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When traveling by car there will be a lot of down time to fill. Pack a large bag of things to do, and dole them out gradually to keep the kids busy. Here are some suggestions for items to include:
For infants
- any object that's bright and new!
- rattles of all sorts
- music-makers
- a few pieces of mega-blocks
- magnetic stick-together blocks
- toys of interesting shapes
- pop-up toys
- safe plastic mirror
For toddlers
- bubbles (to use in the airport, during flight changes)
- balls (for rest areas during car trips)
- nested containers
- sets of things to put into containers
- things that fit into other things
- Busy Boxes with levers, bells, moving parts
- board books
- simple speaking toys: baby pushes button, toy speaks (not too loud!)
- small wind-up toys
- blanket, stuffed animal
For preschoolers
- picture books
- stickers and activity books, crayons (preferably square so they don't roll!), felt pens
- lap-sized wipe-off easels
- small mirrors
- finger puppets
- costume jewelry
- pop-up books
- post-it notes, transparent tape
- masking tape! kids have fun just sticking it, unsticking it, etc.
- inexpensive sets of plastic figures (animals, dinosaurs, astronauts...)
- magnetic letters & metal tin
- miniature wind-up train and track
For Kindergarten to 2nd Grade
- activity books
- tattoos that press on with a wet cloth
- stick-on play sets
- travel-size Magna-Doodle, Etch-a-Sketch
- threading sets (pictures with yarn)
- felt boards
- Travel Desk sets
- small magnetic puzzles
- small wind-up toys
- Go-Fish cards
- silly putty
- colored beeswax (to model with-- won't stick to stuff)
- Walkman, with story/song audiocassettes
- trading cards and books
- "micro-machines": really small cars, sometimes sold in portable sets
- miniature worlds: little houses with figures, hand-sized playsets
- yarn: finger knitting, or simple knitting
For Older Kids
- books
- comics
- activity books
- blank paper, for playing Hangman and Xs & Os
- regular deck of cards
- travel-size Monopoly, Sorry, Snakes 'n' Ladders, Battleships
- Speak 'n' Spell
- miniature chess
- Mastermind: a great game for age seven and up-- travel-size available
- card sets
- small Lego sets (store the pieces in Ziploc bags)
- hand-held toys with the sound turned off
- small 3D puzzle sets
- Walkman and portable cassette or CD players
- Game Boy-type handheld electronic games
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