We’ve recently returned from a fantastic week in Menorca and, like many families, we spent plenty of time thinking about how to keep the children entertained during the journey. From airport waiting times to the flight itself and those quieter evenings in the hotel, having a few activities planned made a huge difference.
After putting our travel entertainment ideas to the test, here are our top five tips for keeping kids happy and engaged when travelling.
1. Pack a Few Surprise Activities
One thing that worked really well for us was bringing along a handful of small surprise activities. They didn’t need to be expensive; a colouring book, some stickers, a puzzle book, or a new pen can be enough to spark excitement.
Rather than handing everything over at once, we spaced them out throughout the journey. It gave the kids something new to look forward to and helped break up the travel time.
2. Don’t Underestimate the Power of Travel Games
One of our best decisions was packing a couple of compact games that could easily fit into a handbag or backpack. They were perfect not only for the flight but also for those quieter moments in the evenings when we wanted some family time without reaching for screens.
A particular favourite was Hoddog, a travel-sized card game where you match sets of ingredients to build the longest hot dog. It’s quick to learn, easy to play almost anywhere, and small enough to take on any trip. It proved to be a brilliant addition to our travel bag!
3. Download Entertainment Before You Travel
Although many airports, airlines and hotels now offer Wi-Fi, we know from experience that it’s never guaranteed when you need it most.
Before setting off for Menorca, we downloaded some films, a few TV shows and games onto our devices so everything was ready to go. Having entertainment available offline meant there was no stress about signal, buffering or data limits, and it gave us a reliable backup whenever the children needed some downtime.
4. Turn the Journey into Part of the Adventure
Rather than treating the journey as something to simply get through, we found it helped to make it part of the holiday experience.
At the airport, this could be watching planes take off and land, spotting different airline logos and talking about where people might be travelling. During the flight, they loved looking out of the window and trying to identify landmarks below. And on our coach transfers I wrote out a list of things for Elsie to find such as ‘green car, bus, yellow flower’ it really kept her going after hours of travelling.
5. Make Time for Breaks and Movement
Travelling can be tiring for everyone, especially for younger children who aren’t used to sitting still for long periods.
Before boarding our flight, we made sure to walk around the airport and give everyone chance to burn off some energy. Even simple things like exploring the terminal or stretching their legs before sitting down helped them settle more comfortably once we were on the plane.
Our recent family trip to Menorca reminded us that travelling with children doesn’t have to be stressful. A little preparation goes a long way, and having a mix of activities, games and entertainment options can make all the difference.
For us, the combination of surprise activities, downloaded entertainment and travel-friendly games like Hoddog helped keep everyone entertained from departure lounge to hotel room. With a few simple ideas in your travel bag, the journey can become just as enjoyable as the destination itself.
