Enjoy the Journey

Children love to explore and be on the go. Journeys – an essential part of getting to and from a big adventure - involve sitting still - a lot! But, with some clever preparation you can turn a trip from a yawn to a highlight for all the family!

Here are our best tips for trips.

1. Clever ways to make packing easier

If you put all your child’s essential belongings into one large suitcase, you’ll find it tricky to dig out the toy he or she is desperate for when tired and grumpy. Try separating everything into smaller cases, with must-have travel items in one or two they can clutch tightly. Include a list of what each case contains, on a note inside, so you know at a glance the precious cargo inside. This is also handy to check when you’re packing to come home, so no playthings are left behind! Take a look at our marvellous mini-suitcases, made from laminated card with leatherette handles, available in 3 designs. Rainbows, white with blue spots and white with pink spots. We also have a fabulous range of backpacks and bags, perfect for carrying favorite items.

2. The best toys to take on your travels

Encourage children to choose toys that will spark their imaginations and keep them fired up for long periods. Little dolls are a great choice as they can help create infinite scenarios. They’ll love our new fabric doll range which come with gorgeous mini suitcases and delightful accessories. Choose from a pretty mermaid with a shell shaped quilt and shiny pillow inside a sensational scallop shaped suitcase, an out-of-this-world astronaut with a helmet and jet pack inside a suitcase emblazoned with a fiery rocket, and many more.

3. Fantastic games to play on the move

Playing games will help make the journey more enjoyable. They’re also a clever way for your children to learn without pressure – boosting those memory and attention skills! Here are a couple of our favorites:

  • Twenty questions. Players each decide on a famous person and the others have to guess who they are within 20 questions. To make it easier you can nominate a category which the people have to be from, like sports personalities, actors, characters from a book etc
  • Would you rather and why? Children will love this as they can be super silly and inventive. Give each person, in turn, a choice of two things and a good explanation for the one they pick.  For example, would you rather put your hand in a bowl of electric eels or have slime poured over your head…and why?  Neither option is nice, but you’ve got to pick one! To make it even better, get them to draw a picture of their chosen scenario.
  • Hand out pads of paper and boxes of stickers and ask everyone to create a colorful scene or a picture book. Just make sure those stickers don’t get stuck on car windows, seats or Granny whilst she’s sleeping! We’ve got a sensational range of sticker sets, including unicorns, space, mermaids, jungle and tropical.

4. Books to stop the boredom

The best books to read on journeys are the ones with characters who are adventurers too. See here for a list of brilliant examples.

Audio books are also an excellent idea, especially if reading whilst on the move makes your little people turn a shade of travel-sick green! The Harry Potter or How To Train Your Dragon series are great choices, or visit here for more ideas.

5. Songs to sing along to

Listening and singing along to music is a fabulous way to make the minutes tick by. A lot of children’s playlists can be, ahem, a little bit challenging after a while for adults! So, how about playing happy, joyful songs the whole family will love to wrap their vocal cords around? Take a listen to our happy songs for travelling playlist here.