Long flights can be a challenge when traveling with kids, especially when they’re used to screen time. While tablets and smartphones can be lifesavers in the moment, it’s important to have other tricks up your sleeve for times when screen time isn’t an option or you simply want to avoid it. Keeping kids entertained without relying on technology is not only possible but can also be a great way to foster creativity, learning, and bonding during the flight. Here are 12 fun and effective ways to keep your little ones engaged while flying, no screens required.
1️⃣ Travel-Themed Coloring Books and Crayons 🎨
One of the easiest and most portable ways to keep kids entertained is by bringing along a travel-themed coloring book. Choose books that feature airplanes, landmarks, and countries, which can make the activity both fun and educational. Adding a small set of crayons or colored pencils will keep the activity mess-free while giving kids a creative outlet. Plus, it’s a great way to discuss the places you’re visiting or the journey you’re on!
Why It’s Crucial:
- Creativity Boost: Coloring allows kids to express themselves and keep busy with a hands-on activity.
- Educational Opportunity: As they color pictures of different cultures, famous landmarks, or animals, you can spark conversations about the destinations you’re visiting, providing learning experiences along the way.
Pro Tip: Use a lightweight and compact coloring book to save space, and opt for washable crayons or colored pencils to avoid messes.
2️⃣ Activity Packs and Puzzle Games 🧩
Bring along a small, travel-sized activity pack filled with puzzles, mazes, or word games. Many travel stores offer compact kits with activities that are fun and challenging for kids of different ages. From Sudoku to word searches, these games can keep little minds busy for hours. Puzzles with pieces large enough to avoid getting lost are also a great option.
Why It’s Crucial:
- Problem-Solving Skills: Puzzles and games encourage problem-solving and critical thinking, helping keep kids engaged while offering an educational benefit.
- Focus and Patience: Completing a puzzle or figuring out a game teaches patience and the ability to focus, both important skills for long flights.
Pro Tip: Opt for puzzles with themes related to your destination to tie in with your travels, making it even more exciting for kids to play.
3️⃣ Magnetic Travel Games 🎲
Magnetic games, such as chess, checkers, or even tic-tac-toe, are fantastic for keeping kids entertained while traveling. These games are compact, travel-friendly, and the magnetic pieces prevent them from flying around the cabin when the plane hits turbulence. Magnetic games also keep kids engaged for longer stretches of time and don’t require the use of any batteries or power sources.
Why It’s Crucial:
- Portable and Practical: The magnetic feature keeps the pieces in place, which means there’s less risk of losing pieces in the confines of an airplane.
- Great for Family Bonding: These games are perfect for involving parents or other passengers, making it a social activity as well.
Pro Tip: Choose a game with multi-level challenges so it can grow with your child’s interests and skill levels, keeping them engaged for longer.
4️⃣ Sticker and Activity Books 📚
Sticker books can be a great distraction during long flights, especially if your child enjoys interactive activities. Many sticker books come with scenes that kids can decorate with reusable stickers, which can provide hours of entertainment. Some books even include puzzles or challenges that require kids to match stickers to certain pages, turning sticker time into an engaging activity.
Why It’s Crucial:
- Keeps Hands Busy: The tactile nature of stickers allows kids to focus on a creative task, which can be soothing and enjoyable during the flight.
- Reusable Fun: The ability to move and reuse stickers means they can keep kids entertained for a longer period without running out of materials.
Pro Tip: Buy sticker books that feature themes related to your destination or your child’s current interests, making it even more exciting for them.
5️⃣ Travel Journals 📖
For older kids, a travel journal can be an excellent way to engage them during the flight. This gives them the opportunity to write, draw, and reflect on their journey, whether it’s documenting their thoughts, making lists of what they’re excited about, or sketching their surroundings. A travel journal can also serve as a keepsake they’ll enjoy looking back on after the trip.
Why It’s Crucial:
- Enhances Creativity and Expression: Writing and drawing help kids express themselves creatively while also improving their writing and fine motor skills.
- Helps Process Experiences: Writing or drawing about their experiences can help children process the trip and give them a sense of ownership over the adventure.
Pro Tip: Include prompts in the journal like “What’s the first thing you want to do at our destination?” to help kids get started and keep them engaged.
6️⃣ Scavenger Hunts 🔍
A scavenger hunt is a fun and interactive way to keep kids engaged during a flight. You can create a simple list of things for them to find, either within the plane (like a certain color of clothing, a fellow passenger wearing glasses, etc.) or related to the flight (like spotting a certain type of aircraft outside the window or identifying landmarks on the in-flight map). It keeps them on the lookout and involved in the activity.
Why It’s Crucial:
- Keeps Kids Active and Engaged: The hunt keeps kids physically and mentally active, making the flight feel quicker and more engaging.
- Encourages Observation Skills: Kids learn to pay attention to their surroundings and become more mindful of the small details in their environment.
Pro Tip: If you’re traveling to a specific destination, tailor the hunt to include things related to your travels, such as spotting airplane-related items or finding a map of your destination in the in-flight magazine.
7️⃣ Storytelling and Audiobooks 📚🎧
If you want to avoid screen time, storytelling can be a wonderful alternative. Whether it’s telling a story yourself or listening to an audiobook, this activity lets kids immerse themselves in creative worlds. Audiobooks are available on many platforms and can be an engaging way to pass the time while providing an auditory learning experience.
Why It’s Crucial:
- Enhances Imagination: Storytelling sparks imagination and encourages kids to visualize the story as it unfolds, improving their creativity.
- Relaxing and Calming: Listening to a story can help calm children, especially if they are feeling anxious or restless during the flight.
What to Do:
- Bring along a pair of child-friendly headphones and download a few audiobooks before the flight, or have a selection of stories to tell.
- You can also create your own stories by asking your child to help come up with the plot, characters, or setting.
- Pro Tip: Make it a family activity by taking turns telling parts of the story, or encourage kids to create their own versions of the tale.
8️⃣ Craft Kits and DIY Activities ✂️
Pack a small craft kit that contains everything your child needs to create something during the flight. Think of simple DIY projects like friendship bracelets, bead necklaces, or even paper folding kits. These types of activities can keep kids entertained for extended periods, and they get the added bonus of a creative finished product at the end.
Why It’s Crucial:
- Fine Motor Skills Development: Craft activities help improve children’s dexterity and focus, as they follow instructions and manipulate small items.
- Fun and Productive: These activities not only entertain but also provide a sense of accomplishment once the project is completed.
What to Do:
- Bring easy-to-carry craft kits like bracelet-making kits or origami sets. The compactness of these kits makes them perfect for traveling.
- Encourage kids to make something related to the destination, such as a souvenir or a travel-inspired piece of art.
- Pro Tip: Make sure the craft kit has no loose parts that could be lost, and pack a small container to keep everything organized.
9️⃣ Card Games and Travel Board Games 🎲
Compact card games like Uno, Go Fish, or a travel-sized board game can be a fun way to engage kids during a long flight. These games are small, easy to carry, and offer hours of entertainment. Plus, they’re a great way for families to bond together while passing the time. Many travel board games are designed specifically for compact spaces, so they’re perfect for use on a plane.
Why It’s Crucial:
- Interactive Fun: Card and board games encourage interaction and cooperation, which can be great for family bonding.
- Mental Stimulation: These games challenge kids to think strategically, improving critical thinking and decision-making skills.
What to Do:
- Pack lightweight, travel-sized versions of your favorite games. If your kids are older, you can introduce more complex card or strategy games to keep them engaged.
- Play as a family or involve other passengers if they’re open to joining in!
- Pro Tip: Choose games with pieces that won’t easily roll away or get lost during turbulence. Keep the game board secured by placing it on a tray table or lap.
🔟 DIY Travel Bingo 🎯
Create a DIY travel bingo card filled with fun things to spot during the flight. For example, items on the card could include “an airplane wing,” “a flight attendant,” “someone wearing glasses,” or “a sleeping passenger.” As your child spots these items during the flight, they can mark them off on the card. The first to complete their bingo card wins a small prize.
Why It’s Crucial:
- Encourages Focus and Observation: This activity helps kids pay attention to their surroundings and boosts their observational skills.
- Fun Competition: A little friendly competition can keep kids excited and motivated throughout the flight.
What to Do:
- Create bingo cards with fun and flight-related images or words. You can make them yourself or find printable versions online.
- Give out small rewards, such as stickers or extra snacks, when they complete a row or the entire card.
- Pro Tip: You can even customize the bingo card based on your destination, asking kids to look for things related to the place you’re visiting.
1️⃣1️⃣ “I Spy” and Word Games 🔍
“I Spy” is a classic game that never gets old. All you need is your surroundings and a little creativity. Kids can take turns choosing an item in the plane and giving a clue (“I spy with my little eye, something red”) for the others to guess. This activity is fun and mentally stimulating without requiring any extra materials.
Why It’s Crucial:
- Engages the Mind: “I Spy” keeps kids focused and engaged with their environment, promoting mental sharpness and observation.
- Social Interaction: It’s a fun game to play as a group, encouraging interaction and conversation with siblings or parents.
What to Do:
- Start with an item close by, like a seatbelt or a window, and get creative with the clues.
- For older kids, you can make the game more challenging by using more abstract clues or making it a timed game.
- Pro Tip: Use “I Spy” as a way to teach kids about different objects around them—this can make the game both fun and educational.
1️⃣2️⃣ Snack Time Creativity 🍎
Keeping kids entertained isn’t just about activities—it can also involve getting creative with snack time. Try packing a variety of healthy snacks that are fun to eat, like fruit kabobs, mini sandwiches, or homemade trail mix. Involve your child in packing the snacks, letting them choose and assemble their own treat boxes for the flight. This can turn snack time into an interactive, creative activity.
Why It’s Crucial:
- Nourishing and Fun: Healthy snacks not only keep kids fueled during the flight but also add an element of creativity to their mealtime.
- Reduces Restlessness: Having small, healthy snacks to munch on can keep kids satisfied and help them stay engaged, reducing restlessness during the flight.
What to Do:
- Pack individual snack bags with a mix of fruits, nuts, crackers, and other healthy treats.
- Encourage kids to come up with their own snack combinations and pack their snacks creatively in fun containers or bento boxes.
- Pro Tip: Keep snacks in small, easy-to-open containers, and be mindful of items that could be messy, like yogurt or chocolate.
Traveling with kids on long flights can feel overwhelming, but with the right activities, you can make the experience enjoyable for everyone. By preparing ahead of time with a variety of screen-free activities like coloring books, games, and creative snacks, you’ll keep your little ones entertained and engaged. The key is to offer a balance of fun, learning, and relaxation, which will help make the flight feel shorter and more manageable. Bon voyage, and happy flying!
