Mess Free Play for Traveling with Kids

One of the biggest things we put a lot of thought into when traveling with our kids is what to pack to keep the kids entertained. No matter their age, toys are a must for kids. Whenever we take a road trip it’s easier because we can bring more…but during our recent flight in April I had to rethink what to bring based on getting through security and having minimal space.

It was trickier but we did it. You may have to get more creative with what you bring but there are still plenty of mess free toy options to keep the kids happy! Here’s my top list of our favorite mess free toys for traveling!

Moldable Clay

My son loves playing with magnetic sand, playdoh and molding clay. While the sand is his favorite, I knew we could travel with it because of the mess. So we opted to bring our moldable clay. He can still build and shape it but it doesn’t crumble and leave a giant mess everywhere.

Magnetic Toys

Magnetic puzzles, books, or character story boards are another great option for kids who want to play with multiple pieces but you don’t want to constantly be losing them. I’ve also heard of someone who took a cookie sheet pan to have her kids play with magnets on so they didn’t fall.

Window Cling On Decals

There are so many great reusable sticker/window cling on options these days. I’ve even gotten some at the dollar store. You could get some books or just the window cling on decals/stickers and the kids can play with them on car windows and/or airplane windows.

Fidget Toys

The current obsession with little fidget toys like the spinners, poppers, etc. are another great option to keep your kids entertained and in one spot mess free.

Writing Tablets

Probably our favorite mess free toy options are the erasable writing tablets. Both of my kids love drawing and coloring and could do it all day. These tablets are great because they can draw and erase and draw again over and over. You can also play games on them like tic tac toe, hangman, etc. So many options of ways to use them. No more crayon or marker mess. My kids used these on every flight and layover we had during our trip in April. We don’t go on a trip without them!

I hope these tips help to keep your little ones entertained during long travels and you sane with no messes! Do you have any other mess free play ideas for traveling that I didn’t mention? Let me know in the comments below!