It’s still the summer holidays so you may still be dreading a long (or not even that long!) car/plane/boat journey, waiting for the inevitable tantrum from a bored toddler. Here at eatsleepdoodle HQ we have made a list of our learning toys and activities for kids to keep those little ones entertained so you’re at your destination before you know it! And most importantly, these are all fantastic alternatives to screens…

• Keep Em Quiet activity bags. What a genius idea! These bags are filled with exciting and educational things to keep the kids busy – you specify their age and gender, and get a surprise selection in return (or you can also request a specific item, helpful for that Disney obsessed child!)

• Uno. I honestly don’t think anything beats this colourful card game – simple to use but effective every time, 15 years down the line and I am as competitive as ever! It’s also a great way for the kids to keep their colours & numbers up to scratch. 

• Our eatsleepdoodle placemats to go. Let the kids choose between dinosaurs, butterflies or drawing their favourite food while they wait! These great products come in their own individual little bags to take wherever you go, and as you can wash them clean in the machine they work wonders over and over again!

• Sudokus. You may laugh, but this is what I used to do and I’m still going today! They’re really good for the ‘older’ youngsters and of course great educationally. Grab one of the books at any bookshop – and there are always different games like quizzes and word searches too!

• Etch-A-Sketch. Self-explanatory! Any toy that can be re-used like this is an absolute winner. Give them drawing suggestions and you’ll keep them happy for ages.

• Failing any of these… what’s wrong with the humble i-Spy! Or… first to spot a yellow car? A Mini? A yellow mini?! These games can occupy the kids for at least a little while.  A personal favourite of mine was Sweet ‘n’ Sour: wave at every driver and if they responded it was SO exciting!

Parents always dread these long journeys, but if you’ve got a few tricks up your sleeve you can quickly minimise the potential for disaster. Another great idea is our eatsleepdoodle backpack – they can pack it up ready for their trip, and colour it in on the way!

I hope these suggestions of cheap gifts for kids make your next journey a little less stressful and a little more enjoyable!