{"id":6451,"date":"2021-05-19T22:12:23","date_gmt":"2021-05-19T22:12:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/s37407.p1377.sites.pressdns.com\/resources\/portable-kids-activities-that-travel\/"},"modified":"2021-05-19T22:12:23","modified_gmt":"2021-05-19T22:12:23","slug":"portable-kids-activities-that-travel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/portable-kids-activities-that-travel\/","title":{"rendered":"15 portable activities for entertaining kids on the go"},"content":{"rendered":"

If there’s one situation you don’t ever want to find yourself in, it’s being out and about with a kiddo who’s starting to get antsy. Whether you’ve got a little one whose interest in their older sibling’s soccer practice is starting to wane or a toddler who’s about to seriously spoil a restaurant’s ambience, bored, fidgety kids don’t always make the best travel companions — even if your travels have only led you to the park.<\/p>

The best antidote for this all-too-common ailment? A bag of tricks, of course. From travel games for toddlers<\/a> to quiet games for kids of any age, here are 15 portable crafts, games and activities you never want to leave home without. Your inner peace will thank you. <\/p>

1. Travel “Guess Who”(-ish) game<\/h2>
\"\"
Image via Busy Bébés\/Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Guess Who redux! Similar to the game we all played (and loved) when we were kids, Busy Bebes<\/a> has a stylish cat and dog version<\/a> no kid will be able to resist. And even better? Busy Bébés is a monthly busy bag subscription service. Never run out of pocket-sized games and activities again!<\/p>

Where to buy: <\/strong>Busy Bebes Subscription<\/a> ($38\/month, Busy Bébés)<\/p>

2. Idea coins<\/h2>
\"\"
Image via The Idea Box Kids\/Etsy<\/figcaption><\/figure>

How smart is this: 30 wooden coins with 60 different ideas for kids on them? Genius! Not only are the idea coin boxes from The Idea Box Kids<\/a> portable, they’re also thematic. Choose from topics like masking tape (in which case you should have a roll of tape in your bag, too!), summer and airplane — with each set having pertinent ideas for whatever you’re up to with the kids.<\/p>

Where to buy: <\/strong>Masking Tape Activities<\/a> ($25, The Idea Box Kids)<\/p>

3. Clothespin busy bag<\/h2>
\"\"
Image via OT Katie\/Instagram<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Got clothespins, foam stickers, a marker and a glue stick? Then you’ve got the makings for this clothespin busy bag<\/a> idea from occupational therapist Katie Yoon<\/a>. Not only will little kids love playing this simple matching game, they’ll be building up their fine motor skills, too. <\/p>

4. Portable felt activity binder<\/h2>
\"\"
Image via Meaningful Mama<\/figcaption><\/figure>

This creative felt activity book<\/a> from Meaningful Mama<\/a> takes a teeny bit of work on the front end, but it yields lasting results. Not only is it mess-free, it’s portable, educational and entertaining for kids. And it’s the perfect activity to unveil when nothing’s quite doing it for your preschooler. <\/p>

5. Magical unicorn mini play dough kit<\/h2>
\"\"
Image via KeduKid\/Etsy<\/figcaption><\/figure>

It’s whimsical. It fits into a sweet little bag. It involves unicorns. Need we say more? The unicorn play dough kit<\/a> from KeduKid<\/a> is a surefire way to keep kids — and perhaps even adults — engaged and sensorily stimulated. <\/p>

Where to buy: <\/strong>Magical Unicorn Mini Play Dough Kit<\/a> ($18; KeduKid\/Etsy)<\/p>

6. Mini construction kit<\/h2>
\"\"
Image via Mulberry Toes\/Etsy<\/figcaption><\/figure>

If you’re with a little one who’s losing steam at the dance studio while their older siblings practice or trying to buy some time while you finish up your coffee, this mini construction kit<\/a> from Mulberry Toes<\/a> should do the trick. <\/p>

Where to buy: <\/strong>Mini Construction Kit<\/a> ($18, Mulberry Toes\/Etsy)<\/p>

7. “Would you rather?” jar<\/h2>
\"\"
Image via Landee See Landee Do<\/figcaption><\/figure>

For slightly older kids, having a jar (or bag) of “would you rather” questions<\/a>, like this one from Landee See Landee Do, will definitely come in handy. “Would you rather only be able to whisper or only be able to shout everything?” That’s a tough one!<\/p>

8. I Spy alphabet bottle<\/h2>
\"\"
Image via The Best Ideas for Kids<\/figcaption><\/figure>

This cute, DIY I Spy alphabet bottle<\/a> from The Best Ideas for Kids<\/a> is a fun, portable way to help kids recognize their uppercase and lowercase letters — and it’s so easy to make.  <\/p>

9. House coloring kit<\/h2>
\"\"
Image via Cicade Shop\/Etsy<\/figcaption><\/figure>

What’s more fun than coloring on paper? Coloring a sweet fabric house, of course. These adorable house coloring kits<\/a> from Cicade Shop<\/a> will help kids tap into their creative side — while (temporarily) tempering their wiggles. <\/p>

Where to buy: <\/strong>House Coloring Kit<\/a> ($29, Cicade Shop\/Etsy)<\/p>

10. Beginner punch needle kit<\/h2>
\"\"
Image via Amazon<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Punch needling is all the rage right now and with good reason — it’s seriously soothing. Having a beginner kit in your bag can be a great go-to activity for older kids<\/a> (it involves using a needle), and it’s something they can pick up and put down whenever the mood strikes. <\/p>

Where to buy: <\/strong>Punch Needle Embroidery Starter Kit<\/a> ($16, Amazon)<\/p>

11. Story stones<\/h2>
\"\"
Image via My Story Stones Rock\/Etsy<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Whether you buy a bag or get crafty and draw up a few story stones of your own, story stones are a great way to ignite kids’ imaginations<\/a>, increase their vocabulary and keep them busy when you’re on-the-go. And they take up practically no room in your purse, diaper bag or nanny bag<\/a>. <\/p>

Where to buy:<\/strong> Mythical Story Stones<\/a> ($16, My Story Stones Rock\/Etsy)<\/p>

12. Slime<\/h2>
\"\"
Image via Amazon<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Think what you want of slime (and the many places it winds up), but kids love it — full stop. Think of having a few mini containers of slime in your bag at all times as insurance for kids who are getting bored<\/a>. <\/p>

Where to buy: <\/strong>Easy City 48-Pack of Slime<\/a> ($18, Amazon)<\/p>

13. Canvas tote and markers<\/h2>
\"\"
Image via Wired Roxz\/Etsy<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Want to blow your kiddo’s mind? Pull a tote bag out of your tote bag — and tell them they can color on it! Whether you get one with a pattern that they can work on here and there or simply pick up a blank one, this is one on-the-go art activity sure to hold their attention. <\/p>

Where to buy: <\/strong>Reusable Bag and Markers<\/a> ($31, Wired Roxz)<\/p>

14. Wooden beads and laces<\/h2>
\"\"
Image via Amazon<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Few children will be able to resist stringing these sweet fruit, veggie and animal beads onto thick laces. A great little bag to have with you, as it’s both compact and will help kids hone their fine motor skills. <\/p>

Where to buy:<\/strong> Wooden Beads and Laces<\/a> ($16, Amazon)<\/p>

15. Exercise dice<\/h2>
\"\"
Image via Such Fun Goods\/Etsy<\/figcaption><\/figure>

The best way to get the wiggles out? Wiggle! This set of exercise dice<\/a> from Such Fun Goods<\/a> is ideal for energetic kids who don’t like to stay put for too long (and who don’t respond well to “just run around.”) Keep a set in your bag or babysitting kit<\/a> and pull out any time your child starts getting fidgety. <\/p>

Where to buy:<\/strong> Exercise Dice<\/a> ($17, Such Fun Goods\/Etsy)<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

If there’s one situation you don’t ever want to find yourself in, it’s being out and about with a kiddo who’s starting to get antsy. Whether you’ve got a little one whose interest in their older sibling’s soccer practice is starting to wane or a toddler who’s about to seriously spoil a restaurant’s ambience, bored, Read more…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1273,"featured_media":39751,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"enable_toc":false,"care_reviewed_by":0,"care_post_updated_flag":false,"care_updated_date":"","last_update":"2021-05-19","view_count":2062,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"member-type":[4],"vertical":[6],"platform":[2],"class_list":["post-6451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","member-type-all","vertical-children","platform-resources"],"acf":[],"created":null,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6451","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1273"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6451"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6451\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/39751"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6451"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6451"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6451"},{"taxonomy":"member-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/member-type?post=6451"},{"taxonomy":"vertical","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/vertical?post=6451"},{"taxonomy":"platform","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.care.com\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/platform?post=6451"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}