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15 Best Activities for Toddlers on a Plane

September 27, 2018 /
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Oh flying. Flying isn’t so bad for most people. Now throw in a toddler or two (maybe even three). And that’s where parental fear sets in. Here’s the thing: it’s great when it’s over, but sometimes that in-between time can be, well, to put it nicely, difficult. Distraction is really every parent’s best friend, and it’s no different with flying. But what really works on those three hour flights? What about the seventeen hour flights? After setting off on fifteen hour flights and three hour flights, with one, two, or three little ones in tow, we’ve found a way or two to distract the wiggly ones. So read on to find a list of our 15 best activities for toddlers on a plane.

A bag packed with all his activities that’s light enough for him to pull (and even his snacks and change of clothes and diapers too)!

Criteria

There were a few things we found necessary when traveling with our toddlers, certain attributes that make these activities for toddlers on a plane both effective and viable.

Size

I mean, sure, I could grab a balance bike. That’s certain to entertain my wild ones, but it isn’t really plane compatible. So, clearly size and weight come into play. I need to bring a variety on the plane. So, to do this, each must be relatively small and light.

Sound

Additionally, we look for items that are fairly nondisruptive for those passengers around us. I mean, no one wants to sit through a six hour flight listening to animals make robotic animal sounds.

Intrinsic Long-term Value

Additionally, we really value those items that have some life beyond just the plane. Perhaps their value extends into a road trip or even a just a few lowly minutes in a hotel room or restaurant table. If we can fit it in our life elsewhere, then these items become precious. So, largely, we look for things that stand the test of time. Things that maybe extend beyond a toddler to a preschooler. Something an older sibling might engage in a few minutes here and there.

Personal Long-term Value

Finally, we have toddlers. We’re rushing on and off a plane. The plane has places to lose stuff. Again, they’re toddlers. So, we value those activities that are somewhat ok to lose, whether because of cost or adoration. Yes, I’ll take that $0.99 car, but I’m leaving home that $4.00 color changing Lightening McQueen that the middle little begged for for seven weeks and falls asleep clutching three out of seven nights a week. (If I have to bring that little nugget of gold, then I keep it with me until we get to that room where it will never leave again unless it is in my very own bag, zipped deep in the inner-most pocket.)

 

Fifteen Best Activities for Toddlers on a Plane

1. Window Gel Clings

This is such a super easy thing to bring along, and it can make for some great play. And the great thing is that there are a ton of options. We tend to use holiday ones when it’s close to any holidays, for obvious reasons. It also means that when we get to our room or rental, we can use them to decorate our space. The thing about these, though, is that once opened, they don’t usually make the journey back if we end up using them outside of just the plane.

Window gel clings can give hours of fun. And decorate the windows of wherever you end up.

We generally like to use gel clings that break each item into a few pieces, so they’re like putting together a puzzle. If those aren’t available, we also like to use ones we can then incorporate into a game of some sort: naming colors or letters. Inevitably, my little ones will start to rip them apart, and, honestly, that’s ok too. It’s good, quiet busy work that keeps them focused and satisfied. When you’re trapped on a plane, that’s all you can ask.


2. Water Wow Books

These books are great because you can use them again and again and again and again. You simply fill the little paintbrush with water, give it a squeeze, and paint the cardboard pages that have some type of magic in them. As you’re little guy or gal brushes the water onto each of these pages, pictures mysteriously appear. It’s great fun.

Truth be told, it can get a bit messy with the water. It’s a laminated cardboard, so the water doesn’t get absorbed; it just sits on top waiting for a little person sleeve to wipe it away. So, this is one of those activities that isn’t entirely independent; in fact, it’s best you’ve got a collection of those tiny coaster napkins the flight attendants hand out before you begin.


3. Lacing Cards

We’ve got a number of sets of these, so we switch them in and out to keep it all a bit interesting. These are shaped cards, about the size of a grown-up hand, that have holes around the edge and a string that the little one’s can weave through. The great thing is, there doesn’t have to be a rhyme or reason to how they lace them. Out two year old tends to just shove them in and out of any hole, our middle tries to neatly do the edges, and the big one makes patterns. (The fact that all our littles, from age two through seven, can get lost for a bit with lacing cards should be enough to make these sweet little items an absolute must have.

Another reason these little gems have made their way onto our list of top activities for toddlers on a plane, is that if you take the cards away, you’ve got a number of solid, substantial, unbreakable strings. We, of course, supervise our littles when they’re playing with strings like this, so let’s just get that out of the way first. Now, onto the meat of my point: we can use these strings to teach our toddlers how to tie a shoe, how to braid, how to tie a knot. Really, it ends up opening the door to a number of other activities. Anything that does double duty is a winner in our book.


4. Lift-Flap Books

There is something about a book that has little hidden pockets to open and close. Sure, my middle and tiny littles can’t read, but they do get absorbed into opening and closing all those little flaps, so the more flaps the merrier. These books are hard books, so I usually restrict it to two because they do have some weight to them.

We look for books that not only have a lot of flaps to flip, but ones that also have a few ways we can engage the littles. Admittedly, for the most part, I want my ideal activities for toddlers on a plane involve pretty limited participation on my part, but I know I can’t get away with that for too long. So, I look for ones that have more going than a little story. Maybe there’s some counting. A collection of animals we can chat about. A variety of settings we can investigate. You know. Anything to engage.


5. DoodlePro Trip

We typically bring along a DoodlePro Trip on our trips. This little gadget seems to have the ability to cross the age barriers as well, so it’s gotten years and years and years of use. It’s been an aggression releaser (in the form of angry scribbles), a menu at a fine dining establishment (serving fake burgers, soup, and coffee), a blackboard at school, a art easel, and name-writing practice. The littles use it in a million ways, both individually and together.

Another way this activity gets used quite a bit is in the stroller. It’s a great way to keep them occupied while sitting there, giving us adults a chance to look around rather than entertain.


6. Little Cars

Our littles, all of them, can turn literally anything into a roadway. The armrests on the seats? Done. The tray table? Done. My legs and arms? Done. Every spot can get turned into some type of road. Some days my middle guy’s cars simply drive from point a to point b. Next day, they may turn into a car family, a good guy and a bad guy, or a hero and his sidekick. For that reason, I usually let all the little people bring at least two cars (yes, regardless of age or gender–I’d rather carry the weight of two tiny cars, then deal with issues of sharing).

We photograph the cars we bring before we pack them away, so we know who we’re looking for when one drives off.

7. Little Figures

My little ones like to make families of things. Maybe it’s a little group of dogs or dinosaurs. Maybe they’ve culled together a family of giraffes and zebras. Maybe it’s a combo of all of them that have developed an outlaw, ragtag, group of bandits. It doesn’t matter. All that matters is they can get a little role playing done. It’s quiet, requires just two or three little figures, and it can be made into endless stories.

Again, with these, I usually pack a few for each of my littles, even the oldest. They play alone. They play together. I play with them (then I am promptly told I’m doing wrong and then the appropriate words and actions of the little figures are supplied to me (toddler logic)). They find friends along the way and put those sharing skills to good use.

8. Electrical/Decorative Tape

This one seems a bit out there, but stick with me. Have you noticed that these days they’re making electrical type tape in all kinds of fancy colors? You can find glitter, tiger stripes, hot pink, creature-covered, thick, thin, plain, average. The point is, every little person can find a few roles to suit their needs. But that doesn’t answer the question, why bring the tape at all.

Well, the tape provides imaginative play. Some times my tiniest just likes to put tape on stuff. That’s fun for him. As long as he’s quiet, that’s pretty fun for me too. My middle little? We make roads. A few blocks, some curves. It all changes. And my biggest, well she can use it to make designs. She makes collages on the pages of the SkyMall magazine. Each of them can map out houses for their little figures, stalls for the zebras. And it can all get easily ripped up and tossed out.


9. Homemade Lego (Duplo) Kits

My littles, all of them, through every single age and stage, have been lovers of blocks. They love magnet blocks, wooden blocks, bristle blocks, waffle blocks. So, it came as no surprise that once they walked a Lego aisle, they were smitten kittens. Since they can play with blocks for hours, and legos seem to be the smallest ones around, it make sense to take them for the ride.

To make Lego kits, I take a small plastic container with a snap lid and line the lid with lego tape. Then, voila, I just fill the container with legos, snap that lid back on, and drop it in their bags. For the tiniest little, I take two flat duplo sheets and glue them to the inside of the lid and then add some duplos in the container. He brings a lot less with him, but he doesn’t seem to mind.

When we’re going to be getting on the plane, I tend to put fewer legos in each container, as the last thing I really want to do is squeeze on the floor and try to gather up any that have fallen. And I don’t want to hear a little one whining about losing sooooo very many legos. So, on the plane, I bring less (but I do throw a little baggie of extras in my own bag (usually checked bags) just to have in case my little people have left a trail of legos behind them on our journeys.

Three completed lego kits, one with duplo for the tiniest of our little ones.

10. WikkiStix

When wikkistix are involved, the more, the better. If there are just a few, the little ones can can build two dimensional shapes, which they generally enjoy doing. And yes, once in a while those two dimensional shapes will suddenly become three dimensional and I will be having a long conversation with a standing up stickman. But the real fun, especially for those in the slightly older crowd, is being able to smoosh those wikkistix into three dimensional shapes.

Here’s the other great thing about wikkistix: they have use as a second life. So, for the first few uses, they keep that waxy, moldable feel. But once they’re in those sweaty little hands for an extended period, they get a little, well, disgusting. Those disgusting wikkistix are perfect, though, for idle hands. So while the littles are watching an iPad or movie, it’s simple to slip them into their hands and voila, that means those hands are actively engaged with something other than pinching, poking, or pulling another human.


11. Koosh Ball

Ahh the koosh ball. It is the perfect little ball to play an easy (and obviously insanely close) game of catch. Let’s discuss its merits: It doesn’t role when it lands, so there’s no chasing it up or down a plane or fetching from under a seat. It doesn’t hurt when it hits someone, so there’s no complaining. It’s easy to catch, so there’s no frustration. See? It really starts to make sense when you think about it.

Beyond just catch though, kooshes are so great at relaxing kids and filling idle hands. The snapping and stretching of the rubber bands never gets old. And its soothing as it glides up and down frustrated little arms and legs, tickling them into tiny giggles. A koosh isn’t just for catch. It’s for a little bit of therapy too.


12. Cheerios and Pipe Cleaners

This is a double whammy! That is tremendous in the world of kid entertainment. I’m gonna say it’s pretty obvious what happens here. Little one takes a pipe cleaner and a bag of Cheerios. Little one strings said Cheerios on pipe cleaner. Little one then proceeds to eat Cheerios. And every parent knows that snacks are the ultimate kid activity.

Of course, when this super-long snack time is over, there are pipe cleaners left to play with. And here’s the warning: be careful when choosing pipe cleaners; they aren’t all made the same. Some are a little more pipe and a little less cleaner, meaning they have a better chance of poking your little person with their metal tips and causing some tears. And if you can’t find adequate pipe cleaners, you can always substitute.

Snacking kids are happy kids. When you can entertain them while they snack, it’s even better!

13. Playdough

Let me be clear: if you cannot deal with the mess that results from playdough, this may not be for you. If you cannot deal with playdough colors mixing into one blob of brownish grey, this may not be for you. But if you do want some quiet time and you’re willing to throw caution to the wind, then this is absolutely for you.

We usually give each one of our littles three of the tiny tubs of playdough and two or three “tools”. And that’s it. It becomes a big smooshy mess. I may have to scrape a little glob up here and there from their clothes or the seat cushion, but it’s surprisingly little.

 

14. BandAids

My little ones get hurt. Yes. So I can’t possibly give them all the bandaids, but still, I give them a lot. For some reason, my littles are obsessed with all things bandaids: finding a “boo boo” that doesn’t actually exist, opening the band aid up, peeling the backing off, and putting them on limbs. They will literally sit on my bathroom floor and cover every inch of their bodies in bandaids. These are usually those moments when the house becomes so quiet, I know they’re doing something they shouldn’t be doing. So if they’re that quiet at home, why then shouldn’t I allow them this joy of being this quiet on the plane?

15. Busy Book/Quiet Book

I can’t say enough about a good busy book. You know the ones you open and they have things to do that involve zipping, buttoning, clothes pinning, lacing, braiding, dressing, counting, matching, sorting, and every other little thing you can think of. The busier, the better. It’s great because little people can concentrate on one thing at a time and then can do it again and again and again and again. Or they can move on. Their choice. And a little autonomy goes a long way with the preschool crowd.



Of course, it goes without saying that toddlers and preschoolers can also be wooed with iPads and snacks. But there are other choices. In fact, there needs to be because the toddlers I have had the privilege of living with hav had the attention span of a gnat at best, so changing up activities was key.

To make the whole process even more exciting, each of the activities can be wrapped up, so when they reach for something, there is the thrill of the unknown. This, too, has the potential to backfire though because when those new, wrapped little items all get opened, disappointment has the perfect opportunity to creep in.

A calm toddler makes for a relaxed flight.

On a final note: Before I put all of these items into their little bags, I take a photo of them. That way, when we’re frantically looking for a purple car for three hours, we don’t suddenly remember that we actually never brought a purple car and instead decided that the orange car was the better option. I’m not saying that would ever happen to us though, because our organization skills are on point. On. Point.

Whether you’re flying for three hours or going long haul, knowing you’re with a toddler or preschooler can be stressful. Let’s be honest; they’re not known for their reasonableness or ability to act rationally. They also seem to really struggle with self expression and self awareness. Still, there’s no reason to be apprehensive. There are plenty of affordable, portable activities for toddlers on a plane that can help keep them engaged and even, dare I say, happy?

Do you have an activities that seem to consistently work for keeping your toddlers and preschoolers entertained while in the air? We’d love to hear them!

And if you’re about to embark on a flight with an older infant, check out “Tips for Flying with an Older, Wigglier Infant” for some insights on how we made it through.

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111 Comments

    • Betty

      April 5, 2019 at 11:05 pm Reply

      Bless you for making this list! I have my first flight with my 19 month old and I’ve been dreading it. I got something from pretty much every category and I’m sure it will be 100x better flight, thanks to you!

      • Three Kids and A Car

        April 5, 2019 at 11:26 pm Reply

        I’m so glad it could help! Fly with confidence. You and your little one can definitely do it, even if there are a few little bumps along the way. I hope you’re going somewhere fabulous and you enjoy every minute!

  • alison netzer

    September 27, 2018 at 8:43 pm Reply

    Great suggestions. I loved those water paint books and always had a stash when we traveled with our kids when they were young. It is hard at that age, but we get through it.

  • Kisha

    September 27, 2018 at 9:04 pm Reply

    This article is cool, I love being prepared for the kids on long road trips, now I have ideas for taking them on a plane. I’d love to see my kids doing the window activity, even if its just in the house. Looks so cool!

  • Shirley

    September 27, 2018 at 9:51 pm Reply

    Oh man, I wish my plane seat mates had read your post before flying with their toddler from LA to ATL last month. Keeping the little ones busy makes for a much more pleasant flight for all. Thanks for the tips.

    • Three Kids and A Car

      September 27, 2018 at 10:42 pm Reply

      Ha! I’m so sorry for you experience; I’m sure it was tough for everyone involved. I think that’s why we’re so proactive about keeping ours busy. It’s stressful enough; I don’t need outside stress.

    • Three Kids and A Car

      September 27, 2018 at 10:43 pm Reply

      Seriously with the doodle pro. I think I remember it when I was a kid (except it was more like those old school ones you’d peel up the plastic sheet to reset…I may have dated myself there.)

    • Three Kids and A Car

      September 27, 2018 at 10:44 pm Reply

      Thanks! Gel clings are the cheapest most magical things for literally every where—cars, homes, hotels, planes. I wish I had invented them!

  • Pearl

    September 28, 2018 at 12:24 am Reply

    These have to be some of the best ideas I have seen!! Now I am done traveling with my children of course!! But grandparents travel too!! Fun!

  • Kelle

    September 28, 2018 at 1:45 pm Reply

    So many awesome ideas! I don’t have little ones anymore, but I do have grandkids and love the new ideas to distract them on a plane – or a car! Thank you for the great information!

    • Three Kids and A Car

      September 28, 2018 at 1:46 pm Reply

      Thanks! Our kids love traveling with their grandparents! Hope you get to put some of these to use on some wonderful memory-making travels!

  • Annick

    September 29, 2018 at 2:31 am Reply

    These are some great ideas for keeping toddlers busy. I wish I’d thought of some of these when my boys were little. I really like the window clings. We took a lot of little cars but those could be annoying!

    • Three Kids and A Car

      September 29, 2018 at 1:15 pm Reply

      The cars can be a bit much, especially if they start rolling all over the place. They’re one of those activities we’re far more involved in than ones like the gel clings.

  • rachel

    September 29, 2018 at 2:01 pm Reply

    This is one of the best and most unique posts I’ve seen in a long time. I travel with my friends kids all the time and always need good ideas for goodies for them. These are absolutely perfect!

    • Three Kids and A Car

      September 29, 2018 at 6:28 pm Reply

      Thanks! I hope they serve you well next time you’re traveling with them. (It always helps to get the kids on your side!)

  • Candy

    September 29, 2018 at 5:02 pm Reply

    This is such a great list. I don’t have kids, but will definitely share this with my nephew and niece 🙂 I really like those Window Gel Clings. I’ve never seen those and they look like kids would really enjoy them.

  • Paula

    September 30, 2018 at 1:45 am Reply

    Amazing tips! Thanks for reminding me of the water books. We used them all the time with my older kid, they are great! She also loved all kinds of magic colouring books. Now that our new baby is turning into a toddler I need to figure out again what entertained her the most on the flight. I remember sometimes wrapping little toys in a wrapping paper just so she could open them up at the plane. Just unwrapping them took her a while. I just did an eleven hour flight with 1 year old and a 6 year old. The best toy for the baby on this flight was the little utensils bag they gave out with food. Sugar and salt in it made a great sound while shaking it.

    • Three Kids and A Car

      September 30, 2018 at 2:34 pm Reply

      Oh found objects are great. Mine also like pulling tissues out of boxes and just ripping magazine pages. Both are easy to clean up too! Enjoy your travels!

  • Tracy

    September 30, 2018 at 1:48 am Reply

    What wonderful ideas! I wouldn’t have thought of window clings or pipe cleaners and cheerios! I just got some magnet “paper”/dress up dolls for our next trip.

  • Lisa

    September 30, 2018 at 8:19 am Reply

    These are excellent tips for keeping toddlers busy on flights. I can’t imagine how challenging it can be at times, as I don’t have kids (yet). Lift-flap books are ideal and the doodle tablet too. I love those gel stickies, I’d have a go myself lol.

    • Three Kids and A Car

      September 30, 2018 at 2:28 pm Reply

      I have to admit, most of the items are pretty good grown up distractions…Er…so I’ve been told by other people. 😬😂

  • amar singh

    September 30, 2018 at 10:36 am Reply

    I have been travelling with my kids from a very early age and have always thought of things of how to keep them occupied. This post certainly helps and there are some new things which I had not thought of. on long haul flights as they get older its easy with a vast entertainment system on offer but its the shorter ones. thanks for sharing a great post for any parent travelling with kids.

    • Three Kids and A Car

      October 4, 2018 at 1:05 pm Reply

      Thanks! Gotta keep them occupied. Ours still do use iPads, but even then, especially on long haul, they get a bit restless and need to change things up.

    • Three Kids and A Car

      September 30, 2018 at 2:37 pm Reply

      Playdough is huge hit anywhere in this house! And, truth be told, the grown ups may have a go at some of these too when we get a bit bored. They’re pretty classic.

  • Map Scratchers

    September 30, 2018 at 6:49 pm Reply

    I’m not at the stage of having kids (yet), but i find this article really interesting! It must help so many mothers and families travelling with their little ones. Love your DIY Lego sets, what a great ides. And even when i was not so little, i also loved the DoodlePro things, so i can see how those keep the kids entertained 🙂

  • Lance

    October 1, 2018 at 2:38 am Reply

    I cannot tell you how much I love these ideas. Our kids are now out of the toddler stage. We thought we had the market covered on things to do on a plane. But we never thought of gel clings. What a brilliant idea. We used to buy some small animal figures, cars, books, etc from the dollar store and surprise our kids throughout the flight with new surprises. Also, love your idea of taking a picture of items for reference. How many times have we packed something and then frantically searched for it only to find it already in the luggage!

  • Krupa

    October 1, 2018 at 9:53 am Reply

    This tips are saviour 🙂 Keeping toddlers busy in plane is such a difficult task and you gave us some amazing tips to try out. Thanks for sharing.

    • Three Kids and A Car

      October 1, 2018 at 5:09 pm Reply

      Seriously, that’s why I bring the little baggy of extras with me. Then I have no guilt if I don’t manage to get all those little ones up (though I still try).

  • Kreete

    October 1, 2018 at 12:47 pm Reply

    When I was little, I was never taken on plane rides so this is really fascinating. Also as I’m not yet a mum myself, I wouldn’t be able to come up with so many creative ideas! I mean yes, snacks are always a good idea-even for adults haha! But I love the window gel clings! So creative.

  • Michael Hodgson

    October 1, 2018 at 1:49 pm Reply

    Such GREAT tips. Thankfully, we are beyond that stage in life as our daughter is long graduated college, but we encounter families with toddlers and young children frequently in our travels. For sure going to share this post many times to spread the word. Keeping young ones calm, entertained, inspired, and educated is a challenge. Love the window gels! Cars … not so much though I am sure you are mindful parents. Not so long ago, I had a young lad driving his Corgi James Bond car up the back of my airplane seat, over my head and eventually, between the seat as far as his little arms would reach with most exuberant engine noises emanating from his mouth — thankfully it was only a few hour flight. His mum simply got perturbed when I dared ask she limit the driving to her son’s seat and tray table. Sigh.

    • Three Kids and A Car

      October 1, 2018 at 5:12 pm Reply

      Oh I’m sorry that happened to you! Yeah, our kids would never be allowed that. We bring these things to minimize other people’s pain not make it worse! Yikes!

  • Anja

    October 3, 2018 at 6:48 am Reply

    I love how you listed everything but the ipad/phone, which are nowadays the most obvious (easiest) options. I first flied when I was about 10, so I didn’t need distractions, but as a younger kid I would love those Water Wow books (never heard of them before!). Also, Lego kits are brilliant- it’s like a lunch box, only for toys! 🙂

  • Yukti

    October 4, 2018 at 7:28 am Reply

    Thanks for sharing so many creative activities for making toddlers occupied in long-haul flights. I loved the Gel stickers as it must be reflecting very beautiful colors. I used to carry playing cards when my kids were very small to keep myself and them engaged with each other. Also sometimes it becomes very difficult when kids don’t want to do creative activities and want to go for some physical activities. Some Kids love to play an adventurous and running type of sports and for engaging them, in long-haul flights is very difficult.

    • Three Kids and A Car

      October 4, 2018 at 1:06 pm Reply

      Yes! The lack of physical activity is hard. That’s why we try to at least get their hands occupied. We’ve just taught our oldest solitaire, which she’s still working on. Hopefully we’ll be able to add that into the mix soon!

  • Daniel Kiteski

    October 4, 2018 at 9:43 am Reply

    Some great suggestions here! I haven’t tried most of these but I guess I have a lot to learn lol. I’m sharing this post many times to spread the word.

  • Daniel

    October 4, 2018 at 9:43 am Reply

    Some great suggestions here! I haven’t tried most of these but I guess I have a lot to learn lol. I’m sharing this post many times to spread the word.

  • Sandy N Vyjay

    October 4, 2018 at 12:37 pm Reply

    Keeping toddlers engaged on flights and especially on the long haul ones is definitely a challenge. As attention spans of the toddlers are very less, one needs to have multiple options of engagement. You have listed some really engaging activities that are sure to keep the toddlers engrossed. Loved the glass gel clings idea, the best.

    • Three Kids and A Car

      October 4, 2018 at 12:57 pm Reply

      Thanks! We’ve had a lot of time to figure them out with our own little traveling crew. Gel clings are always a hit.

  • Zoya

    October 4, 2018 at 12:57 pm Reply

    This list is AMAZING! I don’t have kids (yet) but I cringe when I have to fly anywhere with my friends’ kids…haha, don’t get me wrong, I love them to bits, but boy are they busy! I’m defo investing in a doodle pro trip and the gel clings (xmas gifts sorted!!!). 🙂 I love the playdoh and water wow books too…but that’s just a distater waiting to happen with the lil’ rascals I know!

    • Three Kids and A Car

      October 4, 2018 at 12:59 pm Reply

      Yep, you have to know that you an trust your little ones with those, but even then, clean up is minimal. Happy to help you get ahead of Xmas!

  • Carmen Edelson

    October 5, 2018 at 4:28 am Reply

    This is such a fantastic list, and I love how you went beyond the typical toys and books. Those are great but sometimes you want something different! I LOVE the idea of those sticky window objects. I haven’t seen those before but I’m going to certainly buy some!

    • Three Kids and A Car

      October 5, 2018 at 4:47 am Reply

      I’m glad you found it helpful. They’re easy to find and usually show up in abundance around any holiday!

  • Emma

    October 8, 2018 at 4:55 pm Reply

    Gel clings are a great idea!

    With mine… we’ve tried several of these but have found it just adds weight to the carry-on and they aren’t interested. We do rely on the iPad maybe too much – but they have a variety of apps so it’s not all shows, and they rarely get iPad time when we’re not on an airplane so we feel less guilty!

    • Three Kids and A Car

      October 8, 2018 at 5:56 pm Reply

      Weight is totally one of the big things we consider too. We like to keep ours in charge of their own things as much as possible and those little muscles can only handle so much!

  • kristen knight

    October 11, 2018 at 6:37 pm Reply

    My little nephew just went on his first plane ride yesterday. It was so exciting. I think once he’s a little bit older, it will be fun to do these sorts of activities with him, so thank you so much for sharing.

    • Three Kids and A Car

      October 14, 2018 at 1:12 am Reply

      True. There are so many great Melissa and Doug things that work for travel—triangle crayons, watercolor set, so so so much!

    • Three Kids and A Car

      October 14, 2018 at 1:13 am Reply

      My little ones love the tape. And when we get to hotels with uncarpeted floors, they use the floors to make tape pictures and designs (they peel of so easily).

  • Brittney

    October 12, 2018 at 3:58 pm Reply

    These are genius! I just put my 5 year old on the tablet! To be fair the longest flight we have done is a little under 3 hours. So definitely not awful. It’s about time for 1 movie and snacks. I love the window clings, he loves those and hopefully iI can use that idea soon if we travel!

    • Three Kids and A Car

      October 14, 2018 at 1:15 am Reply

      Gel clings are still one of the big hits here, for all aged kids. And we do the iPad too, especially if we just need them to rest and zone a bit.

  • Traveling Holmes

    October 13, 2018 at 9:34 pm Reply

    Great post!! We love our doodle board. Cheerios make for a great tool for counting, and snacking on of course. 😉 We’ve never seen the window cling tip, that would be so fun. Thanks for posting this.

  • Danica

    March 14, 2019 at 3:05 pm Reply

    This is a fantastic list. I never thought about the gel clings on the windows. And thanks for the playdough warning, I do indeed cringe inside whenever my son mixes all the colors lol. Thanks for the tips!

  • Barbara

    July 18, 2019 at 3:42 pm Reply

    I like many of your ideas for fun on the plane without using screen time. I love the Lego kits, what little doesn’t love Legos. I am not sold on the tape but may have to try it.

    • Three Kids and A Car

      July 18, 2019 at 6:46 pm Reply

      Give it a try. Even if it’s just letting them stick it on stuff and peel it off and stick it on again. It’s sort of like the allure of bandaids!

    • Three Kids and A Car

      July 23, 2019 at 6:33 pm Reply

      Ha ha! I hear you. Sometimes they start to get a little antsy when they’re on it too long (at least mine do), so I’ve got to manage the insanity somehow!

  • Alex

    July 27, 2019 at 9:06 am Reply

    Love these tips! We’re traveling to LA next month and I can’t wait to use these ideas! This may be a silly question, but where are the plastic containers you used for the LEGO boxes from? I can’t seem to find plastic ones in the right size and glass is so heavy for a travel backpack. And what size are they?

    • Three Kids and A Car

      August 10, 2019 at 12:00 am Reply

      I got my boxes from Target. They’re Target brand as well. I think they’re about 7 x 7 or so. Maybe 6 x 6. I think Sistema makes some too that are plastic and have the snapping closures on the side. Enjoy your trip!

  • Erin Doty

    July 27, 2020 at 1:08 pm Reply

    This is the best list BY FAR that I’ve found. Thank you for the awesome ideas and the entertaining writing. (It’s nice to know I’m not the only one whose toddler says they’re playing wrong – haha!)

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