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Creative Kid Craft
Creative Kid Craft: The Special
Travel Bag
I've done a lot of traveling
coast-to-coast with my kids, and through trial and error have
developed a system for having a good flight every time. I call it
my "Special Travel Bag," but it's essentially a
homemade kid craft and activity center for flying. You can also
use this for car rides, but most of my travel has been on planes.
First, you need the right bag to
carry your kid crafts in. Make sure it has a zippered top -- no
spills! For security checking, it's best not to have pockets in
the bag that need to be searched. A light colored bag works well,
so that you can see inside the bag without too much lighting in
the plane. Good loop straps are also important, I usually hang
the bag on the tray table for easy access during the flight.
Next, when you pack your kid
crafts, put each item in its own ziplock bag. That way the
security people can dump your bag to search it, and you can
easily put everything back in. No problems resorting your
activities.
Okay, this is what you've really
been wondering: What do I put in my
special-travel-kid-craft-and-activity bag? Here are my favorites
(or I should say, my kids' favorites):
- Pipe
Cleaners -
multicolored, bend the ends for young kids
We have made everything under the sun with a pack of pipe
cleaners! Magic wands, elaborate crowns to wear, bugs,
springs that bounce, spirals. Some I make for the kids,
and other times I say, "Make a square," or
"Can you show me a circle?" As you'll see,
everything fun can also have an educational aspect to it.
- Post-It
Notes -
bigger sizes, all colors
Your kids can create their own personal art gallery for
the enjoyment of other passengers by drawing pictures
then placing them on the seats in your aisle. Another
great idea is to play the memory game with Post-Its: have
2 matching sticker sets and put 1 sticker on the back of
each Post-It note; place the notes on your tray table in
a grid (they won't slide!); have each child take turns
lifting 2 notes, trying to find a match. Or, you can
create a zoo with each animal on its own note, and place
the zoo on the seats, trays, wherever!
- Crayons - 8-pack is all you need
- Index
Cards
I like to have the kids make their own post cards to send
to friends and family while on the plane. They can draw a
picture of themselves flying on the plane, or if this is
your return flight, draw the highlights of your trip.
Then we turn them over and they dictate to me a note that
goes along with the picture.
- Play-doh
Mini Tools
This is a 2oz. can of clay, but on each end is an
extruder and cutter to make shapes and anything your
child can imagine. I bring 1 per child, then have them
switch colors/tools midway through for variety. It's
cheap, too, at under $1.
- "I
Spy" Books - small, board books or travel size
We keep busy with these books, finding Waldo, finding
specific hidden things in the books. After we've done the
books, we play "I Spy" on the plane. (My
daughter is intrigued by bald people, so she always says
"I spy a man with no hair!" Oh well, I never
said my ideas were boring!)
- Sticker
Books
I make my own stapled books, small, out of interesting
paper or maps, then have the kids use stickers and colors
to make scenes and stories in the books. These become
momentos of our trip, and can help to keep memories of
what we did together.
- Legos
I pack a small lunch baggie of about 30 Legos for each
child. Make sure to put 1 little Lego person in each bag
so they can make a plane, car, spaceship, whatever, and
have someone to imagine in their adventure. You can swap
these baggies too for variety.
- Special
Airplane Food
- Lunchables
First of all, I have to say that I normally don't use
Lunchables at home. But these are terrific on airplanes.
My kids love that their food is compartmentalized, and
there's a variety of foods on the tray, and always a
treat! Believe it or not, this keeps my kids busy for 1/2
hour! Plus, you never know what the airline will serve,
and if your kids will like it (probably not!).
That's it! You can think of your
own ideas, bouncing off of your kids' favorite activities.
Until next time, happy traveling!
Noreen Hussain
(aka Crazy Mom to her husband)
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