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Mom's Minivan O' Fun
Car Travel Activities for Kids
By Laurel Smith
Time flies when you're having fun – and the miles fly by too! You can make a long family car trip seem a lot shorter if you have fun with your kids along the way. Plan ahead with a few car activities, and making the journey can be as much fun as the destination. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Make a Trip-Journal or Scrapbook
Give everyone a big spiral bound sketchpad and a box of crayons or markers. Each day of the trip or for each event along the way, draw a picture of what you did that day, or draw a map of where you went and write about it. You can also paste in souvenirs.
Get a Good Songbook With All the Lyrics
It's surprising how many songs you think you know, but you don't really know all the words. Have a singing marathon and learn the old classics by heart.
Give Your Kids an Allowance for the Day
Tell them that this money is for snacks, treats, souvenirs, etc. Help them learn to budget their money and make good choices.
Let Your Children Have a Map
Give your kids their own copy of a map of where you are going. Show them how far you have come, how much further there is to go and let them mark it with a crayon. Every time someone asks, "How much further?" let them see for themselves. You might also like to get a compass and show them how it works along with the map.