60 fun road trip & airplane activities to keep toddlers & kids entertained
During one memorable trip to Scotland with three kids under seven, I was nervous, stressed, and frankly unprepared for a long flight. While we all came out unscathed (if you call a bit of crying unscathed, and some of that might have been by me!), I resolved to make future trips a lot more manageable and fun.
Travelling with kids in your own country or beyond is a great opportunity for family bonding, a way to show your kids that the world is made up of many places, cultures, landscapes, traditions, and cuisines, a chance for your kids to learn about history, geography, and languages, and a wonderful way to inspire curiosity.
All of that being said, though, travelling does come with its challenges. On long car rides or flights, kids can get bored, restless, and cranky. The change of environment and in schedules can be stressful for them and for you.
Pack your patience, your willingness to be flexible, and this list of activities to keep your kids engaged and active and soon the “Are we there yet?”s might just be replaced by, “Oh, we’re there already?”
Our list includes activities to do on a plane, activities to do in a car, and activities your child can do in either!
The importance of staying active during travel
Sitting for long periods of time can lead to stiffness, discomfort, restlessness, increased risk of cardiovascular disease, and reduced blood circulation. When movement is added, even for a short time, our cardiovascular, digestive, emotional, and immune systems all benefit. Whether it’s in an office, at home on the couch, or in a plane or car, we all need to take movement breaks to get our blood pumping and our brains happy!
But sitting in car seats, especially for infants, for long periods of time can be particularly unhealthy. The United Kingdom’s National Health Service recommends that babies not sit in a car seat for longer than two hours to avoid spine strain and breathing problems, which can be brought about by their positioning in the seat. If you buy a seat for your baby on a plane and bring their car seat on board for them to sit in, take them out periodically to reposition them.
Pick out some of our suggested road trip and airplane activities you and your kids can do to keep everyone healthy and happy.
Planning ahead
Include your kids in the conversation
As you plan any trip, it’s a great idea to include your kids in the conversation. Talk to them about where you’re going and how you’re getting there. Show them maps and pictures of where you’ll be staying and answer any questions they might have.
If your kids are flying for the first time, showing them a video of what the airport and plane look like and what will happen before, during, and after the flight can be helpful for them to know about before the big day.
Crossing the border in a car or at the airport can be stressful for children and parents. Watch this video from the Canadian Border Services Agency to ensure you have the proper documentation.
Research road and flight stops
For road trips, find attractions, restaurants, parks, and playgrounds on the map in advance so you’ll have somewhere fun to look forward to.
For flights, find out where play areas are in airports before you arrive so you can go straight there.
Decide what you want to bring
If you choose any car or plane activities in our list of items (as opposed to your singing voice or hands for clapping!), decide what you’re going to pack, making sure you leave plenty of room in your flight carry-on or car for other items like diapers and snacks. And remember to check the size of carry-on you can bring on a plane so you have just the right bags to bring with you onboard.
One item that might be of use in both a car and plane (if you have room for it), is a travel tray that gives your kids a firm base to use for toys, colouring, puzzles, and sticker activities. It also has small compartments for their snacks, crayons, and small toys, and can be folded down to make it easy for packing.
Similarly, an inflatable footrest for an airplane or car can be used as a spot for kids to sleep when they stretch out, to keep their legs from dangling and being uncomfortable, and to stop toys and other items from falling on the ground (nobody wants to go rooting under their chairs!). Ensure in advance that your airline allows them.
To make the travel experience extra special, use colourful wrapping paper to wrap up some new small toys (use lots of tape to make the unwrapping job take a while!). Your kids will love receiving new toys and unwrapping them. Tip: pick up toys at garage sales or thrift stores. The toys don’t have to be brand-new. Just new to your kids!
And let the adventures begin!
20 road trip activities for kids
Wherever you’re headed on your road trip, it’s a great idea to have a set of activities in your back pocket to keep your kids engaged and happy. There are so many road trip activities for toddlers, babies, and older kids to enjoy.
Whether the activities involve active movement or can be done between chances to get up and run, you and your kids will love these fun ideas.
1. Active movement activities in a car
Car trip activities for babies (0-1 year old)
- Sensory balls: Let your baby squish, roll, or pass textured balls back and forth to engage their hands and arms.
- Reaching games: Suspend a car seat toy to encourage gentle stretching to grab, reach, and bat at items suspended above them.
- Soft touch-and-feel books: Your baby will love to crinkle, grasp, pull, and feel the various textures on each page.
- Peek-a-boo with movement: Use a scarf or cloth to encourage pulling or lifting to “find” you.
- Kick the blanket: Lay a blanket on their lap and encourage light kicking or moving their legs to make it flutter.
Car trip activities for toddlers (1-3 years old)
- Stacking cups: Encourage your toddler to stack and unstack cups, working their fingers and arms.
- Stretchy bands: Provide a small resistance band for safe stretching or pulling motions.
- Finger puppets: Use puppets to act out a story. The puppets might be flying high in an airplane, or jumping on a trampoline!
- Pull!: Stuff a box with multiple tissues or scarves and have your child pull them out, put them back in, and pull them out again.
- Action songs: Play music like “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” or songs that kids and adults will all like to wiggle and shake to.
Car trip activities for preschool and school-aged kids (3-7 years old)
- Lights, Camera, ACTIONS: Have your child act out a story where they’re a race car driver steering a pretend wheel, a rock climber climbing a mountain with their hands, or a butterfly flapping their arms.
- Hand obstacle courses: Have your kids complete hand movements in sequence (e.g., clap, pat knees, touch toes).
- Paper clip chains: Bring a baggie of paper clips of different shapes and colours and show your child how to link them together to make one big chain using their fine motor skills. The more paper clips, the longer the chain!
- Rock, paper, scissors!: Teach your kids how to play this game either in the car or better yet, before you leave so you can start the game right away. Check out this link if you need a refresher on the rules.
- Cookie sheet fun: Cookie sheets aren’t just for baking! Bring one along in the car for your kids to use as a base for magnet play. There are multiple types of magnets from letters of the alphabet, to magnetic dress-up dolls to dinosaurs (and so many more) your kids can move around the cookie sheet to make their own scene.
2. Non-active (but fun!) activities in a car
- Car scavenger hunt: How many red cars, blue trucks, water towers, green signs, red lights, etc., can your child see out the window? Use this printable as an example or make your own list(s) before you go. Make sure you pack a pen or marker so your kids can cross out the items on the list.
- License plate game: Print out a map of the country where you’re travelling and when your child sees a license plate from a province or state, have them check it off on their map. Can they find the license plates of all 10 provinces and three territories of Canada?
- Rhyming game: Have one person start the game by calling out a word. The next person has to then call out a word that rhymes with it. (Tip: “orange” only rhymes with “sporange.” And “month,” “silver,” “purple,” and “wolf” don’t rhyme with anything!)
- Podcast: Listen to a kids’ podcast the whole family will enjoy.
- Rest stop fun!: Map out in advance places where you can stop for stretching, running, dancing, playing, and more. Pack items such as balls, fold-up scooters and skipping ropes, and a blanket for your baby to have some tummy time on. Also add some fun attractions to your trip! See the world’s largest totem pole in Alert Bay, B.C., the Giant Nickel in Sudbury, Ont., the World’s Largest Axe in Nackawic, N.B., Mac the Moose in Moose Jaw, Sask., Tommy the Turtle in Boissevain, Man., the Giant Cow Lookout in Saint-Georges-de-Windsor, Que., or the Concrete Creations Trail in Brooklyn, N.S.
25 airplane activities for kids
Before you get on the plane, take the time to get everyone’s wiggles out. Your kids will have plenty of sitting time ahead of them!
If you’re travelling with another adult, have them board first, set up toys and blankets, and board with your kids last. If you’re alone with your kids, aim to be the last ones on board. This gives everyone the opportunity to run out their energy before having to take their seat on the plane.
1. Active movement activities on a plane
Airplane activities for babies (0-1 year old)
- Tummy time twist: Lay your baby on your lap and have them push or lift their head for brief tummy-time-like motions.
- Clapping games: Play clapping games like “Pat-a-Cake” to engage hands and arms.
- Wrist and sock rattles: Place these soft and colourful rattles on your baby’s wrists and feet and watch as they delight in reaching and grabbing.
- Lap bouncing: Gently bounce your baby on your lap while singing a playful tune. Bouncing helps babies learn to control their muscles as they work to keep their heads still.
- Books: A bright, lift-the-flap book is a fun and interactive way for your baby to improve their fine motor skills (they’ll use those small finger muscles to feed themselves and eventually hold a pen).
Airplane activities for toddlers (1-3 years old)
- Sticker transfers: Toddlers can peel and stick reusable stickers, improving finger dexterity.
- Arm and leg stretch songs: Sing songs like “If You’re Happy and You Know It” with arm stretches or toe wiggles.
- Snack sorting: Your child will happily use their pincer grasp to sort small snacks like cereal, small crackers, apple slices, carrot sticks, puffs, and raisins between the compartments of a travel snack container with sections.
- Marching feet on the seat: Encourage your child to lift and tap their feet rhythmically on their own seat.
- Clean up: Have your child help you clean and disinfect the armrests and the tray tables with disinfecting wipes. Provide them with more wipes and let them wipe around the window, the back of the seat, and any other area.
- Walk: Stretch your legs (and your kids’!) by walking the aisles. Your child can use a pull toy or just walk the plane from end to end (and back again).
- Painter’s tape: Painter’s tape is sticky but doesn’t leave marks, making it an ideal versatile item to pack in any travel bag. Use the back of your child’s chair (yes, it sticks to fabric), their tray table, the wall beside the window, and armrests to make a course for small cars to travel on. Put several small strips of tape in various spots (armrests, table tray, on their arms, or on their bare feet!) and have your child pull them off. Or tape your kids’ small toys to the window or tray table (use lots of tape) and have them “rescue” them.
- Art gallery: Bring sticky notes and crayons (or pencil crayons, markers, etc.). Have your child colour the notes and post them on their seat, their tray, and the back of the chair in front of them—gently so they don’t bother their fellow traveller!
Airplane activities for preschool-aged and school-aged kids (3-7 years old)
- Seated yoga poses: Show your child some simple yoga poses and do them together. Stretch up tall like a tree, fold like a sandwich, twist from side to side, sit with the soles of your feet together, or bend from side to side extending one arm at a time.
- Origami: Purchase a beginner’s origami book and paper and work on some simple folding projects before the flight. You can learn some simple origami online (via pictorial or video lessons). Origami is great for finger and hand coordination.
- Window gel clings: Sticking, pulling off, and resticking window stickers keep your kids’ creative juice flowing and their hands and fingers on the move.
- Mr. Men/Little Miss game: Pick up some Mr. Men or Little Miss books and turn them into a game. Read the books with your child and have them pretend to be characters. (Bonus: These books are small and easy to slip into your bag.)
Some examples: Mr. Tall – How high can your child stretch?
Little Miss Tiny – Can they squish themselves into a teeny shape?
Mr. Grumpy – What’s the grumpiest face they can make?
Little Miss Sunshine – What are their best smiles? Can they smile with their mouths open or their mouths closed?
- Seated Simon Says: You and your child can take turns being Simon and call out movements to perform. (Want some Simon Says ideas? Wiggle your fingers like worms. Clap your hands two times. Touch your toes. Flap your arms like a butterfly. Pretend to climb a ladder. Shake your shoulders. Drum on your lap. Play air guitar. Give yourself a hug.)
- Back of the plane: Take advantage of the space at the back of the plane (just be sure you’re not in the way of the flight attendants and other passengers going to the bathroom). Use the area to do some jumping jacks, high knees, jogging on the spot, and stretching with your child.
- Magnetic blocks: Let your child’s imagination work as they use their fine motor skills to stack and build. The best part about these blocks is that they won’t fall apart (magnets for the win!).
- Pipe cleaners: Let your child twist and fold pipe cleaners into multiple shapes. Having an easy craft idea (or two) to do with your child and pipe cleaners ahead of time will keep you both entertained!
2. Non-active (but fun!) plane-specific activities
- Washroom visit: Examine the joys of the tiny strange washroom! When there’s no lineup for the facilities, duck in with your child and let them check the washroom out. They can use the toilet and experience the whoosh of the flush. Have them wash their hands a few times, use the hand cream if there is any, and see how many steps there are between the toilet and the door (spoiler alert: there may be fewer than four!).
- Clouds: Ask your child if they can find shapes in the clouds. Can they see faces? Clouds that look like animals or triangles?
- Look out below: Ask your child what they can see out the window. Perhaps they can see buildings, mountains, cars, or water? Bring a set of kids’ binoculars to bring the objects into focus.
- I Spy: Choose one person to be the spy and have them choose an object that they can see (without telling anyone). The spy says, “I spy with my little eye something that is (insert colour or the letter that the object begins with).” The players then take turns seeing if they can spot the item. Whoever spots the item becomes the spy.
There are so many things to see from your seat on the plane. Lights, magazines in the seat-front pocket, your clothing, signs, toys you’ve brought along, etc.
15 fun activities for both flights and road trips
There are so many fun travel activities, games, and books for your kids that you can take on a plane or in the car that will keep them busy, focused, creative, and engaged.
Travel activities for babies (0-1 year old)
Suction cup spinner: Attach this spinner toy to your baby’s tray table or a window beside them or let them hold it and spin, rattle and pop.
Activity cube: Your baby will want to flip the flaps, swing the ball, look in the mirror, and feel all the textures in this soft, very-easy-to-pack toy.
Cars: A baby will love a car that they can grasp easily and that has wheels they can spin and bright colours to keep them focused as they move the car around.
Interactive stuffed animal: Snuggling with a stuffed animal with ribbons and rattles will keep your baby comfortable and engaged.
Teething toy: If your baby is teething, having a teether on hand is key! And if the teether has multiple parts to it to keep your baby engaged, even better.
Travel activities for toddlers (1-3 years old)
- Suction starfish toy: The suction cups on these starfish allows them to be attached to smooth surfaces like mirrors, windows, and tiles. Kids can enjoy sticking them anywhere and watching them bend and twist in different directions.
- Travel busy board: Interactive boards are packed with fun activities that keep little hands and minds busy.
- Interlocking building blocks: Your toddler will love using their imagination to create with soft bristle blocks.
- Mini dinosaurs or animals: Pack up a baggie of dinosaurs for your kids to create their own dinosaur adventure. (Caution: might involve cute roaring!)
- Books: Pack books you already own or purchase new ones for the trip. Adults, siblings, or your toddler can read to each other or by themselves.
Travel activities for preschool-aged and school-aged kids (3-7 years old)
- Bead lacing toys: Kids will love focusing on threading colourful beads while working on their fine motor skills.
- Magnetic dress-up doll: The magnetic pieces in this toy make for the perfect travel item. The flat surface allows for your child to place the toy on a travel tray.
- Stretch, pull, and twirl stretchy string: Your kids will love the creativity and fun these strings allow. They can be pulled, stretched, and wound around each other to make fun shapes. And as a sensory item, it will keep your kids relaxed while improving their fine motor skills.
- Dry-erase board: Your child can draw, erase, and draw again to their heart’s delight.
- Water books: Your child will use a pen that can be refilled with water to colour in scenes. The pages then dry to erase the pictures and can be coloured in again and again. It’s a mess-free activity!
General tips for staying active, engaged, and happy during travel
To keep your child (and you) limber, happy, and focused, it’s great to have a plan (or multiple plans). But remember to keep your expectations realistic. Sometimes kids are having a bad day. Sometimes your fellow travellers have bad days. Having these tips on hand can help make your travel as smooth as possible:
- Strategize pit stops during car trips for active play.
- Maximize airport layovers for walking and stretching.
- Pack a variety of items: lightweight toys, snacks, and crafts for different ages.
- Bring a stroller for when your child needs to take a rest.
- Rotate activities to keep interest fresh.
- Focus on keeping the trip fun and flexible.
- Try to keep sleep patterns as close to as “normal” as possible to keep your child’s circadian rhythm well-regulated.
“We find that with long car rides, we plan ahead to find rest stops along our route to get out and stretch,” says Max Cordova, co-founder of Roammies, a community for traveling parents with 0-5 year olds. “When we lived in Portugal, many rest stops had play areas for toddlers, which was great. We’ve also found in our travels that many airports have playgrounds for children as well, but you may haven’t noticed them before having kids (so, ask!). If not, try to connect with other parents with young children during the journey to help get the wiggles out. Also, slip-on shoes for everyone during car and airplane rides allow for easy in-and-out.”
Check out other Active for Life trip advice and let us know what you have found helpful when you travel with your kids:
