Traveling with kids can be an exciting and fun experience. However, crowded airports, delayed flights, and flying anxiety can cause everyone to get a little antsy. The best way to alleviate some of the stress is to find creative ways to keep the little ones entertained. This means coming up with something new that your kids will be eager to try, like an airport scavenger hunt. Try these fun airport activities for kids to keep them busy while waiting to board your next flight.
Finding creative ways to entertain your kids at the airport can make it a less hectic event . Photo Credit: Hannah Rinaldi / Fabulously Frugal TMOM
Simple Ways To Keep Your Kids Busy At An Airport
There are many high-stress situations that could arise when you are taking off on an adventure that involves flying. Add young kids to the mix and you might find yourself feeling overwhelmed by it all. There are so many outside influences that you won’t be able to factor into your plans in advance.
I have learned first-hand how fast plans can change! Our family took a trip from Texas to North Dakota for a family reunion, I was traveling while pregnant and with my two-year-old. Our first flight out of Shreveport, LA was delayed. This caused a domino effect of one missed connection after another. Eighteen hours, 4 airports, and 1 set of lost luggage later, we arrived at our destination. They say experience is the greatest teacher; well, I learned a lot during that wild adventure!
The best way to prepare for the unexpected is to devise a coping strategy. For my children, that means finding ways to focus their attention and energy. Don’t worry, there are lots of great tips and tricks on how to survive the chaotic airport with little ones in tow.
Airports can be fun and exciting for kids. Photo Credit: Nasreen Stump / Road Warrior TravelingMom
Airport Scavenger Hunt
My three kids leap at the opportunity to go on a scavenger hunt. They love the thrill of searching and discovering what’s around them. I’ll have to admit, I love scavenger hunting with my kids. I appreciate how involved they get and how focused they become on the goal of finding each item on their list. One of our kids is a little apprehensive about flying and this activity is perfect for taking her mind off the events shortly ahead of her.
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The airport scavenger hunt that I created has items that your kids will easily recognize. These are all ordinary things that become huge discoveries as our kids intensely search and find them. This can be a one-on-one activity or make it a group effort! It’s a great way to keep the kids engaged all the way down the runway!
A sleeping person is one of the items on the airport scavenger hunt list. Photo Credit: Renee Virata / Quick Weekender TravelingMom
Fun Activities You Can Buy
We love this washable dry erase travel set. My kids can spend hours drawing and this handy travel pack makes it easy to bring along their own art kit! Your kids can create, erase, and do it again!
If you’re traveling with little ones who are easily distracted, they’ll love this buckle toy that’s perfect to take along when traveling. Not only will it keep them busy but they will be learning import fine motor skills at the same time!
Throw this cute puppy lap desk in your kids backpack and they will have a desk when they travel by car or plane. This lap desk even comes with handy storage pockets so you won’t get stuck holding all their stuff!
Magnetic activites are so much fun and this set is travel themed so it would be a great activity to play with while waiting to board your flight!
This classic memory game has always been one of my favorite. Melissa and Doug games are always so much fun!
The Alphabet Game
Our middle daughter loves this classic road trip game and so we play it even at the airport. You would be surprised how easy it is to complete the entire alphabet without having to venture far from your gate. Advertisements, shops, and flight schedules all make it easy to locate each letter needed to complete the game.
It would be easy to play the alphabet game using this flight schedule. Photo Credit: Leslie Harvey / Frequent Flyer TravelingMom
Being Entertained Without Electronics
We live during a time when the advancements in technology have made it possible for kids to have music, movies, games, and more all at their fingertips. Every person in my house has their own tablet, even our 3-year-old. These electronics have made it infinitely easier to travel with kids. However, I believe that the beauty of traveling with our children is to help them embrace the world around them. Airports can be a fun place to learn, explore, and make memories together.
Tips and Tricks for Flying With Kids
Are you looking for tips and tricks for navigating plane travel alone with a baby? Here are some helpful suggestions on how to accomplish this.
Traveling with kids is very rewarding and the benefits far outweigh the occasional mishaps. With some advanced planning, we have been able to fully enjoy different aspects of travel that we might have otherwise dreaded.
Try activities with your young kids the next time you are at an airport. Hold off on breaking out the electronics until you have taken off on your flight. See what new discovery your little treasure hunters can find.
Creating ways to bond during each excursion: that’s the family travel style of Breeze Leonard with her husband and three little girls. The piney woods of East Texas is home and thinking outside the box is the way they take off-road adventures and head to the world’s scenic sites. They’ve four-wheeled in the Ozarks, snorkeled in the Gulf of Mexico, hunted shells in the Caribbean and volunteered for community service projects in Missouri. Through multigenerational and blended family travel, each new destination becomes the perfect place for them to reconnect with each other. You can see more of their adventures at Little Feet Big Adventures.
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