Tips and Activities for a Road Trip with Kids - Part 3

If you have read parts 1 and 2 in this road trip series, you have some tips to make your journey more enjoyable for all. Hopefully you've started to put together your own Activity Binder, and you have been anxiously awaiting that final page.

Since my boys love hidden picture puzzles and I Spy books so much, I thought a Hidden Object Bottle might be a fun activity in the car. Before assembling the bottle, I lined up the objects to be hidden and snapped a picture and printed it out as the final page in their binder. This way they can cross out the objects - or place a circle sticker on top - as they find them in the bottle.

To make your own Hidden Object Bottle, you'll need the following:

• one cleaned and dried empty bottle per child (I just used empty soda bottles); plastic is strongly recommended over glass, especially for young children
• rice (uncooked; hopefully that was obvious)
• funnel and scooper/measuring cup
• small objects to hide (I used coins, paper clips, crafting feathers, crafting pom poms, crayons, foam stickers - stick two of the same shapes back to back, and random trinkets from the play room)

Start by dropping one or two objects in, then pour in some rice. Keep alternating a few objects with a layer of rice to cover until all objects are inside. Tap the bottle on a counter to make the rice settle, and add a bit more. I left about an inch of space from the very top. Replace the cap before use.

To play, kids tilt, turn, and shake the bottle to try and uncover all of the hidden objects. Remind the kids NOT to open the bottles. Each time they spot an object, they cross it off (or place a circle sticker over it) on the page in their Activity Binder.

How fun is that?!

I hope these past three posts have been helpful in preparing for any road trips you plan to take with your kids. You could also use the Activity Binder and Hidden Objects Bottle for waiting rooms, short car rides, or just plain old boredom-busters at home.

What keeps your kids busy during long car rides? Post a Comment and let us know.

Happy travels, and as always, thanks for reading.



Link to: Tips and Activities for a Road Trip with Kids - Part 1
Tips and Activities for a Road Trip with Kids - Part 2

Tips and Activities for a Road Trip with Kids - Part 2

The first post in this series provided an overview of the top ten things to bring or do to help ensure your kids are occupied and don't even think the words, "Are we there yet?" during your next road trip.

Number ten in that list is an Activity Binder for each child. I came across this idea on Pinterest, and love the one that Gluesticks created. This is a wonderful source of entertainment for kids around ages 2 1/2 and up. You can tailor the activities in each binder according to their age and interests.

First, you'll need a binder, folder, or clipboard. I picked up a couple of one-inch binders to get started. In the front pocket are colorful circle stickers from the office supply aisle as well as a dry erase markers. For older kids, you might want a few more colors for the markers. All of the activities are in sheet protectors so that they can be reused. The kids can use the dry erase markers to write directly on the sheet protectors, and then erase and write or draw again. The dollar bins at Target had a two-pack of mini, magnetic erasers for dry erase boards. Score! It sticks right to the inner spine of the binder.

Next, I used Google Maps to map out our route. When we hit our 100 mile marks, the kids will get a "reward" and I will help them put a sticker on the map to show how far we have traveled.

For some crazy fun, I printed out some pictures of the family members so they can make silly faces. I went into our photo library on the computer, cropped some pictures to get just the faces, and printed 8x10 copies on regular paper. Slide them into page protectors, and doodle away.

My boys love hidden picture books. So I found a few hidden picture pages on Spoonful.com: here are  pirate treasure and hidden airplane pages. They can use the dry erase markers to circle the objects, or we can slide the pages out for them to color.

Many of the games below came from Prepared Not Scared! Here are links to Slug Bug and Street Sign Tic Tac Toe. We'll probably just look for any cars in the colors on Slug Bug, rather than solely VW Beetles. We will use the circle stickers from the front pockets of their binders to mark off the items they find.

Here is a link for free printable Road Trip Bingo cards. I printed each one at 140% to fill the page (you may have to play with this on your computer). There are six variations for multiple players. You could print them on card stock for durability, or use a page protector and dry-erase markers for longevity of the game. The Alphabet Search was created by Prepared Not Scared!

 "I Spy" can be played as Bingo, or just as a checklist of items to find. Again, we'll use the circle stickers as markers. The connect-the-dots picture can be completed on the sheet protector with the dry erase marker, or we can slide them out to be colored with crayons.

Who doesn't like "Find the Difference" puzzles? I included one from Spoonful, plus a page from their On-the-Go Activity Pack. It is another free printable, and is geared toward children a bit older than mine (preferably those who can read). However, page 3 features Spot-A-Sign and Maze Craze. My young'uns will enjoy those.

Here are a few more hidden picture puzzles: a witch, and St. Patrick's Day Mickey Mouse.

In the back pocket of the binder, I've included a dry erase board. Once again, Target Dollar Spot to the rescue. One side of the board is ruled, the other is blank. Perfect for doodling, writing, tic tac toe, hangman, and more.

There is one final page in the Activity Binder, but you'll have to wait until the next post to check it out.


I hope you enjoy making an Activity Binder before your next road trip with the kids. What else do you plan to add to your binder? Be sure to Post a Comment and let us know. As always, thanks for reading.



Link to: Tips and Activities for a Road Trip with Kids - Part 1
Tips and Activities for a Road Trip with Kids - Part 3

Tips and Activities for a Road Trip with Kids - Part 1

Going away with the kids? We know how even a short car ride can elevate the blood pressure and make you want to banish the word "Mom," so what could a five hour car ride do to your physical and mental well being? Never fear! After five years of traveling five hours or more with the kids, this ROCmomma has learned a thing. Or maybe even two.

When the boys were younger, we were able to feed them an early dinner, get them into pajamas and head out around 5:00 equipped with snacks, the DVD player and some movies, and a few toys. They would eat a snack, watch a movie, play with a couple of cars, and be asleep within two hours.

But sometimes you need to head out in the morning. So, with three-day weekends and winter break coming soon, how can you make the trip more bearable for the kids and the grown-ups? I'm so glad you asked.

1. Emergency Kit
Act like a Girl Scout or Boy Scout and be prepared. You just never know what will happen. There was one trip where we were in stand-still traffic on the thruway when my then-four-year-old vomited all over himself and his car seat. It has not happened since, but we are still prepared.

In addition to a small first aid kit (Band Aids, antiseptic wipes, and first aid cream), we also carry a roll of paper towels, a package of wet wipes, and some empty plastic bags in the trunk. Depending on the weather and the age of your children, you may also wish to create a more well-equipped car kit.

2. Treats
Pack snacks in individual containers. You do not want to deal with opening packages or pouring goldfish crackers in the car. That is just a mess waiting to happen. We have a snack bag (a great repurposing for a used gift bag!) that gets filled with granola bars, fruit leather, boxes of raisins, and assorted other favorites portioned out into 8 ounce plastic containers (such as Ziploc). Don't forget to pack some snacks for the driver and navigator as well.

Staying hydrated is also important while traveling. We fill up the kids' sippy cups and our reusable water bottles, plus we fill one or two extra reusable water bottles to refill the kids' cups.

3. Good Music for the Whole Family
Set the mood with some fun, upbeat tunes. Of course you want your kids to be entertained during the road trip, but it doesn't have to be at your expense. If some of their music really grates on your nerves, you may want to "forget" those CDs at home, or temporarily delete them from your MP3 player.

Some of our top picks in kids' music: Welcome to Ralph's World by Ralph Covert, Juice Box Heroes by Imagination Movers, Snack Time by Barenaked Ladies, and No! by They Might Be Giants. Laurie Berkner and Dan Zanes also make adult-friendly music for kids.

4. Toys
Obviously, the items you pack will depend on the ages and interests of the children. We opt for things that do not have too many parts and do not require help from mom or dad. Right now the boys - ages 3 and 5 - enjoy playing with Matchbox pop-up adventure play sets in the car. We have the Mickey Mouse, Sponge Bob, and Diego sets (all were gifts for our boys).

We also usually grab some cars, dinosaurs, and other random fun toys; in this case, a slinky and Rubik's cube-type toy. I am a big fan of the dollar bins at Target, Michael's, and A.C. Moore. Also The Christmas Tree Shops and Dollar Tree usually have some fun options. You can pack things up in a tote bag, used gift bag, plastic zip-top bag, or even repurpose a used diaper-wipes container (below). One container per kid, and when they get bored they can switch.

5. Coloring Books, Crayons, and Stickers
Along with toys, we like to pack things for the kids to do. Crayons often get lost in the car, but we have found that stickers keep them occupied. TIP: I like to remove the background from sticker sheets ahead of time so it is easier for the kids to peel off the stickers by themselves.

When you visit the dollar bins at the stores mentioned above, keep an eye out for Play Packs (mini coloring book, stickers, and four crayons...all for $1), invisible ink pads, etc. These are great options for the car. Crayola Color Wonder markers and paper are also convenient for the car.

You can also put together a binder full of activities for older kids (ages 2 1/2 +)...which will be featured in Part 2.

6. Mile-Marker Rewards
If you don't want to offer the kids all options at once, consider wrapping up the toys and trinkets and  reward the kids every 100 miles for their good behavior. Start the trip with one reward and explain that if they are on their best behavior, they will get another reward when the car reaches 100 miles. Map the trip ahead of time and plan accordingly so you don't run out early.


7. Electronics
I loathe the fact that we allow our kids to veg out in the car and watch an endless loop of Scooby Doo. However, sometimes it's a necessary evil. It passes the time, and pacifies the kids so you can have a bit of peace during the trip. Of course, the usual suspects are a portable DVD player and DVDs and hand-held games. Santa Claus brought a LeapPad for the boys to share, so that is a new favorite in the car. We have to keep an eye on the clock so that both boys get equal time to play.


8. Sing Some Songs
Yes, it's reminiscent of the Griswalds, but your kids will have fun. Bust out the classics like Old McDonald, BINGO, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Row Row Row Your Boat, and anything else you - or your kids - care to belt out. Laughter is guaranteed.

9. Play Classic Car Games

• I'm Going On a Picnic - One person starts with, "I'm going on a picnic and I'm bringing apples." The next person says, "I'm going on a picnic and I'm bringing apples and bananas." The next person says, "I'm going on a picnic and I'm bringing apples, bananas, and chocolate." And so on. For older kids, try to go in alphabetical order with the picnic items.
• Color Safari - Look out your windows and search for all the colors of the rainbow. The first person calls out a color. The person to find something of that color first gets to call out the next color. 
• Letter Hunt (Shape Hunt for younger kids) - Find each of the letters of the alphabet on signs, license plates, etc. 
• Simon Says - "Simon Says touch your nose," and any other motion that can be done sitting down.

10. Activity Binder
Check out the next post in our Tips and Activities for a Road Trip with Kids series to learn how to make your own!


I hope these ideas help put your mind at ease and make you better prepared for your next road trip with the kids. Be sure to check out the next post for the final page of the Activity Binder, and one super-fun activity.

Do you have more words of wisdom to share about road trips with the kids? Be sure to Post a Comment and let us know. Thanks! As always, thank you for reading.



Link to:
Tips and Activities for a Road Trip with Kids - Part 2
Tips and Activities for a Road Trip with Kids - Part 3