How to make a travel art kit for kids with creative activities, printables, and basic art materials. Great for a plane or road trip!
Updated July 2023
We like to use art and creative activities to keep our kids engaged and happy in general, but especially on trips.
We have put together portable art kits for road trips and even for errands around town. But when we have to fly somewhere, we want to make even more compact art kits. Something the kids can slip into their backpacks that will help keep them entertained on a long flight.
The basic components are a set of drawing prompts, some markers, colored pencils, and some stickers, all held in a slim plastic case that can double as a lap desk.
If you have some traveling coming up, you might like to make one too.
How to Make a Travel Art Kit for Kids
Mini Travel Art Kit
This minimalist version is slim and lightweight, perfect for slipping into a backpack or bookbag to bring on an airplane.
- Sketchbook or blank paper
- Washable markers or crayons
- Pen or pencil (we love these rainbow pencils)
- Eye stickers or adhesive googly eyes
- A slim plastic document holder or a clipboard with storage to put it all in
If you want a more extensive travel art kit, here are some additional ideas.
Full Travel Art Kit
This bigger travel art kit is better for road trips, hotels, and grandparents houses. Include all of the above, plus any of the following, in a larger box or bag
- Extra copies of the art printables or additional art activity books*
- Colored paper
- Origami paper
- More stickers, including dot stickers
- A stamp pad of washable ink + a travel pack of wet wipes (for fingerprint art)
- Scissors
- Tape or glue stick
- Paint sticks
*Some of our favorite travel activity books include:
- Invitation to Draw, Jean’s book of drawing prompts
- An Ed Emberley drawing book or fingerprint art book
- Printable art activities
- Or make some DIY art activity pages
- Create your own kids’ art journal with a combination of interesting papers and drawing prompts
- Travel Doodles
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