15 Screen-Free Airplane Activities for Kids

Beth Wood:  Wikki Stix will keep your little traveler busy on your trip! These wax covered sticks of yarn are soft and pliable to use and they stick to each other to make 3-D sculptures. You can twist them, bend them, stick them on paper to make shapes and much more. The travel set comes in a carrying case and includes a book of ideas!

Kristy Pepping:  When you are on a plane with a toddler or a little kid, you need to utilize every square inch you have. Put those windows to good use. Grab a set of these window clings, entertain your child and have them learn their ABCs!

Jennie Utsinger:  These are our go-to travel toys. The only problem is that my boys whip through them in a few minutes! We always need to have a bunch.

Kristy Pepping:  Do you ever notice how items are always rolling down the aisle on an airplane? I don't know how many times I have been tapped on the shoulder to have one of my child's missing items returned to me. These triangle crayons won't roll and are perfect for coloring on a tray table. Plus, they come in a nice carrying case.

Kristy Pepping:  I have a toddler and two school-aged kids and they will all play with these sticker books. These sticker books are reusable, come in several themes and are easy enough to peel off for toddlers.

Kristy Pepping:  Babies can be hard to travel with on a plane. They can get fussy and lose interest easily. Plus, as a parent, you often feel guilty for passengers around you if your baby is crying. When we had infants, we found bringing a toy that suctions onto the tray table in front of you helps to distract a crying baby.

Kristy Pepping:  These little books come with one marker each that won't mark on anything around it. It is clear, but when you put it on the special paper, it adds color. These books come in several themes to appeal to different interests!

Laila Talley:  Pipe cleaners are the best STEM toy for the plane. Encourage your child to make a crown, a funny pair of glasses, a headband with ears, or a hat. The possibilities are endless.

Laila Talley:  This is perfect for keeping little hands busy, and it teaches a new skill. Learn how to zip, snap, tie, and more! This was perfect for our son when we traveled abroad. It kept him busy for hours and helped him over the hurdle of learning to dress himself. He now picks his own clothes out and puts them on the right way.

Laila Talley:  Play a game of catch with a soft and mostly silent koosh ball. We love using this to toss around gently, as we are careful not to hit another passenger. If you buy more than one, it can act as a funny wig in creative play.

Kelly R:  Squigz are silicone building toys that use suction cups to stick to each other, to the windows, to a table, to your forehead...you get the idea. They make excellent mold-free bath toys because they don't take on water, and also work great for entertaining kids on airplanes or road trips.

Kelly R:  This creative hands-on book is a great quiet time activity for young kids. It is filled with interactive components (zippers, buttons, buckles, etc) for fine motor and sensory play. The entire book zips closed to safely contain all of the pieces, making it a perfect toy for car or plane rides!

MG13:  These fuzzy little friends are a life saver when kids start to get bored on the plane. Kids and parents can make up stories and games together using the 10 different characters or simply "moo" like a cow and "quack" like a duck! Sure to bring smiles and pass the time.

Kristy Pepping:  This game pad is portable enough to stick in a backpack and offers fun childhood games. It includes hangman, dots and boxes and bingo.

Laila Talley:  For the budding artist, this is a perfect solution to a long flight. Just use the water they serve on the plane to paint. Another suggestion would be to bring Q-tips to be used as additional paint brushes. Our 4 year old loves to paint and we soon run out of materials. This is the perfect product to save on paint purchases too.