When you are looking forward to a nice long getaway with your family, remember that young family members are not as happy as you are to “do absolutely nothing”. Here are some ideas of kids activities to pack for a long stay holiday vacation.
This is a collaborative post and contains affiliate links. My website is my job, and helps to support our family. If you decide to buy something you see mentioned here, I would be so thankful if you clicked through my links so I can receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thank you! Please read my full disclosure.
[ctt template=”4″ link=”5Pc5l” via=”yes” ]Young family members are not as happy as you are to “do absolutely nothing” on a long vacation. Here are some kids activities to pack for a long holiday.[/ctt]
Kids Activities To Pack For A Long Stay Holiday Vacation
Some of these kids activities be taken with your children on the plane and some are best left packed in a large suitcase until you are arrive at your destination.
Books
When packing the books, just bring a few on the airplane, leave the rest in the large suitcase. Be sure to keep up with your evening routine when on vacation. If you usually read a picture book, a chapter from a chapter book, and some Bible verses before bed, for example, do this on vacation as well. Routine right before bed is especially important when traveling and the rest of the day is completely different from normal life at home. Especially if you would like them to sleep well so you can rest too.
Reading Level Appropriate Books
Be sure to consider the child's reading level when helping them choose books for vacation. If there is a favorite book that the child wants to bring, but it is not at their level, pack it in the large suitcase with bedtime story books so you will not be tempted to read it aloud on the plane. The people in seats in front of you may not enjoy you blowing on their neck when you “huff and puff and blow the house down”.
Family Books To Read At Bedtime
Bring along the ones you normally read at bedtime or a smaller version of it to save space. If you normally let your child choose a picture book for you to read before bed, let them choose a few to bring along. Do not let them pick one for every night or the bag will get too heavy, it's okay to repeat on another night.
Games
Some of the best memories can be made when playing games together on family vacation. Be sure to snap some photos of these precious times. It will go all too quickly, I know – my oldest is 19 already!
Card Games
[amazon_textlink asin='B010F6BAES' text='Decks of Cards' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='8af12727-b5dd-11e8-add1-f3ef8c3cd876′]
[amazon_textlink asin='0385076800′ text='Book of Card Games' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='95909369-b5dd-11e8-bf8f-0b2fe0ae18ef']
[amazon_textlink asin='B000G5VY7W' text='Old Maid' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='ae954d4b-b5dd-11e8-9a2b-ddd8d36652f1′]
[amazon_textlink asin='B00127UYRE' text='Go Fish' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='bdea513f-b5dd-11e8-8573-070184c66660′]
[amazon_textlink asin='B00GTJSGXE' text='Uno' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='e96525b1-b5dd-11e8-b46c-97c4f41911c4′]
[amazon_textlink asin='B07FR5SLK7′ text='The Hungry Caterpillar Card Game' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='f5a7ba68-b5dd-11e8-af3b-85000c7045a4′]
Board Games or Table Games
[amazon_textlink asin='B003F8HSAE' text='Memory' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='5d0b038f-b5de-11e8-a359-7df7996d79d5′]
[amazon_textlink asin='B00EIJU40U' text='Trouble' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='6ee4900a-b5de-11e8-b340-4108ed0a0133′]
[amazon_textlink asin='B00CHRHVE2′ text='Chutes and Ladders' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='853c51a5-b5de-11e8-ab20-374802cb2684′]
[amazon_textlink asin='B01ISKSHKI' text='Cootie' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='8f75f69d-b5de-11e8-926c-3ba63a91054d']
[amazon_textlink asin='B00004YO0Y' text='Let's Go Fishin' Game' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='da3714fa-b5de-11e8-b4c7-9593ee81794b']
[amazon_textlink asin='B00KLHG1I2′ text='Hi Ho Cherry O' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='6f475404-b5df-11e8-99c6-fb6e20b1416d']
[amazon_textlink asin='B002TFHOEO' text='Dominoes' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='8035bce4-b5df-11e8-b55a-919e6eb3194b']
[amazon_textlink asin='B00TLEMRKM' text='Yahtzee' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='881657a7-b5df-11e8-9bf3-432e0bcef3df']
Outdoor Games
[amazon_textlink asin='B00HHG6CUW' text='Sand Bucket and Shovel' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='9a51d9b9-b5df-11e8-8812-05b73f86e593′]
[amazon_textlink asin='B0044784I0′ text='Water Balls' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='abdcf849-b5df-11e8-bdc4-7d197cc9fbd2′]
[amazon_textlink asin='B0014LZVU8′ text='Frisbee' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='b6479966-b5df-11e8-a60f-a147402e41f5′]
Group Toys
[amazon_textlink asin='B00IANUGI0′ text='Lego Duplos' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='c3dac949-b5df-11e8-aed5-234ccf9329c8′]
[amazon_textlink asin='B006UD2RB6′ text='Matchbox Cars' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='ce0db7a5-b5df-11e8-8250-559876b1a2f2′]
Paper and Crayons to draw roads for the little cars to drive on and houses with garages for the cars to park in
Favorite characters (Maybe from a favorite TV show or movie to play with)
Activity Books
For the airplane, choose something mess-free that will keep them busy like a [amazon_textlink asin='B01M146ODV' text='magic pen activity book' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='e26b7e95-b5df-11e8-b5f6-1fb8e9533235′]
At the hotel, they can enjoy [amazon_textlink asin='B00VF3C8T2′ text='paint with water books' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='f09e4a79-b5df-11e8-af0d-e375502ec112′], color books and colors (buy [amazon_textlink asin='B0044S91GI' text='magnets' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='0933041e-b5e0-11e8-a643-51412c223188′] to hang them on the metal door or refrigerator)
Soft Toy To Sleep With
Don't forget their favorite lovey, stuffed animal or doll to sleep with at night, as well as a small nightlight. If they sleep well, you sleep well.
Flashlights
It would be a rough trip if the power went out and you were not prepared. Bring quite a few [amazon_textlink asin='B00V639BX2′ text='small flashlights' template='ProductLink' store='neededintheho-20′ marketplace='US' link_id='26446c2e-b5e0-11e8-97a7-91cc8a0991e7′].
Also, they are great when the kids are laying in bed at night, you can play a “follow my light” game where you shine on a corner in the ceiling, then quickly move to another corner and they try to keep up with their flashlight.
I hope this list helps to ease your trip preparation. If you don't have the destination pinned down yet, HolidayGems.co.uk has some great long stay vacations to look at.
This is a collaborative post.
Related
Subscribe so you never miss a post.
Please share this post.
Join the newsletter
Subscribe to receive our latest articles and promotional content by email from NeededInTheHome
Megan says
Good list of items to bring along. I’ve also found it helpful to pack these sorts of items in kids backpacks and let the kids who are old enough carry them. It gives them a bit of ownership of their items.
We also found that games which get the whole family playing outside are wonderful for family memories. Some of our best beach days involved tossing around a nerf football with the little ones.
Megan recently posted…Best Horseshoes Game For The Beach
admin says
Yes, I agree that each child should carry their own load! Especially since I have 7 kids! I love the Nerf football idea! Thank you!