5 Holiday Gifts For Kids That Are Perfect For Travel

If you are like me, you are always looking for holiday gifts for kids that have multiple functions. One, the gift should be fun, yet not annoying, duh! No loud sounds or little parts. Two, it needs to keep the kids occupied for hours on end. And, jackpot: these toys or activities are portable enough to take along for when you travel. And, they also make life easier by erasing the “I’m bored” lament you might hear, over and over, again during a long day of travel.

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My 5 Favorite Holiday Gifts for Kids, That Are Also A Blast To Take While Traveling:

1. Melissa & Doug On the Go Water Wow! Water Reveal Pads Set: Vehicles, Animals, Alphabet – My son has adored the Water Wow books for a long time. He was especially into them from the ages of 2-4.  I love these books because they are generally mess free. If they do cause a mess, its minimal, and just water. The play is continual. Just fill up the brush, paint the page with water and see the picture appear, over and over again. It is pretty much magic for a toddler, which is why it makes a great holiday gift for kids.

2. Finding Dory or Disney Princesses Window Clings – These vinyl pictures work so great on plane windows. Your little one can peel them off and on and create all kinds of scenes. It is way better than melty crayons that can also roll around.

3. MagnaTiles – This one might sounds a bit odd, and expensive compared to the other toys listed, but believe me, its pretty much the best toy, ever. Ask any parent whose kids have Magnatiles – “What is the one toy your kids always play with?” and as you expected, the answer is Magnatiles . These colorful magnetic building blocks are very high quality. They will last forever, and they will grow with your children. My kids make “crabby patties” out of them when they are “cooking in the kitchen”, make secret boxes and hide toys inside, build elaborate castles and rocket ships, and our little one carries one in his hand as he crawls around the house.

Since Magnatiles are flat and not bulky at all, they are perfect to take along for play in the car, in the hotel room, and at Grandma’s house.  The creativity is endless with these toy. Can you tell we are big fans?

4. Modeling Clay – Yes, for travel. It is not Play-Doh (ewww, every parents nightmare). Modeling clay doesn’t fall apart like Play- Doh. It never dries out. It can get dirty, but if your kids can keep it on a tray and off the floor and then stomped on –  it can last awhile. Modeling clay is also a great sensory activity, which will keep your child occupied on a plane, train, or in the car.

5. SiriusXM Radio – Okay, this is my very best tip for driving in a car with my kids. SiriusXM is  a lifesaver for driving around town to driving up the entire Coast of the United States. Satellite radio is really a gift for me and my husband, but since our children love it so much, it is also a great holiday gift for the kids, too. We listen to Kids Place Live every morning on our way to school. We have our very best sing-a-longs to Couch Potato Stew. And when the kids aren’t in the car, you can find my husband catching up with Howard Stern and me listening to Indie Rock on Sirius XMU.

My Hidden Gem: If you have a road trip coming up, you can coordinate a free trial of Sirius XM to hear what I am talking about.

What are you getting your kids this holiday season? And tell us what your go-to toys to bring for your kids while traveling? I would love to hear from you in the comments.

Wishing you all a Happy Holiday Season!

See you on the Road!

Casey, from Hunting for Rubies