Anyone that has ever been on a road trip with youngsters certainly know that it can be quite a challenge trying to keep them occupied if it is for a long period of time. There are many things however that you can do to keep them busy along the way. The types of activities that you use of course will depend on the age. Here are a few suggestions according to age.
Ages 3 to 6
Story telling with a twist:
Here you begin a story with one line then each person in the car adds one line to it. Be sure that each person takes a turn in the if there are other adults, as it seems the kids enjoy it more when everyone participates.
Color counting
If you are going to be traveling on a well traveled road then get each of the children to pick their favorite color. Then get them to add up the number of vehicles that they see that are of their chosen color. Set a short time limit for this around ten minutes.
You can also take along some children's story CD's or sing-along CDs.
Ages 7 to 10
I Spy with my Little Eye
This is an age old classic game. Someone picks an object within the car and is going to say the color. For i.e. a green sweater, so the person would say, "I spy with my little eye something that is green." Then the children have to guess what it is, and the winner then becomes the spy.
Road Guide
Take along a notebook, pencils and crayons. Ask the kids to map out the trip as you journey along. Tell them they can give the map to their grandparents so they will know how to make this trip in the future.
Ages 11-13
Music
No doubt at this age listening to their own music is going to be their number one choice. So you may want to be sure they each have their own MP3 for example.
Trivia
Purchasing a compact trivia game or taking a section from the Home Trivia game set is always a great way to pass the time.
These are all suggestions that will take up a bit of time and help to make the trip enjoyable. In addition to these though there are some items that you can pack or purchase before your trip to help keep the children occupied as well. Here are a few suggestions for a kids' road kit.
A small hard surface which the children can put on their laps ,so they can do things such as writing or coloring. A small smooth plastic cutting board works great for this.
- Coloring books and crayons
- Pencils with erasers and sharpener
- Activity books that contain different assignments such as word puzzles
- Plain paper or notebooks
- Small action figures
- Short story books
This post was written by Lior who advises to Milk Nursingwear, a company that sells maternity belly bands, nursing camisoles and much more.
