Travel toys

[bubbaray]

Hit me with your best/favorite toys for travel -- 6 hour flight to Maui. Girls, ages just 2 and almost 5. Airline has inflight satellite TV, including Treehouse (Canadian kids station)

Looking for light weight toys. Stuff without many pieces (ie., not puzzles).

Anyone used feltboards inflight??

[WatchingThemGrow]

Seriously, the Lauri Toddler Tote (puzzles, which you don't want!) kept DD busy for a long time. Granted, DH was interacting for quite some time, but...

[fivi2]

We have and love the Lauri Primer Pack, but I must say we couldn't use much of it on the plane - it got a lot more use at our hotel. My girls were in their carseats on the plane so the tray didn't come down - really limited what they could do.

The magna doodle type drawing boards worked well for us. A bunch of stickers, scotch tape and a notebook/clipboard with paper. And we fell in love with I spy books on our trip. (My girls were not quite 3 at the time). I have seen, but don't own, those wooden box-type things with a magnetic "pen" - so you can move objects through a maze or match objects. (do you have any idea what I am talking about :) ) Those seem like they'd be nice. a few new books to look at and a dvd player. That is all I can think of. Have fun!

[Tondi G]

Color wonder stuff so you don't have to worry about the kids making a mess.
travel magnadoodle
playing cards or Uno for your 5 year old?
my DS was totally intrigued by a small car that had doors and a hood that opened when he was one a flight at 2yrs.... he opened and closed the doors and pushed it around on the tray for a good half hour I think!
Does your 5 year old have a Leapster? If so bring extra batteries for it!

SNACKS!

[bubbaray]

So we already have:

Leapster w/ various games (will bring new ones for the plane too)
Tag system (not sure about that, books are heavy)
Traveldoodles (small and mini)
Travel Aquadoodle
crayons/markers
coloring books

Will get:
stickers
post-its
batteries (thanks for the reminder!)
toy plane for each girl (big hit with DD#1's last trip)
toy car?
foam puzzles (not sure, see below)

Not sure about the Lauri tote -- that looks like puzzles?? Or is it more? I have similar cheapo foam puzzles I could take

Looking for:
games? Not sure if there are any travel-sized games for little kids?

I don't really want to take the DVD player. I don't think we'll need it at the hotel and we won't need it on the plane b/c they have Treehouse, Discovery Kids, etc. on the satellite TV inflight (I've already confirmed that with WestJet).

Oh yeah, we will have enough snacks for the whole flight probably. With DD#2's allergies, I have to bring all her food for the day. That should be interesting getting through security.

[Bens Momma]

Some suggestions:
For 5 year old
Leapster (and maybe a new game that they haven't played before). This would be more for the 5 yr old, but the 2 yr might be entertained by watching if it involves a character(s) that he/she knows.

2 year old
-Felt playset
-Magnet playset (We have one that's like a book that folds out.) I've seen Sesame Street, farm, princess, and Dora sets.

Both
-Mini magna-doodle
-A folder for each that contains a variety of stickers, a little baggie of washable crayons, and lots of blank paper
-sticker activity book (I've seen these pretty cheap at Marshalls/TJ Maxx)
-small tape measure. I've found these at various dollar stores. It may sound odd, but these are small and can keep my kids occupied for 20-30 minutes "measuring" each other, DH & I, and just rolling it in and out!
-I Spy books
-a couple of their favorite read alouds

That's all I can think of for now, but I'll add if I think of more!

HTH-
R.
Momma to 2 ACTIVE DS :bouncy::bouncy:

[Bens Momma]

Melissa-
I think you were typing your last reply while I was posting so there is some overlap. What about a small doll for each? Something like a Groovy Girl with an outfit or accessory that they could trade with each other. It looks like you have a great start and some really great ideas! Love the idea of post-its :thumbsup:! I'm going to add some to our family "Busy Bag." Will have to look into the Lauri Totes....

[HIU8]

Both my kids love the little mini doodle pro's. They go everywhere with us. We also have color wonder markers and a toy story tablet (plus others), a travel etch a sketch, snacks, stickers and a small portable DVD player and a couple of DVD's.

[bubbaray]

I forgot, we already have the travel Etch A Sketch (though I might have to find a second).

Will add Color wonder stuff to the list

[inmypjs]

I recommend silly putty - the kind that comes in an egg. I bought some at Joann Fabrics recently and it has kept my kids occupied in all kinds of places! Both the putty and the egg - they like opening it and shutting it over and over. I'd also recommend a slinky. For us the key is always things that they haven't seen or played with a ton before.

[Jenny_A]

Let's see...

Woodkins doll
Colorforms
preschool or other activity book
scissors and an old magazine
sticker books
cherio book with a small bag of cherios (ya know, where you stick the cherios in the picture)
small matchbox cars
small bag of legos
Happy Meal toys
bag of coins (money. As long as you're there watching. DD loves this. She sorts them and we talk about what they are.)
books on tape or CD with a small player and earphones (you can find these at book stores for kids)
comb, brush, clippy bows, and a doll with hair (DD likes to put bows in one of her dolls that has hair)
paper dolls


Some of these may seem random. I'm just thinking of things we've taken with us to church for our DD who is almost 3. Hope it helps!

Jenny

[Jenny_A]

Someone mentioned silly putty. I remember that silly putty will pick up news print images? You might take a comics page with you and your DC can use the silly putty with the comics or newspaper page.

Jenny

[egoldber]

My stand bys for travel are....

portable DVD player
books on CD (on my iPod)
stickers
sticker books
drawing pad
markers/crayons/pencils

And not much else. I really think you can pack so much it's overwhelming. I also feed my kids a LOT on the airplane.

Sarah has always enjoyed looking at the inflight magazines and the Skymall catalog. :ROTFLMAO:

[melissaflorida]

We just got back from vacation, my dd is 4 yo. She got a Nintendo DS for Xmas and LOVED it! It is the only toy she needed to keep her occupied. So much so, I took it and we are only using it for trips.

I did have the marker books that have games and coloring. I bought them at Kohls and the painting books that only paint on the special paper. Hello Kitty was one of them, they are not Color Wonders it was a different brand.

HTH,

Melissa

[deannanb]

eye spy bags
http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5395839

[KBecks]

Thanks for asking the question Melissa, and I'm envious of your Maui trip. If only we were closer to the West coast! We're going to Jamaica for a wedding, 4 hour flight + at least 1 hour bus ride.

[MamaMolly]

I get DD a booklet of those reward chart stickers. We use them to decorate the in-flight magazines (put a sticker on a picture of the car, of a lady, of a man...) and barf bags, you name it.

I also second a travel Magna Doodle and scotch tape. Get your older one to see how much tape it takes to stick down the little one's hand, etc.

Lots of nibbly snacks like raisins, pretzels, crystalized ginger, gummies, crackers, lolly pops for take off and landing.

[graciebellesmomma]

Stickers, stickers, stickers!
My daughter is 6 and we used to live here on Maui and
fly back to the West Coast 3-4 times a year.

I used to pack the dvd player, the Leapster, coloring books,
play doh, and so much more.

Now I get her a big sticker book that she can color in, as well.
We get her the washable pipsqueaks pens, glitter glue, children's
snub nosed scissors and a play doh kit. She has a carry on small
bag that she puts all of it into and adds her babydoll...

When are you headed over? I'm actually sick in bed today and
tonight, while my dd and dh are out whooping it up....wah!