I have packed Ebi-kun's rocket bag and that is about all the packing I have done! I did a post like this last time, Ebi-kun was just 2 last time we flew now he is almost 4 so the contents have changed somewhat. I think when you pack a travel bag you should think about the child you are packing for, it would be pointless for me to pack a portable DVD player because Ebi-kun would watch it for about 3 minutes yet give him some puzzles, books or crayons and he will be a happy chappie!
So, this is what I have packed, it looks like a lot but we will be in the UK for a month and will need some things at mom's to keep him amused too, plus we have a road trip planned and possibly a trip to Barcelona.
Roll-A-Snack This is one of those pill boxes, I found a cube small enough to fit in one of the compartments then added matching stickers to the cube and compartment lids. I will have a ziplock with small snacks (dried fruit, mini crackers etc) and put something in each compartment, to play the game you roll the dice, you can only eat what is in the matching compartment, so if you roll a tiger you can open the tiger lid. The box doesn't get re-filled until all the snacks are gone. I am hoping this will last quite a while :o)
chalkboard/felt board I made this, had to order the chalkboard cloth online, I also found this hand chalk holder.
This is the felt side, I have football inspired counting objects, like the spring board plus a bag with felt shapes for story-telling or just making pictures.
LaQ I am not sure if he is going to be into these or not so I just got a small bag then popped them into a tin.
Dot-to-Dot and Mazes Ebi-kun is very much into these at the moment, so I printed a load of the internet and laminated the sheets and have a whiteboard marker for him to use with them.
Stick puzzles I saw this idea somewhere on a blog but I have no idea where, I book marked it in my brain but not on the Mac! These are mini lolly sticks, I just cut out some pictures, stuck the sticks onto the back of the picture then used a sharp knife to cut them into strips, there are 3 pictures to make but I put them all in one bag, I am mean like that!
Colouring book Thanks to Rebecca we now have some rock crayons for the bag and this book has wipe clean pages for crayons, it is somewhat Susan Striker like in the fact that it isn't a colouring book as such, it gives and outline and asks the kids to finish the picture, this page is a bento box. For those in Japan, I got it at the ¥100 store.
Toy cars as if we could leave the house without some!
new book Ebi-kun can read hiragana now, so he will be able to read this by himself.
Travel snakes and ladders picked this up at the ¥100 shop, I know he likes this game.
Story blocks I didn't have time to be painting cute picture of these so I totally cheated and just stuck stickers on them instead, he saw me make these and can't wait to play.
That is pretty much it, Space cadet will go in too, he likes to have a friend to cuddle when he goes to sleep and having something familiar when you are in a strange place is always a good idea. I will also add an English storybook and the nose cone of the rocked is filled with emergency nose bleed tissues!This is the inside of the bag, there are lots of pockets around the edge and plenty of room in the middle, I also put in a label with our details in case he (or the bag) gets lost.
Other things I have thought about putting in were, home made play-doh, lacing cards, origami paper and paper tape, I may still change my mind...
What are your kids favourite travel toys?
Wow, I think you guys will have a blast (ha ha) on your trip with that lot!
ReplyDeleteMy girls love sticky tape so as a long trip treat they get a roll of coloured tape (much easier to see when you're removing it from here there and everywhere!) and I keep a pack of origami paper in my bag for emergencies. I love anything that can be reused so do all the laminated things, too. Pipe cleaners are a favourite here, too.
Have a great trip!
those are some great ideas!! i should have laminated some mazes for my girlie :) I really like the snack game too!
ReplyDeleteHelo Jojo
ReplyDeleteInteresting stuffs that you packed for ebi-kun, gives me inspiration to do the same for Heidi next time we go for another trip. ;) By the way, how you do play with the story blocks? :)
masking tape...and some lollipops (so he won't talk the entire time!) :)
ReplyDeleteJulie - masking tape for his mouth? would have thought gaffer tape would be more effective!!!
ReplyDeleteRiane - when I was teaching each student would take a dice and then one would start, roll the dice and use the object/word on the dice to start the story then the next person would roll their dice and continue the story with their object/word, so on and so on. The sillier the story the better!
That looks so fun! You came up with some great ideas, and very thoughtful! :) You deserve some kind of momming award! :) Have fun on holiday!
ReplyDeleteSo many great ideas. I espcially love the roll-a-snack. And I think I need to make some story blocks.
ReplyDeleteThat chalkboard fabric is really neat, I did not know such a thing existed!
ReplyDeleteI love the fact of no video games or dvd players. I do not have kids of my own, but I feel like our children are given less and less opportunity to think for themselves, and amuse themselves without electronic toys.
One thing that I thought of when I saw the puzzle sticks is gluing small magnets on the back of each stick, and then a small magnet board, that way you do not need a totally flat still surface to work on. It just seemed to me that they might slide around to much and become a bit frustrating.
These are some fantastic ideas! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteLittle LEGO people and some LEGOs, also stamps and a stamp pad.
ReplyDeletehi, i m really excited about the stuff you had done with your child. could you also please tell me where did u get the chalk holder ?? its such a nifty contraption ! I just introduced chalk into our art routine.
ReplyDeletethe chalk holder was from Daiso,(100 yen store) I dropped lucky because it was the last one on the shelf, otherwise I would have bought a load of them ;o)
ReplyDeleteI love the rocket boy bag!!! Have you decided if you will sell a pattern for it? I will definitely buy the pattern to make for my little boy! OR, will you sell them in your etsy shop?
ReplyDeleteAlice - Thank you for your comments. My plan is to make pattern for it, I don't have the time to make things production style, which is why most of the things I sell in the shop are one offs and I do enjoy the process of making the patterns.
ReplyDeleteI am just trying to finish some patterns off for felt food that have been in the works for a while and then I will be starting on the bag.