How to make a travel art kit for kids by combining creative activities and printables with basic art materials. Great for a plane or road trip!
I like to use art and creative activities to keep my kids engaged and happy in general, but especially on trips.
I have put together portable art kits for road trips and even for around town errands. But now that we’re about to fly across the country to Oregon, where I grew up, I am making even more compact art kits. I want something the kids can slip into their backpacks that will help keep them entertained on the long flight.
The basic components are a set of drawing prompt printables and travel activities, some markers, a rainbow colored pencil, and some stickers, all held in a slim plastic case that can double as a lap desk. Pretty basic.
If you have some traveling coming up, you might like to make one too. (And just FYI, I include some great travel activities and books below.)
Here’s what I recommend for a basic 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 (I included a rainbow pencil)
- Eye stickers or adhesive googly eyes
- A slim plastic document holder or folder to put it all in
Note: For the travel art kits I made for my kids, I used a couple of clipboards with storage cases (shown in these photos). They are from Target (Up and Up brand), cost $9.79 each, and found in the office supply section. You can also buy similar “clipboards with storage” online.
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 (see the ideas at the end of this post)
- Colored paper
- Origami paper
- More stickers, including stationery store stickers
- A stamp pad of washable ink + a travel pack of wet wipes (for fingerprint art)
- Scissors
- Tape
- Glue stick
- Paint sticks
*There are plenty of travel activities you can include in your travel art kit alongside the art materials.
Travel Activities for Kids
- Book of drawing prompts, such as one by Taro Gomi
- An Ed Emberley drawing book or fingerprint art book
- You can piece together some free printable art activities from around the internet
- Make a selection of DIY art activity pages
- Create your own kids’ art journal with a combination of interesting papers and drawing prompts
- Travel Doodles, or other doodle cards by Usborne (they also make good activity books and sticker books)
Pin It for Later
