Getting crafty on the road: Travel-friendly family projects

By Myscha Theriault, Tribune News Service

Need a family-friendly art activity conducive to travel? Something you can enjoy, but will also keep the kids entertained during a visit with the grandparents? I’ve field tested the following ideas in a number of settings around the world, and with a wide range of ages to boot.

Bonus? These crafts can be cranked out even in the absence of a formal art supply store. That’s right. Using only free items pulled from the recycling and inexpensive supplies from small discount stores, you can create mail art, impromptu party decorations, and more. Try these projects during your next family vacation.

Sculptures

If the word “sculpture” leaves you feeling overwhelmed with visions of wood-carving tools, messy clay, and the mayhem either could cause in the hands of younger artists on family holiday, be stressed no more. A phenomenally versatile supply exists right next to your toilet. Yup, those little cardboard tubes at the center of your bathroom tissue rolls are good for more than preschool puppet theater. While there is no shortage of repurposing ideas for these things, the one that really caught my eye this past year was mask sculptures. Some of the most inspirational ones out there were created by artist Junior Fritz Jacquet, whose finished faces have provided inspiration for a fair number of teachers, students, and art content creators.

The more complicated examples will require a fairly deep dive. However, there are simpler approaches which still look amazing, even for young beginners. A simple internet search and one of the empty roll tubes will get you started. From there, you can add embellishments as I did, or simply choose one basic pigment to layer over the cardboard. You can also use a piece of charcoal, or dark colored pastel to add more visual depth to the nooks and crannies.

The first time I tried one of these, I had difficulty with some of the tighter folds. During my practice session however, I noticed that after a few scrunches and squishes, I could manage a sculpted face which looked very much like an Easter Island statue or a Polynesian tiki carving. So that’s the direction I took. Frankly, I had a ball. So did several of my friends and neighbors. After producing a few examples on the road, I brought the concept home and hosted a community craft night on the back porch of my favorite watering hole. It was a huge hit.

Free supplies included the cardboard tubes, along with sticks, pine needles, and moss from a nature hike. Other items I picked up at a creative reuse center, including remnants of upholstery trims, art yarn scraps, partially used tubes of craft paint, and a couple of costume wigs to cut apart for hair. In towns without a creative reuse center, I have found similar items at thrift and dollar stores. Wrapping sticks with threads, trims, and other bits, then attaching them to finished masks produces a collection of tiki totems you can enjoy in a number of ways. Place a few in a container with greenery to add flair to a tropical cocktail evening, or put a haunted island spin on your next murder mystery dinner party.

Prints

While there are several types of printmaking achievable on the road with minimal equipment, I’ve found hand-carved stamps to be the easiest. If you don’t have a travel set of linocut blades to carve rubber mats or old vinyl erasers into your scene of choice, one of the most accessible solutions is flat styrofoam packaging and your average ballpoint pen. Simply save and sanitize the foam trays from meat and takeout purchases and slice the curved parts away, leaving only the flat portion. Cut to your desired size, and trace a design into the foam, leaving grooves which will form the details of your print. Be advised that younger hands will be more successful with larger pieces of foam and less detail.

The only other supply you need is a moistened ink pad. I have a small one I usually make room for in my luggage, which I store in a leakproof bag. If you’d rather not take that risk, I have seen these in some fairly small village markets. I’m speaking of the type where they stock everything from basic school supplies to kitchen towels and tea kettles. Ink pads are pretty easy to access. If you run into problems, though, you can always experiment with craft paint.

At this point, you’re basically ready to press your stamp into the pigment and stamp on your paper of choice. Smaller stamps provide a wider range of options for using repurposed paper items. The brown craft paper that comes wrapped around shipped items, bits of business envelopes from the mail, and even empty sections of printed documents can come into play if archival paper isn’t at your disposal. For example, I’ve found that black ink stamped on brown packing paper with torn edges can look quite striking on a black background. If you’re worried about having limited pattern-drawing experience, don’t be. I’ve done pencil-carved foam stamps in remote locations with students as young as seven. Seriously, you’ll be surprised at how rewarding the finished product can be.

These pint-sized prints can serve a number of purposes. I’ve personally used them to add dimension to an art journal entry, as handmade gift tags, and to decorate thank you notes. Giving them as a gift? Try adding a backing, or a coordinating mat and frame to elevate the look. They are also fun to have on hand if you happen to stumble upon one of those free tiny art galleries during your adventures.

Postcards

I’ve been making homemade postcards and sending them to friends for a few years now. The skill-level barrier for creating them is extremely low, while the freedom to elevate the end product as your artistic talents grow is virtually unlimited. This means that in addition to being quite a bit of fun to do, they are also achievable for travelers of many ages and abilities. The best part? People are legitimately tickled to find these in their mail, no matter how abstract, rustic, or quirky their particular postcard is.

There’s a reason ideas and tutorials for mail art and pen-pal clubs have had a resurgence. There’s something heartwarming about getting an item in the post that isn’t a bill or a sale flyer. It makes people feel seen. And the more real and vulnerable you are with the postcards you make, the more the people who receive them will feel they can really see you too.

While you can certainly spend a small fortune on supplies to start this project, it is absolutely unnecessary. In many parts of the world, it isn’t possible to overspend anyway, as supply sources are few and far between. Some of the most basic cards can be created with empty food boxes from the pantry, tourism brochures, and a few readily available basics such as scissors, a glue stick, and some crayons. You’ll also need something to glue on the imaged side of the card you cut from the food box so you can decorate it. Blank index cards are usually my first choice, but do what works for you. From there, just color in a background, cut an interesting image from one of your brochures to collage on top of it, and add your address and message to the plain background of the completed postcard. Easy peasy.

Bottom line? There are a number of ways to be creative while traveling, many of which don’t require lugging along a ton of tools and equipment in your pack. With a little ingenuity and a bit of leftover packaging, you can create more art than you might expect.

(Lifestyle and travel expert @MyschaTheriault blends thrift and luxury to live well for less around the world.)

©2025 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.