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Trip Games Make travel Easier For Kids
 By
Aurora Rodriguez
The Ledger
The bags are packed and the vacation dates are set for your family's
annual road trip. Yet, as you pause to stock the cooler with some
goodies for the road, you keep getting flashbacks of your eldest
son, Billy, pulling his headphones over his ears during last year's
adventure, trying to drown out his little sister's frustrated cries
that clearly proclaimed she wanted to get there . . . now!
If this is a scenario you want to avoid this year, consider having
some distractions up your sleeve so your group's trip is more fun-filled
than packed with arguments. These will help pass the time between
rest stops and invite your family to bond, whether the time from
point A to point B is three hours or 24.
When children get restless on the road, parents get stressed too,
said Kate Markley, a Lakeland-based licensed clinical social worker.
"It produces anxiety and frustration, dealing with irritable
children in the backseat," said Markley. "It makes it
hard for an adult to concentrate on the road."
Markley explained that time spent on the road feels different for
a child than for an adult.
"When we get in the car, we know what to expect, as far as
where we're going and how long it's going to take, and we also enjoy
the scenery," she said. "When you're a child in the backseat
of a car, you feel captive in that cramped spot."
Markley said that involving the family in road-trip games is a
great way to spend the time. "They're great, and especially
good when the entire family is involved," she said. "It's
a good way to bond and avoid conflicts on the road."
Krista Schwabe, 36, a Lakeland mother of an 11-year-old girl and
4-year-old boy, agreed that games are a great way to keep kids entertained
while exploring long distances.
"It's better than having them sitting around without talking
for a long period of time," she said.
What follows are six fun and educational games to keep in mind
before filling up that gas tank, buckling up the family's seatbelts
and hitting the open highway. These and more ideas can be found
in "Parents' Survival Guide to I-75" by Daryl and Jacqueline
Westfield.
WHERE`S THAT LICENSE PLATE FROM?
According to Markley, this is a fun activity that involves interaction
from the entire family. Have each person in the car look out for
license plates from out of their state. The person to spot the most
plates from different places wins.
ROAD MATH
This game is a fun way to keep the kids entertained and practicing
their arithmetic skills, all at once. Take turns adding up the numbers
on every license plate you see on the road. For example, if the
license plate is 554XVZ, add the first three numbers together and
you'll get "14" as a total. See who can add the numbers
the quickest, and maybe the winner can get a simple treat of their
choice for their efforts. Let the adding games begin!
J IS FOR JOB
This game is wonderful for the little ones, and will have them
practicing the alphabet. Make each passenger come up with a job
that starts with each letter of the alphabet, starting with the
letter "A." For example, A can be for astronaut and D
for dentist. Need a challenging twist? See who can come up with
the most careers for each letter mentioned, or describe each career
to your child. This can help them ponder a bit about what they may
enjoying doing when they grow up.
"IF I WERE STRANDED ON A DESERT ISLAND . . ."
This classic game involves imagination and a lot of laughs. Imagine
that you and your family are stranded on a deserted island and ask
them what three items of food and what three items from home they
would bring to survive. You can also compare results and describe
what you would use each item for.
VEHICLE COLORS
Prepare yourself to hear the kids shout and point outside the windows
in glee. In this activity, each player chooses a color and whenever
each player sees a vehicle of that color, they score a point. The
first player to score 25 points wins.
STATES AND CAPITALS
Get your kids ready to pass that geography test with this challenging
activity. Give players the name of a state and have them tell you
the capital. The player with the most correct answers wins.
Aurora Rodriguez can be reached at aurora.rodriguez@the ledger.com
or at 863-802-7539.
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