My children, like yours, are free spirits. However, there are times while traveling, when I need them to play quietly. For example: my English in-laws may take me to a restaurant where children should be seen and not heard.  Or maybe I need to argue with my spouse about directions, without interruption.  You get the picture.

1.  Books (0 to adult) Thin paperbacks, bought second hand or borrowed from friends, can be easily carried, browsed, and read again and again. For babies, photo books, books with big smiling faces or soft books are great. For toddlers and above, one series of books that has worked for me is the Mister Men collection. It appeals to the younger generation but has jokes for bigger kids too.  So, what are the best books for kids?  We’re glad you asked.

2.  Caterpillar Spillers (6 months to 3 years) Before your travel anywhere, please take a look at the wonderful website, KidsTravelHappy.com. Here’s a great toy, to prove my point. No child’s life is complete without bath or stacking toys. Here’s a 2 in 1 for traveling, where your little one can stack, connect, scoop and spill for the whole vacation.

3.  Educo Magnetic Marble Maze (1 to 3 years) Great magnetic toy for kids on the go. Little ones can move and sort the marbles.

4.  Doodle Pro Travel (3 to 6 years) I have two of these permanently in my car. Great for hangman or just doodling. Draw and erase, with pen attached. Light but not too small to be able to draw a decent picture.

5.  Dry Erase Activity Books (3 to 8 years) Still on the doodling theme, these terrific wire bound books have six doodling pages, with an attached pocket for pen and eraser. One page is for free draw, the others include math, geographic, letters, and shape activities. There are several versions for different abilities. Fit easily into a backpack.

6.  A plastic bag of small toys (3 to 8 years) Heed this advice from our own Jamie Pearson: Before you travel, gather 20 small, plastic figurines and a bag with a zipper (I use a transparent toiletry bag). You may think it’s $30 dollars of trash but it will amuse your child for hours. Last year, my kids traveled with bags of Pokemon, Star Wars, Tom and Jerry, and fairy toys. We took them everywhere.

7.  Silkies – Set of 6 (3 to 9 years) Not everyone’s first guess I’m sure, but just try and take my 3-year-old’s silkies away from her. My kids use scarves for dress up, building camps, dance and superhero capes. Chinaberry.com has a set of six scarves of ideal size. These toys are superb for hotel rooms and weigh next to nothing. Let your kids’ imaginations run wild.

8. Books and Brainteasers (5 to 12 years) This great website full of educational toys recommends the best puzzle books for children. Check out Perplexors, Analogy Challengers and Venn Perplexors. Thin and easy to carry or pack.

9.  Flip to Win Travel Hangman Game(5 and up) This is a terrific toy, all pieces attached, that is perfect for two or more children to play together.

10.  Mini Mandala Designer (6 years up) For proficient colorers, this set is a must for your trip. Your child can produce amazing patterns. It comes in a neat 5.5″ square kit with 5 pens and 20 pieces of paper.

Do you think “quiet toys” is an oxymoron?  Or do you have a favorite quiet travel toy we haven’t listed?  Please let us know by leaving a comment.

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February 15th, 2009 | by Jane Rytina 10 comments