Travelling in the Car- Keeping Kids Entertained
When youre tripping around, you have to have some way to keep the kids entertained. Here are some of our suggestions that we have used:
Times Table Quizzes- The parents call out a timetable (9x10) and the kids then call out the answer. Its a game of speed and also improves their times table skills at the same time.
Spelling Games- Parent calls out a word and then the kids try and spell it.
Eye Spy- We should all know how to play eye spy, and it keeps the kids entertained remarkably well.
Tallying Car Colours- You will need a clipboard, some pencils and paper. Simply count up the cars that go by and record the colours.
Tallying Road Signs- You will need a clipboard, some pencils and paper. Simply count up the road signs that pass by and tally the different signs up.
Sketching Scenery as you travel- You have to watch out that you don't get car sick, but its a great thing to do. Do little 5 minute sketches and see what you can put in there.
Times Table Quizzes- The parents call out a timetable (9x10) and the kids then call out the answer. Its a game of speed and also improves their times table skills at the same time.
Spelling Games- Parent calls out a word and then the kids try and spell it.
Eye Spy- We should all know how to play eye spy, and it keeps the kids entertained remarkably well.
Tallying Car Colours- You will need a clipboard, some pencils and paper. Simply count up the cars that go by and record the colours.
Tallying Road Signs- You will need a clipboard, some pencils and paper. Simply count up the road signs that pass by and tally the different signs up.
Sketching Scenery as you travel- You have to watch out that you don't get car sick, but its a great thing to do. Do little 5 minute sketches and see what you can put in there.
Singing Songs- This is a favorite with the little girls.
Memory Game- List as many places as you can remember travelling through. Bethany usually wins at this.
Listening to Audio Cds (stories)- You can borrow them for a library or buy them at a shop. Librivox is a great place to go for free audiobooks.
Retelling a story- Little children especially- retell a story in their own words
Family Story Build Up- This is a good one. Simply go round the family, each person saying a sentence and eventually you end up with a story!! Really varies according to what personalities you have
Trip Journals- While you're in the car why don't you write your trip journal. Simply record where you've been and what you've been doing
Magnetic Games- We used to have a chess game that was played. The pieces are magnetic, so they don't fall everywhere. You can get lots of different games that are magnetic.
Counting Cows- You need to find a road with a few cows along the way. The kids look out the windows and look for cows, and when they do they cry out "Cow".
20 Questions- One person thinks of a thing (place, plant, animal) and then the other people have to try and get it. The twist is that they can only ask questions that require a yes and no answer and have to guess in 20 questions.
Geography Game- One person calls out a place (Kakadu) and the someone else has to call out a place that starts with the last letter of the previous place (Uralla).
Scissors, Paper, Rock- Great game, especially for little kids teamed with older kids.
Letter Spot- You pick a letter (A) and then you have to find 3 things starting with that letter (ant, apple, airplane). First person to find 3 things wins!!
Here is a great website for more suggestions:
Road Trip Games
Memory Game- List as many places as you can remember travelling through. Bethany usually wins at this.
Listening to Audio Cds (stories)- You can borrow them for a library or buy them at a shop. Librivox is a great place to go for free audiobooks.
Retelling a story- Little children especially- retell a story in their own words
Family Story Build Up- This is a good one. Simply go round the family, each person saying a sentence and eventually you end up with a story!! Really varies according to what personalities you have
Trip Journals- While you're in the car why don't you write your trip journal. Simply record where you've been and what you've been doing
Magnetic Games- We used to have a chess game that was played. The pieces are magnetic, so they don't fall everywhere. You can get lots of different games that are magnetic.
Counting Cows- You need to find a road with a few cows along the way. The kids look out the windows and look for cows, and when they do they cry out "Cow".
20 Questions- One person thinks of a thing (place, plant, animal) and then the other people have to try and get it. The twist is that they can only ask questions that require a yes and no answer and have to guess in 20 questions.
Geography Game- One person calls out a place (Kakadu) and the someone else has to call out a place that starts with the last letter of the previous place (Uralla).
Scissors, Paper, Rock- Great game, especially for little kids teamed with older kids.
Letter Spot- You pick a letter (A) and then you have to find 3 things starting with that letter (ant, apple, airplane). First person to find 3 things wins!!
Here is a great website for more suggestions:
Road Trip Games
Our favourite game is spotting cows. On the way from Kununurra to Halls Creek, there was plenty of cows and we were constantly looking from one window to the next. We take it to the next level and identify cows, bull, weaners and calves, skills picked up on the cattle station we stayed at! Whenever we reach a river Joel, an avid fisherman pretends to cast a line out the window, and then hands the line to the girls who proceed to wind in a barramundi!!. Keeps them entertained as you hear pretend grunts and them then bragging about their catches!!. Tahlia so far has caught a 3m barra