Kits keep kids happy
Every parent has her own Battle of Waterloo – a time when clashing forces (say, long trip and crabby 6-year-old) threaten the peace. Real Simple suggests you arm yourself with some easy-to-assemble kits packed with games and other distracting delights. And none requires batteries.
Travel kit
These supplies will make the miles whiz by. And with no loose or loud parts, they’ll help adult passengers retain their sanity.
Make-your-own “road diary”: Include a map of your route, a checklist of sights to spot along the way, paper and pencil secured to a clipboard, and a manila envelope for collecting bits like postcards.
Crayola Model Magic: It’s postmodern Play-Doh: a spongy substance that dries in 24 hours and doesn’t stick to clothing – or car or airplane seats. To buy: $9 to $25, www.michaels.com.
Book on CD: “Judy Blume’s Tales of a Fourth-Grade Nothing” (ages 4 to 8). Downloaded onto an iPod, it’s pure soundproof pleasure. To buy: $15, www.barnesandnoble.com.
Magnetic Chinese checkers: GoPlay’s compact tin doubles as the game board. To buy: $9, www.barnesandnoble.com.
The container: The Jungle Fever messenger bag by Love Shine is light enough for little ones to carry. To buy: $50, Shoofly, (212) 406-3270.
Sick-at-home kit
When the cartoons give way to soap operas, these comforting activities and objects will help keep your patient in good spirits.
Color Change Wavy Straws: Serpentine straws change color when a cool liquid is sipped through them. Four to a set. To buy: $2, www.theraproducts.com.
Yes & Know books: The magic pen reveals invisibly printed answers to quizzes, games and puzzles. To buy: $2 each, www.leemagicpen.com.
Magnetic Mosaics: She can arrange the magnetic tiles into a chicken pox-covered self-portrait – and move her masterpiece from bed to floor and back again without spillage. To buy: $20, www.mindwareonline.com.
The container: Hide the Collapsible Canvas Box in your closet. To buy: $48 for large (shown here), www.holdeverything.com.
Restaurant kit
For places not generous (and wise) enough to provide paper placemats and crayons, tote along these five-star distractions.
Maze Craze books: Each of these story-puzzle hybrids leads kids on adventures alongside dinosaurs, mummies, or pirates, rescuing them from the boredom of adult conversation. To buy: $4, www.barnesandnoble.com.
Neodymium Science Magnets: These magnets, world’s strongest, work through a table and even a hand. Six to a pack. To buy: $8, www.dowlingmagnets.com.
Scratch & Solve Tough Hangman: Pint-size diners will love this challenging take on the classic game. To buy: $6, www.barnesandnoble.com.
Mad Libs: This game is still the (adjective) way to learn parts of speech. To buy: From $4, www.barnesandnoble.com.
The container: Stash this kit in the Large Metallic Micro Mesh Pouch (14 1/4 by 10 1/2 inches) and stow it in the car trunk. To buy: $6, www.containerstore.com.