When you hear “busy bag,” you probably think of toddlers on airplanes - but who says adults can’t have one too? As a crafter who can’t sit still for too long without wanting to doodle, color, or stick a little washi tape somewhere, I knew I had to prepare a little stash to keep myself entertained on our 1 1/2 hour flight from Dammam to Dubai, the 3-hour layover, and especially the big one - our 14-hour flight from Dubai to Seattle. And yes, I packed it all in my trusty Jansport backpack—still vibrant and cute after almost 15 years (a gift from my husband when we were still dating). What I Packed in My Flight Busy Bag Snacks : Candies - Gummi Worms and mint, chocolates (because travel calories don’t count). Ohuhu Maui markers + Love Cynthia coloring book (thanks Kaye). A 6x6 Paint by Numbers kit I scored in KKV, Malaysia. Travel journaling kit : My TN, Xiaomi photo printer, Pentel MatteHop pens (pen set and TN are gifts from Chummy!), stickers, and washi tape set....
When you hear “busy bag,” you probably think of toddlers on airplanes - but who says adults can’t have one too? As a crafter who can’t sit still for too long without wanting to doodle, color, or stick a little washi tape somewhere, I knew I had to prepare a little stash to keep myself entertained on our 1 1/2 hour flight from Dammam to Dubai, the 3-hour layover, and especially the big one - our 14-hour flight from Dubai to Seattle.
And yes, I packed it all in my trusty Jansport backpack—still vibrant and cute after almost 15 years (a gift from my husband when we were still dating).
What I Packed in My Flight Busy Bag
Snacks: Candies - Gummi Worms and mint, chocolates (because travel calories don’t count).
Ohuhu Maui markers + Love Cynthia coloring book (thanks Kaye).
A 6x6 Paint by Numbers kit I scored in KKV, Malaysia.
Travel journaling kit: My TN, Xiaomi photo printer, Pentel MatteHop pens (pen set and TN are gifts from Chummy!), stickers, and washi tape set.
- I was also able to finish half of The Silent Wife—which is currently sitting in my DNF.
How I Kept Busy
I colored a page in my Love Cynthia coloring book (though honestly, the Maui markers didn’t blend as well as my usual alcohol markers).
I finished my little 6x6 Paint by Numbers of a cat reading—this cutie even decorated our Seattle hotel room and cruise stateroom! 🐱📚
I did a bit of washi tape decorating in my TN, though not much journaling yet since our trip had just started.
And here’s the kicker… all of that only took (or I feel like) maybe 2 hours of a 14-hour flight. Probably our longest flight yet!
Lessons Learned (The Hard Way)
Pack your charging cords. ALL of them. My Xiaomi printer died after two photos, and finding a micro USB cord in 2025 was like asking for a floppy disk. People literally told me, “who still uses that?” I finally found a 3-in-1 cord at the Museum of Pop Culture in Seattle for $10 on sale—now permanently stashed in our travel pouch of chargers and adaptors.
And note to self: always pack Pringles when we fly! I caught my husband eyeing two different people munching on theirs during the flight. Needless to say, the first thing I did when we went to Target was grab a couple of cans so we’d be ready for the trip back home.
Busy Bag, Round Two (Return Flight Edition)
For our trip back, I replenished my bag with:
Watercolor the Easy Way Set (MoPOP find).
Make Your Own Dream Catcher kit from Skagway, Alaska.
A fully charged photo printer (lesson learned!).
But then the most wonderful travel thing happened… the two seats beside us were EMPTY. Which meant I got to lie down and sleep almost the entire flight. I snoozed through 80% of the trip, and my carefully packed busy bag stayed untouched.
Final Thoughts
So after all that planning, my busy bag ended up being more of a sleepy bag on the way home. But honestly, that’s the beauty of it—whether you end up journaling, painting, coloring, or just catching some Z’s, the real “must-pack” for long flights is simply whatever makes the hours feel lighter. For me, that turned out to be a mix of markers, washi tape… and an unexpected stretch of glorious uninterrupted sleep.
What to Pack in Your Own Busy Bag (Adult Edition)
If you want to make your own version, here are some ideas you can mix and match depending on your hobbies:
🎧 Entertainment: Downloaded series and movies, podcasts, music playlists
🍬 Snacks: Small, easy-to-pack treats for when you don’t feel like plane food
✏️ Creative Supplies: Coloring books, markers/pens, small watercolor or paint-by-numbers kits
📓 Journaling Kit: Notebook, travel journal, washi tapes, stickers
📱 Gadgets: Kindle, tablet, Nintendo Switch, or photo printer
🔌 Essentials: All the charging cords, portable charger, headphones
😴 Comfort: Neck pillow, eye mask, cozy socks
The trick is to pack things that are small, light, and fun—things that make the hours pass without feeling like forever.
Your busy bag looks busier than a toddler’s busy bag. A 5 yr old would definitely envy what you have or what the airline could offer(which usually are crayons and a small coloring book only).
ReplyDeleteHow I wish I am like your busy bag…. Still looks young and perpetually new. The colors are still vibrant.
By the way your Jansport brand backpack was founded in 1967 in the place you recently visited; Seattle, Washington.
“They stand by the quality and durability of every backpack they make. “ You may have forgotten the cost of your trusted bag but who cares all you know is that it has served you well and still doing its job.
I like the 6x6 painting of the reading cat and the adult version of “what to pack in your own busy bag” tips.
“Better to have, and not need, than to need, and not have.".
Thanks for sharing your busy bag packing tips.
-aMOMymous