The holiday season is in full swing, and with it comes a hefty to-do list – cook the food, clean the house for the guests, and pack suitcases for long trips. In addition to completing these necessary tasks, though, there is one other element to think about: the kids are going to need something to do during the trip to the grandparents’ house for Thanksgiving. Here are a few great fun – and educational – travel games and activities to consider.
North American Animal Games
Learning Games for Kids has some great educational games in its North American Animal Games series, where kids explore the types of animals that lived here before European settlers arrived. Interactive online games keep the kids busy at home, while a printable activity sheet exists for traveling play.
Puzzles
Do your kids love puzzles? Invest in some fun word search or crossword puzzle books. These mind benders help develop critical thinking and can expand your child’s vocabulary. If you have more than one child, buy them the same book and have them race to see who completes the puzzles first! A little friendly competition can go a long way on a long car ride.
Technology
Another idea is to set up a portable DVD player in the car to play some educational DVDs for your children while on the road. Bring along your kids’ favorite movies and sing their favorite songs with them to keep them entertained as you drive. Tablets also make a great option, as they can not only play movies, but also offer games and other activities to pass the time.
Spelling Games
A great option for home and travel, print out some Thanksgiving-themed spelling games from VocabularySpellingCity to help your kids learn seasonally relevant words. Their three lists include Harvest, Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving Feast, and each list also includes games, quizzes and writing activities. Fourteen of the games and activities are available as printable versions, too!
Art Activities
Kids love to create, so supplying them with things like construction paper and stickers, coloring books, chalkboards and more will keep them occupied during long trips. Avoid messy arts and crafts like as clay, markers and especially paints during travel to ensure your upholstery is still the same color when the family gets back out of the car.
Make Up Your Own Games
There is no limit to the games and activities you can buy for your kids, but there’s no reason you can’t make up your own games to play in the car. A great game is the ABC game, where you take turns finding each letter of the alphabet on signs or license plates that you pass in the car. The first person starts with the letter A, the next person gets B, and so on. You can also have your kids find objects that begin with each letter. When all else fails, I-Spy is always a classic highway game to get your child’s creative juices flowing.
Looking for even more ideas? Check out even more of Family Education’s list of travel activities here. For even more fun ideas or for activities for your children to participate in all throughout the year, contact Steadfast Academy today and learn more about our great early childhood development programs.