Travel

If you are planning a trip with your little ones, then you know that one of the most important things to plan for is how you will keep them entertained! Regardless of what kind of travel you will be taking, it’s important that you plan a few fun travel activities for your preschooler! Here are some of the best travel activities that you can buy to help keep your preschoolers entertained.

Letter Tracing Book

This letter tracing book is a great way for your preschoolers to get some fine motor practice, and even start learning to write their name! This is a lightweight and easy item that can be put in their backpack or in your bag to keep them busy on the road.

Crayola Color Wonder Stow & Go

This color set by Crayola is a great way to let your kids get creative while you travel! It comes with 30 blank coloring pages as well as four Color wonder markers! The color from these markers only appears on the special paper so you don't have to worry about making a mess!

The Big Book of Seek & Find

A great book to take with you no matter where you travel is this huge Seek and find book! This is a great way to train your little one’s observation and concentration skills as they try to find the comical characters in this book!

I Spy Jar

A great sensory activity for your kids is to make them a fun I Spy Jar! They can spend hours just trying to find all the things inside the jar! You can also find smaller versions of this like this I Spy Card Game.

ThinkFun Rush Hour Junior Traffic Jam Logic Game

This is a great game for your kids to play while on the go! It’s easily contained and they can learn puzzle solving skills while trying to move the cars! Especially good if you've got a little extra room in the car as they can play when you arrive at your destination too.

WikkiStix

Encourage your kids to do some imaginative play with these fun doodle toys! They twist, bend, and stick to help your kids make all kinds of cool creations with them!

Kids Travel Journal: My First Travel Diary

This travel diary is perfect for preschoolers! They have places for them to draw, write and color to help document their fun travel adventures in a fun little book.

Travel Friendly Felt Board

If your kids love playing with felt shapes, they will love this cool travel felt board! They can play and explore and easily pick everything up when they’re done.

The Purple Cow Magnetic Travel Car Race Game

If your kids love cars they will love this adorable racing game! It’s a fun compact travel game that they can play as they race cars along this tiny track!

Melissa & Doug Tape Activity Book

See what amazing things your kids will create with this fun Tape activity book! All the activities are built around using tape, so your toddlers can easily make some amazing creations with this activity book.

Melissa & Doug On-the-Go Color Blast Bundle

If your little ones love to color you’ve got to give these bundle packs a try! There are so many fun pictures for them to color and each pack has a different theme!

Skillmatics Educational Game: Preschool Champion

If you’re looking to let your kids have some education fun, you have got to try this game! There are thirty games in this pack that your kids can use to build core skills for their age!

Printable Travel Bingo

A fun way to keep your preschoolers entertained during a long trip is with a fun game of Bingo! You can even get the whole family involved with this one.

LeapFrog Scribble and Write

Your kids will love tracing and writing as the screen lights up! It’s a great educational activity they can play while you travel that is so much fun!

VTech Write & Learn Creative Center

Another great device for drawing and learning is this creative center activity! There are shapes and objects to help them draw and word prompts to help them learn to trace letters.

LiKee Wooden Pattern Blocks

See what kinds of things your kids can create with these cool wooden pattern blocks! This set comes with 60 different pattern cards that include everything from cars to animals! There are also 36 wooden pieces so they can play and create as much as they’d like!

Skoolzy Preschool Lacing Beads for Kids

If you are looking for your kids to get some fine motor practice, this is a great activity! It’s a great boredom buster while you are in the airport or during a long car ride. The best part of these is their large size and bright colors so you don't have to worry about losing track of them.

Play-Doh Handout Non-Toxic Modeling Compound

Play-Doh is always a hit with my kids! They can easily make creations out of it, or just play around with the putty in their hands! If you want to take things a step further, read my post on how to create a Moroccan themed play dough sensory box.

Road Trip Scavenger Hunt

If you’re looking for a fun way to keep your little ones entertained while driving, give this scavenger hunt printable a try!

Moroccan Preschool Bundle

This is a group of resources that I've created just for preschoolers. It includes PDF's for an I Spy Game, Darija Flashcards, a Moroccan coloring book and two more resources that can be used once you're at your destination.

If you are planning a trip with your little ones, make sure that you grab some of these travel activities to help keep both you and them sane while you’re traveling!

My kids have always been book lovers. Since the day they discovered that books had pictures, they were booked! If you are planning an upcoming trip, I highly recommend bringing some books along for you to read to them, or that they can read on their own! If you want, you could even look into getting some audiobooks for some added fun if they aren’t old enough to read yet!

Here are the best preschool books about travel! Many are own favorites that have been kid tested – mom (and dad) approved!

How to Make an Apple Pie and See the World

This book talks about what to do when the market is closed and how the world becomes your grocery store! This silly recipe for making apple pie takes the rader around the globe looking for ingredients to make a pie!

The Pout-Pout Fish, Far, Far from Home

Follow along with Mr. Fish as he explores brand new places and meets new friends along the way! Everyone loves this grumpy fish, and this story shows that love doesn’t need to be packed and will travel with you always.

Half A World Away

This story follows two friends whose friendship endures even the furthest thing, distance. If your little one has family or friends who have moved away, they will love this story about friendship lost and found and the story of these two adorable friends Amy and Louie.

Miss Rumphius

This story is perfect for road trips or story time for your children! This story follows Miss Rumphius and her adventures as she travels around the world!

Katie In London

This story follows a girl named Katie and her adventures discovering the famous sights in London. This book brings London to life in a magical adventure.

Lately Lily: The Adventures of a Travelling Girl

Where has Lily been? All over the world! This book follows the story of her and her friend Zeborah who travel by all forms of transportation to discover the world every single day! She talks about how the best joy of discovery is to travel each and every day!

Little Traveler Board Book Set

Introduce your little ones to new places, new foods, and even new sights from all around the world! This board book set includes four different categories: food, landmarks, animals, and vehicles and shares with your kids different ones from all over the world.

Atlas of Miniature Adventures

Your kids will love discovering adventures using these small scale adventures and exploring seven different maps. This book brings the coolest different adventures to life from all parts of the world.

Pete the Cat's Family Road Trip

Pete the Cat is traveling with his family on a road trip! He is ready to explore the sights as the travels to Niagara Falls, Savannah, New Orleans and so much more on this adorable traveling adventure with his family.

Super Wings: Meet the Super Wings

This fun and interactive board book features all of your child’s favorite Super Wings friends. If your kids love the show, they will love getting to know their characters in a new fun interactive way! There are eight colorful tables with simple text, and the book is so sturdy!

Pete the Cat's World Tour

You’ll need your passport as Pete the Cat takes off for his groovy tour! Pete the Cat and his band travel around the world to perform! He goes everywhere from Mexico to Iceland to find out what each country has to offer and play with his friends.

Family Trip (Peppa Pig)

This book is based on the hit show Peppa Pig! Her and her family are headed off to Italy! In the book they pack their bags, fly, meet new friends, and they even learn how to make pizza! This is a fun book to get your kids excited about visiting a new country if you’re thinking of traveling to Italy.

Richard Scarry's Cars and Trucks and Things That Go

This book is all about different modes of transportation! Your kids will love learning about everything from planes to trains and even pickle trucks! It has a wide variety of different types of vehicle and is the perfect little book for any car or even train lover!

Everything & Everywhere: A Fact-Filled Adventure for Curious Globe-Trotters

From sleepy sloths to traffic and skylines, this book takes your little ones around the world and everywhere in between! It’s a great book full of fun facts about places all over the world. They travel to faraway places like Hong Kong and New York City and learn facts about the different places along the way! This book is perfect for travel lovers and for your kids to learn about different places.

If you’re looking for a fun way to teach your kids about travel, these books are perfect! All of these books center around travel, and can even help nervous travelers feel more confident about traveling.

Looking for more fun activities for preschoolers?

Make sure to check out my Moroccan Activities Pack for Preschoolers!

Whether you have a cross country, international or even trip to the grocery store in your future finding a kid size mask can be a challenge. I put together a variety of suggestions here to help you narrow down some of the options.

Please keep in mind I am not a medical professional – I am a mom, just like you. It's always best to consult with your doctor or other support professionals when choosing medical devices like masks. My hope is this list can help you with some ideas to consider when making the purchase for your child.

If you will be flying it's also advisable to see what the protocol is for the airline you will be using. Some have specific personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements for flyers and that advice can change based on the age of the child.

3 Ply Disposable Masks

Reuseable Cotton Cloth Masks with Filters

Best for: Kids of all ages – as they have an adjustable strap

Reuseable

Includes a filter insertion

If you're looking for a reuseable option, this mask comes with slide in filters that can be removed after each wear. It also has adjustable ear straps so you can adjust the size based on the size of the child – a really great feature. No more guessing what will work or needing to sew ear bands to make them smaller.

Multi- Colored Reuseable Cotton Masks

Best for: slightly older kids as the size is a little larger

Reuseable

These masks come in several solid colors and are sold as a two pack. Some who have purchased them have shared that they work really well for kids who also wear glasses. They are a cotton mask but also have an adjustable nose piece so that they can be formed to fit the face better.

Valved Respirator Style Mask

Best for: Younger children as the masks tend to be smaller sized.

Reuseable

Includes 2 filter inserts

These masks are a good option for smaller children. It has adjustable straps as well as an adjustable nose bridge so you can adapt it for the child specifically. When the filter insert is removed it can be washed and dried to reuse.

6 Pack Reuseable Masks with Valve and Filter

Best for: 5-10 year olds

Reuseable

Includes 6 masks and 12 filters

If you have multiple children or need several masks to change out this is a good option. Do be aware the mask material is polyester not cotton. They have an adjustable ear strap so that they can be fitted to the child's face.

Cotton Reuseable Washable Masks for Kids

Best for: Kids 2-11 years old

Reuseable

This is a pack of three masks with no filter. They get mixed reviews from those that have purchased. It does not have adjustable straps however you could easily use a mask hook that goes around the back of the head to tighten it and take pressure off the ears if this is an issue.

Facial Mask with Clear Window

Best for: Children 5+

Reuseable

No filter but has a clear mouth screen

While there isn't a great option that includes full filtration options, if you're looking for a mask that has a clear screen this is an option. You may face issues with the screen fogging up some but it does appear to be a mixed bag; some say yes it does while others have no problems.

Mask Accessories

Mask Hooks

Wearing a mask around your ears for a long period of time is hard for anyone but especially kids. With these the strain is taken off the ears and makes it a bit more comfortable to wear a mask. The more comfortable it is, the more likely kids are to wear them.

Face Mask Lanyard

What are the chances your kids will remove their mask and lose it? If they're like mine the chances are good. With these lanyards they can keep the masks around their neck when they are not on their faces. The hooks clip to the ear band portion of the mask so it's possible to use this with any style of face mask.

In December I went on a long trip to Tanzania and Rwanda and had some amazing experiences but from the first day I had this nagging feeling that I couldn't drop and it continues to bother me, so I've chosen to write about it.

I first wrote about this a few years ago in relationship to taking photographs or not in Marrakech. Most people here don't like their picture taken. I very quickly learned why and yet I still see SO many visitors who get down right angry when they are asked not to take pictures.

Having had the experiences I've had in Morocco I am always extremely cautious when I take pictures, I always ask permission sometimes multiple times before I take any pictures, and after I take a photo if I feel bad in anyway I delete it and do not share.

I am fully aware that I am a white woman and the privilege that just that grants me in how I live in the world. The day I first wore a hijab in public was the day that privilege became exceedingly clear. I am also the mother of three children, two of which I know will not have that privilege based on their skin color and it has made me even more aware.

This post isn't aimed at one person, one event, one interaction or one country but is a culmination of my experiences and hopefully helps you to think a bit differently when you travel.

Nothing Designed for Tourists is “Authentic”

Authenticity is a buzz word in travel and so many people seek to have a “real” experience or one that's not created for tourists however nearly all experiences you'll have no matter where you go are just that – created for you, even if they are a part of local culture and heritage.

Does this mean they're bad or fake? Absolutely not. In some cases this is done in a way that truly is an open ended cultural exchange where both sides are engaged and sharing. Remember you're not owed anything by the place you are visiting; most people are going about their lives and by allowing you to enter their lives it's a privilege not a right.

But done en masse? Usually not.

Consider how your interactions with local people affects them.

One of the greatest joys of travel for me is having the chance to engage and interact with people who are truly interested in having you be a part of their lives. Working in tourism and living in a place that gets millions of tourists a year I am very aware of the attractiveness of money for locals to create situations where tourists can “interact”.

People often want to help when they visit a country that faces economic hardship. But, ask yourself, why is this just the case in places like Africa?

Why don’t people who visit places in more economically stable countries feel compelled to help?

There are plenty of economically disadvantaged communities who the government has forgotten in my own country and could use a leg up. But often those of us who can help travel abroad to give. And, in return for financial or material assistance local populations are asked to give up things such as their privacy to appease our need to validate our donations.

Is wanting to help really hurting?

Has our wanting to “help” really just created a system of poverty tourism where foreign visitors tour schools or orphanages and are plied with requests to help because the governments and social systems meant to be supporting these things has failed to do their job? 

Has our voyeurism and need to see, photograph, or pity “the other” before we deem them worthy of our financial gifts over ridden a sense of goodwill?

And in that process have we managed to separate ourselves from “them.”

Would you behave the same way if you were visiting a school or orphanage in Los Angeles or Berlin?

Would you visit a school in your neighborhood at home and want to see the children sing for you in exchange for your donations?

Would you be bothered if a group of tourists from abroad showed up at your child's school and took pictures with – or of – them to fund books for the classroom?

When visiting a country and wanting to “give back” question why and how. Do you have a special skill that can help fill a need the community has? Or is it simply a way to feel good on your vacation?

Visiting an orphanage is one of these “wanting to help, but harming” cases. You showing up to play with kids for a few hours with gifts may make you feel good but what about the kids when you leave? Now imagine that same experience happening over and over again. What message are they given about people?

At the end of the day ask yourself how can those of us who have the ability to give donations to those in need, do so ethically and responsibly while not exploiting the people we claim to want to help? 

Give help in the way it's requested

Too often help is done in a transactional way; we help you only if you subscribe to our way of thinking or of using the assistance we give in the ways we want. 

Helping financially is only considered if it's done in a way that WE feel best helps and not always the ways that would best help the community, based on their stated needs.

This is a long entrenched practice from colonial days where those with the means (usually by force) told the colonized what they needed. They removed the ways of life that people had used for centuries and replaced it with what they saw best. This pattern repeats today.

If people say they need xy or z then that's what they need; who are we to claim we know their needs better?

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Most people perpetuating the white savior complex are incredibly well intentioned. We understand this. We also know that using intentions as a justification to avoid accountability stifles progress. We can acknowledge that people want to do good while also holding a higher standard & demanding better. . Two of the most recent posts that stood out were from @victoriabeckham and @natalieportman — two white women — celebrities with money, status and influence. We commonly see NGOs use celebrities as ambassadors for their cause. . One thing we need to make clear is that it is not a bad thing to care about issues like access to water or education, human trafficking, malnutrition, child protection, maternal health, poverty, HIV/AIDS — It’s certainly not wrong to see needs that exist within our own communities OR internationally & to want to do something to address these needs. The problem arises when you need to be centered as the one solving these problems and when the recipients of your aid / charity are always Black & Brown people. The problem arises when you need to be photographed for every charitable act & when you receive praise for simply being pictured in close proximity to Black bodies. . So how could these two women do better? How can others take notes & be advocates without perpetuating the white savior complex? We have some advice but we’d also like to hear from you in the comments on what you think this should look like… . 1) Pass the mic – We’ve talked about how much we hate the concept of any community being “voiceless”. Celebrities have an incredible opportunity to give space & a platform to the voices of folks working in their communities to meet the critical needs that they are passionate about bringing awareness to. . 2) Images are powerful – We understand photos can be necessary for PR / fundraising purposes. What we’d propose is rather than images with the beneficiaries of aid / charity, share photos w/ the leaders running the organizations you are visiting. Talk about the work they are doing for their community. The truth is you really just took a tour and had a photo op, you didn’t actually DO anything. . #nowhitesaviors

A post shared by NO WHITE SAVIORS (@nowhitesaviors) on Dec 4, 2019 at 6:43pm PST

I encourage you to rethink the activities you engage in when traveling at home or abroad. Consider if an opportunity is one that provides value to both parties and is done so in a way that is truly a cultural exchange.

As more and more people travel it's imperative that we keep a grasp of having the same value and behavior systems no matter where we go.

If you'd like some further thoughts and resources I recommend reading No White Saviors website or excellent Instagram feed (you can see one post above). I'd also recommend reading Teju Coles' writing on the White Savior Industrial Complex.