If your family is like most, sometime this summer you’ll be embarking on a long road trip with several energetic children in tow. And, since most kids don’t like to be confined for hours, you’ll probably hear constant refrains of: “Are we almost there yet?” coming from the back seat. As a parent, keeping your kids entertained in the car, while also ensuring your safety and sanity, takes some resourcefulness. Fortunately, it is possible when you use these creative summer road trip entertainment ideas from your friends at Carwise.
Although your first instinct will be to load a movie on Susie’s tablet, or put a new Gameboy in Johnny’s hands, it’ll be more memorable for you all to minimize the “screen-time” and stow away the electronic devices. After all, you probably didn’t have any of those high-tech gizmos when you were a kid, and you turned out just fine. Because summer road trips are a rite-of-passage for most families, find some other ways to keep your kids entertained. Who knows? They might even pass them down to their kids.
With that said, here are some fun ways to keep everyone’s attention focused on something other than that endless traffic jam you seem to be stuck in:
This game is simple, good for a few laughs and lets participants use their imaginations. License Plate Lingo is played by taking turns coming up with a meaning for letters on certain car license plates. For example, “OBE” might stand for “onion-biting elephant”, or “ostriches buy eggs”. You can even make it a contest with a “prize” for the person who comes up with the most creative acronym.
The Celebrity Game starts by having one family member think of the first and last names of a real celebrity, famous historical figure or movie character. After sharing it with the group, the next player must then come up with a different personality whose first name begins with the first letter of the previous character’s last name. So, if player one chooses “Abraham Lincoln”, player two could go with “LeBron James”, and so forth.
A favorite of parents everywhere, The Quiet Game challenges competitors to be the quietest for the longest. Whoever speaks is out, and the other participants continue in silence until there’s a winner.
Hold a contest to see who can spot the most different types of animals during the trip. Any creature that walks or flies is fair game, like deer, livestock and birds. Pick someone to write down each player’s findings, and then award a prize to the one who’s compiled the largest list when arriving at your destination.
Around for generations, this game is still a favorite with road travelers today. To get started, one participant secretly picks an object inside the car and uses a verbal clue like “I spy something green”, or “I spy something that’s shiny and red”. The first person who correctly guesses what the object is gets to choose the next item of interest.
As a great substitute for electronic gadgets, books on topics that interest your kids will keep their minds engaged for hours. As a side benefit, reading a book might even make them want to nap! Before hitting the road, hit the local library first and have the kids pick out some books that they’ll eagerly anticipate reading in the car.
Hand the kids a bag of colorful pipe cleaners and watch their creativity go. They’ll stay occupied for hours crafting animals, flowers, letters, unusual shapes and even fake glasses to wear when you stop for a bite to eat.
It’s not uncommon when taking a summer road trip for your ride’s paint job to get a little dinged up, or your windshield tainted. When you need some repairs, promptly locate a better auto body or glass repair shop by using the nationwide Carwise referral network. All shops on Carwise feature I-CAR and ASE-certified technicians with the tools, training and experience to restore your ride like new again promptly and reliably. Most shops speak directly with insurance companies, so you don’t have to, and warranty their work to put your mind at ease.
Search your zip code now for a customer-reviewed auto body or glass repair shop nearby: www.carwise.com.
