Going away as a family and exploring somewhere new is always fun. It is a fantastic way to relax and create special memories.
Most families plan lots of activities to ensure that both parents and kids get as much as possible out of the holiday. But at some point, everyone needs to pause and recharge their batteries. When you do you will be glad that you packed some fun toys for 12 year olds. Things they will happily play with for several hours. The fact that the space that you have is limited means that you will need to think a bit differently about the type of toys you pack. Here are a few suggestions that will help you to deal with that issue.
Compact toys
Focus on small, lightweight toys. For example, card games, soft toys that can easily be squished into a gap, and toys that fold.
Invest in some travel games
It is relatively easy to find and buy compact versions of board games like Monopoly, chess, and Blockus. As well as other family favorites like Connect 4, Jenga and Yahtzee.
Load up your phones and tablets
Before leaving home, download some games and apps for the kids to play on the journey. You may also want to get your children to keep a travel journal. If you would like to do that, take a look at this app. Your kids will enjoy taking photos and gathering facts to add to their journal entries, which will help to stop them from getting bored on day trips.
Toys that make getting around faster and easier
If you are taking your car or the train, consider packing everyone´s bikes. Provided there is somewhere to stow them securely at your accommodation they will come in very handy.
Another option is to pack folding scooters for the kids. They are great for helping them to keep up when walking between the places you want to visit.
Outdoor toys
Being able to let your kids run around in the park for a couple of hours is a terrific way to tire them out, so they are ready for an early bedtime. It is possible to buy inflatable bats and balls. Usually, you just need a small hand pump to be able to inflate a vinyl ball but double-check that is the case before buying.
Swimming gear
Most of the places you travel to will have a public pool, beach, or swimming lake nearby. So, it is always worth packing your kid’s swimwear.
Check the airline rules
If you are flying to your destination, you will need to make sure that the toys you are planning to take are allowed aboard the plane. For example, most airlines do not allow plastic guns on board. Point 6 in this article covers the subject of carrying toys on airplanes in a bit more detail.
Before finalizing your list, it is worth running your list past your child or children. Just to check that they are toys that they like playing with.
Leave a bit of room for a couple of playtime favorites
The above are just a few examples. There are lots of other options. But make sure that you prioritize taking some of their favorites over new toys that they have not played with a lot. Having their favorite toys with them when your family is out on vacation and staying at a place unfamiliar to them can help comfort them during these times. You can also buy them a couple of new toys online (like these ones from Toynk) to entertain them for hours and keep their mind off the long trip.
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