Simple toys that will help occupy your child on long journeys

If you or your child are ready for a break from songs and ‘I spy’, here are some simple ideas of toys you can make or buy to help pass the time on your journey.

1.  A simple threading game

Cut a piece of recycled card into a suitable shape for your child to hold. Then push holes through it using a pencil (be careful not to stab yourself or the surface below you). Then take a piece of ribbon or shoelace and, voilà! A simple threading game is perfect for long journeys when your child needs something to interact with. This must be supervised. 

2.  Stickers

The humble sticker! Purchasing a small sticker book is a great investment for a trip. Make sure they don’t see it before the big day and then it will likely occupy your child for a long part of your journey. When they’re younger, children will simply love sticking them onto paper, or their own arms and legs and peeling them off. As they get older, they might want to make pictures using stickers and layer them with their own drawings.  

3.  Fidget toys

Even very young babies and toddlers can enjoy a fidget toy on a journey. The bubble-popping ones are brilliant for rolling up into your bag and pulling out when they’re beginning to get a little fractious. These little toys appeal to your child’s curiosity, especially if they’ve never seen one before, and can really help distract your child and help them find calm. 

4.  Toys in boxes

Keeping their toys in little Tupperware tubs is a game all of its own. Taking the lids off and putting them back onto the tubs can help keep those little fingers occupied. In each of the tubs, you could put some different toys, materials or even snacks to pique their interest. 

5.  Water colouring books

These are quite a new thing, but fantastic for travelling. They look like traditional colouring books, but you have a small pen filled with water and your child runs them across the pictures to see what colours and pictures appear. Then the pictures dry, so can be reused! They’re particularly good if your child isn’t a fan of paper and crayons or if you are worried about the mess and space that lots of colouring materials can bring.