Flying With Kids? Pack a Drawing Book
Flying with kids? A drawing book is light, quiet and keeps kids busy for hours. Here's what to pack and the best drawing activities for planes.
A drawing book is one of the best things to pack for a flight with kids. It is light, quiet, needs no charging and can fill hours. Grid drawing books are especially good because each square is a small task that is easy to pick up and put down between snacks and turbulence.
Flights with kids can be long and cramped. Screens help, but batteries die and eyes get tired. A drawing kit is a reliable backup.
The airplane drawing kit
- A drawing book
- A few pencils (pre-sharpened)
- A small sharpener with a lid
- Colored pencils (crayons can melt in hot bags)
- A small zip pouch
- A few sheets of extra paper
Why grid drawing works on planes
Grid drawing breaks a picture into small squares. Kids can work on a few squares, stop for a snack, then pick up exactly where they left off. Bumps only affect one square. Draw by Grid: Cartoon Robots is a great travel choice: robots are built from boxes and circles, so they come out looking great even on a tray table.
Airplane drawing ideas
- Draw the view from the window.
- Draw the airplane as a monster.
- Draw where you are going.
- Design your own airline (uniforms, planes, snacks).
- Draw the people in your family as flight attendants.
Tips
- Use the tray table or a hardcover book as a surface.
- Keep pencils in a pouch so they do not roll away.
- Bring a small bag for pencil shavings.
Make a travel journal
Ask kids to draw one picture per day of the trip. See summer vacation drawing journal and drawing in the car.
Questions parents ask
What should kids do on a long flight?
Pack a mix of activities, including a drawing book, pencils and colored pencils. Drawing is quiet and needs no charging.
What art supplies are good for planes?
Pre-sharpened pencils, colored pencils, a small sharpener with a lid and a drawing book. Avoid markers and crayons that may melt.
Why are grid drawing books good for travel?
Each square is a small task, so kids can stop and start easily, and bumps only affect one square.
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