3 Ways to Keep Kids Busy While Travelling This Summer*

I don’t know about you, but I have been heavily anticipating this summer! After two summers of minimal and restricted fun, this one feels, on the whole, relatively normal. Back in May I sat down and planned out some fun activities to do with my daughter to really make the most of her summer break. Living where we do, that has meant a lot of traveling. By car, bus, train and even by plane! Although she’s ten now, and find it’s a little easier to entertain herself which is great, she is also much more aware of the passage of time. I definitely hear “are we there yet” much more now than I did when she was 2! The impatience these days is real so when we’re travelling for a long time, I need to find ways to keep her busy. And I know I’m not alone as a parent googling ways to keep kids busy while travelling!

Today I’m sharing some of my favourites;

Play Games Together

I’m not going to lie, I’m one of the worst for just wanting to switch off and read my book or even nap while travelling. But when you have kids that can lead to all sorts of issues. So keep the busy buy playing games together. You can go with the simple ones like eye spy, or make a list of things to spot out side the window (obviously not great for when you’re on a plane!) Other paper games you could play would be dots and boxes, hangman, naughts and crosses. You can even buy special travel game versions of popular board games but these can be bulky to carry around.

Which is why I prefer card games. This summer I’ve carried our Summer Snap Cards in my handbag. They’re small so don’t take up much room but they’ve given us hours of fun. What I love about them is we can play as a two, or with other people. You can get your own pack from Aura Print for FREE this summer and they are customisable with over 40 themed designs. They have been a staple of our summer travelling and a great way to keep kids busy while travelling.

Bring Fun Snacks

Before going on adventure we take a trip to a shop and pick out some different snacks. I love Poundland or B&M for this as it’s cheap but still feels like a treat to pick out something we don’t have at home. B&M especially has a lot of unusual snacks and chocolate flavours which can make for a fun game.

Scrapbook or Start a Diary

One of my favourite things to do around a trip is collect bits for a scrapbook. I love making memories and revisiting memories and it’s something I have always enjoyed doing with my daughter. While travelling you can make a start on it but writing down all the things you want to do on your trip so then you can have the satisfaction of ticking it off. It can be as simple as “eat an ice cream” or “take a photo with a landmark”. Get your kids to decorate the page and not only does it pass the time but it helps them get excited for what is coming their way.

For older kids you can ask them to keep a diary of their adventure. A new notebook and pen always goes down well with my daughter! They can even carry it themselves in their bag and it’s a fab way to keep kids busy while travelling this summer.

Yes, travelling with kids can be a bit stressful, but half the battle is keeping them busy so the time flies. The fun can start before you even arrive at your summer destination!