Need new play item suggestions for airline travel (2 yrs old)

[gbailey]

I know this topic has been discussed a lot and on our previous airline travel, I've used the great suggestions other parents have posted here. I need something new for DD. She's grown tired of her AquaDoodle, Doodle Pro. I'm taking coloring books and washable crayons. I also got her a cute pair of toddler headphones if she happens to be awake and wants to watch a small amount of tv on the plane. But I have no idea what else to bring her. Looking for something fun that might keep her occupied.

DD is nearly 2.5 and loves to color and use my writing pen to write on scrap paper.

[bender]

My friend got a leapfrog toy that can download stuff for her son (almost 5). Something like that might work for her as well, since you can have different games and movies on it.

[manleywoman]

I just got back from a trip with my 2 year old. Stickers are a huge help. He sticks them everywhere, and he helps peel them off before we land. And he loves watching videos of himself on our iPhones. He also loves moving the window shade up and down, over and over.

[justKate]

Do they still make colorforms? They might be easier to deal with than stickers, especially if you have a window seat.

[Drummer's Wife]

I was going to ask if you had an iphone, ipad, or ipod touch (or similar device - I'm not trying to push only Apple products ). My youngest is 3 now, but even at 2 1/2 that kept him happy for long amount of times. Videos, music, recorded and printed books, tons of games, camera capabilities, drawing pad, etc. Heck, just the popping bubbles app would buy at least 20 minutes.

[vrclay]

I love this travel blog www.deliciousbaby.com - she has some great ideas.

Here's a specific link:
http://www.deliciousbaby.com/product...ge=preschooler

I can speak personally for the painters tape, pipe cleaners, finger puppets and gertie ball. We're headed out of town and I'm gonna check out the audio books!

[kcstar]

I found a Crayola portable dry-erase board with a clear window, and five heavy-duty pages that can be inserted to color on. They sell it with a variety of insert selections, I went for a more "educational" with the alphabet version. It also comes with a link to Crayola.com where you can print more black-and-white sheets for coloring. As well as any other coloring pages that you want to download and print. DS can spend hours with that sometimes.

The board set I bought came with four markers (red, green, blue, black). You can use any kind of dry-erase product. I tried the crayons, and they worked okay for a while, especially on something short-term like a drive / flight. More color options, though not as vivid as marker. But long term, DS removed the papers from the crayons, and they've broken into tiny pieces, and aren't as great. But he also loses the marker lids, so that they dry out. If you go with this option, pick your battles.

He has also enjoyed watching Sesame Street video podcasts on the iPod, even without sound.

We tried playing a DVD on the laptop once on a drive, that worked all right.

[vrclay]

Oh yeah, the triangle crayons (Crayola) are great for plane travel as they don't roll off the tray table.

[globe-trotter]

finger puppets, I use the sick bag and make big hand puppets, pipe cleaners, painters tape (blue stuff), ispy bag, stickers, magazines ( i let him play with the skymall ones), one of those books that have zippers/buttons/clasps/etc in them, post-it notes, cell phone with toddler apps on it.

[crunchy_mommy]

We found this cool magnetic fishing game at our local discount store -- it's on this idea: http://www.amazon.com/Large-Fishing-...2915836&sr=1-8 but ours is more compact & only cost $2. DS loves it & it's challenging enough to entertain him for longer than most of his other toys. He also loves manipulative boards (like this http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-D...2916023&sr=1-1 or http://www.amazon.com/Melissa-Doug-B...ref=pd_sim_t_1) -- of course that only works if you don't already have something like those toys, and if your DD is into manipulatives (and hasn't already totally mastered them -- my DS is only 18mos). Also if it were me I'd bring a ton of books & also tell him lots of stories, he's really into that & it would occupy him for hours.

[gbailey]

Thanks for the great, great tips especially about the triangular crayons. I purchased a box of the washable kind yesterday at TRU last night and two new coloring books from our local 99 cent store. Target's 99 cent section also had a cute doodling notepad.

We don't have an ipod but let her use our old telephone to press buttons and have imaginary conversations with Elmo. DH nixed us getting her a Mobi or Leapfrog because he wants to get her one for the holidays but says he'll get her the Melissa and Doug skills board.

Justkate, they do still make colorforms. I found them on amazon.com!

[tangledblue]

Current favorites are these little themed sticker books with a place to stick the stickers ("put the fish in the aquarium!" "place the knights in the castle!" "Dress up the snowman!") They keep DD occupied for hours.