When my two boys were between the ages of 3 and 10, I had some great success along with some not-so-great success providing creative activities when traveling that did not include screen time. Whether a road trip or flight, I came to realize the more prepared I was with “insta-activities,” the better the trip was from beginning to end.

After years of trying different things, the one activity that really became a favorite was what we called “The Awesome Drawing Kit.”

Here are a few quick ideas to create your own Awesome Drawing Kit that will make your trip not only more enjoyable, but also cost-effective, easy and fun!

Pencil boxes or pouches

Kids love to open things, zip things, unzip things and close things. Bringing or purchasing a small pencil pouch or box before your trip is close to guaranteeing many smiles. If you have drawing supplies at home, have them choose their favorite markers, pencils, erasers and crayons. If you need to run to a store to purchase a new set of markers, the investment is truly worth 1,000 pictures. 

Diversify your papers

Grabbing a large Ziploc bag and filling it with drawing paper has saved me a million times. In addition to white paper, add bright-colored and different-sized paper. Pre-cut a few sheets in half, quarters and even mini size … those little mini sheets are great for little hands and somehow spark new ideas!

Tracing paper and magazines

Tracing paper has been an A+ activity with my boys. Tracing their favorite characters in books or magazines is an activity that really keeps them engaged. Tip: Include a small roll of tape in the Ziploc bag just in case you need to tape down the sides of the tracing paper to keep it more secure.

Clipboard

Including a clipboard adds a great dimension to the drawing kit, allowing your child to move around a bit and tilt it so they’re comfortable.

Bonus tips

Placing everything in the large Ziploc bag — papers, the pouch or box and the clipboard — is the surest way to be ready in a minute for instant creative activities. 

Every child is so different in how they approach creative activities. Occasionally, after spending time free drawing, I saw that my boys needed a small prompt or theme to keep the drawing activity fresh and new. Doing this provided a very different experience than open-ended drawing. Within minutes, they were focused again — laughing, talking and creating amazing things.

A few drawing themes can include:

• Creating a Dream Amusement Park
• Magic Under the Sea
• My Comic Book Design 
• Make up your own themes. The sky’s the limit, so have a ton of fun with your Awesome Drawing Kit and happy travels!

For more family travel packing essentials, check out advice from a local pediatrician.

Lauren Dennis-Perelmuter is founder and CEO of a Los Angeles-based art education company, The Art Box Academy. Find her on social media @theartboxacademy.