My upcoming trip to Santa Fe has me thinking about all things travel related and, with Toy Tuesday being a regular feature, I wanted to think of a great travel toy or game.

The problem I encountered while I was brainstorming was that I wanted something that could encompass different ages, packed light, could be done no matter the form of travel (for instance, Bananagrams is portable and anybody who can spell can play, but do you see playing this with your kids in the car or on a plane?) and didn’t have pieces to lose. At this point, you might be thinking, “Gee whiz, Alyna, good luck coming up with something…”, right?

Guess what? I came up with a great idea – Mad Libs!

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Mad Libs are something that both young and old can enjoy, is a learning experience (disguised as fun!) for younger players, takes up very little space in your carry on  luggage or glove box, doesn’t have pieces to lose and can provide a lot of fun and laughs.  And who couldn’t use some laughter when you’ve got a car full of kids that would rather be off and running, a mate that is cranky with exhaustion, or a flight that just doesn’t seem to end?  Whip out the Mad Libs and make lemonade out of those lemons. 

There are other great travel gifts out there and, if you need help I can find them for you, but few fit so many ages and situations as well as Mad Libs.

You can even create Mad Libs online.  Check out this one I did for fun!

How to Make it More Personal

Surprise your traveler with this gift! Wrap it up and hide it in the glove box or a carry on before the trip.

Make it personal by wrapping it in a map – get even more personal by highlighting the route that they are taking.

If you are sending off a really close loved one – you could fill in the first Mad Lib for them to find, using words that relate to how you feel (i.e. “Miss” or “Love” for a verb) or things related to their trip. It will be both a touching reminder that you are thinking of them and make them smile.

To complete the present, include a pen or pencil so that they can begin to play whenever it strikes their fancy.

Mad Libs is fun for group or solo travel so whether you are sending a loved one off or traveling with them, it will surely brighten their trip to receive a small but thoughtful gift!

What are some of your favorite travel toys or games?  Leave me a comment – maybe I’ll end up blogging about it in the future!

Happy gifting!