Packing Light | How Do You Entertain a Child on the Road?
@GarySChapman
I did not realize how little I actually needed to plan for our children’s entertainment as we travel. I am learning that the trip itself, the outdoor environment, the areas we are able to visit on this adventure and the people we meet have all provided ample entertainment for my children. They are learning important life skills, and I am learning how to let them just play. Free, unadulterated unstructured time. One of my top motivators in traveling with my children this year was to simplify our lives, slow time if you will, and allow them to just be little.
We have grown up in the land of plenty where screens are thrown at a child and toys placed around them to occupy their energy, and give us, the parent, a little break. I tend to feel that if the boys are not occupied, then I’m not doing my job. However, I’ve come to realize that placing action-packed toys constantly in front of them can actually inhibit problem solving and creativity.
A few well chosen items have proved useful on our trip especially when outdoor activities may be curtailed by weather. When creating the list of items we brought, I referred back to an incredibly helpful book by Kim John Payne titled Simplicity Parenting. I used her 10 point checklist of “Toys without Staying Power” to help focus our toy needs.
In considering your own child’s age and interest, you can tailor this list to fit any type of trip. The list below is what we have included for a year long RV journey.
Suggested Toys by Type of Activity
Outdoor Toys
Matchbox cars (4 each)
Velcro Ball & paddles
2 Sand Buckets w/2 shovels
Sidewalk Chalk
Soccer Ball
The most played with outdoor toy! - @GarySChapman
Indoor Toys
Legos (Duplos for toddlers) Lego Bin - perfect for small spaces
Indoor vehicles (die cast or wooden)
Games (2 each)
Cards (GoFish, Uno)
Puzzles (1 each)
Pretend play (stuffed animals - 2 each, crown, bow and arrow, silks)
Simple road tape + figurines = at least 30min. of pretend play. This setup stays hidden when not in use under my kitchen rug.
Pretend play has it’s own box. I get it out when the boys request it.
Things to Create With
Drawing Pad (1 each)
Coloring Book (1 each)
Writing tools bag (markers, colored pencils, beeswax crayons, pencils)
Scissors, scotch tape
Craft bucket
Playdough bucket
Painting bucket
We never tire of our art supplies. Here, Nicolas enjoys a pastel lesson over his quiet time.
Our painting bucket, easily organized and quickly accessed, which makes painting doable with young ones.
My boys, if I let them, would craft with play dough everyday. This play dough specific bucket serves us well. Ours is mostly themed with construction items, but you could tailor it to your child’s interests.
Our craft box. Filled with anything from googly eyes to acorns, road tape, and buttons.
Emulating Real Life
Small spray bottle & cleaning rag or sponge
Around the age of two, I’ve noticed my boys begin to show interest in the daily activities in the home. By practicing real life skills they can begin to feel proud in helping the family function. I have always tried to create a home environment that encourages this, even though it takes extreme patience and a willingness to slow down in order for it to be successful. It’s an amazing gift to watch them grow in their skills at home and take pride in both their work and being helpful. Some mornings this becomes our entertainment. One child may enjoy cleaning the bathroom counter and sink while another chops the fruit for our breakfast. By creating this routine, I hope to instill in my children a sense of discipline, but also self-sufficiency which will serve them for life.
Luca at two loves to help with the cleaning. This can totally be entertainment. @GarySChapman
My mother-in-law assists my two year old son, Luca, in cracking an egg. @GarySChapman
Books
Much to the dismay of my husband, books fall under a category of their own. In my opinion, they are not only entertaining, but educational as well. Dare I say, I would throw out all the toys and only keep books if I had to decide. Reason? My children have learned to make their own toys with natural materials from the world around them, but you can’t exactly reproduce a book.
Our children love to read. We use books on long car rides, while we’re waiting in line for a train, early in the morning over our breakfast, and just before bed. My son also has an afternoon reading hour every day. We use them for imaginative play, we use them to learn about the location of wildlife in our area, and we use them for learning - narrating what we read. I would argue that children become better readers on a trip like ours because they are without distraction from an overabundance of toys, screen time, and other distractions.
Books are a way I connect with my children on a daily basis. When we read, my boys crawl into my lap and we are whisked away on some magical adventure together. Reading aloud has become a wonderful evening routine, a way to reconnect after a hard day. I could be correcting my child one minute, but we can come back together again over a good book. And what’s even more, reading doesn’t require a whole lot of me. On the toughest of days, I can just sit there and enjoy something I love with the ones I love most.
Our morning routine always includes reading. Winnie the Pooh is a current favorite. The boy’s especially enjoy acting out scenes with figurines and various other props.
Reading before bedtime, one of my favorite things to do!
