Goodie bag ideas for cruising kids

[bayjoens]

We are about to take a So Carib cruise with two other families, including (2) 15-yo girls, (1) 14-yo girl and (3) 11-yo boys. It is a cross-country flight for all of us from the West Coast to San Juan and the families are traveling separately. Each family has one girl and one boy with them.

 

I would like to put together inexpensive goodie bags for all the kids, including snacks, stuff to do on the plane and maybe some fun stuff for the cruise. Any good ideas out there? (Otherwise I am afraid my son's eyeballs will fall out of his head from playing Gameboy from here to there.)

 

Thanks!

[Ella2]

Welllll....honestly, at that age, a Game Boy and a lot of games (with headsets for him) are a GOOD thing. I know that my 11-year-old will easily go through a 6-hour flight with her Game Boy...much easier on both of us. ;)

 

If I can actually get her to put the thing down she will also read, or we play different card games or small travel games (like Travel Yahtzee). Those will work for the younger ones, I think. Mad Libs are also fun for that age.

 

For teens, I'm thinking more along the line of MUSIC...most teens I know have an ipod permanently attached to their ears. Honestly, other than a book, I have no idea what else to suggest for the older kids.

 

You're a nice person to think of doing something for so many kids! :)

[Joy ride]

Hi there... Our kids LOVED BUBBLES:)

We would blow them during bon voyage, and off the balcony.

 

Word search was a hit. walkman radio.

 

Hope that helps..

 

also, we pulled our kids out of school for the cruise. so they had "homework"

which they did not mind doing.

 

Another thing was, I suggested to them on creating their own "journal" with pictures, "drawings" for their own keeps, and to show the class for show and tell, also for "extra credit".

[LBB]

I always used a little address/autograph book for all the kids I met on the ship.

 

I also second the idea of music....

[harrodsfan]

Totally agree with other ideas..also..lip gloss for girls, perfume samples..Magazines for teens like teen people or Vogue, People magazine.

We always take "Game" magazine. We travel with a laptop and dvd's.

Disposable camera. A tshirt for everyone in the group would also be fun.

What a nice idea!

[justaknucklehead]

Isn't the cruise enough for these little lovelies?

[Joy ride]

sounded like the OP was more talking about the long flight to and from...

not so much the cruise.

[stargate fan]

Ooh, kindred spirits!

I have been making goodie bags for my sons for airplane trips for 12 years now. They always loved them, and I had a blast making them. (They are 17 and 14 and still look for goodies in their backpacks when we travel.)

Now, to answer your question:

1. Playing cards. I just found plastic, waterproof cards at Christmas Tree Shoppe. They were $1. They are oval in shape and come in a "capsule" case.
   
2. Nifty colored pens and pencils to write postcards home to friends.
   
3. A small package of cookies to munch, because they are teenagers and eat constantly.
   
4. Gum, for the flights and just for the heck of it.
   
5. Madlibs, a personal favorite.
   
6. A few Lindt chocolates, just because. (They are 35 cents each, or buy them by the bag.)
   
7. Pocket sized word search or crossword puzzle books. You can usually find them in the checkout lanes at the supermarket.
   
8. Can of soda. (See #3.)
   
9. Anything Star Wars, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory (Johnny Depp for the girls), or whatever movie is coming out when you travel. (Like trading cards.)
   
10. Inexpensive book lights.
    

Sometimes just walking around stores, like Dollar Tree or Wal*Mart, I find fun things for the goodie bags.

Good luck. I'll let you know if I think of anything else.

 

We are about to take a So Carib cruise with two other families, including (2) 15-yo girls, (1) 14-yo girl and (3) 11-yo boys. It is a cross-country flight for all of us from the West Coast to San Juan and the families are traveling separately. Each family has one girl and one boy with them.

 

I would like to put together inexpensive goodie bags for all the kids, including snacks, stuff to do on the plane and maybe some fun stuff for the cruise. Any good ideas out there? (Otherwise I am afraid my son's eyeballs will fall out of his head from playing Gameboy from here to there.)

 

Thanks!

[harrodsfan]

Isn't the cruise enough for these little lovelies?

:mad: Giving is a lot of fun and doesn't have to cost a lot!!!

I save things all the time for myself and Dh for long plane flights...anything to pass the time.

[PelicanBill]

Great ideas all. I would add:

 

Sport Bottle to keep drinks in for flight and on cruise.

A cool bag itself for each as a carry-on.

Books? Does anybody read any more? haha

OK, then comic books

Snacks... they don't give out much if anything on planes any more

Heck with the snacks, make it a jumbo hoagie and Doritos

 

And the Journal is the best idea. Suggest they leave lots of spaces

to paste in pictures and turn it into a photo journal as well.

[sueinphilly]

well the new Harry Potter book is coming out this week. That should take a while for most kids to get thru. But it will weigh alot!

 

I know my 15 yo son will probably read it in a couple of days. I may have to remind him to shower, eat and sleep while he's working his way thru that book. Nothing warms a parents heart more than to see their kid so into a book.

 

Now if I could only get him as interested in his required summer reading before 11th grade starts in the fall.....

[bayjoens]

Yes, I love putting together the goodie bags and giving them to the kids as a treat. The cruise is the best part, but anticipation is fun too. And, yes, it is mostly to keep them occupied during the long cross-country flights.

 

Great ideas, folks. Lip balms (with sunscreen), playing cards, treats to eat and drink, pens and journals, book lights... I am going to do what I can. I can give my kids books but the others vary greatly in reading ability. I think the girls will like teen magazines but I am not sure what the equivalent would be for the boys. My son likes the Disney magazine but I would like to get them each something different so they can switch for the ride home. What is "Game" magazine?

 

Thanks for all the help. I will keep checking in for more great ideas.

[uptheboro]

We have made the long trans-Atlantic trek with our kids many times. I used to make them goodie bags when they were younger with sweets, books, comics, tiny boxes of Lego etc. Then one year I didn't have time to do that. Instead I gave each of them ₤10 to spend in the airport for the flight. UK airport shopping is very good. They really enjoyed choosing for themselves. From then on they have preferred to choose their own, and they plan beforehand what they will buy. They also have Gameboys, notebooks and music. For your older kids have you tried Sudoko puzzles- my kids love them?

[4merlurker]

2 words: MODEL MAGIC

 

It's like a cross between playdough and clay WITHOUT the mess. Made by crayola. Comes in indiv. bags~different colors. Keeps the kids (and my DH :rolleyes: ) busy during our 3 hour plane ride! Check it out.

[4merlurker]

We have made the long trans-Atlantic trek with our kids many times. I used to make them goodie bags when they were younger with sweets, books, comics, tiny boxes of Lego etc. Then one year I didn't have time to do that. Instead I gave each of them ₤10 to spend in the airport for the flight. UK airport shopping is very good. They really enjoyed choosing for themselves. From then on they have preferred to choose their own, and they plan beforehand what they will buy. They also have Gameboys, notebooks and music. For your older kids have you tried Sudoko puzzles- my kids love them?

 

My DH is addicted to the Sudoko puzzles! Started doing them in the newspaper and now he found a site online where he can print them.....dozens of them! Keeps him busy for hours! :)

[hardingk]

This is such a great idea! I will definitly remember this for when we have a child!

[Vyhanek]

I brought a small suitcase full of snacky type foods. Even though there was plenty of food on the ship they really didn't have the traditional kids junk food that we pretty much can't live without around here.

 

I brought boxes of individual packages of teddy grahams, fruit chews, goldfish, fun sized candybars, lolipops, etc. just to have in the room and to pop in my bag for excursions.

 

I would make sure the kids have a backpack, their own waterbottle (that I fill with juice or soda I have carried on board),

 

One thing you might get are the small size game "Battleship" and a book with an ocean theme or tropical island theme. How about their own disposable camera to take their own pictures.

[Babs66]

A must for all parents a portable DVD player. Most planes now have the car-jack under the seat in case the battery dies. Also a must on the cruise. We have a 5 yr DD and have not traveled without it since she was one.

[Travelgrrl]

How about extending the joy into little gifts during the cruise (or in the goodie bag) that relate to cruising? This is a good time of year to find summer things on sale.

 

Flip flops for the girls, little sunblocks (maybe the glittery kind), goggles, inflatables (for the beaches at the ports), cheap fun sunglasses, hair ties with tropical flowers on them, shell jewelry, tropical flavored chapstick, etc. All of these can be found cheaply at this time of year, or any time at the dollar type stores.

[Cruisemom39]

Isn't the cruise enough for these little lovelies?

Do you search threads about children just so you can make a sarcastic/nasty remark?

[bayjoens]

A couple of years ago, we bought a new minivan. Instead of purchasing the very expensive DVD player option built into the body of the car, we spent less money and bought each kid a portable DVD player (which also plays CD). We've found that we don't need to schlep two on every trip (except long car rides) and usually take one.

 

Model magic is a great idea. I'm off to the craft shop today.

 

And what are sudoko puzzles? Will try to google it and see what comes up.

 

Thanks again!

[wastin' away]

I don't have children, and am traveling w/ DH and my folks, but I read this thread and think it would be fun to put together little "goodie bags" for us "grown-up kids" and some of the ideas here will be fun. I'll add some more grown up activities as well, but the model magic and some of the other "kid" activities would make for a good giggle and some cross-country flight fun!

[Onessa]

Just got back from an 11-day road trip with two 10YO girls. Biggest hits for goodies/pasttimes with them was:1) string games (cat's cradle, jacob's ladder). Brought along a book of directions and they spent hours perfecting new ones. <can't remember the name of the book I bought, but the girls are still using the strings that came with their Klutz Press string game books>.

2) Klutz Press - travel book, trivia book, thumb-print books, activity books. Overall great stuff. Barnes and Noble, Micheals Crafts all have good selections.

3) 20 Questions. My DD got an electronic 20 questions game for Christmas - about the size of a large egg. Great fun alone or with a couple of other kids.

4) Macrame kits, friendship bracelet kits.

 

FYI "Games" is a magazine, available at most magazine racks. They have a cross-section of activities. They also publish books.