Etsy Vintage Travel Finds

TRAV-L-BINGOA perfect solution for those long car rides.

Travel Sketchbook

Cards for Kids book
This reminds me of going up to the country by the lake.
No TV, no video games, but lots of fun with cards.

Car Game Book "Are We Almost There"
A good way to spend the ride, so you don't have
to hear the dreaded "ARE WE THERE YET?"

Zit-Zingo The Travel Game

Vintage blue child's suitcase

Pattern for Car Seat Cover & Travel Mat

Travel Soap Leaves Package
Instead of a bar of soap in the travel kit

                                       

                                   

Maude and Claude go Abroad by Susan Meddaugh
While cruising to France, a sister and brother go overboard
and begin their adventure.

1926 Parker Brothers Touring Game

Travel Scrabble
We had one of these when i was a kid...
This brings back memories.

                                     



                                     
                                                     


                                     
                                     

More Cute Travel Items

I'm sorry for the long hiatus... Sometimes, life and the small one gets the better of me and well, I don't end up with time for all the rest, or I'm just too plain tired. I've also been avidly planning this year's family vacations, which I will for sure share the good, and not so good tidbits. For now though let me share some cute travel items I've found during the course of the last few months.

The Animal ABC Car Organizer

Keeps everything in its place

Although from Japan, the Animal ABC Car Organizer is available from this awesome site, and is perfect to keep toys and crayons and bottles and wipes and who knows what from becoming the "big mess in the back seat" on your next road trip. It attaches to the back of the front car seat so that the not-so-little ones can have access to their stuff to keep themselves occupied in the car. It's also folds up into a carry-all when you get out of the car and arrive at your destination (say a restaurant) and want the kids to stay occupied.

The ABC Car Organizer, Now a carry-all

A great option for families with more than 1 kid who are not-so-little is Travel Bingo such as this one from eeboo which should keep them busy looking out the windows to fill their bingo card. No messy small items, just a paper & pencil.

eeboo Travel Bingo - so they won't be asking
"Are we there yet?"

When in doubt, stick to the classics. The travel Etch-A-Sketch and/or the mini Magna-Doodle will definitely buy you some quiet time in the car, or on the plane. They're also small enough that you can stick them into your purse and take them along on a night out to keep the small one distracted. I know a mom who would practice the alphabet with her kid while waiting for the food to come at the restaurant. Why not have the little one learn while waiting.

Mini Magna-Doodle

Pocket Etch-A Sketch

I don't know about you, but E loves to stick and unstick stuff. We have stickers galore at home, but somehow I don't really see myself bringing them along with us on our next trip. That's why I thought this was so awesome. Totally Tape is exactly what I know E will love. A book filled with "tape-me" pages, along with four rolls of colorful kid-friendly paper tape (no scissors required), each page is a different activity. Make a match, build the train tracks or just "paint" the whole picture in colored tape. It's also available on Amazon.

So that's all for now, but I promise I will be back soon!

Some great Etsy travel finds

I love Etsy. I really can't say this enough. I have fantasies sometimes about opening a children's shop and stocking it with all of my favorite Etsy designs & designers. I'm amazed at people's talent and dedication to hand make some of the most amazing looking things. So, in the meantime, until I open my kids shop, here are some great Etsy finds, perfect for the traveling family.

The Ouch Pouch by Pillow Sew Cute

Going away and want to make sure you have first aid needs handy? The Ouch Pouch is great for short journeys to the park and the perfect size to fit in a diaper bag, or for longer journeys to far away destinations, in that you can stick it in your carry on luggage and pass it through customs thanks to its handy see through pocket. I'm also rather partial to the owl motif, but it also comes in many different sizes and patterns. This size $10.95 by Pillow Sew Cute.

The Wet Bag by The Straight Stitch

Here are a few scenarios few of you may be familiar with:
1 - You child has an upset stomach or your baby just fed a bit too much and just threw up all over themselves.
2 - You manage to find a place to change your baby but either can't find or don't dare to leave a dirty diaper where you are, or you use cloth diapers and need somewhere to put them until you get home.
3- Something is soaking wet.
4- You just went swimming and have nowhere to put your soaked bathing suits.
I have personally experienced all of the above scenarios. I'm sure that in each of your own personal experience you can think of many uses for this 11" x 13" waterproof bag lined with PUL which will easily make this probably one of the smartest purchases ever. The Wet Bag $15.00 by The Straight Stitch.

Travel Games and Activities:

Paper Doll on the Go (Mary Kay model shown) by Kims Crafty Apple

Back side and storage pocket for small pieces

A mini 10" x 6" quilt has a little fabric quilted paper doll. Mary Kay comes with 4 dresses and 3 hats. All pieces are fabric and backed with flannel so that the pieces "stick" to the fabric. On the back of the mini-quilt is a storage pocket perfect for all the doll's clothes. Different "dolls" are also available. Paper Doll on the Go $14.00 by Kims Crafty Apple. 

Deluxe Travel Crayon Wallet by DillyBaby

Inside the Deluxe Travel Crayon Wallet

Be prepared. As this is the army's motto, so is it the mom's motto. At 3" x 5" the Deluxe Travel Crayon Wallet fits nicely anywhere and is perfect for keeping a small one busy during a plane ride or at a restaurant. I love that this is the "new" version. Made by hand by a stay-at-home mom (when does she get the time to just slip away to make these I have no idea) Dilly Baby has taken what has worked so well with her original model and made it better by adapting it; for example the crayons now run vertically so they no longer fall into your bag and the entire thing is now inter-lined for added strength and stability. Comes with 8 crayons (also fits 4 crayola mini-markers), $18.00 by DillyBaby.

Sweet Little Family Traveling House by Fee Vertelaine

These cute little wooden dolls come with their very own travel house. E is at the point right now where she loves dolls and doll houses, and babies... This could keep her busy for hours. Small enough (the house is 5.5") to carry around where ever you travel to, the dolls go to bed in their house when play time is over. Small pieces may not be great for very young children. Includes 2 parents & 1 baby, $28.00 by Fee Vertelaine.

Travel Tic Tac Toe game by Evgie

Storage pocket for pieces on back of game

Everybody knows how this game works, but sometimes classics work the best. An easy way to occupy 2 kids at once this tic-tac-toe set can easily travel wherever you do. So maybe, just maybe you won't have to hear the dreaded "Are we there yet?".  Evgie also has some other pretty amazing educational products so your little ones can learn their shapes, letters, numbers, clocks so they can learn how to tell time... She even has a set of the Hebrew Aleph-Bet!!! All beautifully crafted by hand. One of my favorite Etsy sellers for the beautiful products she makes. Tic-Tac-Toe set, $40.00 by Evgie.

The Circus Activity Book by Borednomore

Inside The Circus Activity Book by Borednomore

For Older kids, here's an amazing activity book. Created by an educational psychologist, an english teacher and a graphic designer, the book looks good and will keep your kids interested and learning rather than "having nothing to do". The 4 x 6" size makes it easy to stick anywhere, and maybe will have them put their video game down for a little bit longer. Other books available too. The Circus Activity book for kids,  $12.00 by Borednomore.

Happy Travels!

Because your life sucks when they're bored

Sometimes all that traveling can be difficult, especially when the small ones are bored. Luckily, one of my favorite blogs gave me a great idea of what to get E for the next trip. It's compact, it's magnetic and can get you talking with the little one about the magical place you are going to, for hours and hours of non-stop fun.

You can buy the World Traveler Dress Up Doll online on Mudpuppy and explore the world and try on traditional clothing from Mexico, India, Japan, Germany, Hawaii and Kenya and learn to say "Hello" in the native language too!!