Traveling with Kids - Suggestions for Planner/Scrapbook to BRING on Trip
 

My husband and I will be traveling with our then 5 and 9 year old daughters to Venice and Paris in April. In order to engage them in the planning and to keep them aware of their surroundings and appreciate what they are seeing during the trip, I am looking for some way to put together a written plan for our trip as well as a scrapbook type project for them to work on while we are there. One idea is to do this all electronically but I don't think it would be nearly as much fun for kids that age.

Has anyone done anything like this and what do you do? I am trying to pack light so that is my limiting factor.

In terms of the planning piece, I thought it would be fun for them for us to put together some sort of poster/planner type thing that we can work on before we go on the trip and while we are there. One idea I had was to bring a big calendar to pin on the wall of the apartment we are staying in (basically a big piece of paper we can fold up with the calendar for our trip days written on it). I thought we could make some cards before we leave with the names and pictures of places we decide that we want to go to (My 4 yo doesn't read yet hence the photos). maybe put them on index cards and then pin them up for each day either to plan what we intend to do or document what we have done.

I also thought it would be nice for each kid to make a scrapbook while we are there (and to finish when we get home). This can amuse them if they get bored in restaurants or museums too. I was just going to get them each a hardcover blank sketchbook and have them each bring a bag of markers/colored pencils and throw in a scissor and glue stick. Again, suggestions welcome, particularly for anything that saves space/weight.

How about a fun twist on the alphabet game? Each day each kid has to find a new thing that starts with all the letters of the alphabet, for example, "E" could be Eiffel tower in Paris but of course some of the things will be less epic :) Maybe they could either take a picture with their alphabet items of the day A-Z or they could draw a picture of it in their scrapbook but that could be time consuming with that many letters :) or they could just write it down. I t would be a way to engage them in their surroundings as they look for something that starts with "J" etc. Some letters will need a pass though on some days I'm sure, like the elusive "X".
That's my idea anyway :)
Have fun!!!

I love the concept!

Maybe a map of each city to put beside your calendar and mark up? You might want to take along some post-it notes in various sizes, and (of course) be sure that the scissors aren't packed in a place where they will cause airport security to delay you! Too, give some thought to using a lighter weight, smaller soft-back sketchbook or journal that you could transfer to something hard-back (e.g., a binder) once you get back home, since hardbacks sometimes split as people paste things in.

Should be fun!

Thanks for the suggestions. Bringing a big map is a great idea. I think the kids will enjoy seeing where they have been. Perhaps will motivate a bit more walking by the younger child!

I like both the calendar and the map idea. I think your idea for a blank sketchpad w/ markers, scissors, glue stick is perfect and shouldn't take up all that much room.

I use a pencil case myself, those plastic ones with a zipper like you'd put into a 3-ring binder. I use it to collect things like business cards, napkins, post cards, brochures, just little extras I pick up along the way. That might work well for your kids too.