Travel toys

[Jasmum]

A little while ago on a post someone included links for toy's ideal for travelling - I've searched but cannot find it - Does anyone have the links or have any good suggestions for toys to amuse a 20mth old for 12 hours?

[Tartegnin]

Tamum: This is VERY off topic, but where did you get that cute sounding bag for DD? It sounds right up my DD's alley!

[tamum]

Slightly off-topic, but last time we flew (internal flight, very short) dd had her own bag. It was a pink fluffy bag with a halo and wings and was filled with My Little Ponies. Guess which bag the security check people took from the X-ray machine to search? It was v. hard trying to keep a straight face while they solemnly searched through the contents, asking "Are thse My Little Ponies?". (Answer, no, they're My Little International Terrorists.....)

To get back to the topic, I've always done the lots of tiny presents for long car journeys too, and we now have a bag full of little things like that which we only get out in the car. Things like those little rubber faces you put your fingers into the back of to change their expression, finger puppets, anything you can fiddle with. For planes it's easier because they can draw and do puzzles. Now mine are older I make sure they have a new comic each, and that lasts a while so long as it's a good one.

[Tartegnin]

Kateandthegirls: I'm completely on the same page as you are when it comes to keeping carry-on to a minimum - we try to travel on the plane with just one rucksack which holds what we need and then check the rest through. Means our hands are free and we don't have much to keep track of. The rucksack also has some elastic straps on the outside which can hold sweaters and the like in a pinch. We let DD have a small rucksack to carry her "essentials" (i.e., blanket and toy monkey!)though. It makes her feel grown up, but doesn't really add more luggage to keep track of, since she wears in while not on the plane. Even in the odd moments when she doesn't want to wear it, it's so small and light, we can just clip one of the handles to our bigger rucksack and you barely notice it.

[KateandtheGirls]

If you can afford it, a portable DVD player is a godsend. I just bought one which we used on a flight to Jamaica a couple of weeks ago. I put it on the tray table in front of me with my girls either side of me watching it. Didn't even worry about headphones. Just had the volume low-ish.

[wibbsywoo]

We flew backwards and forwards to South Africa once or twice a year for the last five years - only used wheelie luggage for the last couple of flights when ds was 4 and dd1 3. Most have handles on the top so you can carry them if needs be. Dd2 was 1 so having my hands free was a godsend.

[Hulababy]

I don't take much more on plane itself though - just a piece of hand luggage each with essentials and leisure stuff for the flight. Rest goes in the hold. And I never take anything expensive for Dd in case it goes missing. Anything for a quite life! DD gets her own luggage allowance this year too

[KateandtheGirls]

I would just be a little worried that if my kids (age 2 and 4) had their own bags for the plane ride (although I'm sure they would love it), it would be more things for me to have to keep track of. Don't you find that? (We're taking a 8 1/2 hour flight from Florida to London next week so I'm trying to figure the whole thing out myself.)

[wibbsywoo]

Agree with Tartegnin about small toys for a long haul flight spread out over many hours. Also the best thing I ever did was get the kids their own wheelie hand luggage - all toys, blankets, cups, books etc. for them fitted in them and I strolled on with my handbag - joy!

[Hulababy]

Thaks Judd - I will give that ago.

[cocococo]

Magic Paint books are great! Just remember a paintbrush and you can get a plastic cup with a dribble of water. Washing nets are great for keeping little things in.
Our best travel toy was a miniature plastic teaset (tiny) that cost £3 from cheap toy shop.

[Judd]

Hulababy, just a thought re: headphones. DD has the ELC walkman and the headphones are miles too big as it is 3yrs+ and she got it at 18mos. However, we found that if she wore a baseball cap, or a woolly hat in the winter, they would grip on OK over the top of it. Added bonus for us was that DD hates wearing hats but knew that she had no option if she wanted to listen to her music!!

[Hulababy]

I am thinking of getting DD - she'll be 28 months - one of these from ELc for the plane flight to America. I am going to then fill it with paper and crayons as I know DD loves colouring and drawing.

I will also let her have her own little bag for hand luggage which she can fillw ith little toys - toy car, tiny dolly, flash cards (picture ones as we use them to make up stories, not to do premature reading!), books, sticker books, etc. She also has a little tape player with head phones and song tapes to lsten too. She struggled with the headphones though so trying to get hold of some small speakers instead that she can have on quitely.

I like the laptop with DVD to watch - might ask brother to bring his along for our DD when we go away actually. She could then watch that Barney DVD we have just won

[Tartegnin]

This may sound more excessive than it is, but it also works pretty well on our long haul flights with DD (now aged four and a half, but we've been doing those flights since she was younger than yours): we aim for one new toy/treat per hour of travel. We collect inexpensive things all year round and keep them in a special bag in the closet waiting for the next trip to come. Then, we wrap up a bunch of things in bright tissue paper (to make them more like presents) and tuck them in the travel rucksack we take on the plane. These are little things like sticker books, crayon and paper, Playmobil sets (they come out with "Specials" every few months which are only a pound or two), a small Playdoh, and that type of thing. This is pretty good for keeping her busy as needed, and we rarely get through all the gifts in the course of the flight. Great for distracting her, though. When feasible, we also take along a laptop equipped with DVD so she can watch a favorite or even new cartoon - some of them work particularly well even without sound, like Tom and Jerry or Maisy. We also take along plenty of drinks and snacks so as not to depend on the schedule or content of meal/drink service. Like I said, it all sounds excessive, but really is not a lot of money and worth the peace of mind. They are also good toys to keep in hotels after the flight for a bit of playtime, and best of all, since they are really inexpensive, it doesn't matter if they get lost or broken. Happy trails ...

[Twink]

Have a look here for some ideas.

Have a good trip !

[Angeliz]

You can get these double sheets in Mothercare that have re-usable stickers,(dd has an underwater one).

[Jasmum]

Can anyone help?