Arts & Crafts for Toddlers on Airplanes

Keep your kids from getting bored on the airplane.

Just the thought of taking your toddler on an airplane may give you a headache, so the more you prepare the easier travel will be. The key to keeping toddlers from getting restless is having a variety of activities available. Pack one carry-on full of projects so when she gets bored with one, you're ready with another.

Coloring

Coloring sheets can keep him busy and quiet, and coloring is a calm activity that may help him settle down enough to make him sleepy. Make new coloring sheets for him by drawing pictures of his favorite things by hand. For instance, draw an outline of him surrounded by trucks or playing in a sandbox. He'll be more interested in personalized sheets rather than generic ones. Avoid markers, since they can stain the fabric of the plane seats. Buy a new package of fat crayons, since most toddlers struggle to hold onto and use skinny crayons.

Stickers

Stickers help children build their fine motor skills, since peeling each sticker off of its paper backing can be challenging for small fingers. Toddlers enjoy covering any surface with stickers, so bring along a new package of them. Give her one sheet of stickers at a time, along with a pad of paper. You can also draw shapes onto the paper, then ask her to fill in each shape with stickers. Even if she manages to place a few stickers on the tray table or airplane seat, you'll be able to remove them easily.

Play Dough

Buy fresh containers of play dough to keep him busy. Bring along a plastic place mat to put over the tray table, then give him a lump of dough. Let him form it into shapes or spread it out, then ask him to make certain shapes or creatures. For instance, challenge him to create a dog or form the first letter of his name. You can also give him small plastic toys that he can bury inside the dough or use to make patterns on top of the dough.

Photo Collage

Toddlers often find pictures of themselves, their family and friends to be fascinating, so these photos will keep children occupied. Bring along copies of a few dozen photos and let her make a collage out of the photos. Rather than giving her glue, peel the backing off of contact paper. She can place photos on the paper, then cover them with a second piece of paper. Give her a pair of child-safe scissors. She can cut the faces out of each photo or use entire pictures. When she covers one piece of contact paper with photos, give her another piece so she can create another collage.

References

• Scholastic: Contact Paper Collage
• Parenting Magagzine: Go Anywhere With Your Toddler (And Keep Your Sanity!)