Most of us can recall being children and having to take long car rides with our parents. In a time with no portable electronics or cell phones, there was nothing to do but read a book or stare out the window in boredom. Parents of today have it a little easier. There are plenty of things kids can do while in the car to alleviate boredom. Car games are a great way to get kids thinking about something other than how much longer the ride will be. Make a list of games your kids can play in the car to pass the time before you travel. It may come in handy.
Get the kids to create their own map of the terrain you are covering. For each town you pass, have them write in the name and draw some of the landmarks that they see as they go by. The time it takes them to colour in those landmarks should be enough time to get to the next town or city.
Play a license plate game that involves paying attention to what state the plate is from. Have the kids write down all of the ones that they see in order to discover how many different states they can find during the trip there and back. Have small treats or surprises for them if they manage to find every state.
Bring some sturdy string and teach them string games like Cat’s Cradle. There are a lot of neat designs and tricks that can be done with just one piece of string or yarn. Most of these games are foreign to kids of today. Get them to try to make up their own games using string or other simple items.
Before you go on your trip, go to the bookstore or search online for some jokes that you can print off. Make sure they are appropriate for the age of your children. Then have the kids take turns passing the jokes around and reading them aloud. This is a great way to entertain them while practising their reading skills as well.
When you pass small obscure towns that you are not familiar with, stop for a few minutes and take some pictures. It never hurts to get to know a little more about the towns in your country or state. It also gives you a few minutes to get out of the car to stretch your legs or use the washroom.
Create a scavenger hunt for kids to play during the trip. Make a list of things that they must watch for. Everything from a road sign for a certain city or a certain number of taxi cabs can be something for them to watch for. Have them complete the hunt in order to earn some kind of prize. It will help to keep them staring attentively out the windows rather than in a bored state. It’s important to keep their minds active if you want children to stay sane in the car. By keeping them quiet and interested in something, you save yourself from insanity as well.