How to Keep Children Entertained on Holiday
April 27, 2022
Going on a family holiday is one of the most fun and exciting times of the year. However, any parent will tell you that taking a long road trip or flying with kids is not so enjoyable.
Children can easily get bored or tired when they’re travelling and finding ways to keep them occupied during the journey is a challenge for many parents.
Being stuck in a confined space for several hours means there are a limited number of activities that you can provide for your children. Unlike at home where your kids can run around in the garden or get messy with paints and glitter, you’re restricted to non-messy, easy-to-carry items.
If you’ve got a family holiday coming up and you’ll be travelling with young children, you might already be worrying about what to take with you on holiday to keep them entertained. But don’t worry!
Top Tips to Keep Your Children Entertained On Holiday
Here at KeepEmQuiet, we have come up with some top tips on how to make your family holiday the best it can be. In this article, you’ll learn about the best travel toys for kids and the simple steps that you can follow to make your getaway as good as it can be.
Pack Lots of Travel-Friendly Toys
When we say ‘travel-friendly’, we mean toys that are lightweight and easy to carry around in your luggage. At KeepEmQuiet, we’ve got lots of different toys that are perfect to distract a toddler or young child while they are travelling on holiday.
Sensory fidget toys are suitable for kids of all ages and are designed to promote explorative play. Your children will happily spend hours playing with their sensory toys, which means you can enjoy your travels without feeling stressed or worried about keeping your little ones satisfied.
Some of the best fidget toys include:
- Pop It fidget toys
- Fidget spinners or fidget balls
- Rainmakers
- Sensory plushies
- Sensory light toys
These toys not only keep your kids engaged for hours, but they can also promote the development of all five senses. For example, light-up sensory toys are designed to stimulate sight, soft plushies can activate your children’s sense of touch, and sensory toys that make different sounds can activate their auditory system.
If you can squeeze them into your bag, try to get a range of different sensory toys or activity packs when you’re driving or flying with kids. This way, they will stay quiet and content while also exploring their senses.
To get the whole family involved, you could also pack some family travel games to play either on the journey or during the holiday itself.
Whether you choose a card game for some evening entertainment or you pack some foam tennis racquets and a ball to play on the beach, there are lots of different games that will keep your kids immersed in play.
Check For Local Events
Most popular tourist destinations hold a number of local events each week. Most of the time, they are family-friendly and free to attend.
Before you set off on holiday, take a look online to see if you can find out more information about the events that are on during the time you’re away. You may be able to sign up and book your places before you go.
When you arrive at your destination, check out the tourist information centres or ask the locals for information about what’s on in the area. If you are staying in a hotel, take a look around the reception area. Most of the time, hotels will have lots of helpful leaflets that detail all of the local events.
Other great options when you’re travelling with young children are leisure centres and swimming pools. They’re the perfect way to keep your children active and engaged in exercise.
If you fancy something more relaxing, try heading to any local museums or art galleries. You can get your children’s creative juices flowing as they explore the beautiful displays in the galleries.
Get Outdoors
Understandably, when you’re flying with kids (link to blog 10), it’s not easy to pack every single game and activity in your luggage. But if you can, try and bring something that is appropriate for the outdoors with you on holiday, such as a space hopper, frisbee, or ball game.
When the weather is great, you can head outside and get active with your kids. Playing a game of catch or frisbee will encourage your children to get some exercise and fresh air. It also enables you to have some essential family bonding time while you’re all on holiday together.
If you don’t have any travel games with you, there are still lots of amazing activities that you can do outdoors. Here are some ideas:
-
Have a picnic - pack up a hamper of tasty snacks and set up a blanket in a nearby park so you can enjoy the sun.
-
Play a game of tag - get your children’s heart rate up with a game of tag. You can get the whole family involved and you don’t need any equipment to play.
-
Organise a treasure hunt - set up lots of clues and treats for your kids to solve and win a prize at the end. Setting up a scavenger hunt might take a while to plan out but it will be worth it for the hours of fun that your children will have hunting for the different treasures.
-
Make an obstacle course - use chairs, tables, and bedding to create a fun obstacle course for your children to complete. If your little ones are still crawling, make a walk-free version by creating different tunnels or things that they can duck under. If your children are already on their feet, make it a little harder by using objects that they’ll need to climb or jump over.
Plan Some Indoor Activities
Of course, you can’t always predict the weather when you are on holiday. Some days, the weather is great and you can stay outside all morning and afternoon. Other days, it may be cold, windy, and rainy.
Planning some indoor activities will prevent your children from getting bored on the days when you can’t go outside. Take the opportunity to turn these days into family bonding sessions and think of lots of different activities that will keep them engaged in their playtime.
There are lots of different amazing indoor activities that you can get your children involved in. Here are some great ideas to give you some inspiration:
-
Movie day - buy lots of tasty snacks and get cosy with some family-friendly films. Let your kids choose their favourites so they stay engaged in the movies from start to finish.
-
Arts and crafts day - buy some arty supplies for your children and let them get creative. You can hang up any completed artwork in your home when you return from your holiday.
-
Family board games - if you managed to squeeze some family travel games into your luggage, rainy days are the perfect time to get them out! Sit together and play your board games for hours of indoor entertainment.
-
Cook or bake something delicious - head out to the local grocery store and grab some ingredients for you and your children to use. Find some simple recipes to follow and cook something for lunch or bake for a mid-afternoon snack. This is a great way to spark your children’s interest in nutrition and it means you get something tasty to eat at the end of the activity.
-
Build a den - Children love to build cosy dens out of bedding, blankets, and pillows. There is no better way to let their imaginations run wild as they build a sturdy done to protect themselves against the imaginary enemy!
-
Play dress-up - kids love to dress up in different clothing. Take a look in your wardrobe or suitcase and lay out a bunch of your clothes for your kids to try on. Ask them to do a quick fashion show for you so that they can show off their different outfits.
-
Do a puppet show - Create some finger puppets using socks or gloves. Get a semi-permanent marker and draw a face onto each one so you and your kids can put on a spectacular puppet show.
Sit Back and Enjoy Your Holiday
When you are travelling with toddlers or young children on a holiday, it’s not always easy finding activities to keep them occupied. Hopefully, after reading this article, you’ve now got endless ideas for family-friendly entertainment.
Whether you bring a range of travel toys for kids or you use your good old imagination to come up with some equipment-free games, you won’t be short on engaging activities for the whole family to enjoy.
Don’t forget to check out our collection of travel essentials. We’ve got everything you need for a stress-free and exciting family holiday!
Leave a comment
Comments will be approved before showing up.
