Road Trippin': 5 games for families to play
Contrary to popular belief, not all parents turn on DVD players in the car when the family goes on a road trip. Or have their kids play video games. Or listen to music on an iPod.
And even if and when the kids do all of the above, chances are high that they'll stop at some point during the road trip. Like when the batteries in their gadgets wear out.
You'll need to go old school and think of a game to keep them from driving you nutters.
Check out these tried and true ways to keep the kids busy when you're road tripping. And guess what? We bet you'll have fun playing along.
Look for out-of-state license plates. Pack a notebook and pen so the kids can keep track. On a simple two-hour road trip, my boys managed to spot plates from 12 different states. They kept adding to the list on return trip!
Create sentences that follow the letter/number sequence of license plates. For example, "MDA4E2" could me "My Dog Ate Four Eggs Tonight." Guaranteed giggles as the sentences get silly.
Play travel bingo. No road trip is complete without this classic favorite, where kids try to fill spots on a bingo board that is filled with travel-related items (e.g., a stop sign, train tracks, airplane, etc.) You can print out travel bingo cards at home before the trip or buy auto/travel related bingo cards for your trip. (I'm a fan of this cute set.)
Play Tic-Tac-Toe or Battleship! Crafty mamas should check out this DIY travel folio via Stich/Craft Creations. You can fill the folio with a paper version of the game Battleship, where letters represent the ships in the "real" version (e.g., you fill five squares with the letter "B" for Battleship.) The kids could also play Tic-Tac-Toe or complete crossword puzzles.
Start a simple game of I Spy. Little kids love hearing the words "I spy with my little eye..." because it's a game that everyone can play. Each child takes a turn spying something, and everyone in the car can try to guess what it is.
What are some of your favorite road trip games to play with the kids?
Share your child's first day of school photos and any other fun, embarrassing or incredible moments that you have captured on the Moments of Motherhood Flickr Group. While you are here take part in discussions with other moms.
