Grandma’s Magic Purse

September 5, 2022

The kids were talking to each other as they followed their family past an exhibit they had visited earlier. Apparently they were getting ready for the trip home at the end of a day at Entertrainment Junction.

Somehow, they seemed to be eagerly awaiting the car ride home.

“I wonder what’s in Grandma’s magic purse,” one said to the other. 

“Could be anything,” was the reply.

The rest of the conversation was lost to the crowd, but we are left to wonder. What was in the “magic” purse? How can we reconstruct it so that on our next trip, the ride is part of the adventure?

Part purse

Well, of course the whole thing depends on the purse being at least partly a purse. 

Life comes at you fast, and so do the kids! You will need the purse essentials: money, credit card, kleenex, wipes, and hand sanitizer.

With the bare minimum and a little planning, you can handle most of life’s little disasters and situations while keeping everyone calm, clean, and cared for.

Part Personality

Of course, it would not be your purse without a little personality. What inside of your purse makes you, well, you? Perhaps it is your glasses, your massive and always findable keychain with baubles from trips to Boca Raton, the Grand Canyon, Niagra Falls, and New York City, or maybe just the signature hard candy that the kids love but never buy for themselves.

These contents of your purse are the things you can’t travel without. Because airplane rules always apply in travel. You have to take care of yourself in order to properly take care of everyone else.

Part Magic

Okay, here is the magic. Your purse needs to take into consideration the wonder of childhood, the age of the children who are traveling with you, and their particular interests and skills.

Here are some avenues of thought to consider:

• Dolls or figures depicting their favorite movie characters
• Something they can build or construct together or individually
• Supplies for drawing or playing a game on paper

When selecting these items, be biased toward the least restrictive options. For instance, a travel I-Spy game is okay, but it can’t be another game. A pad of paper and pencil can become I-Spy or many other games, opening up the possibilities. 

One final caveat – in order to keep the purse magic, these items need to be put away (or replaced) after each trip. Otherwise their novelty wears off, and so does their effectiveness.

What’s in your magic purse?