5 tips for Christmas holiday travel – with KIDS
Christmas Holiday Travel with KIDS
How to manage the trip and still have fun! Tips, hints and hacks for whole family holiday travel.
Over the river and through the woods….to Grandmother’s house we go…
It is that time of year when we all head home for the holidays. Be prepared for that road trip! Kids love to be busy and they love to make things for OTHERS! Keep them busily making Christmas gifts!
Tips for Christmas Holiday Travel – Open Me When…… Envelopes
What a sweet gift idea for Grandma or Aunt or anyone. I’d love one!
You need: Envelopes, paper, and a creative kiddo! Each envelope is labeled with things like:
When you miss me…
On a Tuesday…
When you need a hug…
Before you eat icecream…
Inside each envelope have them draw a photo or write a poem or a letter. This will be a cherished gift!
Thanks to dadmumbaby for this wonderfully sweet idea.
Tips for Christmas Holiday Travel -Happy Chicklets
Even a young kiddo can love this gift idea! You need markers and a package of white gum squares. What a great gift! Thanks to the clever Andrea at Love is for the wonderful idea.
Tips for Christmas Holiday Travel -I love you because book…
Oh, I love this so much. 🙂 You can put them together before you leave and have kiddos work hard on them while you are on the road. You can make one for Dad, Grandma…Sister…go ahead and have them make one for you!
Just take a few pieces of paper …any size….any color…and write as you see in the photo. The child lifts up the and draws a photo to match the word. Pre-writers can dictate or older siblings can help. You will LOVE the sweetness when they are done.
Not sure how to put this together?  Check out the great tutorial from Wayward Girls Crafts will be a treasured forever gift. All you need for wrapping is an envelope!
Tips for Christmas Holiday Travel -Picasso Kiddo
Create these black and white photos on your own computer. Don’t know how? Just go to edit and play with it until it seems ‘right’. (It’s Picasso, remember? He put 3 noses on people…so don’t worry about it being wrong.) Print and  put in the bag of goodies for the road along with some markers and a $store frame.
Have kiddo color all or part of the photo. Place in frame and voila! Great gift for cousin, aunt or friend. Thank you parents.com for this lovely idea!
Tips for Christmas Holiday Travel -Book on CD
I love to read to the kids, but can’t in the car. Always makes me feel less than wonderful. A book on CD is the perfect solution! Choose an old favorite or a new one …Harry Potter, Charlotte’s Web, Where the Red Fern Grows…. Be really creative and follow the book with the movie! Talk about the differences and similarities.
Buy on Amazon or borrow from your local library. Cracker Barrel has a great program where you buy a book, listen to it, and return it at the next Cracker Barrel (Minus a small weekly fee)!
Take a look at these wonderful read aloud – or listen to book suggestions for the road trip. If kids are a little older ask them to read a chapter or two.
The Percy Jackson series was our first on Audio book and it was amazing!!
How about the Lord of the Rings Trilogy? Comparing books and movies is always a great way to keep the brains in gear over the holiday!
Another classic that also has a movie – The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe
This book is amazing for all ages. Add a little magic to your road trip this holiday!
Little kids convinced they are too big for stories? Keep everyone on the edge of their seat with this fantastic tale of survival. Boys especially enjoy this one.
Another classic tale written beautifully by Lois Lowry (who also invented the genre that has taken young adults by storm – Dystopic, with her award winning book – The Giver) which everyone will enjoy.
When you choose an audio book for your journey…be sure to get one for the road trip back home, too!
Happy Wintery Travels,
Natalie, The Educational Tourist
I love these tips! Never knew that about Cracker Barrel! Getting ready for our Christmas road trip and we make Cracker Barrel a stop every time!
I love shopping at a Cracker Barrel. They have such CUTE stuff!!! I never make it out without a purchase. 😉
What an adorable collection of gifts. Each one so thoughtful. Makes you wonder why more people don’t think beyond material things. Lovely post!
Thanks. I love gifts like this. When I taught school we made one each year for their parents. It takes time and planning and maybe that is why it isn’t done as much as it could be. The holidays are so busy, but when you are on the road anyway….with lots of time to spare…it is a great way to kill two birds with one stone! Busy kids and wonderful gifts. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
awwww I really love those ideas! I am a huge fan of diy gifts. It is just so much more personal and oyu know that people put so much effort in it!
What lovely ideas! I love Christmas and getting into the christmas mood, I have forwarded your post link to my sister for her to do with her little boys. Really great #blogmaspost
Thanks for sharing! 🙂
This is all so cute! I love the “open when” envelopes. I know you made them for kids, but I think I might steal that idea for when I’m gone for a month in Asia in the spring to leave nice notes for my boyfriend! I’m not a particularly arts & craft-y person, but I love sentimental gift ideas like these 🙂
So cool. Love those tips and might use them for my nephew. Thanks for sharing.
I bet he’ll enjoy and I know everyone will love the fruit of his labors. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Cute ideas! And good to know that there are plenty of cheap yet personal options out there that will make lovely gifts for the loved ones. Now, I don’t have kids but could imagine doing some of these things as an additional gift for my partner or my parents 🙂 thanks for sharing!
Fun gift ideas for the kids to make. They are just so sweet and a perfect activity for holiday road trips.
It really gets them thinking about others….I love homemade stuff from kids. When I taught we always made gifts and cards for the kids to give to their families. Wish they did more of that now, but those state tests seem to overshadow everything so we need to do them at home! Thanks for stopping by!
Great list and they are all very sweet. My favorite is the Open When Envelopes. I wanna try those as well among the family. Thanks for the ideas.
These are such great ideas. I love the envelopes to open when you need a beautiful reminder. Travelling can be lonely especially around the holidays and these are a great way to help with that.
These ideas are so sweet! I love the ‘open me when’ idea – and I think my gandma would have loved it too!
Oh these are some lovely ideas! The open me when envelopes are such a good idea! I will try them with family!
Lovely post and unusual to read exceptional gift during Christmas time; I love getting the Christmas mood and….Here we are!! thanks for you sharing
Planning makes it all so much more fun!! Thanks for stopping by!
What lovely thoughtful ideas …especially love the ‘open me when’ cards – really gives you something to look forward to. Christmas travel is always a nightmare but great to try and make it a bit less painful!
Aren’t those fun? I love homemade gifts from kids – they are so sweet. 🙂 Planning and preparation make the trip so much better!!! Thanks for stopping by.
Awesome ideas! I remember as a kid I used to love these sorts of crafts and things during Christmas holidays, was always so much fun!
Cute, simple, and inexpensive ideas. We frequently travel over the holidays and these are good ways to keep the kids grounded during stressful travels. Great post!
Thanks! I’d love to hear all about you giving them a try during this holiday’s travel. I love gifts the kids make. Thanks for stopping by!
I totally love the open me envelopes! What a fantastic idea. You could also use them for the kids on a road trip. Open me when you get to (insert place) and keep them amused along the way
All the tips sounds exciting to be done for this holiday season. I have little niece and nephew and I think now I know how to keep them busy during school holiday. 😀
What a great aunt you are!! Enjoy! I love heartfelt work from the kids -especially at the holidays! Sometimes I pack it up with the decorations. It is so fun to revisit it all when you unpack to decorate every year!