If you are headed out on a family road trip for your vacation this year,
you are not alone. According to the American Express Spending and Saving
Tracker in 2014, more than 44 percent of families traveled to their
vacation destination via car. Although those families are saving money on
getting there, they are also increasing their travel time.
For some families, the idea of sitting in a car together for eight hours
does not sound like a vacation. Yet for other families, getting there is
half the fun. If you are looking for ways to make your next road trip more
enjoyable, check out these eight survival tips.
Play a Game Choose a classic road trip game that you played as a child –
20 Questions, Road Trip Bingo or the License Plate Scavenger Hunt. Pack
board games like Trouble or Battleship (where the pieces stay in place) or
card games like Apples to Apples that can be played without a table. Bring
a small dry erase board and play Pictionary. Place a pair of dice in a
clear sealable container to keep them from getting lost while you play dice
games like Dice War and Odds and Evens.
Get Creative As you pass each mile and the rush of everyday life falls
away, give your kids an outlet for their creativity. Purchase sticker
scenes from Oriental Trading ($5.25 for a set of 12) to create their own
beach, farm or dinosaur scene. Foam sticker mosaics is the less messy
version of paint-by-numbers and can be found at your local Walmart. The
kids can even decorate the car windows with Crayola’s special washable
window markers and stencils.
Listen to Books on CD Take a break from electronic stimulation and let
your child use his imagination while listening to a story. Find something
the whole family will enjoy. While your family might like a fiction series
like Harry Potter, don’t overlook non-fiction books. Check out true stories
about inspirational teens, sports heros or a person who ties into your
vacation destination.
Start a Conversation Families are so busy these days that they often
don’t have the time to catch up. Not sure how to start the conversation?
Get a little help from games like ‘Would You Rather?’ or ‘Never Have I Ever
… ‘ or pick up a box of TABLETOPICS. You will be amazed what you
learn about each other and yourself.
Busy Books When my kids were little, I filled binders will fun printables
– coloring pages, maps, word searches, mazes, tic-tac-toe boards and so on.
I also packed a simple sketch book and colored pencils so they could create
pages for themselves. If you have a long trip, consider creating a busy bag
which includes a few small toys like matchbox cars or simple crafts.
Snacks Throughout the year, our children make healthy eating choices, but
when we are on vacation, we allow a little junk in our diets. Pack a bag of
special treats – the things you usually say no to during the year. While
you want to limit sugar since you will be in a small space, consider
letting them choose a slushee at the gas station or get fast food for
lunch.
Make the Most of Stops Kids and parents alike need to run out some
sillies after being in the car too long. Try stopping at a McDonald’s Play
Place or a rest stop with playground equipment. Pack a Frisbee, a small
ball, a bottle of bubbles or a pack of sidewalk chalk and take a 30 minute
break. A little fresh air and space to run will make it a better trip for
everyone.
Allow Movie Time We always pack a small DVD player on trips and stop at
Redbox (found in most Walmart stores along the way). Depending on the
length of the trip, the kids can each pick a movie or agree on one to watch
together. This gives everyone some wind down time after lunch or helps get
through the last leg of the trip.
Two Easy Road Trip Dice Games:
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Odds and Evens
Multiple Players – Three Dice
Place three dice in a sealable clear container to keep them from getting
lost in the car. Each player takes a turn rolling (shaking) the dice.
Players get one point for each even number rolled (2, 4 or 6). If the
player rolls a triple even number (all 2s, all 4s or all 6s), the player
gets double their total score. When a player rolls an odd number triple
score (all 1s, all 3s or all 5s), their total points are zero. The first
player with 100 points wins. -
Dice War
Two players – One Die
Each person takes a turn rolling the die. The person with the higher number
on their roll subtracts the lower number thrown by the other player and his
score for that round is the difference between the two numbers. For
example, if one player throws a five and the other throws a three, the
person who threw the five will get two points. The winner is the highest
score after 100 rolls or a set time.
