How To Create a Kid's Travel Box
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In my last post, I mentioned that I make Sesame road trip travel boxes for trips. Since people love seeing I put in Sesame’s boxes, I thought I’d share some tips for creating a kid’s travel box of your own.
1. Pick a theme
Sometimes it’s easier to get started if you choose a theme for your kid’s travel box. Last year for our trip to the Midwest, I decided to focus on characters that he enjoyed at the time. So, his travel box included stickers and cars featuring Teenage Mutant Ninja turtles. I also picked up coloring books and stickers with Sesame Street characters. The My Busy Books collection is also great because there are so many different versions and they include all the figurines and playmats for kids to come up with their own stories.
For our trip to Houston, I used a Hot Wheels theme since he’s been all about cars lately. I even made some of those play dough eggs that are all the rage on YouTube. Picking a theme really makes it easier to hone in on what to include once you’re out and about shopping.
2. Utilize Dollar Tree and/or the Dollar Spot at Target
I don’t know about you, but I LOVE the Dollar Spot at Target. Every time I go in there, I have to check out what they have at the time. I’m usually looking for stationary or planner things for myself, but if we’re taking a trip soon I keep an eye out for activities for him.
See those cups peeking out…
Last year I found Avengers and TMNT cups for him to use at the hotel and while we were staying with family. This was great for the BBQ too because we always knew which cup was his and didn’t have to worry about him accidentally drinking an adult beverage. I also picked up the Sesame Street coloring books and the TMNT magic coloring book. I found most of the stickers at the Dollar Tree.
The key is to find little things that will keep them occupied without breaking the bank.
3. Include a family style activity
I always try to include an activity that we can all do together as well. You can usually find a nice puzzle that’s age appropriate for relatively cheap. This is another thing that you can find in the Dollar Spot at Target. They usually have little matching games. I found a Marvel character one there that I gave him when we did a staycation for his birthday, but then used it again in his travel box a few months later. The Busy Books are also great for a family adventure.
We went to Houston after he had started getting into Legos sets, so I included a small one that he could build with Mr. S while I was at the conference. It doesn’t have to be a big elaborate one. Oh, and make sure you pack snack bags to put the pieces in when they’re done.
4. Incorporate books about the area
I ALWAYS pack books, so that we can keep our night time routine of a bed time story going. I pack books that he really enjoys, but also one or two that are specific to the area we’re going. For our Midwest trip, I included Good Night Chicago and Good Night Michigan.
Sometimes I pick up a book on the road that he might enjoy and add it to the box for later. I’ve also packed books that I thought he might want to show his cousins or read with his grandparents to create memories about different events.
5. Don’t underestimate the use of old toys
I’ve already mentioned recycling some of the old activities that I’ve found, but I add toys he hasn’t played with in a while or may have forgotten.
This means a stuffed animal he might enjoy or cars that he hasn’t played with in a while. I definitely use the coloring books multiple times because he doesn’t always get to use each of them.
If you want to see more details from recent travel boxes, check out these videos: Midwest 2015 and Houston 2016
How do you feel about kid’s travel boxes? Have you made one? Let’s chat about what works and what doesn’t in the comments…
