Traveling with Big Kids: What to Bring on a Road Trip or Airplane

This post is sponsored by Sensible Portions but the content and opinions expressed here are my own.

As you know, we travel several times a year with our son. Benjamin has always been great about traveling long distance, and our experience has taught me a lot about family travel. Now that he is older, I wanted to write this post about traveling with with big kids, including what to bring on a road trip or airplane.

Items for traveling with big kids. Photo includes a personal bag of Sensible Portions® Garden Veggie Straws, a Marvel-themed Sticker activity pad, a Nintendo Switch, a Dog Man book, glow-in-the-dark slime, and Roadside Bingo activity.

I love putting together a travel bag for Benjamin to use on road trips or as a carry-on. It’s kind of like filling an Easter basket or Christmas stocking to me. I typically include a few of his favorite things to entertain him, yummy treats, and some new things as well.

What to Pack for your Family Road Trip or in an Airplane Carry-on Bag for Big Kids

Big kids are typically easier because they can more-or-less entertain themselves during a road trip or on an airplane. Putting together a travel kit for them doesn’t have to be expensive, and you can totally use what you already have! Here are some of my other favorite tips and ideas. The dollar section and dollar stores are great places to find cheap activities for kids. Check out a new library book or purchase one from your child’s favorite series. Look on Pinterest for free printables of road trip games like Bingo or I-spy. You can create your own sticker books by using blank notebooks and stocking up on $1 sticker packs. (If you have a toddler or preschooler, check out how to create the ultimate busy bag binder for your next trip.) If your kids are mature enough to handle slime or playdough in a car or plane, that makes for a fun sensory activity on-the-go as well.

We are also huge fans of electronics. When Benjamin was younger we brought the Kindle Fire, then an iPad, and now his Nintendo Switch. Don’t forget to charge everything before your trip or invest in external batteries. If you’re traveling by plane for the holidays, be sure to also include a pair of noise-cancelling headphones and chewing gum in your big kid’s carry-on. You’ll be happy you have that! You may also want to pack those headphones for your road trip as well. 😉

Boy reaching up for Sensible Portions® Garden Veggie Straws on the shelf at Walmart, while standing on a grocery cart, holding another bag.

If you’ve ever traveled with a child, you know they love to eat! Having a healthy snack on hand really eases my mind. We recently picked up Sensible Portions® Garden Veggie Straws at Walmart. Veggie Straws are located in the healthy snacks section, adjacent to the chip aisle.

Walmart has a ton of festive shoppers right now, including this Merry & Bright one (below). We are filling that for our time on the road this holiday season. We picked up a large bag of Veggie Straws for the family, and a personal size bag for Benjamin’s airplane carry-on. As you travel with your family this holiday season, I hope you find these ideas helpful!