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Keeping kids entertained during long drives or rainy van-life days can make or break a family road trip. One of my favorite mom hacks is stocking our camper van with tiny, travel-friendly craft kits that don’t take up space and don’t create a glitter-bomb disaster.

Here are 10 easy crafts your kids can do anywhere (in the van, at camp, or during quiet downtime) plus the compact supplies we use and love. These are all perfect for road trips and small spaces.

And bonus: they all fit into a single packing cube!

1. Watercolor Postcards

Kids can paint what they see out the window — mountains, lakes, campsites, or even their favorite snack of the day. Turn them into postcards and mail them home! This kit is great for kids and adults alike. It comes with a case, so all the pieces fit neatly inside, plus it comes with some postcards to get started.

What You Need:
🎨 Mini watercolor kit — compact, mess-free, and perfect for travel.
👉 Amazon: Mini Watercolor Kit

2. Nature Rubbing Art

Grab leaves, pine needles, interesting bark, or rocks from camp and let kids create textured rubbings. This pencil roll is perfect for traveling!

What You Need:
🖍️ Travel-size colored pencil roll
👉 Amazon: Colored Pencil Roll
📒 Small sketchbook
👉 Amazon: Compact Sketchbook

3. Washi Tape Bookmarks

Washi tape = zero mess and endless creativity. Let the kids layer patterns and colors to make bookmarks for their travel journals.

What You Need:
✨ Washi tape bundle
👉 Amazon: Washi Tape Set
✂️ Small paper strips or index cards

4. Paper Weaving Kit

Kids weave small strips of colored paper through pre-cut slits to create bright, patterned masterpieces which can be used for decorations or placemats. It’s calming, hands-on, and perfect for quiet van time with no mess and little cleanup.

What You Need:
📄 Pre-cut paper strips & cardstock with slits (bright colors work best)
👉 Amazon: Paper Strip Pack

5. Reuseable Sticker Scenes

Reusable sticker books are perfect for toddlers and younger kids who love sticking and resticking without making a mess. Bring a compact book with simple backgrounds—like a forest, ocean, or playground—and let them create new scenes over and over during the drive.

What You Need:
👉 Amazon: Reuseable Sticker Scenes

6. Watercolor Resist Art

Draw with white crayon, paint over it with watercolors, and watch the “magical” picture appear.

What You Need:
🖍️ White crayon
🎨 Mini watercolor palette
👉 Amazon: Mini Watercolor Kit

7. Travel Scrapbook Pages

Add ticket stubs, Junior Ranger badges, maps, and photos to a tiny scrapbook. This becomes a keepsake of your entire trip.

What You Need:
📘 Compact scrapbook
👉 Amazon: Kids Scrapbook
✨ Camping sticker bundles
👉 Amazon: Sticker Bundles

8. Dot-Sticker Animals

Give the kids dot sticker sheets and have them create animals, flowers, and patterns. This is GREAT for long drive days.

What You Need:
🟡 White Paper
✨ Washi tape for accents
👉 Amazon: Dot Stickers Pack

9. Van Window Suncatchers

Cut shapes (hearts, stars, circles, mountains) out of a clear paper base (contact paper or wax paper), layer with washi tape, add a ribbon, and hang them from the van windows. Alternately, if you don’t have wax paper nor contact paper, just fold or loop the washi tape so it sticks to itself. The sunlight looks beautiful through the colors. This is easy with little mess to clean up.

What You Need:
✨ Washi tape
👉 Amazon: Washi Tape Set
✂️ Safety scissors
📄 Contact paper or wax

10. Paper Chain Van Decorations

Cut strips of colored paper and let kids tape, glue, or staple them into loops, connecting them into a chain. Hang them inside the van or around the campsite. It’s colorful, cheerful, and perfect for decorating your tiny home on wheels. You could even incorporate a countdown to your next stop. This link is for pre-cut strips with the sticky tape already on the paper, all you do it peel off the film, create a loop, and press the 2 ends together. Simple & fast.

What You Need:
🧰 Colored Paper strips & tape
👉 Amazon: Pre-cut Paper Strips with Tape

Why Travel-Friendly Crafts Make Van Life Easier

Crafts give kids something creative to do that does not involve screens and they turn downtime into peaceful pockets of joy. On long road trips or in tight camper van spaces, these simple activities keep little hands busy and happy. Travel friendly crafts help pass the time on rainy days and give families something fun to do together in the van or at the campsite. The supplies are compact, easy to pack, and take up almost no room which makes them perfect for family camping and road trips. Many of these projects become souvenirs of your adventures and kids love looking back at what they created. Parents and grandparents often search for travel activities for kids and small craft kits which means these craft ideas convert well for affiliate income. These travel crafts are fun, practical, and make camper van life easier for everyone.

Happy crafting and happy travels!