On the Road with Kids - Tips
22 February, 2019
Long road trips can make even the most confident of parents feel a little crazy. Kids are more excited than ever and it all comes out in the car, when really, you just want them to go back to sleep or read their novel peacefully.
The secret to a successful road trip is to manage expectations, prepare and know that practice makes perfect. The more you prepare for this trip, the more you'll know how to deal with the next. You'll know what works, what doesn't and what needs perfecting a bit more.
So let's jump in there and suss out the best things you can do to make this road trip enjoyable and even fun.
I Spy
A classic! Someone picks something, whether it be outside or in and the car and says, 'I spy with my little eye something beginning with .....' The rest have to guess what it is. Winner gets the next go.
Colouring in/activity books
There are so many great activity and colouring books we're really spoilt for choice. Grab some for the kids or let them choose.
Reading/picture books
If you have an older child, get them to grab a book to read on the way, or for younger children, Where's Wally books are great.
Audio Books
Lego
Grab one of those little lego sets that they can easily put together in the car. Bring a plastic container with you to keep all of those little pieces in one place.
You also don't have to buy lego sets either, just bring some lego pieces along and they can have fun making things. Or do the lego challenge and challenge them to make anything from a shape to a robot. Find lego challenge cards on Pinterest.
https://www.funathomewithkids.com/2014/06/diy-portable-lego-kit-with-free.html
Music
Prepare a playlist before you leave that they love and have them singing along in the car.
Kids Podcasts
Road Trip Map
Create a map that outlines your journey so the kids can understand what they'll be doing, how far and where they'll be going. Every hour or so move the marker so show where you are and much much longer you've got to go. Hopefully, they'll be asking 'are we there yet?!' a lot less.
http://www.ouredventures.com/journals-for-kids-31/map-journal-11497
Snacks
The kids will get even more cranky if their hungry little tummies are rumbling so make sure you pack something healthy and delicious for them. Pack something that's easy to eat and not too messy. Fruit pouches, homemade muffins, museli bars, fruit and veg are all great ideas.
Road Trip Experiment
Ask your kids what is the most common car colour and see what they come up with. Then test it with this printable below. Cross the cars off as they go by.
https://happyyouhappyfamily.com/road-trip-kids-activity/
Busy Books
My mother is really crafty and made us all busy books that we could do while in church to keep us busy and quiet - it worked really well.
Craft kit/Jewellery making kit
If you have a crafty kid find a kit that they can do by themselves.
Connections
Start off with a single word, e.g. cat. The next person says the first word they can think off related to cats, e.g. kittens. And so it goes, e.g. baby, until someone can't think of something.
Spelling Bee
Say a word and each kids gets a turn to spell it out.
Would you rather?
Who Am I
Pick a animal/item or object and the others have to guess what it is using only 'yes' or 'no' questions. If you get a 'yes' you get to ask another question, if you get a 'no' the next person gets to ask a question until someone guesses correctly.
Shopping list challenge
A classic memory game. The first player names something from the store beginning with 'A', the second player repeats it, then adds on something else brought from the store beginning with the next letter of the alphabet 'B' and so on. See if you can reach 'Z'!
License Plates Sentences
Make up sentences from the letters in license plates, so if the license plate was YBP123, you'd use the letters to make up a sentence, e.g. Yummy Big Pudding!
Create a Character
Spot a stranger walking along the foot path and make up a character profile for them. Who are they? Where are they going? Where did they come from? What is their name? What do they do for a job?
Rumour has it
Chose a car and all look at the people inside the other car closely. Then everyone has to come up with a background story of the people, their lives and relationships. Make it as dramatic as you want and have fun with it.
Word chain
First player choses a word, second player finds a word that starts with the last letter of the previous word and so on.
Virtual hide and seek
Pick a place inside your house and pretend you are there. The other players will ask yes or no questions until someone guesses where the imaginary hiding place is.
Fortunately/Unfortunately
Go back and forth between players, saying a 'fortunate' statement and a 'unfortunate' statement. For example:
Fortunately, we're going on a walk
Unfortunately, it's really long and we'll probably get tired
fortunately, we brought snacks!
Unfortunately, the ants got into them
20 questions
Think of an object, animal or person and players can ask 20 yes or no questions to guess what it is.
Silly shopping list
Someone starts saying, "I went to the shops and brought...."
Chose something to finish the sentences, the sillier the better! E.g. I went to the shops and brought a broccoli and banana pizza.
The next person adds to it. "..... and a cherry on top pie."
You can also use other fun beginnings, such as, "I'm going on a trip and I'm going to pack....", "I went to the National Park and saw a..." or "I went on a picnic and brought a..."
Printables - Alphabet game, scavenger hunt
Alphabet Game
Pick up a letter, the first that spots something with that letter gets to put it in their pile. At the end of the game, the person with the most wins!
https://www.handmadecharlotte.com/race-alphabet-diy-travel-game/
Amazing Race
https://designmuseblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/amazing-racecation-part-1.html
Road Trip Bingo
Rubicks cubes
Good Behaviour Goodie Bags
Some printed out activity pages, a little toy, snacks, games and whatever else you can think of. Put them into a bag and give them out when they've behaved well. Not only will this encourage good behaviour but the goodie bags will also keep them entertained for a while.
The Quiet Game
Don't Laugh
One person is in and tries to make the others laugh, the last person to laugh wins! If you only have two kids, they can try to make each other laugh.
Travel Journal
For older children, get them to write in the travel journal each day, recording what the weather was like, draw a picture from their day, what they did, where they went etc. Either buy a journal or print out some pages from Pinterest.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/562543/go-blue-by-wee-society/
Three words
Chose three nouns. For example, a carrot, a school and a tree. Each player has to come up with a short story with each of those things in it.
Deck of Cards
Story Starters/Add on stories
Get somebody to start the story or pick one of the story starters from the printable below, then go around and continue the story, each adding a sentence or half sentence. You'll end up with one crazy story but that's the fun of it!
Movies
Sometimes the best thing for them is a good movie to help them wind down and it gives them something to focus on. You can use a portable DVD player or download something from Netflix on the ipad.
Great phone/tablet apps on the road:
The secret to a successful road trip is to manage expectations, prepare and know that practice makes perfect. The more you prepare for this trip, the more you'll know how to deal with the next. You'll know what works, what doesn't and what needs perfecting a bit more.
So let's jump in there and suss out the best things you can do to make this road trip enjoyable and even fun.
First things first
- Prepare for lots of stops along the way. Research the route your going and see if there's a park or beach along the way. Get them moving and make the most of the stop.
- Leave really, really early - my parents would pack us all into the car way before we'd usually get up. This way we bet the traffic out of Auckland and they'd hopefully get some peace and quiet for a few hours before we woke up. Bring brekkie to have along the way or find somewhere to stop.
Keep 'em busy!
A classic! Someone picks something, whether it be outside or in and the car and says, 'I spy with my little eye something beginning with .....' The rest have to guess what it is. Winner gets the next go.
Colouring in/activity books
There are so many great activity and colouring books we're really spoilt for choice. Grab some for the kids or let them choose.
Reading/picture books
If you have an older child, get them to grab a book to read on the way, or for younger children, Where's Wally books are great.
Audio Books
Lego
Grab one of those little lego sets that they can easily put together in the car. Bring a plastic container with you to keep all of those little pieces in one place.
You also don't have to buy lego sets either, just bring some lego pieces along and they can have fun making things. Or do the lego challenge and challenge them to make anything from a shape to a robot. Find lego challenge cards on Pinterest.
https://www.funathomewithkids.com/2014/06/diy-portable-lego-kit-with-free.htmlMusic
Prepare a playlist before you leave that they love and have them singing along in the car.
Kids Podcasts
Road Trip Map
Create a map that outlines your journey so the kids can understand what they'll be doing, how far and where they'll be going. Every hour or so move the marker so show where you are and much much longer you've got to go. Hopefully, they'll be asking 'are we there yet?!' a lot less.
http://www.ouredventures.com/journals-for-kids-31/map-journal-11497Snacks
The kids will get even more cranky if their hungry little tummies are rumbling so make sure you pack something healthy and delicious for them. Pack something that's easy to eat and not too messy. Fruit pouches, homemade muffins, museli bars, fruit and veg are all great ideas.
Road Trip Experiment
Ask your kids what is the most common car colour and see what they come up with. Then test it with this printable below. Cross the cars off as they go by.
https://happyyouhappyfamily.com/road-trip-kids-activity/Busy Books
My mother is really crafty and made us all busy books that we could do while in church to keep us busy and quiet - it worked really well.
Craft kit/Jewellery making kit
If you have a crafty kid find a kit that they can do by themselves.
Connections
Start off with a single word, e.g. cat. The next person says the first word they can think off related to cats, e.g. kittens. And so it goes, e.g. baby, until someone can't think of something.
Spelling Bee
Say a word and each kids gets a turn to spell it out.
Would you rather?
Who Am I
Pick a animal/item or object and the others have to guess what it is using only 'yes' or 'no' questions. If you get a 'yes' you get to ask another question, if you get a 'no' the next person gets to ask a question until someone guesses correctly.
Shopping list challenge
A classic memory game. The first player names something from the store beginning with 'A', the second player repeats it, then adds on something else brought from the store beginning with the next letter of the alphabet 'B' and so on. See if you can reach 'Z'!
License Plates Sentences
Make up sentences from the letters in license plates, so if the license plate was YBP123, you'd use the letters to make up a sentence, e.g. Yummy Big Pudding!
Create a Character
Spot a stranger walking along the foot path and make up a character profile for them. Who are they? Where are they going? Where did they come from? What is their name? What do they do for a job?
Rumour has it
Chose a car and all look at the people inside the other car closely. Then everyone has to come up with a background story of the people, their lives and relationships. Make it as dramatic as you want and have fun with it.
Word chain
First player choses a word, second player finds a word that starts with the last letter of the previous word and so on.
Virtual hide and seek
Pick a place inside your house and pretend you are there. The other players will ask yes or no questions until someone guesses where the imaginary hiding place is.
Fortunately/Unfortunately
Go back and forth between players, saying a 'fortunate' statement and a 'unfortunate' statement. For example:
Fortunately, we're going on a walk
Unfortunately, it's really long and we'll probably get tired
fortunately, we brought snacks!
Unfortunately, the ants got into them
20 questions
Think of an object, animal or person and players can ask 20 yes or no questions to guess what it is.
Silly shopping list
Someone starts saying, "I went to the shops and brought...."
Chose something to finish the sentences, the sillier the better! E.g. I went to the shops and brought a broccoli and banana pizza.
The next person adds to it. "..... and a cherry on top pie."
You can also use other fun beginnings, such as, "I'm going on a trip and I'm going to pack....", "I went to the National Park and saw a..." or "I went on a picnic and brought a..."
Printables - Alphabet game, scavenger hunt
Alphabet Game
Pick up a letter, the first that spots something with that letter gets to put it in their pile. At the end of the game, the person with the most wins!
https://www.handmadecharlotte.com/race-alphabet-diy-travel-game/Amazing Race
https://designmuseblog.blogspot.com/2012/06/amazing-racecation-part-1.htmlRoad Trip Bingo
Rubicks cubes
Good Behaviour Goodie Bags
Some printed out activity pages, a little toy, snacks, games and whatever else you can think of. Put them into a bag and give them out when they've behaved well. Not only will this encourage good behaviour but the goodie bags will also keep them entertained for a while.
The Quiet Game
Don't Laugh
One person is in and tries to make the others laugh, the last person to laugh wins! If you only have two kids, they can try to make each other laugh.
Travel Journal
For older children, get them to write in the travel journal each day, recording what the weather was like, draw a picture from their day, what they did, where they went etc. Either buy a journal or print out some pages from Pinterest.
https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/562543/go-blue-by-wee-society/Three words
Chose three nouns. For example, a carrot, a school and a tree. Each player has to come up with a short story with each of those things in it.
Deck of Cards
Story Starters/Add on stories
Get somebody to start the story or pick one of the story starters from the printable below, then go around and continue the story, each adding a sentence or half sentence. You'll end up with one crazy story but that's the fun of it!
Movies
Sometimes the best thing for them is a good movie to help them wind down and it gives them something to focus on. You can use a portable DVD player or download something from Netflix on the ipad.
Great phone/tablet apps on the road:
Teach Them Road Trip Songs
99 bottles of milk on the wall, the Wheels on the Bus, the Ants go Marching, This Old Man, Down By the Bay, and if your kids like Jake and the Neverland Pirates, try the Roll Up the Map song!
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