A Fun Kids Virtual Trip Activity for a Day of Travel-Themed Adventures!

February in Minnesota is…not for the faint of heart. As I sit here typing, I’m getting alerts from my weather app about a winter weather advisory, and it’s a balmy -10°F.

This particular February feels like the perfect time to plan an afternoon escape, not just from the cold, but from the noise of….well, everything. With the relentless news cycle, it’s been easy to feel way too overwhelmed lately.

But here’s the good news: REAL plane tickets aren’t necessary for our Valentine’s Day trip. Some paper and markers, a little creativity, and a willingness to step into a world of your own making is about all you need.

This travel-inspired celebration lets kids (and let’s be honest, us adults too) escape the winter blues and embark on a journey to love-inspired destinations.

Whether you’re a parent looking for a fun full day of activities to do with your little ones, or an educator planning a classroom party, this theme is a fun way to combine creativity with a February theme.

You don’t need them, but with a few simple printables (like our paper airplane valentines, pretend plane tickets, a world-themed travel poster, and travel drawing prompts…) you can transform your space into a bustling travel hub. Destination: Lo-vvvve (and all points north, or south, or east, or west).

So, grab your tickets to paradise, pack your creativity, and let’s take off on a Valentine’s Day adventure that’s sure to warm even the coldest of hearts…!

To make your own travel-themed Valentine’s lesson you’ll need:

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How to Create a Travel-Themed Valentine’s Day Adventure – DIY Instructions

Print the plane tickets.

Use our free plane ticket PDF download to print a blank printable plane ticket for each child participating.

Set the scene by setting up a travel agency or airport.

Decorate your classroom or play space with a travel theme (you can use our printable customizable travel poster as the centerpiece of your decor to help set the mood!) Hang it up as a backdrop or display it at the “boarding pass station.”

Use a suitcase, globe, or maps to add ambiance.

Our printable travel poster can display names of places kids can choose to “travel” (they also have the choice of coming up with their own destination). 

Set up a “boarding pass station” on a table where kids can pick up their printable plane tickets and customize them with their names, and destinations. 

Start your trips!

Invite kids to line up to collect their plane tickets, fill in their names, and choose a destination.

They can pick a spot from the travel poster, or come up with their own creative destinations.

Distribute the creative writing and drawing prompts.

After everyone’s sitting in their seats, introduce the open suitcase drawing prompts and trip polaroids drawing prompts. These activities help bring the pretend trip to life, encouraging little jet-setters to imagine what the destination and journey might be like.

Open Suitcase Drawing Prompts: Kids can draw or write about what they’d pack for their February travel adventure.

Trip Polaroids Drawing Prompts: Kids can “capture” the highlights of the pretend destination by drawing pictures of the (pretend) local attractions, flora and fauna, etc.

Fold and decorate paper airplane valentines.

Next, it’s time to make the paper airplane valentines. Kids can fold their airplanes, decorate them with markers or stickers, and write sweet messages on the wings.

Encourage them to think about where their airplane is “flying”—maybe it’s delivering a Valentine to a classmate, grandparent, or animal friend.

While they work, play music or sounds in the background. For a Valentine theme, you can use our Spotify playlist, but travel-themed music or sounds in the background (like airplane noises, ocean waves, or forest birds) add another nice small touch to help create an immersive experience.

Host a “Valentine’s Day Flight” activity.

Once the airplanes are ready, it’s time for the main event: the big Valentine’s Day flight. Using a roll of black bulletin board paper or similar, create a “runway” or target area where kids can launch their paper airplanes.

You can turn this into a game by having kids aim for specific spots or try to deliver their planes to friends. It’s a fun, interactive way to celebrate the theme and give everyone a chance to get up and move for a half hour or so.

Pair with a travel-themed story or lesson.

To tie everything together, share a travel-themed story or lesson.

It also provides a great opportunity to talk about how love and friendship connect people across the world, or introduce fun facts about real places that inspire your pretend destinations.

Travel Theme Variations for Other Holidays

The travel-themed activity is incredibly versatile and can be easily adapted for other holidays with just a few creative tweaks…

• For Halloween, transform it into a “Trick or Treat Around the World” adventure with spooky destinations like Witchlight Woods and broomstick boarding passes.
• During December, turn it into a “Holidays Around the World” celebration with festive spots like North Pole Village and sleigh tickets.
• For spring, create an “Egg-cellent Adventures” theme with springtime destinations like Bunny Burrow and bunny hop passes.
• Even Earth Day can get a travel twist with eco-friendly locations like Recycle Reef and activities focused on protecting the planet.

By adjusting the destinations, printables, and themes, this activity can be reinvented for any holiday or time of year, keeping the fun and imagination alive all year long!

Whether you’re somewhere braving the subzero temps or a place where the weather is a tad milder, I hope this “Love is in the Air” adventure brings a little extra warmth and joy to your February.

Safe travels, friends – I hope you are feeling the love today. ❤️

More Creative Valentine’s Day Activities

Try a February kindness challenge, make a Valentine’s Day chocolate box card or use simple supplies to craft a paper bouquet valentine, or cozy up with a good love-themed read-aloud and play Valentine book bingo.