Tips

• Record yourself or your children reading family favourite books or songs and play this in the car.  Bring the books to read along should you like.  Alternatively, download some recordings onto your device of new books.

• In large pencil cases or something similar, pack activities your child likes to play with- such as a small set of LEGO.  We keep some small toys and activities that are only for road or airplane trips, so that they are a bit exciting.  Why not put away a few small birthday or holiday presents for this purpose?

• Often in the summer libraries have cull sales– pick up a few copies of new titles for the trip, rather inexpensively!

• Bring a small whiteboard, whiteboard markers and an eraser for a different writing or drawing medium.

• Snacks, snacks and snacks!  Lots of healthy finger foods tend to keep little people happy.  Here’s a fun idea for a Snack Necklace:

http://make-it-your-own.com/road-trip-idea-snack-necklace/

• Plan some fun stops– maybe a science centre, pool or picnic lunch.  Even simply stopping and playing in a different playground or splash pad can be thrilling.

• Look for certain things: “Everyone on the lookout for a red car, a yellow sign, a licence plate with a “J” etc. or play I Spy for items in the car using colours.

• Play the alphabet game- think of a theme such as animals or cities of the world and name one for “A”, “B”, “C” etc.

• Bring blank sketch books and pencil crayons (sometimes crayons melt during hot summer road trips as we may have found out…) or add a little twist such as this Dots & Lines Sketch Book:

http://make-it-your-own.com/road-trip-idea-dots-lines-sketch-book/

• Make your own simple Magnet Board for play:

http://make-it-your-own.com/road-trip-idea-make-your-own-magnet-board/

• Bring along a pair of children’s binocular’s for looking for wildlife.

• Play 20 Questions or Who am I?  (Where you think of a person, place or thing and the family members try to figure out who or what it is in 20 questions or less.)

• If your children are older, bring a few buttons.  This way they can play tic, tac toe with a sibling using the buttons, have one draw a maze for the other to move the button through etc. (This is not recommended for children 0-3 or those that tend to put things into their mouths.)

• Involve your children in documenting the trip (whether it be choosing photo opportunities, taking the actual photos or using an old or pretend camera for pretend photos) during the driving and at stops.  Make a book for them to keep with printed photos when they get home .

• We love this “desk” that straps onto your child’s seat and is safety tested.  It makes a great space for books, drawing, snacks etc.  This would also allow your child to play simple games, do basic puzzles (keep them in a hard pencil box), create a scavenger hunt type checklist for a sibling of things to find or make these postcards to pop in the mail along the way:

http://make-it-your-own.com/road-trip-idea-send-a-postcard-to-yourself/

• Some friends of ours would draw a simple map of the journey with monuments, towns, sights etc. at approximately half an hour increments so that their child could cross things off when they reached them.  Perhaps this would lend to being asked a few less times that inevitable question…. “Are we there yet?”

Materials

• Blank sketch book
• Circular stickers/ coloured reinforcements (you can purchase these at office supply stores, dollar stores etc.)
• Markers
• Pencil
• Eraser
• Pencil Crayons

Directions

• Purchase a blank sketch book.

• Add various types of lines with a felt marker to the pages for your child to make into something.

• Do the same, arranging circle stickers in differerent formations on the page.  You could use any types of shapes.

• See what creative things your child makes the lines and dots into, using her/his pencil, eraser and pencil crayons.

• Leave a few blank pages for them to set up some lines and dots for you to do too!

Purpose

• Developing fine motor skills through sketching
• Developing creativity

Safety Notes

• Erasers can be choking hazards.  Be sure to store them away from children 0-3 or who tend to put things in their mouths.

If you have more than one child, you could exchange them with each other and/or save them for future road trips, making a small collection!

Materials

• Pencil
• Eraser
• Markers or pencil crayons
• Thin black pen
• Self adhesive magnet sheet (you can buy these in craft or dollar stores)
• Scissors
• Small cookie sheet
• Storage bag

Directions

• Think of a theme or idea for your magnet board.  Whether is be “Under the Sea”, “Space Travels” etc.  You could even just do shapes.

• Sketch out all your parts, colour them and cut them out.  (We sketched, traced over the pencil lines with a thin, black pen and then erased the pencil once the ink was dry. After colouring with pencil crayons, we added a bit of glitter and watercolour to create a magical sea scene.)

• Mount your cut-out pieces on the sticky part of your magnet sheet and then cut them out again.

• Put them in a bag with your small cookie sheet and take them with you on your next road trip, creating a scene and enjoying imaginary play on your cookie sheet board.

Purpose

• Creating props for play.

Safety Notes

• Exercise caution when using scissors.
• Magnets can be dangerous if swallowed– seek immediate medical attention.  Thus, this activity is not recommended for children 0-3 or those who tend to put objects in their mouths.

Materials

• Laces
• Circular cereal

TIP: We use these flexible “desks” that have a strap that attaches to your child’s seat if you do this in the car.  They provide a work surface that is safety tested.  Do prepare yourself for a bit of mess, but if they are eating snacks that may be the case anyways!

Directions

• Purchase laces (these are often at craft stores in the beading section or educational stores).  You could also use a pair of new shoe laces or yarn with a bit of clear tape wrapped on the ends.)

• Tie a knot at one end.

• Give your child a small container of cereal for them to put on the lace to form a necklace. (We recommend giving a bit a time in case there are any spills!)

• Knot the 2 ends together.

• Once they are done- munch away!

Purpose

• Developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination.

Safety Notes

• Be sure to remove necklaces for play (e.g, on playground structures) to avoid strangulation and wear with direct supervision.

Alternatively, if you are a teacher have your students tell you about their summers using this!

Materials

• Post card Printable postcard
• Cardstock
• Stamps
• Pencil crayons
• Scissors
• Pencil & Eraser

Directions

• Print your postcards on cardstock.

• Cut them out.

• While at home, address them and put on a stamp.  You could address them to yourself or your neighbourhood friends or relatives.

• Draw on your postcards while on your trip and pop them in the mailbox.

• Look forward to receiving a keepsake of your trip!

Purpose

• Developing an understanding as to how to address mail and how the postal system works.

Safety Notes

• Use scissors with care.

Materials

• Shoelaces
• Straws
• Large hole pony beads
• Scissors

Directions

• Depending on your child’s age and abilities you many need to cut the straws into bead-like proportions or they may be able to do this on their own.  Recycle any un-needed portions (as seen in the photograph.)

• Set out your pony beads on a tray, lid etc. for easy access.

• Tie a know at one end of your shoelace to provide an anchor for your beads.

• Thread your beads onto your shoelace, alternating the straw and pony beads.  As mentioned this would be a great activity for learning patterning.

• Knot the 2 ends of your shoelace together or tie a bow when done.  Wear and enjoy!

Purpose

• Developing fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination.
• An opportunity for exploring pattering.

Safety Notes

• Be sure to remove necklaces for play (e.g, on playground structures) to avoid strangulation and wear with supervision.
• Beads can pose a choking hazard so this activity is not recommended for children 0-3 or those that tend to put objects in their mouths.

Materials

• Tent
• Mattresses
• Sleeping bags or sheets
• Pillows
• Flashlights
• Special snacks
• Water bottles

Directions

• Set up your tent and camping gear in your back yard.  This is a great way to ease into camping (especially with the indoor bathroom close at hand!). Make it special with snacks, reading stories with a flashlight etc.  As a child, my sisters and I did this and caught the Northern Lights- an amazing memory!

• Alternatively, set up some mattresses in an area of your home where your whole family can fit and have a sleepover together.  Make it a movie night or a time to stay up late, sharing stories etc.

Purpose

• Preparation for wilderness camping.

Safety Notes

• Follow any safety guidelines outlined on your camping gear.

Materials

• Flat sheet (you could use one that you no longer need as part of a set or sometimes stores sell them separately)
• Fabric markers
• Table cover or pieces of cardboard (for underneath)

Directions

• Wash your sheet (particularly if it is new) to help the fabric markers “stick”. (Unless otherwise specified on the product instructions.)

• Have your children draw on their fort sheet.  We added each child’s name and the date to the drawings so each summer we could add more and see how their drawing style has changed over the years. (Last year our daughter went from very abstract lines to bunnies, bunnies, bunnies this year!)

• TIP: If your child is younger and is having trouble holding the material taut while drawing, put a section in a an embroidery loop for them.

• Follow the directions on the product to set it (whether it be ironing the drawn area or putting it in the dryer).

• Use it to build a fort (put it over a table, stretch it between chairs etc.). Enjoy and when you are done store it in your playroom or a special spot!

Purpose

• Making materials for building.

Safety Notes

• Follow the product directions re: use, setting the images
• It is helpful to cover your table prior to use, as the markers often seep through the fabric.

This could be a great project for school for a different spin on the traditional shoe box habitat project.

Materials

• Piece of cardboard (this can be from a box etc.)
• Cardstock
• Popsicle stick or tongue depressor
• Scissors
• Craft knife (to be used by an adult)/ cutting board
• Paint
• Paint brush
• Craft tray
• Smock
• Embellishments (we used pom poms)
• Markers
• Scissors
• Ruler (optional- you might find this helpful if you want a straight pathway)
• Pencil/eraser
• Craft glue

Directions

• Think about a scene that you want to create.  We created a nature/habitat scene, but you could create a car with a background of the city etc..

• Sketch out your plan for your scene on your cardboard in pencil.  Don your smock and put your cardboard in your craft tray.  Paint in what you would see on the ground of your chosen habitat or scene.  Allow it to dry overnight.

• Glue on any embellishments that you might like (we chose to use pom poms for small bushes).

• Draw out a picture of your animal or any other item that you would like for the moving component of your scene.

• Cut out your animal.

• Have an adult cut out (with a craft knife, we recommend putting a cutting board underneath) a pathway for your moving component.  Ours was going to be in a straight line, so we drew the line with a ruler, staying about 5 cm/2 inches away from the edges.

• Pop your popsicle stick up through the slit and run it through the pathway to make sure it has been fully cut.  Take it out, glue your animal on top and let it dry overnight.  Then pop the bottom of you stick through your scene and have fun moving your animal about in their habitat!

Purpose

• Learning about and creating a replica of an animal habitat
• Figuring out ways to make moving components in projects

Safety Notes

• A craft knife should be used by an adult.  Be sure to store it away from children following use.
• Use non-toxic products.
• Exercise care when using scissors and have adult supervision.