We’re leaving for our annual trip to visit Mr. Bee’s parents in the Philippines next week, which means that I’ve been in full-on preparation mode! The trip is 3 flights one way, and about 40 straight hours of travel. I was terrified the first year we made this trip when Olive was 9 months and Charlie was 2 1/2, but this is our third year in a row going so they’ve become pretty seasoned travelers.

In the past I’ve taken a lot of toys because I was worried about keeping them entertained for so long, but I found that they really didn’t need very many. For the most part they were entertained just by being on the plane. And now that they’re both older (2 1/2 and 4 1/2), tv shows, movies, and games will definitely help keep them occupied. So I tried to keep it pretty simple this year. I purchased a travel Guess Who game for them to play together, and this stickerless version of the Rubik’s cube for Charlie. I’m also taking some playdoh because both of them never tire of playing with it. Finally I hit up the One Spot at Target (since we don’t have a dollar store near us), and this is what I got:

Most of these items are art-themed (though they did also have some toys) because art keeps Charlie and Olive occupied way longer than toys.

– A Hello Kitty and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles box. Charlie and Olive love little boxes of all kinds. They can store their art supplies in here.

– Imagine Ink Coloring Books – I’ve purchased these off Amazon for $7, but they usually have them for $3 in the Target One Spot so I stock up. They include a clear mess-free marker that magically reveals a colorful image when they color in the pages. Charlie and Olive adore these! It’s very satisfying and easy, similar to the Water Wow Coloring books.

ADVERTISEMENT

– Crayola Scratch and Reveal Sheets – I’d been wanting to get these for Charlie for a while. You use a plastic stylus to scratch off the black and white and reveal a colorful picture underneath.

– Multi-color Pens – Do you remember these pens from childhood that came with a ton of different colors you could push down? Charlie and Olive love drawing with pen, maybe because it glides more easily than pencil.

– Superhero/Princess Pencil Set – I’m not even sure what to call these, but I loved them when I was a kid. They have pencil leads inside small white pieces of plastic, and when you use the lead up, you take it out and put it in the top of the pencil to push down a new, sharp lead!

– Minnie Mouse/Superhero Pencil Box Set – Includes a notebook, notepad, pencil case, eraser, pencil, and pencil sharpener.

– Crayola Play Packs – We stock up on these and keep them in the diaper bag. They have crayons, stickers, and a little coloring book inside — perfect for keeping the kids occupied at restaurants.