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You’ve done all your research and planned the perfect itinerary, but now you have to get there. Maybe you’re boarding a flight or hopping in the car, either way you need to keep your bébé entertained. You’re not alone if you are looking for the best ways to keep kids occupied while traveling. Bébé Voyage members are always asking for advice on how to keep the little ones entertained while on the go.
Luckily for you we’ve done the research for you. We turned to our group of over 10,000 traveling parents to help you prepare for your next trip. (We even lined up a few discount codes for you!)
If you’re an electronics-friendly family you are likely looking for a way to keep the whole plane or car from hearing your toddler’s latest obsession played over and over on your electronic device. That is where Lil Gadgets Headphones come in. Lil Gadgets has a wide range of headphones to fit every family. In addition to being comfortable (my three year old actually keeps these on) Lil Gadgets Headphones have a “Shareport” allowing you to string headphones together without a splitter. My kids can watch a movie together without any extra equipment. Combine this with the Untangled Pro’s bluetooth capability and you have a winning combination.
I used the Untangled Pro (4+) for my five year old and the Connect+ (2+) for my three year old. When we need Bluetooth I send the signal to the Untangle Pro which is shared with my Connect+. When we are in close quarters I plug the Connect+ into an iPad and then the Untangled Pro into the Connect+ so we do not need to use the Bluetooth battery. I love that I don’t need any extra pieces and the kids can share the tablet. (Get 15% off Untangled Pro headphones through June 15 on your Lil Gadgets order with code LGBEBE15OFF.)
Thank goodness for technology. Long trips fly by with the help of a tablet or phone. We turned to the Bébé Voyage community for their recommendations for the best apps to keep kids entertained.
The big challenge for apps to use on the go is to make sure they work without an internet connection. Our community loves Paint Sparkles Draw for ios and android (Free)
Duck Duck Moose (Free) and Tiny Hands (paid, varies) both have a variety of educational apps that kids love. These two companies kept coming up in our online community as standouts. These apps typically fall into the educational category and focus on specific skill sets.
Ashley, one of Bébé Voyage’s contributing writers and blogger at Ashley Daily Photography, recommends any of the Sago Mini apps (paid, varies). What we love about these apps is that kids of all ages enjoy them. Little ones enjoy seeing the characters move when their fingers touch the screen, while oder kids can complete harder tasks.
We’ve tried all the above and love them. Our new favorite though is Think & Learn Code-A-Pillar for ios and android (Free). It has multiple levels making it good for both my three and five year old.
It’s always good to have some low tech toys to play with as well. (Particularly with the tablet and laptop bans on some international flights.)
Bébé Voyage club members love Melissa & Doug Water Wow ($5) books. Little ones will love to watch the colors appear when they move the water pen over the pages while older kids enjoy the seek and find activities on each page.
Melissa & Doug Reusable Sticker Pads ($5) are also a huge hit with kids of all ages. They come in a variety of scenes so you’re sure to find one your kids enjoy. We like to get ours spiral bound (any copy shop can do this for you) with the sticker page facing the scene page to make it easier to use.
Tray Table covers, like this one from TRAYblecloth ($20.95), are a great way to keep older kids busy. Pockets hold smaller items so kids can be a bit more independent on the plane. Just make sure you use Washable Dry Erase Crayons ($3) or similar, as regular ones can stain clothing.
For our littlest travelers, the Star Kids Play-n-Go ($39.99) attaches to the tray table to keep kids entertained.
The other advice we hear over and over is that you do not have to buy things specifically for the flight. Stickers, pipe cleaners and blue painters tape are always a hit on the plane and can be used in a variety of ways by children of all ages.
Don’t overlook the magazines and pamphlets that come in the seat back pocket on the airplane. When my two year old was obsessed with dogs we used the SkyMall magazine to hunt for photos of dogs. He had a blast and an hour of our flight passed by quickly!
In the car, cookie baking sheets can make great workstations for certain activities, or invest in a travel tray like the Star Kids Snack & Play Travel Tray ($28).
Never underestimate the power of snacks. It seems to be universally true that a kid eating is a quiet kid. Do not count on the airline to provide something (although some like Jet Blue still do), instead pack your kids’ favorite snacks. Have a few extra special treats ready to bring out at just the right moment.
You can use a fun snack container like the Munchkin Snack Plus Stainless Steal ($9) to minimize mess or the Innobaby Packin’ Smart Stackable Storage for a variety of snacks
If you are not feeling up to doing the work of getting everything together let KeepEmQuiet do it for you. These kits are put together specifically for your child and the trip you are taking. (Get 10% off your KeepEmQuiet order with code BBV10.)
We always love to hear what is working for you. Join the Bébé Voyage community on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to share your favorite travel entertainment ideas using #BebeVoyage.
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