Travel Kits

Our family loves to travel. Sometimes though, the traveling part can get a little trying. Long car rides or sitting in an airport waiting on a flight that is several hours delayed can make even the most patient person a bit irritable.

Recently I was asked to review an e-book (from The Old Schoolhouse) entitled Travel Kits-A Simple Way to Bless Others by Donna Rees. Donna gives a variety of ways to entertain the whole family while traveling. Whether your kit is for a toddler or a teen, a grad or a grandparent, she not only gives you gift ideas but clever ways to package them. Who ever thought of using an ice chest or a hat to store gifts? It certainly does make the presentation more exciting. Don't think this has to be expensive. Some of her kits contain dollar store toys, lollipops and even library books that can be returned after the trip. Items can be wrapped in pretty paper or simply in yesterday's newspaper. There are 14 chapters filled with ideas for any age-from babies to elderly-plus a bonus section full of links, recipes and more. For $12.45, it's a great deal! TOS provided me with this book to review. Though I received it for free, I have given an honest review in this post. To see more reviews on this same e-book, check out the Crew Blog.

I was so inspired after reading all the personal stories in Donna's book that I made my own box of blessings for my two girls going off to camp. I purchased $1.00 plastic storage boxes to hold a gift to open each day they're away. My girls were off to ballet camp for 2 weeks-dancing up to 5 hours a day. For their gifts I chose things like hair clips, a pretty water bottle, a mini first aid kit, Chap Stick and some little bags of candy. I also added stationary, cute little pens and a mini flashlight. I wrapped part of the gifts in some left over Valentine's paper; the others I wrapped in tissue paper. I used a favorite devotional to find Bible verses that I then printed out and tied on each gift with a ribbon. I included a Bible verse 'streamer' for them to decorate their dorm room with. In my case, I dated each gift. Certain items like the water bottle needed to be opened early on so they could use it at camp. Finally, I included a small card with a ballerina on the front and a personal message inside. My girls were thrilled and deeply touched to have a bit of home with them at camp.

God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor 9:7). With Donna's book it makes it easy to be a cheerful giver…and traveler. You can find her book and a variety of other materials for mom and child at The Old Schoolhouse.