Airplane Activities for 5–7 Year Olds: What Actually Travels With Us

Travelling with a five, six or seven-year-old is very different to travelling with a toddler.

Over the years, we’ve learnt that children don’t need to be entertained every minute of the journey. Sometimes watching the aircraft, looking out of the window or reading the safety card is entertainment enough.

We still pack plenty of activities because there are moments when you need them. These are the ones that have stayed in our backpack over years of family travel.

Now that we’ve firmly moved past the toddler phase, our focus has shifted to finding the best screen-free airplane activities for 5-7 year olds that actually keep them engaged without weighing us down.

Here is what currently makes the cut and a quick table for those who don’t want to read the whole article.

The Travel Backpack

One of the questions I’m asked surprisingly often is what we actually pack for a long-haul flight.

The truth is, our travel backpack has evolved naturally over the years. Nothing has been bought because it was trending on social media or labelled a “must-have”. Most of the items have simply survived multiple trips because they’ve proved genuinely useful.

Before we talk about what’s inside, it’s worth saying that I don’t think you need a specific travel backpack. Use whatever you already have, provided it’s something your child is happy to carry for at least part of the journey. (Let’s be honest though, it usually ends up on an adult’s shoulders sooner or later.)

What matters more is the size and layout. I’d avoid anything enormous and look for a backpack with a few internal compartments. They don’t need to be fancy, but they make it much easier for everything to find a natural home and, perhaps more importantly, for you to find what you’re looking for during those slightly more stressful travel moments.

Our current backpack is from Joules. Before that, I used a Longchamp Le Pliage backpack, which I loved aesthetically but found surprisingly impractical once we started travelling with a child. I was forever rummaging around trying to find things.

The Joules backpack isn’t nearly as elegant, but it’s much more practical. The separate compartments mean games, books, snacks and travel essentials all have their own place, making it much easier to find what you’re looking for without emptying the entire bag onto the airport floor.

We keep most of our travel bits together in one travel drawer at home, alongside our travel tech, long-haul essentials and, inevitably, where charging cables go to die.

It’s also home to our travel wash bags. As soon as we unpack after a trip, they’re restocked and packed again ready for the next one. It sounds a little obsessive, but future me is always grateful when a last-minute trip comes along.

One final thing before we dive in. Everything in this article doesn’t travel with us on every single trip.

I’m a great believer in rotating activities. Some stay in the backpack for months, others disappear into the travel drawer for a while before making a comeback a few trips later.

There’s something rather lovely about hearing:

“Oh, I remember this.”

The novelty comes back, even though the game isn’t new.

So don’t feel you need to pack everything on this list. Think of it as a collection of ideas that we’ve genuinely enjoyed over the years, rather than one enormous packing list.

Travel Games That Get Them Thinking

One of the biggest changes as our daughter has got older is that we’ve moved away from “busy” activities towards games that make her think.

These are the ones we’ve found ourselves reaching for time and time again. Not all of them travel on every trip, but they’ve each become part of our little travel collection and still make regular appearances in the backpack.

IQ Puzzler Pro

The IQ Puzzler Pro has travelled with us for quite a while now and is probably one of the products I’ve recommended most over the years.

It’s compact, doesn’t require batteries and somehow manages to entertain adults just as much as children. Whether we’re waiting at the gate, sitting in an airport lounge or filling twenty quiet minutes on a flight, it’s one of those activities that rarely disappoints.

There are plenty of challenge cards included, so it grows with your child and doesn’t become repetitive too quickly.

IQ Mini

The IQ Mini is a much newer addition.

I only picked it up recently, but I can already see it becoming a favourite. It’s even smaller than the IQ Puzzler Pro, making it incredibly easy to slip into a handbag or coat pocket.

If you’re choosing between the two, I don’t think there’s a wrong answer. The IQ Puzzler Pro offers more variety, while the IQ Mini wins on portability.

Think of them as alternatives rather than essentials. Build your own little travel collection over time and choose the one that suits your family best.

Happy Cube

If you grew up in Spain or Portugal, you might know these as Coco Crash. In the UK and many other countries they’re sold as Happy Cube by SmartGames.

At first glance, they don’t look particularly exciting. Six colourful foam pieces that somehow have to become a cube.

But they’re surprisingly addictive.

We’ve seen cousins turn it into a competition, adults quietly have a go while pretending they’re not interested, and restaurant tables become impromptu puzzle stations while waiting for food.

Card Games & Classics

Some of the most-used items in our travel backpack aren’t particularly new or exciting. They’re simply the games that have stood the test of time.

Like most things in our backpack, they rotate in and out depending on the trip, but these are the ones we keep coming back to.

Go Fish

Go Fish was actually a recent gift and has quickly become one of those games that seems to come everywhere with us.

It’s simple enough to play almost anywhere – on a plane, in an airport lounge or while waiting for dinner on holiday – and small enough to disappear into the backpack without taking up any space.

It’s also one of those rare games that children and adults genuinely enjoy playing together, making it a lovely way to pass half an hour without anyone reaching for a screen.

UNO

We were actually given a proper UNO set, but somehow it was the little McDonald’s Happy Meal version that found its way into the backpack for this trip.

It’s small, familiar and, despite our best intentions, we still don’t really know all the rules.

We’re hoping someone will eventually teach us properly.

Until then, we seem to manage perfectly well making up the odd rule as we go along.

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza

Another thoughtful gift from a friend, Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza is still waiting patiently for its first outing.

It’s currently living in the aforementioned travel drawer where charging cables go to die, ready for the next trip.

Cat’s Cradle

I rediscovered Cat’s Cradle recently when I bought a pack of six for just a few euros.

I wasn’t expecting much from it.

During a recent weekend away, all of my nephews wanted to learn. A few weeks later, while travelling in Italy, it became such a conversation starter that people sitting nearby came over and joined in.

Reading Books

If we’re in the middle of a reading book at home, it usually comes with us.

At the moment, we’re making our way through the Usborne First Readers collection, alongside the Read Write Inc. books used at school.

Sometimes she’ll read while we’re waiting to board or during a quieter moment on the flight. It’s a lovely change of pace from games and screens.

Creative Activities

A Notebook

One of the simplest things in our backpack is also one of the most useful.

A plain notebook comes on almost every trip. It gets used for drawing, little stories, games, practising spellings or simply keeping busy while we wait.

Sometimes it’s a proper notebook. Other times it’s simply a hotel writing pad that found its way home with us because it seemed too useful to leave behind.

There’s something rather lovely about spotting the hotel logo months later and remembering exactly where it came from.

Stabilo Cappi Pens

We’ve travelled with Stabilo Cappi pens for almost three years and, remarkably, we’ve only lost one.

The ring that keeps the lids together really works. I’d buy the larger pack and split it into two sets. One lives permanently in our travel backpack, while the other rotates between the car, a handbag or wherever we happen to need it.

Usborne Activity Books

One brand that has appeared in our travel backpack more than any other is Usborne.

Over the years we’ve travelled with everything from sticker books and puzzle books to their excellent 100 Things to Do on a Plane. We simply choose one that feels right for our daughter’s age and whatever she’s interested in at the time.

Alongside those, we almost always pack a simple A5 sticker book. Sometimes a bit of mindless fun is exactly what’s needed.

Tech That Travels With Us

Technology definitely has a place in our travel backpack. It just isn’t the star of the show.

The Family iPad

This isn’t “our daughter’s iPad”. It’s the family iPad, and it gets used by all three of us.

It gets used for her weekly online Portuguese lessons, Read Write Inc. homework and reading at home, so it’s already part of everyday life before we even think about travelling.

Before every trip, we spend a few minutes downloading Netflix programmes and films for all of us. It might be children’s programmes, a family film or something my husband and I are looking forward to watching.

A note to future me (and perhaps to you too): don’t forget to renew your Netflix downloads before you leave. They expire after a while, and it’s a frustrating thing to discover once you’re already at the airport.

I like knowing it’s there if we need it. Ironically, it often stays in the backpack.

On long-haul flights, the seat-back entertainment system is usually far more exciting. The moving map, the endless choice of films and the novelty of having your own screen still haven’t lost their appeal.

That said, I’d much rather have the iPad and not need it than need it and not have it.

One app we’ve particularly enjoyed is Pok Pok. It’s slightly educational without feeling like homework and, if you remember to download everything before you travel, it works offline too.

Belkin Headphones

We’ve been travelling with our Belkin headphones for over three years now.

The reason we bought them was wonderfully simple.

I just didn’t want unicorn headphones.

Belkin was already a brand I trusted, they were easy to pair and they’ve worked brilliantly ever since.

We’re naturally starting to look at in-ear headphones now she’s getting older, but these have more than earned their place in our travel backpack.

Folding Phone & Tablet Stand

This is one of those tiny purchases that quietly becomes indispensable.

One permanently lives in our travel backpack, so it’s one less thing to remember every time we pack.

Whether we’re watching something on the family iPad, making a video call or propping up a phone in a hotel room, it gets used far more often than you’d expect.

It folds completely flat, weighs almost nothing and is one of those items I’d replace immediately if we ever lost it.

Snacks for the Journey

Not every item in our travel backpack is there to keep us entertained. Some simply make travelling easier.

Sistema Snack Pots

We’ve travelled with the same Sistema snack pots for years.

On the outbound journey, we usually fill them at home or in the airport lounge before we board. Once we’re away, they get used for bits from the hotel breakfast buffet or whatever we want to take with us for the day.

They’re one of those things that quietly make family travel that little bit easier.

Our Return Journey Snack Selection

The return journey is usually a little different.

Before most trips, we buy a selection of individually wrapped snacks that can stay in the backpack until we need them. They don’t need refrigerating, they don’t make a mess and they’re easy to grab during a long journey or unexpected delay.

This particular selection probably sums up how we travel better than anything else. The dried mango and pineapple came from Mercadona before we left Spain, the Maria biscuits were picked up in Portugal, the lupini beans and olives were an impulse buy from Eataly in Turin when we spotted them by the checkout, and the pretzels may (with permission!) have found their way into our backpack from the hotel breakfast buffet.

Whenever we can, we also like wandering around a local supermarket to see what we can find. It’s become a bit of a holiday tradition and a fun way to discover new snacks we’d never normally come across at home.

A Smaller Water Bottle

We’ve always preferred a smaller water bottle for travelling, whether that’s our well-used Liewood bottle or a little Sistema one.

The brand isn’t really the important part. The size is.

A giant bottle sounds like a good idea until somebody has to carry it around the airport. We’ve always found a smaller bottle easier for little hands to manage, lighter to carry and simple to refill throughout the journey.

During the summer, we often switch to a double-walled bottle simply because it keeps water cooler for longer, but we still stick to the same smaller size.

What You Won’t Find In Our Backpack

You also won’t find twelve individually wrapped gifts for a twelve-hour flight. I know this is a popular idea online, but if I’m honest, I simply don’t have the time. And I don’t think travelling needs to be that complicated. The goal isn’t to create a Pinterest-worthy flight experience. The goal is to get everyone to the destination happy and reasonably rested.

We pack a handful of activities, a few snacks and trust that the journey itself will provide a fair amount of entertainment too.

The Unsung Heroes

They’re certainly not the most exciting things in our travel backpack, but these are the items that quietly solve the little problems that seem to crop up on almost every journey.

Baby Wipes

A small pack of baby wipes still comes everywhere with us.

Sticky fingers, tray tables, little spills, dirty hands… they seem to solve more problems than almost anything else in the backpack.

Hand Sanitiser

Nothing particularly revolutionary here.

We simply keep a small bottle permanently topped up in the backpack so we never have to think about it.

Toilet Seat Covers

We’ve used LooREADY disposable toilet seat covers for years.

They’re one of those products that quietly gets reordered every couple of years without much thought because they just work.

Lip Balm & Plasters

A little pot of lip balm and a few plasters quietly come on every trip.

The lip balm has rescued dry lips on colder holidays and is apparently also “magical” on the occasional little scrape. The plasters are mostly there just in case, but we’re always glad they’re there when they’re needed.

Dog Poo Bags

You’ll also usually find a roll of dog poo bags.

Not because we travel with a dog, but because they’re perfect for wrappers, tissues and all the little bits of rubbish that seem to accumulate during a flight.

The only reason they’re missing from this photo is because I forgot them.

Typically, this was also the one flight where none of our three seats had a paper sick bag in the seat pocket.

I never thought I’d say I missed an airline sick bag, but they’re surprisingly useful when you just need somewhere to stash a handful of rubbish until the cabin crew come round.

A Small Change of Clothes

Even now, I always pack a spare outfit. Usually just a top, leggings or shorts, underwear and socks. Most trips, it never gets used. But when you need it, you’re incredibly glad it’s there.

A Few Travel Tech Essentials

If you’re curious about the technology that has also earned a permanent place in our travel backpack, I’ve shared more of our favourites in Travel Tech: 10 Laptop and Smartphone Accessories You Need.

That article includes some of the small gadgets that have genuinely simplified travelling for us over the years, including the tablet stand that now permanently lives in our travel backpack.

Shop Our Plane Backpack

Final Thoughts

Looking back at this list, what strikes me most is how little of it is actually new.

The headphones are over three years old. The backpack has travelled thousands of miles. Some of the games cost only a few euros. Others were thoughtful gifts from friends.

That’s probably the biggest lesson we’ve learnt from travelling as a family.

You don’t need more. You don’t need a suitcase full of activities.

A few well-loved games, a notebook, some snacks and the excitement of going somewhere new will often do just fine.

Travel has a wonderful way of keeping us humble.

Sometimes everything works perfectly. Sometimes nobody touches the carefully packed activities. Sometimes the biggest excitement is the moving map or the safety card.

That’s all part of the adventure too.

Mrs O

PS. If you’re travelling with younger children, you might also enjoy my guide to travelling with toddlers. And if restaurants are more of a challenge than flights in your family, keep an eye out for my upcoming post on the activities that live permanently in our restaurant backpack.

I’d love to know what has earned a permanent place in your family’s travel bag too.