Travel Toys Archives - Globetrotting Mommy

Great Gifts for Travelers

December 16, 2019 By admin

If you’re looking for gift ideas for the globetrotter in your life, you’ll love this post. My holiday gift guide is full of great gifts for travelers to enjoy at home and away…

TRAVEL MUST-HAVES:

Digital Luggage Scale – My number one travel accessory is this easy-to-use luggage scale. Stop guessing if your bag is under 50 pounds and say goodbye to extra baggage charges.

Packing Cubes – I am a huge fan of packing cubes, especially for families since each person can choose their color. Just group items or outfits in cubes and packing will be a breeze.

Hanging Toiletry Bag – I keep my toiletry bag packed so I can just grab and go. Zippered compartments are perfect for travel accessories and the hanging design keeps bathroom clutter to a minimum.

Travel Jewelry Organizer – Keep your jewels safe and never lose an earring again with these colorful jewelry boxes. The small size and compartments make this a great option for quick trips. And remember, never ever check your jewels in luggage!

Reusable Shopping Bags – These are so useful for shopping at home and away. They also double as road-trip snack bags, beach totes and laundry bags. Choose from solids, prints and metallic options – an easy gift for travelers.

Travel Adaptor – A must for every globetrotter. Keep your favorite electronics charged wherever you go. Pick a different color for everyone in your family.

Travel Sized Laundry Bag – For the traveler who has everything, this world map laundry bag is a fun gift. I love that it folds into a tiny travel pouch with a carabineer.

TRAVEL INSPIRED GIFTS FOR TRAVELERS:

Gifts for Travelers - Travel Inspired Gifts

Show Tickets and Personalized Shirt – For the Broadway fan on your list, a pair of tickets to an upcoming show and a personalized shirt to wear make a great gift. I used my Cricut Explore Air™ 2 machine to personalize a “So Fetch” shirt for a Mean Girls lover in sparkly pink.

Scratch Your Travels USA Map – Travelers will love highlighting their US adventures as they scratch off each state they visit. Add a frame and you’ve got a great family gift.

Travel Scarf – A travel scarf is always a good idea and this infinity version with a secret hidden zipper pocket is a great gift for travelers all ages. Choose from solids and patterns.

50 States, 5,000 Ideas – This comprehensive National Geographic book is full of sightseeing ideas in every state. A great gift option for families.

FOR TRAVEL LOVING FOODIES:

Bokksu – For the adventurous eater on your list, a Bokksu box filled with Japanese snacks and teas is sure to please. A great option for travel-loving families who like to try new foods. Choose from monthly subscriptions in two different sizes.

Custom Etched Map Glassware – For the coffee or hot cocoa drinker, wine aficionado and spirits lover on your list, I love Well Told Designs glassware etched with a favorite city, college town, airport, island, marathon route and more. Choose from pints, rocks, wine, mugs, mason jars, champagne flutes, etc. and you’ve got a great gift for everyone on your list.

Sitka Salmon Shares – For seafood lovers, gift a box of seasonal wild-caught seafood – straight from Southeast Alaska and the North Pacific! Sitka Salmon Shares, a community-supported fishery, supports sustainable fisheries and delivers the freshest catches from boat to doorstep. Use code SITKA25 to receive $25 off any 2020 Premium Sitka Seafood Share.

Trader Joe’s Chocolate Passport – Every holiday season Trader Joe’s brings out their cult favorites and their Chocolate Passport is a great option for every traveler on your list. Perfect for stocking stuffers, teacher gifts, etc.

BEST FAMILY ACTIVITIES FOR TRAVELING:

Tenzi – I’m a huge fan of easy-to-pack family games and Tenzi is one of my favorites. This multi-dice game is easy to learn and fast to play. There are several variations which help keep boredom at bay. Add in the 77 Ways to Play The Add-on Card Set and you’re guaranteed hours of good fun.

Playing Cards – An oldie but goodie, playing cards are easy to bring along on any trip making them great gifts for travelers. From Go Fish and War to Canasta and Rummy, everyone on the trip will find something to play. Other options include Solitare and building card houses.

Match-O-Rama – From the makers of Telestrations, Match-O-Rama is a great game choice for multi-generational family trips. The better you know the players, the easier you can predict how others will answer. Or maybe not? Easy to learn, fast to play and sure to keep the whole family entertained.

Kodak Premium Puzzles – Puzzles are a great activity to bring along on a vacation. Choose from easy to hard (depending on the ages and patience levels) and the whole family can enjoy. Kodak has a lot of travel-themed options (Boston, Italy, Greece, US National Parks and more) perfect for travel-loving families.

Need more gifts for travelers and everyone else on your list? Check out my 2020 Tween and Teen Gift Guide and Great Gifts for Teens and Tweens from 2019 .

I received some of these items for review purposes but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links.

Holiday Gift Guide: Toys That …

October 26, 2018 By admin

The cold has arrived and the holidays are on their way. I got a chance to see some of the latest VTech Toys at the Momtrends Moms’ Night Out and today I’m sharing some of my favorite toys that travel.

Holiday Gift Guide: Toys That Travel From VTech

VTech is a world leader in developing high-quality, innovative educational products that enrich children’s development and make learning fun! In the last nine years, my daughter has gone from playing with VTech’s baby laptops and interactive toys to snapping photos on vacation with their cameras and watches.

If you’re looking for holiday toys that make learning fun and are easy to take along on travels, read on for my VTech toy picks in every age range…

Holiday Gift Guide: Toys That Travel From VTech Toys

BABIES:

Brilliant Baby Laptop™ – This travel-ready toy laptop features nine brightly colored shape buttons and a movable mouse that interacts with the light-up screen. There are various modes to learn about animal sounds, shapes and colors and music. Close the laptop, and it’s ready for on-the-go fun with a chunky carrying handle.

My Friend Alice™ – This interactive plush bear features different textures that provide tactile stimulation. Little ones will have fun putting on Alice’s mitten, tying her shoelace, buckling her shoe, putting her handkerchief and bear in her pockets and reading her storybook. Press the buttons for playful phrases, feelings and simple questions as well as numbers, a short story, music and sing-along songs, body parts and animals.

Touch & Discover Sensory Turtle™ – This cuddly plush turtle features a variety of textures, colors and patterns to stimulate your baby’s senses and encourage fine motor skills. Babies can play peek-a-boo by tucking in the turtle’s head and legs to change him into a soft, wobbly ball for 2-in-1 play. The chunky button (easy for little fingers) lights up in a variety of colors as it responds with sounds, music and cute phrases.

TODDLERS:

Starshine the Bright Lights Unicorn™ – Unicorns are all the rage this holiday season and this colorful pick will be every girl’s favorite travel companion. Kids can use seven charms on any of the Unicorn’s magic hearts to watch her horn light up and hear colors, objects and phrases in English or Spanish. Kids can answer quiz questions, create their own special songs and watch the animals colorful wings flap.

Farm Fun Storybook™ – This cheerful storybook features fun sounds, playful phrases and three sing-along songs. Chunky tabs make it easy to turn and discover five illustrated pages about a farmer completing his chores. Press the light-up face button to hear different responses on each page or press the music button to play 15 different classic melodies. The spinning wheels make this a great choice for pretend play.

LITTLE KIDS:

Kidizoom® Twist – This durable kiddie camera is a great option for budding travel photographers. The camera has features for photos, selfies and videos as well as five games. Kids will be recording videos, creating stop-motion animations and taking selfies in no time.

PJ Masks Time to Be a Hero Learning Tablet™ – This kid-friendly tablet plays six educational activities that explore letters, vocabulary, phonics, rhyming words, beginner typing and problem-solving skills. Little ones will love the real character voices and exciting animations at home and away.

BIG KIDS:

Kidi Secrets Selfie Journal™ – Big kids will love protecting their thoughts, photos and dreams with the Kidi Secrets Selfie Journal™. Kids can make a photo journal, write travel narratives and diary entries or record messages and keep them safe. A full suite of mini-apps includes games, photo and video filters, music and utilities gives kids a variety of activities to play at home and on trips. Best of all, there is no key to lose since facial recognition software unlocks the journal.

Kidizoom® Smartwatch DX2 – This colorful smartwatch lets kids take pictures, videos, play games, tell time and more! Featuring a new sleek and stylish design, this durable smartwatch features two cameras for action videos, photos and selfies. Kids can also use the watch’s motion sensor for active play challenges or to track steps. The included Micro-USB cable makes it easy to upload photos and videos as well as recharge the battery.

KidiBuzz™ – Not ready to hand your kid over a cell phone? KidiBuzz™ allows kids to send texts, voice messages, photos, drawings and animated stickers over Wi-Fi via the KidiConnect™ app. The kid-safe web browser features pre-approved websites and it also doubles as a multimedia player for listening to music and watching videos online. With more than 40 exciting learning games and awesome apps, kids on the go will be entertained for hours and hours.

Do you have any of these VTech toys that travel? Tell me below in the comments.

Note: This is a sponsored post but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you don’t want to miss a post, subscribe to Globetrotting Mommy for daily updates!

Holiday Gift Guide – …

November 29, 2016 By admin

Holiday shopping is in full force! If you’ve got some globetrotting kids on your shopping list, check out my favorite affordable gifts for kids who travel. Everything is under $30 so you’ll have money left to plan your next vacation.

2016 Holiday Gift Guide – Affordable Gifts for Kids Who Travel

UNDER $10 Gifts

2016 Holiday Gift Guide – Affordable Gifts for Kids who Travel – Under $10

Rubik’s Junior Bear – For little ones, this kiddie version of the classic game will happily entertain on car trips or plane rides.

Mabel’s Labels Stocking Stuffer Combo – At just $5 each, these sturdy label combos make great stocking stuffers and personalized add-ons to other gifts. Choose from festive holiday or classic designs and label all their favorite luggage and travel accessories.

Reactorz 4″ Light-Up Gripz Ball – This tiny, easy-to-grip ball lights up with every touch, tap, throw or kick making it great for outdoor games at home and away.

Whiffer Sniffers Scented Backpack Clips – Kids love to personalize their backpacks for trips near and far and these deliciously scented plush characters are perfect for girls and boys to collect.

Under $15 Gifts

2016 Holiday Gift Guide – Affordable Gifts for Kids who Travel – Under $15

My first Bananagrams – Little kids can now get in on the family friendly Bananagram craze with lowercase letters and combo letter tiles to help early readers create words. This is a favorite in our house and the easy to take along zippered banana pouch makes it perfect for young travelers.

HEXBUG Aquabot Wahoo – If you’ve got a little swimmer on your shopping list, the HEXBUG AquaBot Wahoo is perfect for your next tropical vacation. Simply twist the bottom to start the high speed propeller and watch as it comes to life, swimming, diving and changing directions to explore its environment.

Tak-Tak – If you’ve got young checkers or chess lovers on your list, this new board game is sure to please. As players move across the board, they can attack and steal pieces keeping everyone in suspense. This is a great strategy game for kids to play with parents and grandparents on a family vacation.

Paper Punk Build Your Own Paper Toy – Looking for a quiet, non-messy activity to keep kids busy on a plane? Paper Punk’s kits make adorable folded patterned animals like Ape, Snake, Unicorn, Cat, Puppy and everything is included in the box!

Under $20 Gifts

2016 Holiday Gift Guide – Affordable Gifts for Kids who Travel – Under $20

Pearhead Holiday Photo Props – Kids will be happy to pose for family photos this holiday season with these adorable photo props. A great way to get everyone in the picture on your holiday vacations.

Pac-Man Mini Arcade Game – If you’ve got a Pac-Man fan on your list, this adorable mini arcade game will be a big hit. This battery operated toy features a joy stick and plays just like the real Pac-Man. A perfect choice for kids of all ages and adults too.

Dinkee Linkee For Kids-Trivia Game – Kids love trivia games and this one is easy to learn and simple for the whole family to play. Kids answer four questions and then try to determine what “links” the answer. This is a great game to play on a family vacation or at home too.

Madame Alexander Travel Friend Dolls – For the globetrotting girls on your list, this collection of international dolls is a perfect choice. These 7-inch dolls feature authentic costumes and gorgeous details from countries including China, France, Kenya, Ireland, India, Germany, Italy, and more.

UNDER $30 Gifts

2016 Holiday Gift Guide – Affordable Gifts for Kids who Travel – Under $30

Props in a Bag – For imaginative play fans, I love these easy to carry Props in a Bag kits that include everything kids need to put on a show (think costumes, accessories, props, and big backdrop). My daughter loves to put on shows with the magician kit and there is also an app to make movies.

Trolls Hair-ific Headphones – Headphones are a must for globetrotting kids and these adorable Trolls headphones are just perfect for little music lovers. If you’ve got an accessory loving girl like I do, these will be a huge hit. I love the pink hair and volume protection for little ears.

Blue Cabi Children’s Binoculars – My daughter is getting these sturdy binoculars for the holidays along with two kids astronomy books – Night Sky Watcher and Astronomy Lab for Kids: 52 Family-Friendly Activities. Binoculars are handy for kids at shows, parades and sightseeing so I know she’ll use them a lot.

Science Expeditions Subscription Box from Little Passports – Monthly subscription boxes are a great choice for a families because everyone can work on the activities together. New from the great team behind Little Passports, the Science Expeditions boxes include experiments, comic books, badges and more. The first box comes with a storage tote making it perfect to bring along on family vacations.

Need more ideas? Check out the Tween and Teen Holiday Gift Guide. What are your favorites on this list? Tell me below in the comments.

I received some of these items for review purposes but all opinions are my own. This post contains affiliate links. If you don’t want to miss a post, subscribe to Globetrotting Mommy for daily updates!

Family Travel 101: Top 10 …

March 26, 2014 By admin

Traveling alone is simple. Traveling with kids is a production! Here are my Top 10 Packing Tips for Traveling with Kids. Here’s hoping they make your trip go a little bit smoother…

Family travel, Top 10, Packing Tips, Traveling with Kids, Travel, Family Travel

Family Travel 101: Top 10 Packing Tips for Traveling with Kids

1) Put everything essential in your carry-on bag. Basically, NEVER EVER put jewelry, electronics, and chargers, loveys, or medicine in your checked luggage. Also, if something is vital to your kid’s happiness and you can’t buy it at your travel destination, leave it home or pack it in your carry-on. I’m talking must-have toothbrush, special headband, favorite stuffed animal, etc.

2) Dress everyone in comfy outfits and bring a change of clothes for everyone in your carry-on bag. If your kids are close in age you can probably get by with an extra top and leggings but no matter what, bring extra undies and diapers/burp cloths. Air sickness, spills, and other accidents are bound to happen and you’ll be super sorry if you have to walk around smelling like puke or pee.

3) Oversized plastic bags and Ziplocs are your best friend. Pack pajamas in one air compression bag and socks/undies/diapers in another and squeeze till flat. Depending on where we’re going, I usually use Ziplocs for my daughter’s individual outfits or like items (bathing suits, tops, bottoms, etc.). For going home, you can use these bags to keep the dirty laundry away from the clean things.

4) Charge all phones and electronic devices before you get to the airport and bring extra batteries and backup power chargers for the plane. Always pack chargers in your carry-on bag.

5) Keep toiletries to a minimum unless someone in your family has allergy issues. Make use of the hotel bath amenities but do remember your favorite toothpastes and must-have essentials like detangling spray and sunscreen. If you’re not checking luggage, check out 3FLOZ and All Travel Sizes for travel sized products, travel kits and squeezable travel tubes.

6) Bring any and all medicine you might need especially if you are traveling out of the country. If your kids are in the middle of a prescription, take the entire dose with you in case your flight home gets canceled. If you’re traveling with little kids, always pack a thermometer, first aid kit and children’s fever reducer.

7) If kids are old enough, let them be in charge of packing their carry-on bag. Make sure they bring toys, arts and crafts, snacks, electronics, headphones and anything else that will keep them happily entertained. My four-year old loves to take her Trunki – Trixie Pink as a carry on because it doubles as a ride-on toy (shown above).

8) Bring along a LOT of healthy snacks and your child’s favorite water bottle. Easy to pack snacks include nuts, cheese sticks, raisin boxes, granola bars, sliced fruit, sandwiches, pretzels for older kids and squeeze fruit pouches, baby food, yogurt bites and puffs for smaller kids. I’ve never been stopped from bringing a water bottle for my daughter through airport security but they do ask to test it. Don’t forget bottles and extra formula and bibs for the babes if needed.

9) Bring along family friendly games. Small travel-friendly games like Melissa & Doug Travel Memory Game, magic pen/books and coloring books/crayons and cards are good non-electronic options. I always pack a surprise toy or two in my suitcase like Legos, Play Doh or bead necklace kits to keep my daughter busy in the hotel. If you’re going somewhere beachy, bring along beach toys which can double as bath toys.

10) Pack a list of all important information in case you lose your phone or wallet. Make a xerox for a family member not traveling with you along with a copy of your itinerary/car/hotel details. The list should include passport information (if traveling abroad), drivers license details, credit card information, important phone numbers and email addresses and any medical records you might need during your trip.

Bon voyage!

Great Gifts for Travelers