Are we the only family on earth that doesn’t have a built-in DVD player in our vehicle?
I almost asked that question out loud during a recent playgroup discussion about family road trips. Most of our friends have young children. Consequently, they tend to drive to their summer vacation destinations, rather than fly. This fact led to the DVD player conversation. Every single mom I spoke to swore that she would never leave the driveway if her vehicle weren’t equipped with a DVD player. Apparently, when traveling with kids, preservation of one’s sanity hinges on having an electronic device that kids can stare at for hours on end.
I realize that most parents would rather deal with a flat tire than a car full of whiny children. However, I think it is wholly possible to embark on a tech-free road trip. We did it as kids, why can’t this generation of youngsters?
Even if you don’t go totally tech-free, you might consider the following tried and true car games to keep things running smoothly on your next your road trip:
20 QUESTIONS
This classic car game requires one person to think of a person, place or thing, while each of the other players gets to ask 20 questions to figure out what it is. Keep in mind that all the questions must be answered with either a “yes” or “no.”
Example:
Mom: Thinks of a person, place, or thing
John: Is it a place?
Mom: Yes
Mary: Is it a place we’ve been to?
Mom: Yes
Tony: Is it in Hawaii?
LICENSE PLATES
Instead of allowing them to stare at TV screen for the entire ride, have your kids look out your vehicle’s windows and attempt to find license plates from all 50 states. You could also have them keep their eyes peeled for states that have more than one type of license plate. Note: It’s helpful to have a map to keep track of what states you have already found.
GEOGRAPHY BEE
There are different versions of this game, but this one best suits a road trip. Have one member of the family think of a place (city, state, country, etc.), and then the next person has to think of another destination that starts with the last letter of the previous place. Remember that you can’t use the same place twice, and the place has to be real.
Example:
Mom starts with: Japan
Dad: Nebraska
Son: Arkansas
Daughter: South Carolina
TRAVEL JOURNAL
For older, kids travel journals are a great way to pass the time in the car. Purchase each of your children a new journal prior to leaving on your trip, and then have them add something to it each day you are on the road. They could also buy post cards from different places you visit and add them to the journal.
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