Organizing and Cleaning

We all know what it is like to go on a trip (especially a long one) and have kids that are bored. It seems as though it is okay for the first 30 minutes, after that it is the longest trip we ever took!

These games will help to break up the time. I suggest that you play each game for no miore than ten minutes. that way the kids look forward to playing that game again.

These are geared for kids of alkl ages, so even the preschoolers can play and be a part of the fun.

Games to Play when taking a Trip—all ages can play

 

Treasure Bottle
Prepare this one ahead of time.  Use a large soda bottle or a large clean peanut butter jar. Fill it no more than 2/3 full  with uncooked rice or birdseed. Then put in about 20-25 small objects (safety pin, plastic bugs, button, M&M, nut, bolt, paper clip, penny, bead, piece of macaroni, tiny lego, and other misc. toy pieces or stuff that is probably rolling around in your kitchen junk drawer.)  Keep a count of the items and write down the number of items on the outside of the bottle. Put the lid on tight (super-glue it if necessary).   Let the kids take turns rolling the bottle around in their hands until they find them all. Kids of all ages love this game.  You can make more than one treasure bottle so kids don't have to take turns - put different items in different bottles. From www.momsinvan.com

 

 

Mystery Writing-Guess what I am writing or drawing
One child holds out his hand or draws on the other kids back and closes his eyes while the other child "writes" on his hand or back with her finger.  The first child has to guess what the second person is writing.  Start with just letters, and if it gets too easy, play with 2 or 3 letter words, pausing  between letters. There's no winner or loser with this game. It can just go on continuously

 

 

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. 

 

Counting Cows
One of my favorites. Count the cows you see on your side of the car. If you pass a field full of lots of cows, you'd better count fast!  If you pass a cemetery on your side of the car, you lose all your cows, but only if the opposing team calls "your cows are buried!".  This game gets interesting when distraction tactics are used to either cause your opponent to miss cows on their side of the road or to miss a cemetery on your side of the road. A white horse can count as a bonus. The team with the most cows wins. 

 

I Spy
Look around and pick an object you can see either in the car or along the road. Then give others a clue such as, "I spy with my little eye... something green.", or "I spy with my little eye .. something brown and furry" Continue to give more clues until they can guess what it is. 

 

Scavenger Hunt
Give each child a list of items to watch for while driving. The list can be made up ahead of time and adjusted for the scenery

 

The Alphabet Game
Start with the letter "A" and find one on a sign, truck, building or license plate, say the word and then move on to the next letter.  You can do this as a competition or together as a family for the younger beginning readers.  The first one to get to the letter "Z" is the winner!

 

Rest Stop Stretch
Keep a ball, frisbee or jump rope in the back of your car, along with a picnic blanket so when you stop at a rest area, everyone can run and be free and stretch their legs.

 

 

 

Recipes for kids for on a road trip

Make Your own trail mix
Make it with stuff that's on sale: mix dried fruit, nuts, M&M's, cereal, goldfish crackers, etc./ together.  Put servings into small sandwich bags to be passed out at the appropriate times

 

Juice boxes
If you freeze these first, they help keep other stuff in the cooler cold on the road. Drink them as they thaw. We only get these out if we are having a picnic at a roadside rest stop. Otherwise, it's only water in the car.