We’ve all been there. The plane reaches cruising altitude and about ten minutes later you hear, “How much longer?”
These days, many flights have seatback screens, and some families bring tablets so kids can happily zone out for a few hours on the way to Orlando. And honestly? I’m all for it. Travel days are special circumstances.
But what if your flight doesn’t have screens? What if the tablet battery dies? What if turbulence keeps the snack cart from coming down the aisle?
That’s where the airplane activity kit becomes your secret weapon.
Having a backup plan — especially one that’s new and exciting — keeps kids busy without you having to play cruise director at 30,000 feet.
My go-to airplane activity kit includes:
Something creative (stickers, coloring books, small crafts)
Something educational or game-based (flash cards, a deck of cards, a small workbook)
And of course… snacks. Lots of snacks. More than you think you’ll need. (They once saved us while stuck in Customs.)
For our last Disney trip, I put together simple kits with a few surprise items from the dollar store, including Disney-themed dry erase boards and markers, plus fun Disney snacks like Goldfish, fruit snacks, and graham crackers.
I didn’t tell the kids I had them.
So when they started getting restless and asking for my phone, I pulled out the kits — and you would have thought I performed a magic trick. Instant distraction. Zero screens. Happy kids. Peaceful parents.
These kits do take a little time to put together, which is why this is actually one of the things I offer to help with as you prepare for your trip. Because sometimes the smallest details make the biggest difference in how smoothly your travel day goes.
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