Keeping the Kids Busy on a Road Trip

Do you dread having your kids in the car for a long drive? You don’t have to wait for them to start having fun until you get to where you are going – the trip there can be fun too! There are many ways to keeping the kids busy on a road trip!

                            This post is sponsored by Humes Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram.

TALK
Remember when we were kids? If you were lucky, you had a Gameboy, which at best kept you busy during the day. What did you do on your trips when you were a kid? Play fun games like “I Spy”, “20 Questions”, the “License Plate Game” , “Name that Tune” or just talk , period. Turn off the tech for awhile and enjoy time with your kids!

TELL A STORY
Fiction or real, telling your kids stories helps the time go by. My kids are a little bit older now, but they love to hear about when they were little, or even when I was a kid. “What Mom, you didn’t have on demand? How did you watch a show you missed?” , and “Whats a VCR?” It’s a lot of laughs, trust me!

TRY SOME APPS

So sometimes they just don’t want to talk (or you just want them to be quiet) you can try some awesome road trip apps like:

• Road Trip Scavenger Hunt: With components of “I Spy” and “The License Plate Game,” this app gives your kids items to try to spot as they look out the windows — like a car pulling a trailer — and keeps track of the points earned by each player. 99 cents for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad versions, and free for Android-powered devices
• Bingo Apps: There are several versions of this “I Spy”-like app out there, but most of them work the same way: The app features a bingo game board, but instead of letters and numbers, it features icons of items you might see near the road, such as cows, light poles and gas pumps. As in “Bingo,” the first one to fill a row or column wins. Prices for apps vary; available for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and Android-powered devices
• Family Car Games: This app instructs you in 100 no-equipment-required family activities for some unplugged quality time. $1.99; available for iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad
• Mad Libs: Much like the paper original, this app lets you select from a variety of categories and insert words into stories when prompted. Free for iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad and Android-powered devices

DETOURS CAN BE FUN
This is probably one of my most favorite parts about road-tripping. I drive my husband crazy (he is get there as fast as we can mentality) there are a TON of interesting and fun attractions on the road that is totally worth a little extra driving and a stop to see stuff like you have never seen before! If you want unusual, try roadsideamerica.com – which will help you find places like the World’s Largest Frying Pan which is in NC , the Retired Sad Monkey Railroad in Texas, or the Giant Beethoven Head in Florida!

TAKE A JOURNAL
Let everyone write down funny and cool stuff that happens – draw pictures, (take pictures) put together an awesome memory book that you can keep forever! The memories I have from road trips , camping trips, and vacations are the BEST memories I have as a kid – especially all the funny stuff that happens!