Most adults like traveling. However, before we reach our dream place of relaxation, we often have a long, several-hour journey. Add to this children’s questions, “Are we still far?”, “When are we going to be there?” and you can forget about the relaxing journey.
However, so that the nightmare does not become a reality, you should take care of the quality of traveling together and provide children with attractions that will help them endure traveling by car or train. Here are some proven entertainments that can save the day:
1. Reading is irreplaceable and reliable. It’s best to take your child’s favorite books or buy new ones, especially for holidays. You will likely have more time to read together there.
2. Listening to audiobooks about the adventures of your kids’ favorite characters. The list of available tales is long, and there is a lot to choose from. The undoubted advantage of audiobooks is that they give parents a respite.
3. Counting. Older children can count, for example, dogs. Younger ones who don’t know how to count yet may just be on the lookout for them. You can count anything: ladies in skirts or gentlemen on bikes, road signs or railroad crossings, and much more.
4. Guessing — what color will the car driving in front be?
5. Lettering. You can look for a given letter on billboards, shop signs, or on the registrations of other cars. You can go through the entire alphabet like this.
6. A chain of words. Try arranging words so that the next one begins with the last letter of the previous word. For example, pineapple — elephant — tower — room, etc. You can also set the category: names, animals, objects. This game greatly enriches the vocabulary of kids.
7. Search. It is a similar word game. This time we search for as many words starting with a given letter, e. g. f”: food, flower, fantasy, fever, etc.
8. Rhyming. This game involves composing rhymes for as long as possible: lime — time — prime — rhyme — crime, and so on.
9. Rock paper scissors. We start by placing our hands into a fist, counting to three, and hitting the other hand with it. For “three,” each person places his hand in a rock (clenched fist), paper (open hand), or scissors (two fingers arranged in a V-shape). Paper beats a rock by wrapping it, rock beats scissors by blunting them, and scissors win by cutting the paper. If two people choose the same thing, they try again.
10. Stickers, tasks, puzzles. Before a long trip, consider buying at least one new sticker book. Booklets with tasks and sets of puzzles also often work, as well as notebooks with activities with a dry-erase marker attached.
11. Mini games. These take up little space and are a fun way to keep your kids busy. The whole family may like Dobble, Tic-Tac-Toe (magnetic), or little puzzles. You can also take these games with you in your purse to keep your kid busy when you are queuing somewhere or waiting for something.
12. Toys. Take a set of your favorite figurines, dolls, cuddly toys, or hand puppets with you. During the trip, you can use them in many ways, for example: to play a theater, to guess by touch what character or animal is hidden in a bag, and even to help your baby fall asleep.
13. Something delicious. It says “Through stomach to heart,” but we could change that for “Through stomach to peace on the way.” A hungry child is a sad or angry child. Choose simple solutions that build the kid’s body. Pips, nuts, all kinds of seasonal fruit, and baby food in pouches. You can try new flavors but also reach for proven ones to please little bellies.
Sure, you can give your child a tablet or smartphone. Sometimes it saves the driver’s balance. But it is worth realizing how many benefits are offered by such simple entertainments, which do not require a lot of preparation and a great effort to play. For example, they
- give a sense of community;
- kill boredom;
- broaden the vocabulary;
- develop the imagination;
- improve motor skills;
- make the kid sensitive to music and literature;
- strengthen sharpness and awareness;
- teach cooperation;
- build contact;
- are a source of joy and humor.
And the final word. When preparing for the trip, remember that, as Anatol Stern said: “The desire for fun in children is even stronger than hunger or thirst.”
By Amey MyersAmey, an intrepid traveler and avid blogger, roams the world, absorbing diverse cultures, flavors, and experiences. Her writing captures the essence of her adventures, inspiring others to explore. Amey's infectious passion for travel and storytelling epitomizes a life filled with exploration and adventure.
