Busy Philipps, actress, best-selling author of This Will Only Hurt a Little and host of the brand new show “Busy Tonight” on E!, dishes on her secrets to keeping kids happy and (ahem) busy while traveling.
Limit Screen Time Before Traveling
A friend told me years ago that two days before you go on a long, long, flight with children that you don’t let them watch any television or any free time and then they get on an airplane and all they want is the screen and they’ll leave you alone for five hours. I haven’t found that to be entirely true, but sometimes it works.
Get Crafty
I like to have a lot of crafts and things that they can do on the airplane that are easy. Michaels craft store has these little travel arts and crafts kits and scratch off coloring books. My daughters are obsessed with those and they are great for an airplane. I haven’t really found any kids that don’t love crafting to be totally honest with you. They like creating stuff, making things and being imaginative.
Busy’s daughters, Cricket and Birdie.
Give Them Surprises
The other thing that someone taught me years ago, which is kind of amazing because it really does work, is to buy little tiny gifts or activities and wrap them in wrapping paper. Then you give them to your kids throughout the flight and they get super excited about opening them. I mean, who doesn’t like opening presents? You just want to double check before that it’s all going to get through TSA.
And If You’re on a Solo Trip
Generally speaking, when you’re a working parent who travels and can’t always bring your kids with you, the kids are best if they just stick to their routine. Then of course the trick that all working, traveling parents know is that you bring a gift back and they’re happy. Presents are always the answer.
By Hannah Freedman