.
You could even get these books before your trip, get some books from the library about your destination and let your kids excitement build as they study the destination.
Crafts
Do you have a craft loving kid? I do. The car is a hard place to craft, but there are a few low mess options for those creative kids.
Wikki Stix
Strings coated in wax that can be used to make pictures or braids or 3D objects.
There are lots of sets available, I like the travel set that comes with an activity book and hard sided carrying case, but there are party favor sizes and HUGE bulk boxes as well.
They can get stuck in carpet so check for them on the floor before you unbuckle anyone who might step on them. Still worth it for those creative, hands on kids who will love their unique feel.
Pipe Cleaners
Similar to Wikki sticks, these can be used to make lots of crafts. This book is great for ideas if you need some inspiration, its free on Kindle! There is also this book for making really cute puppies.
Color Wonder
These markers only work on paper! HA-LE-LU-YAAAAAAAA! If I had a dollar for every time I said, “Only on paper please!”
Color wonder are markers and paper or coloring books that work together. Perfect for your little artist. There are great sets that are designed for travel, totally worth it.
DON’T FORGET
Make sure you also pack activities for your destination.
We grew up visiting family on vacation. Same age cousins made those trips fun, but we also remember bringing a super amazing card game and playing it for hours with the cousins.
There were also summers when we were asked to stay in a semi formal sitting room and watch a single VHS for hours.
SO
Make sure that you have a few tricks up your sleeve for downtime.
I am not suggesting that you must entertain your kids at every moment! NO! If the kids are free to imagine and play, let them. If they tell you they are bored, tell them that you cannot wait to see what they come up with!
Pack some fresh journals and pens, play silks, kid sized backpacks and maybe some books. These items can serve the kids well and they can entertain themselves while you visit with your old friend from high school.
PHEW! That was quite a list and I am sure you are already exhausted from packing!
I just love being prepared and having lots of options for my kids to make the trip more fun for everyone and to keep those brains growing.
What are your favorite toys to pack?
