What toys to take on a trip

 I am a firm believer that when the weather is nice and there are breathtaking surroundings right outside your doorstep, there is absolutely no need for toys. Let the sticks and pebbles be the toys  that will inspire your toddler's imagination. You will be amazed to see, if there is nothing else around, how great will your children play just with a couple of sticks and few rocks! How amazing a spade and bucket can be! Very often when on holidays when it comes to toys less is more!

 However, there are times that we need something else to keep our little ones occupied when waiting for a meal in a restaurant or going on a long journey. I strongly discourage using phones or tablets. I understand that there are times when they can be life savers but I only use them as a last resort. Don't get me wrong, I am not judging anyone who uses them to get that bit of peace and quiet, but I personally prefer to show my kids different ways of spending time. I know how addictive and compulsive those screens can be. Even as a mature woman, I was addicted to playing candy crush, so imagine how your toddlers little undeveloped brain, which is very prone to all external inputs, reacts for another big dose of those addictive stimuli!

 So back to the point, what to take and how to keep them busy?

Here are a few ideas:

1. No mess coloring books

They are great as they are reusable and there us no mess but all the fun of colouring and painting. I have few different ones, you can get them in Lidl or some bookshops

2. Scratch pads

We love our scratch pads! I nearly find them therapeutic for myself. My little one loves scratching to reveal the beautiful colours hiding underneath

3. My busy books

'My busy books' can be found in many book shops and are great to keep your little one busy. You can use them as a book but also they come with many little figures that will stimulate your child's imagination. They can play for hours with the little figures and they dont take much space. You can build them a house out of rocks or sticks if you are outdoors

This is what works best for us and we are trying to play with what's around us as well: collecting pinecones, seashells, rocks, sticks, feathers and all sorts of treasures! 

Let me know what are your holiday favourite toys!