Driven to have fun

Top Ten ‘Unplugged’ Travel Games and Activities
By Catherine Chapman Mosley
As featured in The Roanoke Times, May 2008

Growing up, my family always made a yearly trip to a North Carolina beach. The resounding chorus of “Are we there yet?” never seemed to annoy my father, and he would always reply “Nine more miles.” Funny that his response never changed and we failed to question him. The beach was a six to seven hour car trip, and it would have been complete misery without the extensive program of activities my mother had in her repertoire.

Now that I am a mom, those fun times have come back to me. Although our DVD player was a lifesaver on a long plane trip two summers ago, we tend to migrate to those old-fashioned games we played when I was a child in an effort to "unplug,” simplify and let imagination take its own course.

I enlisted a panel of experts to help me with this article – parents who are on the frontlines, or should I say front seats, of this issue. Delving into their own childhood memories and backseats, they have helped me compile a top ten list for pleasant road trips this summer. With gas prices at an all time high, at least your kids’ spirits and creativity will be too.

10. Travel Backpacks/Containers

“I gave my boys special backpacks just for traveling that they got to fill,” says Ashley Blanchard.  “They are great because they are always ready to go… and they pick what they want.”

This is a terrific idea because it gives your child ownership, and they can take the backpack into restaurants and other places for instant activities.

Deborah Gleason lets her two boys fill a Rubbermaid container with their own choice of toys. “This way, the toys are right in between the two boys and they can reach anything they want,” says Deborah. “They also put their toys away when they're done and there's no messy car to clean when we return home.”

9. Organize before you leave

With a long trip in front of you, take the time to clean your car and organize prior to leaving. It will calm you and the rest of the family to have a clean car, and you will know where to find things quickly and easily.

If you need additional inspiration, you may want to check out the “Messiest Car Photo Contest” at www.parenting.com/messycar for a chance to win $500 in gas, car detailing and spa treatments.

8. Audio Books

We made an exception to the rule on this one.

Deborah is very fond of books on CD although “I'm not sure if you would count this since it does kind of plug them in…Our favorite is Peter Pan.  It's something we can all listen to or, better yet, Brent and I can turn the volume to the back of the car and we can actually have a conversation!!  I like the books on CD because …they're using their imagination and listening so carefully.”

7. Create a summer travel journal

I love this idea, and in looking for options I stumbled onto www.scribblepress.com, a Los Angeles-based company started by two moms who met on a transcontinental flight and ended with a business model for a creative venture. Items such as My Travel Journal and My Vacation give children a way to create their very own bound book with their original art and story.

Kaboose.com offers easy-to-make directions for making a journal from scratch to record summer vacations, camp, pool-time and other fun stuff: http://crafts.kaboose.com/summertime-journals.html. They also have lots of downloadable coloring sheets specifically for summer at http://printables.kaboose.com/summer-printables.html.

6. To buy or not to buy?

Melissa and Doug provide lots of old-fashioned toys for kids, with specific travel games like car bingo, Hangman, The Bear Hunt and Flip to Win memory game. They are available locally at Imagination Station (across street from upper side of Towers on Colonial Avenue) and Periwinkle Toys (4246 Electric Road).

For those of us on a budget, discover www.momsminivan.com with lots of printable car games including car bingo.

5. Teach a foreign language

“Since I'm trying to teach Victoria some Spanish,” says Teri Deal, “I have her find any big truck on the road and tell me what color they are in English, and then I tell her what it is in Spanish.  Now, she can point to a truck and say its color in Spanish.  Nothing major but she enjoys it and learns a little something.”

4. 20 Questions

This one has been around forever, and it is great for parties or road trips. Nothing is needed except a minimum of two players who ask 20 questions until the answer is revealed.

The Worst Case Scenario Card Game – Travel Edition is great for older kids to test their wits and creativity. With questions like “How do you ride safely in an elevator?” and “How do you prevent altitude sickness?” it’s not as easy as one might think. It’s available at www.areyougame.com, but there is much less expensive version that Lara Wimmer recommends.
“A friend of mine plays a questions game in the car and at the dinner table,” says Lara. “She made about 15 questions that ask about the children’s day such as “What was something funny that happened to you today?”, “What was the favorite part of your day?” and “Did anything happen today that made you feel sad?”     
“They take turns drawing and answering a question,” continues Lara. “She ‘invented’ this game because once her kids turned 8-ish, she said they stopped talking.”

3. Parents need to unplug

Turn off the cell or let it go to voicemail. Don’t even think of texting.
Carolyn Moon values her time in the car. “Most importantly we talk to each other. This is one of the few times during the day we are all together with no distractions so we chit chat about anything that is on their minds.”

2. Oldies but Goodies

“I'm always a fan of the old fashioned alphabet game,” says Lori White. “You look for letters of the alphabet, in order, on signs as you pass by them on the highway. It's great to encourage letter recognition in younger children, and it definitely keeps the kids occupied.”
There is the car color game. Each passenger picks a color and counts the number of cars passed in that shade. First one to 50 wins.

For rural road trips, everyone counts cows on their side of the road. If your opponent sees a cemetery on your side, all your cows are wiped out, you return to zero and begin again. First one to 100 wins.

”We play ‘Name that Song’,” says Carolyn. “Someone sings one line from a kid’s song and everyone else tries to guess the song. And there’s ‘I Spy’ - I know you probably thought of that…”
 
1. Cracker Barrel

I discovered some games there I hadn’t seen in years like Woolie Willie and Etch a Sketch. When another friend suggested Cracker Barrel, I decided to check out their website. They have a whole section devoted to road trip products, and they have the audio books Deborah suggested.

With 27 locations in Virginia, you are sure to pass several on your journey.