Mom’s Minivan O’ Fun
Car Travel Activities for Kids
By Laurel Smith Time flies when you’re having fun - The miles fly by
too! You can make a long family car trip seem a lot shorter if you have fun with your kids
along the way. Plan ahead with a few car activities, and making the journey can be as much
fun as the destination. Here are a few ideas to get you started.
Make a Trip-Journal or
Scrapbook
Give everyone a big spiral bound sketchpad and a box of crayons or
markers. Each day of the trip or for each event along the way, draw a picture of what you
did that day, or draw a map of where you went, and write about it. You can also paste in
souvenirs.
Get a Good Songbook With All
the Lyrics
It surprising how many songs you think you know, but you don't
really know all the words. Have a singing marathon and learn the old classics by heart.
Give Your Kids an Allowance
for the Day.
Tell them that this money is for snacks, treats, souvenirs etc. Help
them learn to budget their money and make good choices.
Let Your Children Have a Map
Give your kids their own copy of a map of where you are
going. Show them how far you have come, how much further there is to go and let them mark
it with a crayon. Every time someone asks "How much further?” let them see for
themselves. You might also like to get a compass and show them how it works along with the
map.
Have Bubble Gum Blowing Contests
…The weirder the gum the better. Get it at the rest areas and
try all the different flavors.
The License Plate Game
Print a U.S. map off the computer and color in the states as you see
license plates from each one. See if you can get all 50 states between Memorial Day
and Labor Day. You might even record the time and date and the state where you saw it.
This can be a family project as you build your "collection" of license plates
together.
Cats Cradle or String Loops
You just need a piece of string for this one. See if you can
make "Jacob's Ladder", "Kitty Whiskers", or play Cats Cradle!
Magnetic Board Games
Do your children know how to play classic board games like Chess,
Backgammon, Checkers, or Chinese Checkers? What better time to learn than in the car
to pass the time! The magnetic car versions of these games are nice because they are
small and compact, and have easy ways to store the pieces so they don't get lost.
Counting Cows
Count the cows you see on your side of the car. If you pass a
cemetery on your side of the car, you lose all your cows. The one with the most cows
wins.
Read Out Loud
This passes the time quickly in the car for the reader and
for the family members who are listening.
Lego Contest
Have a contest to see who can build the best item that relates to
where you are going. Use a shoebox to store the Legos, or large zip lock bags.
Guess How Far Away That Is
Pick an object and have everyone guess how far away it is, then
clock it on your odometer.
Play Favorites
Have everyone think of different "favorite" questions for
the group. What's your favorite... movie, flavor of ice cream, song, game, toy, place to
visit, restaurant, book, animal, fish, etc. Be creative and don't forget to ask the driver
too!
Aluminum Art
Give everyone a sheet of aluminum foil. Have them mold it
into anything they want: animal shapes, Frisbees, balls, jewelry, crowns, headband,
necklaces and masks. Be creative. It’s inexpensive fun and easy to clean up. Toddlers
love this one too.
Remember that it's sometimes nice to
sit in the back of the van with your kids while Dad is doing the driving and play some
games right along side them. You might be surprised at how much fun you have too. Happy
travels!
About the author:
Laurel Smith is a former schoolteacher and currently a
stay-at-home-mom who has logged thousands of road trip miles both as a kid and a mom.
If you pass her on the highway, you might catch her singing loudly in her minivan
while her three children sing backup. Visit her website for more than 101 travel games and
activities for kids at http://www.MomsMinivan.com
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