5 Car Activities For Kids

Whether you are decking the halls, or sweating it out in the midst of summer's heat, there are inevitably times of travel with kiddos, which try the patience of parents, and there are usually frustrations throughout the trip, whether it's an hour, a day, or many days, unless you make an effort to pre-plan and prepare for the inevitable nitpicking and grumpiness that can set in. Travelling with children can be predictably unpredictable. One trip may be smooth, the next, terrible. Every imagineable variable plays into the mix, and the less experienced you are at traveling with young ones, the more likely you are to be frustrated. Experience, of course, doesn't gaurantee smooth travel. You still need to have some tricks up your sleeve; and as my college methods instructor advised frequently, don't shoot your big guns early.

Following are some basic activities for travel with kids. Granted, an infant won't be able to participate; that's a whole different article, and a different set of strategies and plans. However, these are adaptable from toddlers to teens, with proper guidance and interaction.

Counting Games are simple to implement. All you need to do is think of something to count, and have the kids start counting. That's simple enough, isn't it? To keep it from being boring, vary the objects to be counted, or vary the means of counting.

What to count? Birds. Trees. Road signs. Cars. Restaurant signs. Golden Arches. Clouds. Bicyclists. RV's. Your choice of what to count will depend on where you are traveling, and for how long. The hour drive to the next town may not require a lot of counting activities. If it's Christmas time, you may want to count the number of Christmas trees you see. At night, my youngsters naturally like to count the number of Christmas light displays they see. In a rural area, you may want to count horses. In a busy, suburban location, you may want to count taxis or airplanes. Generally, if the kids are grouchy, and I need something quick, I will spout off something I see, and ask them to count. Birds. Jackrabbits. VW Bugs.

How you count can make things varied and interesting, also. Sometimes, on a short trip, we will just count as many as we can of some particular thing. Other times, we will see how long it takes us to locate a given number of something. For example, how long to count 50 fire hydrants. Other times, the person who counts the 100th of the item in question gets to pick the new object for counting. If you can count it, you can make it the focus of your kids' attention, and divert the grumpiness.

My kids usually decide to play an alphabet game, identifying a sign with each letter.  This is usually do-able on a trip into town, and the kids have the tough letters memorized well, knowing just where to look for a "Q" or "Z".  When they reach the end of the alphabet, they start again.  Things slow down when we get out of town, if we're heading to another location.  However, it passes time, and gets cooperation going on. 

Some variations can include reverse order.  Find the letters on signs, but starting from "Z".  Other possibilities include having the kids find items that begin with a given letter.  Toddlers can work on letter identification, and if you have toddlers, it's helpful to pair them with an older child in such an activity. 

Both number and letter based games can include a written record, which may be a nice alternative for older kids.  Offer a small prize for the longest list, or for the most unique item listed.  You can tweak this game in a multitude of ways.

"I spy with my little eye..."  Famous lines in our vehicle, when we have a long drive.  One child spies, and the others ask yes/no questions, in order to ascertain what the object is.  This is rarely parent led in our vehicle, and keeps the kids entertained.

For moments which lend themselves to silence, it's nice to have some art supplies on hand. Crayons are not good during the summer, particularly in the Nevada desert. However, in cooler weather, crayons are great. As well, colored pencils are a good selection. Bring art pads, and pass them, and crayon/pencil packs out, and your youngsters can pass the time in artistic pursuit.

Stickers, foam pieces, beads...there are some craft type items which travel well enough not to make a disaster. Small stamps and pads, as well. No glue, but a glue stick can be useful. Origami books and papers for older kids. There are some things which can travel, and allow the kids to work with a hands on approach, to work out some of that pent up travelling energy. 

Package art/craft supplies in a travel satchel, or personally package a set of supplies for each child, whether it is stowed in their travel bags, or in an easy to reach part of the.vehicle.

In addition to arts and crafts supplies, your younger children may enjoy self contained art/doodle toys, such as Etch a Sketch or Doodle Boards, which often are available in travel sizes.  Again, it's nice to have some art-themed distractions, as these focus a cranky child's energy on something interactive and productive, which for me, often curbs the crankiness.  This approach is definitely a plus on a longer trip.  Whereas games mentioned above are great fillers on a shorter trip, on a longer, vacation type excursion, variety is important.

Many popular board games are available in travel versions, with magnetic pieces to avoid losing pieces in a moving vehicle. Playing cards are the simplest variety of travel game. Toddlers will not do as well with these, though there are some Old Maid and Go Fish types of games aimed at children. However, if you have older children who work well with your toddlers, then make sure seating in the vehicle allows for the older to play with the younger. This isn't going to be ongoing, but here and there, it's a nice distraction on a long drive.

You needn't run out and purchase every travel game there is.  However, if there's one that is a favorite with your youngsters, it's not a bad idea to have a couple in your arsenal.  Likewise, travel books, including dot to dots and mazes for younger children, and crosswords and sudoku for older kids, are great tools for a lengthy trip.  I don't worry about these on a shorter drive, but on a lenghty stretch of driving, these, too, provide a source of activity for antsy youngsters.

Electronic games can be included, but I like to give the kids alternatives to electronics.  I don't ban them entirely, but it's good to have some alternatives.  Regardless of the length of the trip, you can plan ahead in order to keep the grumpiness at bay.  Shorter trips require less prep, while longer trips require a little planning, including plans for how to keep the kids busy on the drive.  Having some ideas available in advance will allow you to intervene when bickering or whining set in.

Electronics can provide some relief for youngsters on a long drive, but I like to use such things judiciously.  A travel dvd player is great, if you don't have a crowd trying to see one small screen.  Use your judgement on such things.

Likewise, if you pull out all the tricks in your bag, and the kids are still cranky, then break things up by stopping and stretching your legs.  A rest stop, a mini market, or the closest McDonald's,..whatever strikes your fancy for a way to stop and get some fresh air, this will help reset the attitudes in the vehicle.  If you can toss in a treat, all the more fun.  We like to stop and get a soft serve ice cream cone, which thrills the kids, and lifts everyone's spirits a bit.