Simple Travel Art Pack: The Itty-Bitty Airplane Art Kit

“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.”

– Henry Miller

We’re on the road!

Well, actually: we were on the road, in the sky, on the ground, on a boat, and finally, finally, finally grounded on a little island in Mexico.

Sweet summer!

I didn’t think I’d have internet access, but low and behold, we live in a wifi world, and I’m somewhat connected!  

So, my posts may be a bit spotty, but I’ll try my best to add some fresh material while we’re away.

To expedite our trip through customs (and save my pregnant back while someone demands that I carry her – I’m not disclosing any names), we whittled our bags down to just carry-on luggage.  Can you believe this?  This has never happened to me as a parent, and now that I’ve figured out the formula, it will be hard to go back.

The trick, I believe, lies in the minuscule summer wardrobe (no bulky sweaters and jeans!) and having one child who doesn’t require a gazillion gadgets to keep her happy and healthy.

On our last trip, I packed an enormous bag FULL of entertaining toys, art materials, games, and videos, which was great – believe me – but this time around, we didn’t have someone waiting for us on the other side with open arms and an oversized car.

So, armed to be judicious, the Itty-Bitty Airplane Art Kit was born.

Easy Travel Art Kit for Kids

I’ll start by saying that my version is tossed in a Ziplog bag, so it’s not a pretty art kit, but you could undoubtedly spruce this up concept up with a cute TSA-friendly container like this:

More importantly, here’s what goes inside that cute (or Ziplcock-y) bag…

Travel Art Kit Supplies

• Gallon-sized ziplock bag or TSA-friendly alternative
• Assorted Pens, Pencils, Crayons
• A Variety of Paper: Tips below on making your own lightweight sketchbooks.
• Glue Stick and clear tape.
• Stickers, organized in a snack-sized ziplock
• Safety scissors. Check to make sure you can pack these if you’re flying. Scissors are handy for cutting up travel brochures and other ephemera collected along the way.
• Any other must-haves that your child adores

Make Simple Sketchbooks

Sketchbooks can be heavy and bulky.

Loose paper can be messy and prone to wrinkles.

The solution: I folded eight sheets of 8 1/2 x 11 paper in half and then stapled the “spine” to create a few sketchbooks.

This method is straightforward and lightweight for on-the-go drawing.

You could also consider bringing along a few of these simple books made from one sheet of paper:

Check out 10 Creative Ways to Have Fun with Your Kids this Summer for more ideas.