Going on a Road Trip With Young Kids

Let's face it going to the grocery store can be such a big challenge, some could never imagine going on a long road trip.

A road trip with your family doesn't have to be a nightmare. We turn our road trips into adventures. We usually travel with my sister's family so this makes our adventures even more fun. My little ones was on a kick about "Punch Buggies" (Volkswagen Bugs) every time the kids would see one they would perk up and punch the arm of the neighboring child which would turn into a huge fight.

We didn't want this to happen on our road trip so we thought up a game. We gave each child a long sting & colorful beads (all children where over the age of three but be careful since the string and beads could become a hazard). The kids were directed to place a bead unto the string each and every time they spotted a "Punch Buggy". They were not allowed to punch or they would lose a bead. When we reached our destination the child with the most beads had a very special prize waiting for them. We also had prizes for everyone that participated (the prize was something they children could use on the vacation).

The children stayed occupied and encouraged them to count and use math, the older children even matched the color of the "Punch Buggy" up to color of bead that he or she placed on the string. I never realized just how many "Punch Buggies" one could see on a trip.

One time going to the zoo we had animal stickers and a sticker book each time the child seen an animal they got to put a sticker in the sticker book (be prepared, you'll be surprised how many animals they can spot out on one trip). The winner got a stuffed animal as the grand prize.