Summer’s here and open road is calling! Family trips are a lot of fun, but getting out the door (and keeping everyone happy on the go) is no small feat.
Luckily, a few clever hacks, simple activities, and prep-ahead travel DIYs can help keep things low-stress, fun, and full of adventure for everyone involved…
We’ve organized our collection by theme, so you can use the links below to jump straight to a specific topic of interest in this article…
Countdown to Travel: Favorite Parent Prep Hacks and Travel-Themed Crafts
Before the bags are packed and the car is loaded, there’s plenty you can do to help kids (and yourself!) ease into travel mode. We sourced the top social media posts for tips and tricks you can use to spend less time getting organized and more time building excitement.
Tried-and-True Travel Prep Hacks for Kids
- Create a packing list with your kids – This activity is a nice way to give children a sense of control (and can sometimes help prevent forgotten lovies or items you might not even know they “want packed “need” for travel). Older kids can help check off items as you go or complete a checklist on their own (with a quick parental sign-off at the end!)
- Use packing cubes and separate items by category – Designate cubes for clothes, bedtime items, activities, etc. so you’re never rummaging through a giant duffel looking for a toothbrush.
- Pack by outfit in gallon zip-top bags or reusable cloth bags – Include everything – from socks to accessories – and squeeze out air for a slim, organized stack. Label the bag with the day or activity. Bonus: Kids can grab their own bag and get dressed themselves.
- Prep a small “first night bag” – Include pajamas, toothbrushes, and a book or small bedtime comfort item to make settling in after arrival smooth and familiar.
- Start a countdown calendar – Whether it’s a paper chain or printable, counting down can help build the excitement and give kids a sense of time.
- Invite kids to pick a travel buddy – A favorite stuffed animal or doll makes a wonderful “official” travel companion.
- Play pretend travel at home – Use your living room couch as a “plane” or “train,” create customized tickets, and practice routines like buckling in, waiting in line, or packing. This kind of preparatory play can also help ease transportation-related anxiety.
- Talk through the plan – A visual schedule or storybook-style explanation of your trip or travel days can help younger kids know what to expect, easing transitions and stress.
Trip Countdown Crafts and Activities
Use these easy, creative ideas to channel pre-trip excitement!
1. Design DIY Postcards
Help kids learn about your destination by inviting them to pre-make their own travel-themed postcards. They can prepare the postcard, then fill it out and mail it from your destination. OR use them for pretend play beforehand. Try this fun process and design your own postcards!
2. Make Vacation Story Stones
Paint or decoupage your own story stones using travel icons, pictures of landmarks, etc. a week or two before leaving. You can use them before your trip to explore sights ahead of time or make plans. You can also pack them up right away as a travel day surprise sure to inspire imaginative storytelling wherever you go. See the example here.
3. Make DIY Crayons in a Travel Bag
Combine broken crayons with fun molds to make a brand new destination-themed set kids can use on the road, in the air, or all vacation long. See how here.
4. Decorate a Travel Journal
Personalize a blank notebook for kids to use during your trip. I love the simple DIY ideas shared here and here.
5. Put Together a Suitcase Scavenger Hunt
Hide items from their packing list around the house and let kids “pack” them when they find them.
6. Draw Your Destination
Invite kids to imagine what they’ll see and do by drawing or painting what they think the trip will look like. Use imagination and markers to explore places near and far. Try these printable travel prompts for a creative pre-travel break.
7. Create a DIY Countdown Chain or Sticker Chart
Add stickers or remove a chain link each day leading up to departure. Add fun facts about your destination to each link for a mini geography lesson.
Prep These Kids Travel DIYs Before You Leave
A little bit of pre-trip crafting can go a long way during long hours on the road or in the air. These DIYs are portable, creative, and most use recycled materials you already have.
Travel DIYs for Play and Learning On-the-Go
DIY LEGO Travel Case – Make a small take-along LEGO box with a baseplate attached. Visit the tutorial.
Recycled Travel Instruments – From maracas to mini guitars, let kids make a band in the backseat. Find ideas here.
CD Case Travel Geoboard – A compact way to sneak in some STEM learning. Make your own!
Travel Dollhouse from a Lunch Box – How cute is this adorably portable imaginative play space? Take a peek at the full tutorial.
Mini Light Table – Great for car rides, this DIY light table adds a sensory play element. Follow the tutorial here to learn how it’s done.
Mint Tin Travel Crafts and Activities
These sweet “fits-in-an-altoid-tin” crafts are great for older kids, who can make these themselves before you hit the road.
Mini Mouse House – Sew an adorable mouse-in-a-tin playset for a charming portable toy that fits right in your pocket. (You can find the pattern for the super cute set pictured here on Etsy!)
A mini brick set – This clever little travel lego set presents a fun challenge for kids to build and rebuild using only the brick pieces that fit in the tin. Find the DIY here.
A puzzle in a travel tin – The ultimate analog video game! With endless puzzle piece possibilities, this is entertainment guaranteed to keep riddle and game-loving kids busy. Visit the tutorial.
A mini crayon case – Grab some crayons and cut up scrap paper for drawing on the go (or make it extra easy with an adorable personalized set from Etsy!).
Easy DIY Kids Travel Binder Ideas
A Portable Activity Kit – Use a small bag or box to organize mini toys, stickers, papers, and more. Check out this kit setup.
Dry Erase Travel Activity Book – Make silly faces, wipe away doodles, mazes, and “I’m booored” complaints with ease (and reuse it a thousand times without losing your sanity). Find the fun erasable ideas here.
Travel Binder with Printable Route Maps – Help kids follow along on your journey with this DIY travel binder packed with route maps they can trace, mark up, and personalize. Check out all the great ideas and tips for this binder DIY.
Magnetic Travel Pattern Book – Create a magnetic pattern game binder kids can play with in the car. Simple to make and fun to play, this one’s great for solo, sibling, or friend fun! Visit the DIY.
DIY Travel Trays for Road Trips
Magnetic Snack and Activity Tray for Travel – Keep snacks and small activities in one place and off the floor. Follow the how-to.
DIY Travel Lap Tray – Turn a basic baking sheet into a multi-use road trip lap tray with pockets – the perfect solution for coloring, snacking, or playing in the car, at a hotel, or pretty much anywhere throughout your vacation! Follow the easy tutorial here.
DIY Magnetic Roads – Bring along a set of magnetic roads and vehicles for endless setup-and-play. Here’s how to make your own.
DIY Travel Snack Box – Pre-sort preferred snacks into a container with separated compartments (an unused tackle box, pill container etc.). Here’s one of our favorite examples.
Make Backseat Entertainment Simple with Printable Kids Travel Activities
When travel day arrives, it pays to have a stash of low-prep, screen-free activities ready to go. Printables are perfect because they’re lightweight, pack flat, and work in cars, planes, trains, and hotel lobbies.
Printable Travel Activities to Try
Fill in the postcard activity – Print our pre-designed postcard set featuring a variety of custom-designed landscapes and let kids fill in all the details on their own. Grab the DIY postcard bundle.
Road Trip Game Cootie Catcher – This clever foldable turns into a classic travel-themed game kids can play again and again. Download from Red Ted Art.
Vacation and Travel Journal Pages – Help kids document their favorite trip moments. Find printable pages here.
Road Trip Scavenger Hunts – These are great for mixed ages, and perfect for watching out windows or on rest stops. Print your free road trip scavenger sets.
Kids Travel Yoga Cards – A gentle way to stretch and move on long trips, these cards are easy to tuck into a travel bag. Get your free printable road trip yoga routine.
City Scavenger Hunt – Great for urban destinations, this printable encourages kids to explore new sights. Download here.
Create a Road Trip Leaflet – A homemade map or guidebook adds meaning to the journey. Check out this fun free printable version !
Creative No-Prep Travel Games – No supplies? No problem. These quick activity ideas are designed for spontaneity (and one of the free printable pages will be useful while on the road!). Try some of these!
Road Trip Card Game – An illustrated printable game that makes for easy car entertainment. Get the cute camper van card game.
Happy trails, travelers! I wish you fun, safe, and hassle-free trips…but should you hit the occasional bump in the road, I hope something here can help ease you all back into vaca mode.
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I love seeing all the ways people make these ideas their own! If you're sharing the results of one of our projects, mention or tag me with @barleyandbirch, or share it in the comments of one of our Pinterest project pins.
