Junk Drawer Treasures Perfect for Grab and Go Fun

Do you have a trip coming up and are out of ideas to keep the kids busy while traveling? Have no fear! You probably already have an assortment of things in your home that can keep your kids entertained with a little bit of know-how. We’ve compiled a list of things you might find in that junk drawer at home that are small, light, easy to pack, and easy to pull out and play with no matter where you are. Plus, we've included some ideas for playing with each item that are chock full of STEM and literacy connections. So go ahead and rifle through that junk drawer for all kinds of kid-friendly fun!

Pocket calculator

Open-ended Calculator Play

You might be surprised at how engaging it is for toddlers and preschools to press buttons and see what happens (or maybe you know that very well already!). For some reason this is especially exciting when the item isn’t intended as a toy. Calculators are ideal for make believe. Kids can use the calculator to pretend they are studying, working, or calculating a bill at a restaurant. They can also practice identifying numbers and even try simple equations.

Solve and Check

Choose some numbers (or roll a dice to generate numbers) to create a math problem on paper. This can be single or multiple digit addition, subtraction, multiplication, etc. depending on what kind of math the child is learning. Let the child solve the problem and then they use the calculator to see if they get the same solution. If they don’t, what can they do? Check their work on paper and also make sure they didn’t make a mistake when doing the math on the calculator. For an added challenge, solve the problem using mental math instead of paper. It’s amazing how much more excited they get doing math when there is a calculator involved!

Beat the Calculator

Try this game for kids who like a challenge. Write down a math problem that kids know how to solve (if it’s too tricky then they just get frustrated). Let the child solve the problem on paper or mentally while you solve the problem on the calculator and see who finishes first. Switch up the roles to let the kids be the calculator to test your skills too! Start with simpler problems then adjust the difficulty level for added challenge.

Upside Down Calculator Words

Kids of all ages love to write upside-down words on a calculator. Check out this printable and kid-friendly word list and the Upside-down Calculator Word Game. 

Measuring spoons on a ring

Measuring spoons are practically magic for babies and toddlers. They jingle when shaken, can be chewed on, scoop things up, and can be filled with just about anything. They’re perfect for sensory play. Older kids can get good use out of them too because they double as sand and water toys.

Small flashlight

Shadow Play

Flashlights come in handy for outdoor play, make-believe, and reading under the covers, but there are also games to play with this fun travel take-along. Kids of all ages love shadow play and exploration. Simply turn all the lights off and make shadows on the wall with objects, hands, and bodies. Experiment with moving the flashlight closer to the object and farther away and see what happens. Make predictions about what you think will happen first: What do you think will happen if we move the flashlight closer to the object? What might happen to the shadow on the wall?

Shadow Show

Cut puppet silhouettes out of paper and tape them to a pencil or coffee stirrer to create a “Shadow Show.” Or use your own hands! Check out this video to make your own hand shadow puppets.

Flashlight Tag 

It’s like a combination of regular tag and hide-and-seek. It can be played in the dark or even with just the lights turned off and curtains drawn. The game starts by the player who is “it” counting with their eyes closed while the other players hide. Instead of tagging the other players by physically touching them, the person who is “it” shines a light on another player to tag them. Then that person is “it” and the game continues. Another variation of the game is that the last person to be found is “it.” As kids are found by the flashlight tagger, they go back to a designated “home base” and wait together for everyone to be found.

Sidewalk chalk

Open-ended Sidewalk Art

This is always a crowd pleaser. Find a good sidewalk or paved area without too much foot traffic (so you’re not in the way) and let the creative juices flow! Here’s a few ideas you can try to mix things up a bit: write positive messages to brighten someone’s day when they pass by, make silly poses and trace each others' shadows, or play a game like hopscotch, tic tac toe, or hangman.  

Sidewalk Chalk Mosaic

Use painter's tape to make a rectangle or square outline on a clean, dry sidewalk. Press firmly and smooth the tape down. Then use the tape to make a geometric design within your border. Criss-cross the tape to make triangles, rectangles, diamonds, or whatever shapes you’d like. Make sure each piece of tape reaches all the way to another piece of tape so each shape is enclosed. Fill in each section with different colors or patterns all the way to the edges of the tape. Rub your hand over the chalk to blend the color and fill the spaces in between bumps. Once you have all the spaces colored in completely, peel up the tape to reveal the mosaic design.

Chalk Obstacle Course 

Check out this link that shows pictures of examples for  how you can design an obstacle course. This is a great activity for practicing all kinds of gross motor skills and keeps kids active and moving! Once kids get the hang of it they can even design their own course.

Chalk Bullseye

Draw a few concentric circles and label them with point values, with the center circle having the greatest value. You can use small rocks for markers. Each player gets three turns throwing their markers on the bullseye. Add up the points and compare scores. 

Pocket measuring tape

We recommend the ones with soft tape so it doesn’t hurt little fingers when it is released quickly (like this one).

Measure It!

Let kids go wild measuring all sorts of things. A book, their tray table, the length of their shoe – even each other. Let them experiment with  different units of measure like centimeters, millimeters, inches, and feet. You can ask: When measuring an object, why is it’s length more centimeters than inches? How much longer is _____ than _____?

Guess and Check

Make an estimate about how tall, wide, or long an object is. Then measure the object and see how close you were. It’s OK (and expected) that you don’t get it exactly correct. But see if you get closer with practice. Throw in math terms like: estimate, compare, length, width, height, more, less, equal to.

Which is Biggest?

Predict which object is bigger than another. By how much? Then measure and compare. For example, which tree trunk is the biggest around (greatest circumference). 

Magnifying glass

Up Close Exploration

Take a magnifying glass just about anywhere to get a close-up view of all sorts of everyday objects – indoors and outdoors. Check out tree bark, leaves, rocks, sand, insects, fabric, building materials – the list is endless! Kids can draw what they observe in a scientist notebook.

Detective Pretend Play

There’s nothing like a simple prop to inspire all types of imaginative play. Kids can use the magnifying glass to look for clues and solve mysteries of their own design.

Watercolor paints and paintbrush

A basic watercolor set is great for travel because the paint is solid rather than liquid based. Make sure they are dry before you throw them back in your travel bag just to make sure nothing drips out. You can also dab them dry with a paper towel. We recommend bringing along some watercolor paper or at least heavy cardstock paper.

Tape Resist

Apply painter’s tape or washi tape all the way across the watercolor paper to create sections on the paper. Then paint the different sections with watercolors. Once it’s completely dry, carefully peel off the tape for the big reveal. Check out this blog for inspiration.

Crayon Resist

Draw on the paper using crayons or oil pastels. Press hard to make sure you get a lot of crayon wax on the paper. Then paint all over the paper and watch the wax resist the paint. You can use any color but drawing with just a white crayon is fun because it’s more of a surprise when you paint over it.

Salt Sparkles

Paint with watercolors then sprinkle some salt on the paint while it’s still a little wet. After it dries completely, you can brush off the excess salt and you’ll see how the salt makes sparkly textures in the paint.

Disappearing Art

You could also just pack one of the cheap paint brushes that comes inside a watercolor set all by itself. There’s plenty to do with just a paintbrush and water. Fill up a cup of water and let kids paint on a sidewalk, deck, or patio and let them observe how it “disappears” over time. If you’re at the beach, kids can paint water onto rocks and shells and watch it fade away. Ask them why they think their paintings disappear and what might make them disappear faster or slower for a science connection. A paintbrush takes up almost no space at all and you can stash it in even the smallest of bags. If you have a refillable watercolor brush like this that can be filled with water, then it’s even easier to bring it along – no cup of water needed! 

Balloons

Balloons are inexpensive, pack small, and provide hours of fun.

Keep it Up

This is a tried and true balloon game. The object is to keep the balloon from touching the ground for as long as possible. It’s a great game when you’re stuck waiting somewhere with time to kill.

Balloon Badminton

This is another variation of Keep it Up. String some painter’s tape, string, or a scarf between two chairs. Count how many times the players hit the balloon back and forth over the “net” or use a timer to keep track of how long you can keep it going. See if you can break your previous record. 

Balloon Waddle

This goofy game for multiple kids is sure to get some giggles. Make a starting line and finish line for the race. It’s just like a regular race, but the kids must keep a balloon between their knees all the way to the finish line. Half the fun is watching them waddle and collapse into laughter. You can even incorporate a “balloon waddle” (or another balloon activity) into an obstacle course.

Painter’s tape or washi tape

See this link for an entire article with ideas for painter's tape and post-it play for every age!

A few safety notes:

Balloons can pose a suffocation risk for young children and wildlife. Always supervise children when they play with balloons and discard balloons after they pop, both inside and outside.

When using a calculator or flashlight, make sure to check that the battery compartment is screwed tightly so children cannot access it.

Keep any choking hazards out of reach for younger children.