Going on holiday with a toddler can be busy enough, but there are always moments when you find yourself indoors more than expected – whether it’s due to stormy weather, a quick rest break, or even someone feeling unwell. To make the most of these quieter times, we’ve put together a list of travel-friendly, mess-free activities that are easy to pack in an activity bag or pick up from a local supermarket.
With this in mind, we’ve gathered a few simple DIY games and activity ideas perfect for keeping toddlers busy – whether you’re having a staycation at home, away, or enjoying one of the many toddler breaks UK has to offer.
Bubble Wrap Popping
If you have a bit of bubble wrap at home, it can be a brilliant travel companion! Lightweight and simple to pack, bubble wrap offers a sensory-rich experience. Once you’ve arrived, secure strips of bubble wrap with removable tape to a hard floor in your holiday home, and let your toddler go to town jumping and stomping. For a fully mess-free activity, keep it simple by letting them pop the bubbles with their hands and feet.
Shape Matching
Before you leave, cut out some colourful shapes using cardstock or cardboard (for example, circles, stars, and triangles). Cut each shape in half, pack them in a small zip-top bag, and bring them along. At your holiday home, sit down with your child to match the halves and create the whole shapes. This is a fun, hands-on way for toddlers to learn basic shapes and develop fine motor skills—no mess and easy to pack away!
Colour Sorting with Pom-Poms
A bag of pom-poms is small and travel-friendly, making it easy to pop into your luggage. Use an empty egg carton, muffin tin, or a few cups from the kitchen to sort the colours. This game is a perfect way for toddlers to learn colours while practising their coordination skills, especially if they use their pincer grip to pick up the pom-poms. Best of all, there’s no mess to worry about, and the setup is quick and easy.
Float or Sink?
Bring along a small collection of items from home that can get wet, or use items already in the holiday home (such as a spoon, small plastic container, or bath toys). Fill a large bowl or sink with water and take turns guessing whether each item will float or sink. If you want to add a splash of colour, a small drop of food colouring can make the water more engaging without causing too much mess. This activity is fun, educational, and can be tidied up in a snap.
Sticker Art
For a no-fuss, travel-friendly craft, pack a sheet of stickers and some blank paper or card. Sit down with your toddler and let them create their own masterpiece using the stickers. This activity allows for creativity without any cleanup beyond putting away the stickers. For a more engaging experience, you can encourage them to draw around their sticker art with a crayon or pencil to add details.
Paint by Numbers Fun
For a quiet and creative activity, consider introducing your toddler to beginner paint by numbers kits. These kits are travel-friendly and come with pre-designed templates, making it easy for little ones to explore their artistic side without creating a mess. Perfect for rainy days or downtime, this hands-on activity not only keeps toddlers entertained but also helps develop their fine motor skills and concentration. To protect the table, buy a cheap waterproof table cloth and make sure you supervise your child during this activity.
Bubble Bottle
Take an empty, clear plastic bottle and fill it halfway with water. Add a drop of dish soap and, if you like, a drop or two of food colouring for a bit of extra fun. Screw the lid on tight, then let your child shake the bottle to make bubbles. This activity is mess-free, takes up virtually no space in your luggage, and provides endless entertainment for little ones. Or you could add sparkles to make a glitter bottle. Just make sure the lid is extra secure if you are adding food colouring, especially in a holiday home. Maybe skip any food colouring if you’re worried – you can still make a clear bubble bottle or a sparkly sensory bottle.
Handheld Colour Sorter
For a simpler, travel-friendly twist on colour sorting, pack a few coloured objects such as buttons, small toys, or building blocks in different colours. Toddlers can arrange these by colour, either on a table or in a small compartment tray. This is a calm, mess-free activity that teaches them about colours and can be set up and packed away in no time.
I-Spy Around the Holiday Home
A travel classic, “I Spy” requires no materials and can be adapted to any setting. Walk around the holiday home and take turns saying, “I spy with my little eye…” Your child can guess the object based on the description. You can make it educational by encouraging them to look for specific colours, shapes, or categories, like “something soft” or “something blue.” It’s a brilliant way to help toddlers learn new vocabulary and observe their surroundings.
Paper Plate Ring Toss
If you have a few spare paper plates (or can pick some up locally), this easy activity is a hit with toddlers. Cut the centre out of each plate to create rings. Find an object to use as a target, such as a bottle or a small stick. Take turns tossing the rings over the target and see how many each of you can land! This activity provides a bit of active fun indoors without needing much space or cleanup.
Paper Plate Crafts
Paper plates are lightweight, easy to pack, and can provide endless crafting possibilities for toddlers. Here are a few ideas that are perfect for travel:
- Animal Masks
All you need are paper plates, crayons, or washable markers, and some string or ribbon. Let your toddler colour and decorate the plate to resemble their favourite animal. Once done, punch holes on either side, tie on the string, and they have a custom-made animal mask. - Sunshine Spinner
Cut out the centre of a paper plate and attach colourful ribbon or string around the edges. With some crayons or markers, your toddler can decorate the plate to resemble the sun. It makes a fun, vibrant decoration to hang by a window! - Steering Wheel
Toddlers love to play pretend, so why not let them make their own “steering wheel”? Draw a steering wheel design on a paper plate and hand it to them with crayons or stickers for customisation. Once it’s ready, they can “drive” around the holiday home. - Fish Bowl Craft
Draw or cut out the shape of a fish bowl on a paper plate, then have your toddler colour in the “water” and add fish stickers or drawings. They can use blue tissue paper or even just crayons to create a colourful underwater scene. - Tambourine
Make a mini tambourine by taping or gluing two paper plates together with a few small beads or dried beans inside. Let your toddler decorate the outside, then shake it to create fun music!
With a few simple materials and a touch of planning, you can ensure that your holiday home stay is filled with easy, engaging activities for your toddler when travelling. These simple and affordable mess-free games will help you keep your little one entertained while minimising the cleanup, allowing for a more relaxed and enjoyable staycation.
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