Engaging toys and books that hold a child’s interest can go a long way in keeping the peace 
on long car or plane trips. If you’ll be one of the 34 million American’s traveling this summer, the following tips on selecting good travel toys can make vacation travel enjoyable for the whole family:
- Toddlers will enjoy nesting/stacking cups, tactile toys, a few magnetic blocks, and a small non-breakable plastic mirror.
- Favorite toy cars, action figures and dolls can keep preschoolers and early elementary children busy for long periods.
- A travel standby for 60 years, Colorforms sets by University Games let children create scenes and tell their own stories with plastic clings that stick to a background board. Sets include Transformers, Dora, SpongeBob and other familiar characters, as well as basic shapes.
- Also popular are travel art sets that include a hard “table” surface and storage for sticker and coloring books plus crayons and washable markers.
- Activity and puzzle books and brain teasers are fun for school-aged children. Spark some good-natured competition with the Me Vs. You Head-to-Head Brain Races by Klutz. Dual sets let siblings challenge each other (or parents can challenge their children) to see who can solve the puzzle, maze or word game first.
- Older children will enjoy keeping a travel journal. A small sketch pad (available at craft stores) provides plenty of space for writing, drawing pictures and pasting stickers, postcards and keepsakes picked up on your journey. Pack a pencil box with markers, stickers and a glue stick or scotch tape and let your child create his own vacation souvenir.
