 |
|
 |
 |
|
|
Forum
-> Vacation and Traveling
Pickle1
|
 Sat, Apr 06 2019, 11:25 pm
For those experienced at traveling long road trips with kids - what have you found to be the best entertainment that kept the kids entertained (without me having to do it..)
12+ hrs, kids ages 12,10,8,6,3, baby.
Thanks in advance!
| |
|
| Back to top |
 0
 0
|
|
amother
Crimson
|
Sat, Apr 06 2019, 11:31 pm
Mad Libs! My family used to take 10-hour road trips every summer and we found them hilarious! My kids like them too.
Also books on tape- my kids really like the Boxcar Children ones and also the books on tape by Roald Dahl- they’re read by him himself, my kids find that really cool 😀
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
3
|
|
amother
Beige
|
Sat, Apr 06 2019, 11:34 pm
We've done 27 hour trips multiple times
Had a kindle for each kid with pre-downloaded videos and games
Lots of snacks either in individual portions or bring sandwich bags to portion out
I bought each kid a metal cookie tray at the dollar store and then lots of activites to do - markers, crayons, coloring books, clay, molding foam, magnets, gel clings, activity books...mostly everything went in the garbage after but it kept them entertained
And obviously the less drinks the better, try to avoid bathroom stops as much as possible.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
4
|
|
amother
Smokey
|
Sat, Apr 06 2019, 11:44 pm
|
Activity books and other activities requiring reading didn't work out for us because of motion sickness. We don't have a lot of video time at home, but make an exception for long road trips.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
1
|
Cmon be nice
|
Sun, Apr 07 2019, 12:00 am
|
| Back to top |
0
0
|
PinkFridge
|
Sun, Apr 07 2019, 9:51 am
I'm glad we were able to manage with videos, but I know it's not possible for everyone.
My kids actually have fun memories of road trips. Lots of books, books on tape, music, coloring books, some toys and magnetic games, and of course, fruit roll ups every hour on the hour.
As their tastes became more sophisticated, it wasn't just junk but pickles, olives, string cheese, etc.
Eventually, our road trips became, the family food box oh, and here's a box of gum, let it last round trip.
Hope you have a safe and easy trip!
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
0
|
|
amother
Babyblue
|
Sun, Apr 07 2019, 1:40 pm
I We’ve done (and helped others plan) a few very successful road trips. Here are some of what has worked:
Portable DVD player- I find this most helpful when it’s dark or when we are stuck in traffic- I also try to set limits in advance (with the knowledge that I can ‘give in’ if cucumstances warrant it)
Metal cookie sheets as lap desks and to use with magnets (I’ve found some fun magnet sets over the years, but even if you don’t have magnet ‘toys’ get cookie sheets and a few magnets to hold papers in place)
Fun travel oriented play sheets- I’ve found online or made my own- include a list of states for a license plate hunt, also can you finds (a barn, cows, a railroad crossing, a billboard advertising a bank, an interstate, a county road, an exit sign with a color- basically anything you could pass on the road, I’ve even had my kids make the list in advance) you can do them as lists with everyone working together or as a contest or even as a bingo card (all the same or everyone different). I’ve found that working together- even if they each have their own- makes for a more pleasant experience.
I make each kid a folder so we don’t have papers flying all over-I put in the travel fun sheets. I also include some madlibs or other age appropriate fun sheets. Depending on the kids interests (and ages) I’ve also included trivia questions or information about the places we are passing.
Paper, pens, crayons, colored pencils (I don’t like markers because the covers always seem to fall down)
Plenty of (non-sugary) snacks that they are allowed to have as desired (pretzels, chips, fruit (each in a sandwich bag with a folded paper-towel), baked potatoes & sweet potatoes (packed like the fruit), crackers, yogurt/leben (the squeezable ones are best), natural fruit snacks, raisins, nuts, etc.). I try to individually pack as much as possible so that everything is ‘self-serve’ and there is no passing around open bags. If you have kids that will fight about who got more of each type of snack then make separate travel bags for each person.
A limited amount of ‘real nosh’- there are two ways I’ve approached this: 1. each kid gets a bag that needs to last them the whole trip but they get to decide when to eat it (I’ve found most kids still have a pretty full bag upon arrival, but there is no kvetching for nosh) 2. random (or not random) distribution by me. (Some kids eat more nosh this way but if you have a kid who will finish their bag at the beginning and then be miserable, this way can work). I have done combinations of the 2 as well.
While you want to minimize bathroom stops you also don’t want people getting dehydrated. I’ve found that the best way to do this is bottles with sports caps. Juice boxes, cans and regular bottles (with cover that get dropped) encourage kids to finish an entire drink in a short time frame so it doesn’t spill, etc. Sports caps (especially if your kids will drink water) allow them to continuously drink smaller amounts. We do water but I do get packets or squirts to flavor it depending on the kids’ preferences.
Story CDs that won’t drive you crazy.
Amother because I’ve shared these tips with so many people irl.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
2
|
|
amother
Babyblue
|
Sun, Apr 07 2019, 3:02 pm
|
I almost forgot Pipe cleaners!
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
1
|
sky
|
Sun, Apr 07 2019, 3:11 pm
Set snack intervals. I do once an hour switching between healthy and not healthy. Planned out before. So no asking or kvetching inbetween. Everyone gets water bottle. Older kids get instructions to pace themselves to avoid bathroom breaks. If possible I don’t give our drinks until on road for a while. When everyone is full and know food is coming they are happier.
Magnetic board games.
If you have aaa they give free maps and tour guides. My older kids enjoy using those.
New cds. Long cds are great - like a chanuka miracle. Also load an mp3 with assortment of music and stories or if you have Spotify, Apple Music or amazon prime there is tons to choose from and you can have variety the entire trip.
I print some car games. Like license plate bingo. Find the signs. Etc. my older kids prepare activity folders for every one. There are tons of ideas online.
Verbal games like I packed for my trip, states, finish the story, think of a song, etc.
Pack lots of paper towels and wipes.
Dramamine in case someone has motion sickness.
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
1
|
|
amother
Periwinkle
|
Sun, Apr 07 2019, 3:17 pm
I also like to make a map of where we're going, with dots to mark cities for every half hour of driving time. I plan stops for every 2 hours, and everyone MUST get out of the car.
I make a playlist of stories that will last as long as the trip (I use Rabbi Glatt from TorahAnytime.com, Rabbi Goldstein's Parsha tapes, Rabbi Burston's stories, and a bunch of other ones I've collected over the years) and play them over the car speakers.
In addition to the travel games mentioned above, I find the alphabet game fun - you need to find signs with letters of the alphabet in order - first look for an A, then a B, etc. You can add rules like "no two letters on the same sign" or "you can't use license plates."
| |
|
| Back to top |
0
1
|
|
Imamother may earn commission when you use our links to make a purchase.
© 2024 Imamother.com - All rights reserved
|  |
 |
|
 |
|
|
