Travelling by train with a preschooler – our favourite combination
There isn’t much room left in the overstuffed suitcases, but four hours on the train without toys? That’s not really an option either.
A small fabric backpack would have to do. We packed it with a few vacation-themed Pixi books, a coloring book and some markers—and a handful of toys. They had to be small, of course. And they couldn’t make too much noise, so we could take them out on the train and the plane alike. Bonus points for toys that offer different ways to play and combine! Small, quiet and versatile, then.
The rainbow elastic ball: This one’s coming in our carry-on! It feels lovely to touch and pluck at, and keeps restless little hands busy. You can even toss it across the aisle without bothering or hitting your fellow travelers. And it can’t roll away, either. It’s also great for car rides, although tossing it back and forth isn’t exactly a safe option there.
The fidget snake: Tanja from Toys42Hands handed this one to us in person—otherwise, I probably wouldn’t have picked it. The jointed snake looks so unassuming, but it can do so much! You can pull it apart at any joint and click it back together, so it can make a closed loop or a snake. And all sorts of other things, too! You “knead” the ring in your hands and guess the shapes: clouds, dogs, sheep, our daughter says. Stand the snake up as a little gate or make it into a circle, and it becomes a target for the elastic ball. The ball fits right through it.
The fidget-tube dachshund: It’s hard to explain why the dachshund is such a hit. Maybe it’s the silly antics: the suddenly super-long dog peeking around the corner, growing a camel’s hump or getting a kink in its back. Pulling it apart and then carefully squeezing it back together. And it makes a little snapping sound every time. The dog kept making us laugh on our vacation, from our three-year-old to Grandma and Grandpa. You can also use the fidget-tube figures for pretend play—as a pet that urgently needs walking or feeding. 😇
A rainbow pencil: A classic! So many colors in one pencil! Older kids can even control which color they use and do a little “magic.” But simply doodling away creates the loveliest effects, without having to bring a whole pencil case.
The inflatable soft ball: It’s not really one for the train or plane, but it slips into any bag and can be inflated in no time at your vacation rental. And because the soft ball is so squishy, playing indoors is no problem (for younger kids!). What’s more, when deflated, it becomes a “catching aid” for the elastic ball; and if you don’t inflate it too much, little hands can grip and catch it easily, too. It’s also fun to experiment: how does it roll and feel when it’s more or less inflated?
One thing’s clear to me: we can pack the backpack this way for our upcoming trips, too. No one will be bored for a while.
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