My kids absolutely love hotel rooms. They get all excited to be in a new environment. However, if you are going to be spending much time in that hotel room, the novelty may begin to wear off! That is why I am glad to have Natalie Tanner, The Educational Tourist, share with us her best tips to keep kids busy in a hotel room. These activities for toddlers in hotel room are fun things to do as well as useful tips to be prepared.
Fun Things To Do In A Hotel Room With Your Family
Natalie has hundreds of thousands of miles under her belt – business trips with her geologist husband to places like Scottsdale, Jackson Hole, New York and Denver – and family adventures to far flung destinations like Rome, Paris, Tangier, and Istanbul. When she isn’t traveling, The Educational Tourist stays busy planning the next adventure while being mom to two toddlers, three dogs, and a hamster. You can follow her adventures at www.theeducationaltourist.com.
She understands that some days are rainy days and you may not feel like going out to explore on those days. She knows that some evening you are tired and want to kick back and take it easy! I hope you enjoy her expertise on keeping kids busy in hotel rooms!
What To Do In A Hotel Room: Activities For Toddlers And Kids
1) Allow a little chaos.
Imagination can be messy, but as long as they kids are happy and you can easily clean up later – who cares? Throw tidiness to the wind and enjoy the hotel stay even more!
- Empty the closet floor and send kids in there with your phone set on flashlight. Have them tell ghost stories or make finger shadow animals on the wall.
- Pull the chairs into the middle of the room and make a fort using the extra blanket in the closet and the bedspread. Toss in a few bed pillows and you have the perfect hideout!
2) Offer quiet activities.
When you travel, it is worth the time and effort to pack a few extra things for the kids. Quiet, open ended toys that can be used in a variety of ways are the best choices.
Good toddler travel toy choices:
- books
- figurines
- legos
- play dough
- figurines
- crayons and coloring books
- flannel board
- scissors and a magazine to cut
- board games
- memory cards
3) Bring painter’s tape.
Though I don’t own stock in painter’s tape, I’m always thinking perhaps I should. It is the one thing I never, ever travel without – no matter how old the kids get. Besides being good for hems that won’t stay up or curtains that won’t stay closed and keeping little fingers out of the electrical sockets, the fun activities for toddlers in a hotel room are endless.
- tape the floor to create a racetrack for little cars and worlds for their plastic toys
- place tape across a doorway like a spider web and then throw a rolled up ball of paper at it for ‘points’
- tape a line across the hall way and play LIMBO
4) Extra bath time.
Here is one of my children’s favorite activities for toddlers in hotel room. Bring pudding (the type that does not require refrigeration) for finger painting. Put kiddo in the bathtub and let them go to town. Color your own with a few drops of food coloring or stay with chocolate and vanilla. My toddlers LOVED this activity. When it got boring I just stood them up and filled the bathtub with water – gave them a few small plastic toys or cups and let them go to town. Bubbles are good, too!
5) Extra snacks.
- Plan on extra snacks and bring the good stuff. Old favorites and special treats are good thoughts.
- Use fun treats that kids can put together. Bring cupcakes and squirt icing and let them create. Indoor s’mores are fun, too. Lots of hotels have microwaves for mac and cheese, and popcorn.
Conclusion
Keeping kids entertained in a hotel room can require you to be fun and creative! Pack some small, travel-friendly games, puzzles, coloring books, or toys that your kids enjoy. You may want to try a scavenger hunt. Make a list of items in the room for them to find or give them clues leading to hidden treasures. Let kids use pillows, blankets, and furniture to build a cozy fort where they can play or relax. Read books together or create your own stories to share.
Use hotel time to recoup after a long day of site seeing and recharge for more family travel destinations the next day! Do you have funny stories or tips to share for keeping the kids busy in a hotel room? Which of these activities for toddlers in a hotel room are your favorites?
Related Posts:
Traveling with Kids – Tips for Smooth Journeys
Leslie says
Parenting never stops!
Les Raff says
Thanks for these great ideas because sometimes when it rains and we all get stuck in the hotel room, I want to keep them active and entertained without the TV!
Fred says
If you aren’t completely anti-electronic-devices-for-children, Gameboys do the trick as well. When I was a kid, catching Pokemon and smashing levels in Mario was always a lot more fun in a hotel room!
Ty says
I can never get my kids to settle down while we’re at an hotel so I just take them to their grandma’s house.
John Gentry says
Great article! We did most of what you mentioned and many a paper roll was torn into pieces when the kids traveled with us growing up.
Shanti Kala says
Taking excursions with kids sure is fun. But at some point, they drive you crazy with their behaviour. It is especially more difficult to handle them in the hotel room. But these tips are really helpful and will surely help to keep those notorious kids busy in the hotel room.
I liked the ideas. Nice read!!