Here we go. We’re headed out on the road with the kids. Sure, I can put a movie into a player and that’s an easy two hours. But what about creating memories?
When I was a kid, (Ha! There’s that line!) boredom brought about invention. We played traditional games, sang songs, tried to best one another with “What if’s” and then, before resorting to blows, we made up our own games.
Here are five family favorites:
- Add a Sentence Story – everyone adds to a story one sentence at a time.
- Alphabet – Divide into teams. Find each letter of the alphabet in order.
- I Spy – “I spy with my little eye something that starts with ‘B’” – players try to spot an object.
- I Packed My Bag – Each player has to remember what is in the bag and then add their own item. One variation is to list items alphabetically.
- Bizz-Buzz – Start counting. 1 – 2 . . . Every time you get to 3 or a multiple of 3, you say Bizz. Every time you get to 5 or a multiple of 5, you say Buzz. If it’s a multiple of both (i.e. 15) say Bizz-Buzz.
Don’t forget car bingo games, books, activity pads, drawing materials, a deck of cards, and a roll of aluminum foil (let them go to town with arm bands, masks, hats, etc.)
What are some favorite songs to sing? The Ants Go Marching In, Skip to My Lou (make up your own verses), On Top of Old Smoky, She’ll Be Coming Round the Mountain, Clementine, or I’ve Been Working on the Railroad are a few.
Make a CD of sing-along songs or good driving songs.
Pack the kids a cooler full of healthy snacks (with a few special treats thrown in.)
Long road trips = FUN!!
