CarTravelActivities
Car Travel Activities for Kids
By
Laurel Smith
Time
flies when you’re having fun - The miles fly by too! You can make a
long family car trip seem a lot shorter if you have fun with your kids
along the way. Plan ahead with a few car activities, and making the
journey can be as much fun as the destination. Here are a few ideas to
get you started.
Make
a Trip-Journal or Scrapbook
Give
everyone a big spiral bound sketchpad and a box of crayons or markers.
Each day of the trip or for each event along the way, draw a picture of
what you did that day, or draw a map of where you went, and write about
it. You can also paste in souvenirs.
Get
a Good Songbook With All the Lyrics
It
surprising how many songs you think you know, but you don't really know
all the words. Have a singing marathon and learn the old classics by
heart.
Give
Your Kids an Allowance for the Day
Tell
them that this money is for snacks, treats, souvenirs etc. Help them
learn to budget their money and make good choices.
Let
Your Children Have a Map
Give
your kids their own copy of a map of where you are going. Show them how
far you have come, how much further there is to go and let them mark it
with a crayon. Every time someone asks "How much further?” let them see
for themselves. You might also like to get a compass and show them how
it works along with the map.
Have
Bubble Gum Blowing Contests
The
weirder the gum the better. Get it at the rest areas and try all the
different flavors.
The
License Plate Game
Print
a U.S. map off the computer and color in the states as you see license
plates from each one. See if you can get all 50 states between
Memorial Day and Labor Day. You might even record the time and date and
the state where you saw it. This can be a family project as you build
your "collection" of license plates together.
Cats
Cradle or String Loops
You
just need a piece of string for this one. See if you can
make "Jacob's Ladder", "Kitty Whiskers", or play Cats Cradle!
Magnetic
Board Games
Do
your children know how to play classic board games like Chess,
Backgammon, Checkers, or Chinese Checkers? What better time to
learn than in the car to pass the time! The magnetic car versions
of these games are nice because they are small and compact, and have
easy ways to store the pieces so they don't get lost.
Counting
Cows
Count
the cows you see on your side of the car. If you pass a cemetery on
your side of the car, you lose all your cows. The one with the
most cows wins.
Read
Out Loud
This
passes the time quickly in the car for the reader and for the family
members who are listening.
Lego
Contest
Have
a contest to see who can build the best item that relates to where you
are going. Use a shoebox to store the Legos, or large zip lock bags.
Guess
How Far Away That Is
Pick
an object and have everyone guess how far away it is, then clock
it on your odometer.
Play
Favorites
Have
everyone think of different "favorite" questions for the group. What's
your favorite... movie, flavor of ice cream, song, game, toy, place to
visit, restaurant, book, animal, fish, etc. Be creative and don't
forget to ask the driver too!
Aluminum
Art
Give
everyone a sheet of aluminum foil. Have them mold it into anything they
want: animal shapes, Frisbees, balls, jewelry, crowns, headband,
necklaces and masks. Be creative. It’s inexpensive fun and easy to
clean up. Toddlers love this one too.
Remember
that it's sometimes nice to sit in the back of the van with your kids
while Dad is doing the driving and play some games right along side
them. You might be surprised at how much fun you have too. Happy
travels!
-----------------------
Laurel
Smith is a former schoolteacher and mother of three who has logged
thousands of road trip miles both as a kid and a mom. Visit her
website for more than 101 travel games and activities for kids at MomsMinivan.com
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