Six travel toys for preschoolers and kindergarteners
Once again, you're out and about and you have a bored kid. A few days ago, I wrote about some portable toys for babies and toddlers, but what about your preschooler? In this post, I'll show you some developmentally appropriate toys for children ages three and up, so that you can hand them something educational instead of relinquishing your phone.
All of these are items that one child can play with independently and that don't require any reading skills. Some are toys that siblings can share, but note that most of these are marketed for ages 3+ due to choking hazards.
These puzzles are made up of four, six, or nine wooden cubes. Preschoolers can put them together, matching the parts to make a whole picture. Each puzzle set contains six different puzzles (one for each side of the cube), and they come in a little wooden box. There are many companies that make these, but the atelier Fischer ones are my favourite because the drawings are so realistic. These are available at some independent toy stores, including Dilly Dally Kids in Vancouver and Ava's Appletree in Toronto.
Ages: 3 years and up
Ideal for: airplane, restaurant, visiting relatives
Restrictions: requires a table or flat surface
These are by far the best finger puppets I've ever seen. They're so realistic and very well made. There are dozens of different species, mostly North American woodland animals, sea mammals, and birds, though there are also some fantasy creatures, tropical and African animals, and pets. If you have a creative child who likes to play pretend, pack a couple of these so that your child can make up lots of pretend animal adventures. Your child can also use these to entertain a younger sibling. These are available on Amazon and from many independent toystores and bookstores.
Ages: 3+ for independent play, younger if supervised
Ideal for: car, public transit, airplane, restaurants, waiting rooms, visiting relatives
Restrictions: not ideal for anywhere where dropped puppets can't be retrieved
These 50-piece puzzles come in a small tin, the size of a pencil case. There are three colourful choices: unicorns, dinosaurs, or shark reef. The finished puzzle measures 12 by 8 inches, so it can fit on an airplane tray. While the larger Crocodile Creek puzzles are available on Amazon, the mini puzzle tins are only in independent stores.
Ages: 4+
Ideal for: airplane, restaurants, waiting rooms, visiting relatives
Restrictions: requires a table or other flat surface
Each tiny tin comes with a different activity. You can get no-tech wooden toys, such as a set of mosaic blocks, a cube puzzle, or a set of spinning tops, packaged up in an adorable and packable tin box. Some of these games are better suited to two or more kids and others (like the mosaic blocks or cube puzzle) are great for solo play.
Ages: 3+
Ideal for: airplane, restaurants, waiting rooms, visiting relatives
Restrictions: all of these toys require a flat surface
Kaleidoscopes and pocket prisms
Just when you're tired of hearing "When are we going to get there?," pass these cool classic toys to your children and let them enjoy seeing the world in a whole other way. If you have more than one kid, get enough kaleidoscopes for everyone, since this isn't a toy that's easily shared. Some of these are small enough that your kids can carry them in their own pockets. The mini camera is neat because it allows kids to pretend to take photos and has a carry strap. Most of these are available to order from Dilly Dally Kids, an amazing independent toy store in Vancouver, but you can also find them at other independent toy stores across Canada and internationally. I recommend getting a wooden or metal kaleidoscope or prism, since the cardboard ones don't last as long.
There are a few brands that make these:
Ages: 3+ (I've seen ten-year-olds mesmerized by these)
Ideal for: airplane, car, transit, visiting relatives, waiting room, restaurants
Wait, wasn't this on the list of travel toys for toddlers? Yup. This is a travel toy for anyone, ages 0 to adult.
These magnetic wooden blocks can be assembled to make a variety of creations. They're safe for babies but also fun for older kids, so both your toddler and school-aged kiddo can enjoy them. The Travel Pals, Pocket Pouch Prisms, and Pocket Pouch Original lines are small sets that are ideal for travel. The Pocket Pouches come in a variety of different colours, and you can combine two pouches to make bigger creations. The Travel Pals are shaped like animals or vehicles, but you can reconfigure the blocks to make other designs as well. These toys can be used by one kid or possibly shared by siblings (depending on how well they cooperate!). Since the blocks are magnetic, you don't need a flat surface to play. Tegu are expensive, but they're worth it because your kids won't outgrow it. Don't be surprised if you find yourself playing with these as well.
Ages: 0+
Ideal for: transit, car, airplane, restaurants, waiting rooms, visiting relatives
Restrictions: not ideal for anywhere where dropped pieces can't be retrieved, so whether or not it's a car-friendly toy depends on your child
Stuff some of these toys into your purse or carry on, and enjoy a few minutes of relative peace.
ความคิดเห็น