Published by Blue Trunk Books | Reading time: 8 minutes
You know the moment I'm talking about.
You're buckling into your seats for a 6-hour flight to Paris. Your 7-year-old looks at you expectantly. You feel that familiar knot in your stomach.
How long until they ask for the iPad?
Maybe 15 minutes if you're lucky. Maybe 3 if the plane hasn't even taken off yet.
And then begins the guilt cycle: I said we'd do less screen time this trip. But what else is there? I just need some peace. Other parents are handing over tablets too, right?
Here's the truth: You're not a bad parent for relying on screens during travel. You're just a parent who hasn't found the right alternatives yet.
After talking with hundreds of families who've successfully traveled screen-free (or at least screen-minimal), I've compiled the activities that actually work—not the ones that sound good in theory but fail 20 minutes into your flight.
Let's get into it.
Why Most "Screen-Free" Activities Fail
Before we dive into what works, let's talk about why most alternatives fall flat:
❌ Too generic - Random activity books with no connection to your trip
❌ Too simple - Finished in 10 minutes, then "I'm bored" begins
❌ Too messy - Crayons rolling everywhere, stickers stuck to seats
❌ Too passive - Reading books works for some kids, but many need more engagement
❌ No continuity - Disconnected activities that don't build on each other
The activities that actually work share three qualities:
✅ Genuinely engaging - Compete with screens, don't just fill time
✅ Multi-hour duration - Varied enough to last the whole flight
✅ Personal relevance - Connected to their actual experience
Now, here's what works:
1. Destination-Specific Travel Activity Books (Like Blue Trunk)
Duration: 3-6 hours | Ages: 5-12 | Mess level: Low
I'm starting with this because it's honestly transformed how our family travels—and I'm clearly biased since I created them!
But here's why destination-specific books work when generic activity books don't:
Connection to their actual trip. When your child is heading to Paris, they don't want random mazes about dinosaurs. They want to learn about the Eiffel Tower they're about to see. Every activity in a destination book relates to where they're going, which means:
- They're learning (educational win for you!)
- They're getting excited (easier trip for you!)
- They're building familiarity (less anxiety for them!)
What makes them last 3-6 hours:
- Pre-flight activities: Countdown pages, packing checklists, trip planning (20-30 min)
- Story time: Reading Sofia's adventure (30-45 min for younger kids with you, or independently for ages 8+)
- Creative activities: Drawing landmarks, coloring pages (45-60 min)
- Educational puzzles: Word searches, language learning, fun facts (30-45 min)
- Planning scavenger hunts: Preparing for what they'll find at landmarks (15-20 min)
- Memory journaling: Writing about what they're excited for (20-30 min)
Real parent testimonial:
"I didn't think it was possible. Six-hour flight to Barcelona. My 8-year-old didn't ask for the iPad ONCE. She was too busy with her Blue Trunk book—reading Sofia's story, planning her Park Güell scavenger hunt, practicing Spanish words. Other parents were asking me where I got it!" - Emma, Bristol
Pro tip: Don't show them the book until you're boarding. The novelty maximizes engagement.
2. Window Seat Observation Challenges
Duration: 30-60 minutes (in bursts) | Ages: 5-12 | Mess level: None
This free activity turns the window seat into an engagement goldmine.
Before takeoff:
- Spot different types of planes
- Count luggage carts
- Watch ground crew and guess what they're doing
During flight:
- Cloud watching and sketching shapes
- Tracking time zones (if crossing multiple)
- Geographic guessing game: "What do you think is below us?"
- Sunrise/sunset timing challenges
How to make it last: Give them a dedicated notebook (or use the drawing pages in their Blue Trunk book!) to sketch what they see. Children remember experiences they document.
3. Story Chain Game (Zero Materials Needed)
Duration: 20-45 minutes | Ages: 6-12 | Mess level: None
This verbal game requires zero materials and creates hilarious family memories.
How to play:
1. Parent starts: "Once upon a time, there was a girl named Sofia who was flying to Paris..."
2. First child adds one sentence to continue the story
3. Next person adds another sentence
4. Continue round-robin style
Variations that increase engagement:
- Destination focus: Story must include landmarks you'll visit
- Vocabulary challenge: Must use a new word from their language dictionary each turn
- Silly mode: Each sentence must be more ridiculous than the last
Why it works: Kids love collaborative storytelling, and building anticipation about your destination reduces anxiety.
Pro tip: Use the story from your child's Blue Trunk book as inspiration—Sofia's adventures give you a starting framework!
4. Audio Books + Follow-Along Activity
Duration: 2-3 hours | Ages: 5-12 | Mess level: Low
This isn't just "listen to an audiobook" (which works for some kids but not all). It's audiobook + physical engagement.
What you need:
- Downloaded audiobook (adventure stories work best)
- Related activity or book they can interact with while listening
- Headphones (obvious, but worth mentioning!)
Best combinations:
- Destination audiobook + Blue Trunk activity book: Listen to Rick Steves kids' guide while working on scavenger hunts
- Adventure story + drawing: Listen to a story and draw scenes as they happen
- Language learning audio + practice pages: Duolingo-style audio with written exercises
Why the combo works: Passive listening alone doesn't engage fidgety kids. Adding a hands-on element keeps them focused longer.
5. Lap-Sized Magnetic Games
Duration: 30-60 minutes (multiple rounds) | Ages: 5-10 | Mess level: Low
Magnetic travel games are worth the investment because pieces don't roll away during turbulence.
Best options:
- Magnetic chess/checkers
- Magnetic tangram puzzles
- Magnetic dress-up dolls
- Magnetic building tiles (small sets)
Why they work: Tactile, engaging, replayable, contained.
Pro tip: Introduce a new game they've never seen before on the plane—novelty = longer engagement.
6. Paper Airplane Engineering Challenge
Duration: 45-60 minutes | Ages: 6-12 | Mess level: Medium
Yes, you're creating multiple paper airplanes on a plane. The irony is not lost.
The challenge:
1. Design 3 different paper airplane styles
2. Test them in the aisle (when seatbelt sign is off and flight attendants approve!)
3. Measure which goes farthest/straightest
4. Decorate the winner
Variations:
- Smallest flyable plane
- Most creative design
- Airplane that can do tricks
Why it works: STEM learning disguised as play, and testing planes in the aisle gives them movement breaks.
Important: Ask flight attendants first, only during cruise altitude with seatbelt sign off, and don't disturb other passengers!
7. The "Travel Interview" Journal
Duration: 30-45 minutes | Ages: 7-12 | Mess level: Low
Turn your child into a travel journalist documenting the journey.
Interview prompts:
- "Interview Mom/Dad about why they chose this destination"
- "What are you most excited to see?"
- "What food do you want to try?"
- "Draw what you think [landmark] will look like"
- "What do you want to remember most?"
Why it works: This creates pre-trip memories and gives them ownership of the experience. Plus, you'll treasure reading this years later.
Pro tip: Blue Trunk books have built-in memory journal prompts specifically designed for this purpose!
8. Pipe Cleaner Creations
Duration: 30-60 minutes | Ages: 5-10 | Mess level: Low-Medium
Pack 20-30 pipe cleaners in a ziplock bag. They're lightweight, bendable, endlessly creative, and don't roll away.
Creation challenges:
- Make animals from the destination (elephants for Thailand, Eiffel Tower for Paris)
- Create people in your family
- Build 3D shapes and structures
- Make jewelry (bracelets, rings, crowns)
Why it works: Tactile, creative, quiet, and occupies hands beautifully.
Pro tip: Pair with the cultural facts from their Blue Trunk book—"Can you make a Thai temple from pipe cleaners?"
9. Invisible Ink Spy Missions
Duration: 20-30 minutes | Ages: 6-12 | Mess level: Low
These pens create magic that feels special and secretive on planes.
What you need:
- Invisible ink pens with UV light (£5-10 on Amazon)
- Small notebook
Activities:
- Write secret messages to decode
- Create treasure map for when you arrive
- Hidden word games
- Spy mission objectives for the trip
Why it works: Novelty factor is high, and the "secret" element appeals to this age group.
10. Compact Card Games
Duration: 30-60 minutes (multiple rounds) | Ages: 5-12 | Mess level: Low
Classic card games in travel-sized tins are underrated flight entertainment.
Best options for planes:
- Uno: Fast-paced, ages 5+
- Spot It: Visual matching, ages 4+
- Sleeping Queens: Strategy, ages 7+
- Sushi Go: Quick rounds, ages 8+
Why they work: Social, engaging, teaches strategy, plays on small tray table.
Pro tip: Let them teach another family member the rules—explaining games reinforces learning and builds confidence.
The Screen-Free Flight Blueprint: Putting It All Together
Here's how to structure your 6-hour flight for maximum peace:
Hours 1-2: High engagement needed (pre-takeoff through initial cruise)
- Blue Trunk travel activity book (story + initial activities)
- Window observation challenges during takeoff
Hours 3-4: Mix of independent and interactive
- Continue Blue Trunk activities (drawing, puzzles, language learning)
- Paper airplane engineering (if allowed)
- One round of card game together
Hours 5-6: Winding down
- Audiobook + quiet activity
- Memory journaling
- Pipe cleaner creations
- Maybe some screen time if needed (no guilt!)
The secret: Rotate activities before they ask for something new. The moment you see engagement dropping, switch to the next activity.
The Reality Check: Screen Time Isn't the Enemy
Let's be honest: I'm not anti-screen. I'm pro-memories.
If your child watches 30 minutes of a movie after completing their Blue Trunk activities, that's fine! The goal isn't zero screens—it's reducing dependence and creating engagement that sticks.
What research shows:
- Children retain 70% more information from hands-on activities vs. passive screen time
- Travel memories documented through drawing/writing last decades; downloaded content is forgotten within weeks
- Screen-free time during travel correlates with better behavior, deeper family connection, and more positive associations with travel
The transformation parents report:
✅ "She didn't ask for the iPad once—I couldn't believe it"
✅ "He actually remembered details from the flight itself, not just the movie he watched"
✅ "Other passengers complimented how well-behaved they were"
✅ "I finally got to read my book while she worked independently"
✅ "We talked more on this flight than we have in years"
Your Screen-Free Flight Packing List
Print this out and pack it with your carry-on:
✅ Blue Trunk destination-specific activity book (3-6 hours engagement)
✅ Colored pencils (12-pack in a small case)
✅ One magnetic travel game (chess, checkers, or tangrams)
✅ Deck of cards (Uno or Spot It in travel tin)
✅ 20-30 pipe cleaners in ziplock bag
✅ Small notebook for window observations
✅ Headphones + downloaded audiobook (backup option)
✅ Invisible ink pens (novelty factor)
✅ Snacks (hunger destroys all good plans)
Total bag weight: Less than 1kg
Total cost: £30-50 (Blue Trunk book + supplies)
Hours of engagement: 4-8 hours
Memories created: Priceless
The Best Investment You'll Make This Trip
Of everything on this list, destination-specific activity books deliver the highest return on investment.
Why?
Because they serve triple duty:
1. Pre-trip: Build excitement and reduce anxiety (2-3 hours of engagement)
2. During travel: Screen-free entertainment (3-6 hours on flights)
3. At destination: Active engagement at landmarks (transforms entire trip)
4. Post-trip: Treasured keepsake that triggers detailed memories for years
That's not just a flight activity. That's a transformation of your entire family travel experience.
Ready to try it?
FIND YOUR BLUE TRUNK BOOK HERE
Browse our collection:
🗼 Paris Adventure Book - Eiffel Tower, Louvre, French culture & language
🏛️ Barcelona Adventure Book - Park Güell, Sagrada Familia, Spanish phrases
🛕 Thailand Adventure Book - Grand Palace, temples, Thai language & culture
🏙️ Dubai Adventure Book - Burj Khalifa, souks, Arabic phrases & customs
🍝 Italy Adventure Book - Roman landmarks, Italian culture & cuisine
Real Parents, Real Results
"Six hours to Thailand. My 9-year-old worked through her Blue Trunk book the entire flight. When we landed, she was EXCITED about the temples, not exhausted from screens. Best £25 I've ever spent." - Rachel, London
"I was skeptical. But my iPad-obsessed 7-year-old genuinely preferred her Paris book. She's been showing it to everyone since we got home." - James, Manchester
"As a single parent traveling alone with two kids, this book saved my sanity. My 6-year-old needed help with some activities (which was sweet bonding time), and my 10-year-old worked independently for hours." - Sarah, Edinburgh
Your Turn: What's Your Best Screen-Free Activity?
Have you found a screen-free flight activity that actually works? Drop a comment on our social networks—I'd love to feature parent-tested tips in a future post!
And if you try any of these activities (especially Blue Trunk books!), tag us on Instagram @bluetrunkbooks with #screenfreetravel—we love seeing your adventures!
LOOK AT OUR BLUE TRUNK BOOK COLLECTION
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About Blue Trunk Books
We create destination-specific travel activity books that transform family trips from screen-filled stress into screen-free adventures. Each book combines Sofia's engaging story with interactive activities, cultural learning, and memory-making tools—because the world is too amazing to experience through a screen.