Monday, March 9, 2009
Suggestion Box
After last summer's highly successful road trip entertainment, I'm having a hard time coming up with something new to keep the crazies busy on a LOOOOOONG car ride. It's been a while since our last road trip, so I'm sure I can repeat some of it. But does anyone have any great ideas for traveling fun? I'm open to suggestions for both snacks and activities (besides movies...that's a given). What worked for you?
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Well, my first suggestion in chewable dramamine:) It works for all of my travelers to encourage them to sleep a bit extra:) And, we have used window markers (made by Crayola I think) and they colored on their respective window. A little wipe down with a windex wipe, and we were ready for more art work. That, and a small dry erase board were fun too! We have done silly dollar store toys that we gift wrapped for them to open when we got to a certain point on the trip too, which was fun for them! And, really, I have found that I tend to pack too much food..go figure. SO I pack some of the basics, and let them pick a treat at the gas station when we stop. Normally candy, of course, as the basics for me tend to include chips and crackers, and grapes. And, they always get a cool new travel cup, I hate paying for drinks anywhere!! If I think of anything else:)
This is interesting-I'm probably going to Boston to watch my sister run her marathon (a 12 hour drive) in April. Though its not like a trip to UT, I'm still nervous about it and am brainstorming about it all the time-but I haven't gotten too far. I did find some amazing stuff at our dollar store. I was blown away. Some foam beads with a plastic needle and plastic string. I don't know if your boys would think its girly but Ellie was way into it. Could you get some CDs with music and stories from the library? My mom had one and Ellie was really into it last time she rode with my mom. I'll keep thinking...
Drive through the night. Horrible for parents. 8 hours sleep for kids. Miserable first day at destination for parents.
How about a "surprise box" -- they can open a secret envelope that will tell them what toy/activity they will play with that hour. Some could be new toys, some old favorites, a movie, a singing time. Maybe a timer or battery operated clock that would beep when it is time to open a new envelope.
Good luck!
I just don't take kids on road trips...problem solved :)
I had a friend who had SIX kids (yikes) and when they had long road trips she would figure out how many hours they would be driving, go to the dollar store and buy a toy for each child to open EACH hour!! The toy would keep them entertained for about an hour and by then it was time to open a new toy!!! Good luck!
I'm so glad that you posted about this... because I was going to do the same thing in a few months when we go on our roadtrip! We haven't been on a long one since James was a little baby... and this time I'll have William and James to entertain... as well as a baby to take care of! Yikes! I'm excited to see what you come up with.
I don't have any great ideas. Fun snacks, new crayons/coloring books/paper pads. William loves to play "I spy". Books. I will keep thinking...
I hate crayons or markers in the car. They always drop a lid then the marker is ruined and I'm picking up crayons from the floor and from under carseats for the next 6 months.
They've used magna doodles or any kind of a wipe off book with a writing object attached to it with a string.
My girls love books on tape/cd. Some of our favorites (That Sean and I actually enjoy too), are Junie B. Jones, Magic Tree House, and Beverly Cleary books. Soon, we are hoping to try The Series of Unfortunate Events and Harry Potter. I just don't know if they are quite old enough for those yet.
We sing lots of songs, and eat lots of crackers, cheese, gummy bears, juice boxes etc.
My friend told me she keeps bubbles in her glove box and then when her girls get board she takes them out, turns up the AC as high as it goes and holds the bubble wand in front of the vent. It shoots the bubbles straight back to her girls.
They also have a Leapfrog Leapster that they love to play in the car and theeach have a Fisher Price Kid Tough digital camera (It's fun to see what they get pictures of through the window, once when I emptied Ella's camera it was full of pictures she had taken of herself, hilarious!) and a FP Kid Tough digital music player thing (with head phones) that you can load up with music and stories and is so simple for them to work themselves.
Good Luck!
One thing that William loves is the storybooks that you follow along with as you listen to the story on CD/tape.
Have you checked the internet yet? You can find just about anything you need there.
I remember always playing a car bingo game we had. There were little windows on it that you closed when you found the object. We also played the license plate game once and marked off all the states we found on a map. I know your kids are really little still but maybe you can modify them. I am just throwing ideas out.
I need your help with ideas too. Please take a peek at my blog and respond to the post titled HELP!!!
Thanks you’re the best!
Good Luck!!!
I checked your old post and love your ideas as well as previous posters. We are heading to CA in a few weeks and although I've tried some of these ideas, there are so many more that I want to try now!
I have no other ideas for you since we generally travel at night and just bring along the DVD player. That seems to keep us all happy. Well, that and a variety of food (which I tend to go overboard on as well). :)
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