Posts Tagged ‘Car games’
Summer sets the stage for fun outdoors. The days are long, and families have time to get outside and enjoy what nature has to offer. I grew up camping and have a great appreciation for a quality air mattress and tents with netted windows that promote air circulation. If I close my eyes and travel back in time, I can smell the wood smoke, the sizzling bacon and coffee made the old-fashioned way.
Those annual summer excursions to our nation’s national parks involved long drives in a Volkswagen van, retrofitted into a camper that could sleep seven in a pinch. When we kids weren’t teasing each other, we played cards and car games and looked out the windows. I would read the books I stashed in my allotted space, and then reread them on the return trip home. There wasn’t room for a laundry basket of books, and PCs, iPads, e-readers and iPods were just a twinkle in some future techie’s eye. Sometimes there was the static-laced baseball game on the car radio while my dad was driving, but that was about it.
Now with expanding Wi-Fi access, 3G devices and all sorts of high-tech gadgets (about which I am embarrassingly thick), an incredible amount of remote connectivity is available. While in 2011 it’s nice to unplug from the demands of daily living, electronic thingamabobs make it convenient to check in with the pet-sitter, call your Grammy on her birthday, and read books even if it rains on your vacation.
That’s what’s so cool about Big Universe – its 24/7 access to children’s books. Even if you don’t have room in your backpack or carry-on, you can still read books to your children if you have a laptop or iPad and Internet access. This anytime-anywhere convenience is particularly attractive to ex-pats overseas, field-tripping homeschoolers, or parents and kids who have to sit for an extended time in a waiting room or airport.
Big Universe’s portable access enables teachers and parents to strike while the iron is hot. If you are planning a visit to a science center or the zoo, read a safari book or story about mammals beforehand. Try to locate particular animals during your zoo visit, and use new vocabulary words while watching the animals’ antics. If you are going camping for the first time this summer, read a book about this outdoor adventure. Headed for the beach? There are fiction and non-fiction picture books about turtles, fish, birds and salt water marshes on Big Universe, too. (Hint: If you take time to explore the nature centers at parks and participate in their programs, you’ll enhance your child’s level of literacy and make a lasting impression.)
Camping, Hiking & Fishing Books for Children
While the vacation destinations were always worth the vehicular captivity my parents inflicted on my siblings and me during our childhood, being en route was not our favorite thing. That’s why I laughed out loud when I read this quote from an anonymous source:
“A vacation is like love – anticipated with pleasure, experienced with discomfort and remembered with nostalgia.”
Fortunately for today’s parents and kids, technology and gadgets make car travel a bit easier to bear. And, when the gizmos grow old, you can always try one of the literacy-enhancing car games mentioned in the following Big Universe blog series.
- “The ABCs of Car Games: Part One”
- “The ABCs of Car Games: Part Two”
- “The ABCs of Car Games: Part Three”
“This is June, the month of grass and leaves . . . and a new summer is offered me.”
– Henry David Thoreau
There’s something magical about summertime: new adventures, freedom and beauty that one can almost sip from a straw.
Summer clips the tethers that hold us tight the rest of the year. We stay outside longer, we stop for impromptu ice cream cones, and we get up early on Saturday morning and consider it fun because we are headed to the farmers’ market.
And then, there are the vacations! Off we go to the beach, the lake, the amusement park or to the mountains to camp.
Unfortunately there’s usually some significant travel time involved on vacations, and that can be tricky with little ones in tow. But, that’s part of life, so early on I decided to embrace the inevitable car rides, seeing them as opportunities – rather than something one step above rubbing sunscreen in my eyes.
So, I came up with a kid-friendly strategy that made trips both fun and educational. In my two previous blogs I detailed tips to make long trips easier, including a packing list and some car game suggestions to make the time go faster and to exercise brain cells.
Here are a few more car games to boost your children’s language skills and minimize irritability and whining.
Who Am I?
One child says, “Who am I?” The second child asks, “Are you a person, place or thing?” The first child answers, and then the question-answer volley proceeds until the mystery item or person is guessed. (Are you smaller than a car? Do you make noise? Can you be eaten? Are you scary? Are you soft? This models conversation patterns, teaches critical thinking skills and sharpens listening aptitude.
License Plate Game
If you have a long road trip planned, print copies listing the 50 states. As your child spies license plates from different states, have him check the state off his list. Or, give him some crayons and a black and white map of the United States and let him color in each state that he sees. Reading, geography and small motor skills wrapped into one.
Rhyme Time
Language is made of sounds, and making rhymes is an early literacy milestone. This game involves parent-child interaction, which builds communication bridges as well as a wide vocabulary base. Some of the rhymes will be silly or nonsensical, but that’s OK. Language has its serious side, but words can be a delight, too.
Give a noun in a phrase, pausing so your child can fill in the blank. Start by example:
The dog and a ___. (hog, log, frog)
A star with a ___.(car, jar, or a nonsense word like “dar”)
Jack Sprat and his ___. (cat, rat, mat, bat)
Fortunately, Unfortunately
Older kids will love this word play game. It encourages the imagination and a sense of humor. One person starts a scenario by say, “Fortunately…” The second person responds by saying, “Unfortunately…” You alternate between fortunate and unfortunate things. It’ll get the laughter going. For example:
“Fortunately, we are stopping for lunch soon.”
“Unfortunately, Mom left your sandwich at home.”
“Fortunately, I have a bag of peanuts in my pocket.”
“Unfortunately, the park we are going to is infested with aggressive squirrels.”
“Fortunately, I speak ‘squirrel’ fluently and will be able to talk my way out of trouble.”
“Unfortunately, the park is a wildlife refuge and kids aren’t allowed to speak out loud there.”
“Fortunately…”
And so on.
Would You Rather?
This game is as simple as they come. Start by example, then let the kids have a turn.
“Would you rather go to the pool or go to the zoo?
“Would you rather eat lima beans or eat spinach?”
“Would you rather pet a bear or pet a lion?
“Would you rather have 12 toes or 12 fingers?”
These are just a few of the many games that can be played in the car. I shared “Horse on Wheels” in my first blog in this series and three other car games in my second posting: “The Great Race from A to Z,” “Sack on My Back” and “Name Game.” They foster communication, build literacy skills and boost family bonding. Check them out.
I’d love to hear about some of the word games your family plays in the car to pass the time. Feel free to post a comment.
Have a great summer.
***NOTE: If you are taking a laptop with you on your road trip and have a 3G Internet card or have Internet hookup at your vacation lodging, Big Universe provides a portable library for children at your fingertips. With thousands of beautiful picture books available 24/7, there is no reason for your kids to experience “summer setback” in reading. Maintain or even improve their literacy skills with a wide assortment of fiction and non-fiction stories.
In my last blog, I talked about summer vacation, traveling in a car and how important it is to prepare carefully when carrying young passengers. If you are going to confine small people in small spaces for hours on end, it’s best to have a plan. “Prepare or perish” were my exact words.
Car games are a good way to pass the time on a long trip, along with a pile of books, a new toy and some snacks. Car games are literacy builders, too – whether players look for letters on billboards, build an expanding story based on the ABCs and memory skills, or sing silly songs with changing sounds.
I shared a new but simple game called “Horse on Wheels” in my previous blog. Here are three more games to foster communication, build literacy skills and boost family bonding while putting some mileage on your car.
The Great Race from A to Z
Have your children look for each letter in the alphabet, using billboards and signs on businesses. See how many times they can get through the alphabet before getting to Aunt Carolyn’s house. Or, use a stopwatch to time the race from A to Z. It can be a group effort or kids can compete, depending on the squabble factor. Add a notebook and pencil to the equation if your children need practice with penmanship.
Sack on My Back
This is a memory game and tongue twister all packed into one! Each player takes a turn reciting the game prompt: “In a sack on my back, I think I’ll pack…” He or she adds a noun each time, starting with A, then B, and so on. Each player will need to listen closely, so he doesn’t leave anything off the list. “In a sack on my back, I think I’ll pack an apple, a basketball, a camera and my dachshund.”
Name Game
This rhyming car game takes some practice, but the kids love it. I never quite mastered it, but children have a special knack to pick up on the playful sound switcheroos, especially when names are involved. You can play it with other words, too. Learn one line; then add another. Here are several examples:
Darby, Darby, Bo-barby
Banana, Fanna, Fo-farby
Fee, Fie, Mo-marby
Daaar-by!
—-
Tom, Tom, Bo-bom
Banana, Fanna, Fo-fom
Fee, Fie, Mo-mom
Tooo-ooom!
—-
Maddie, Maddie, Bo-baddie
Banana, Fanna, Fo-faddie
Fee, Fie, Mo-maddie
Maaad-die!
—-
Dave, Dave, Bo-bave
Banana, Fanna, Fo-fave
Fee, Fie, Mo-mave
Daaa-ve!
(Clue: Note the rhyming pattern. Pick a name. Say it twice, then drop the first letter of the name and substitute the silly consonants and sounds.)
*** NOTE: See more car games in my next post, and read the first in this three-part series:
*** NOTE: If you are taking a laptop with you on your trip and have a 3G Internet card or have Internet hookup at your vacation lodging, Big Universe provides a portable library for children at your fingertips. With thousands of beautiful picture books available 24/7, there is no reason for your kids to experience “summer setback” in reading. Maintain or even improve their literacy skills with a wide assortment of fiction and non-fiction stories.
Oprah Winfrey said, “My philosophy is that not only are you responsible for your life, but doing the best at this moment puts you in the best place for the next moment.”
I’ve always been an optimist, so I appreciate her sentiment. I try to look at the bright side of things and make the best of less than ideal situations – even imprisonment in a smallish vehicle with three other people.
…That’s 70 cubic feet of space, divided by four – not counting the luggage, the snacks and the pillows. But, I suppose if Oprah and her best friend, Gayle King, can go cross country for 11 days in a little Chevy Impala, I can survive for five in an SUV.
Road trips. They can be viewed as either adventures or a stress-packed short cut to Purgatory – especially if children are involved. If vacations involve a lot of driving, parents MUST be prepared. Prepare or perish, I say!
A captive audience
Some of my girls’ fondest memories are of the vacations we took when they were little. It wasn’t necessarily the destination that thrilled them either. I worked hard to make the drive time fun…and educational…to make the most of a potentially difficult situation. I figured I had a captive audience and took advantage of the opportunity.
If you set your children up for a successful road trip, 99 percent of the time, that’s what you’ll get. Plan well, prepare your children, have a positive attitude…and pray like crazy. That was my formula. I desired happy children…but, I also wanted to avoid a nasty case of vehicular momicide.
We listened to books on tape, and we played word games. (See car game at end of this article…and more in the next blog!) We sang and we TALKED about what we saw out the windows.
Building Blocks for Literacy
A language-rich environment like this helps children develop their vocabulary and their ability to communicate. They learn how to express their observations and opinions, to ask questions, and to listen – all building blocks for literacy. And, if parents engage fully, they can get to know the hearts of their children.
One for You, and One for Me
Of course, what’s a car trip without snacks? I packed healthful treats in Ziplocs, but crossing state borders was something to really celebrate! One Gummi Worm for North Carolina. Two for Virginia. Three for West Virginia, and, well, when you hit Pennsylvania, you hit the Mother Lode!
What’s in the Bag?
There were always a few brown bags marked “Top Secret,” too. When we reached certain landmarks and IF the children behaved properly, they each got a bag with her name on it. Sometimes it contained a coloring book or puzzle booklet. Other times it had a 50-cent bracelet, a miniature dolly, a little book or a couple of plastic animals. (Note: Don’t forget something for the return voyage!)
NEVER, No Never Ever…
And, of course, we NEVER embarked on a long excursion without a fresh supply of books from the library. We wedged a laundry basket between the girls’ booster seats, which gave them easy access to a heap of books. We left a list of the library books taped to the refrigerator at home with their due dates to make their return easier and to minimize late fees. Our library was good about printing a list for us.
Now with mobile 3G Internet cards becoming more common, network access on the road is possible. That means websites like BigUniverse.com and all its beautiful children’s picture books can go on vacation with you. Can’t get much better than that!
To help get all you road warriors ready for this summer’s trips, I have compiled a checklist to make your preparations kid-friendly.
How to Survive a Road Trip with Kids
- Pack comfort items. Pillows, teddy and a favorite blanket.
- Buy or borrow books on tape/CD. Great for when it gets dark.
- Bring drinks in spill-proof containers. Pack individual snacks. Dry nibbles are best. There will be crumbs, so choose things that can be vacuumed up.
- Don’t forget hand wipes to clean sticky faces and grimy hands.
- Buy or borrow a fresh collection of age-appropriate books to fight boredom and make the trip go faster. Have older siblings read to their younger brothers and sisters. You’ll get twice the mileage from each book.
- Pick out a few movies for the laptop or DVD player, but use sparingly. I suggest saving them for the return trip or for when it gets dark. Don’t forget headsets – unless you want to be humming kiddie songs for the next week.
- Tuck Dramamine, ear patches or pressure-point bracelets in the glove compartment.
- Pack a jump rope, Skip-It or football in the trunk to facilitate some quick exercise at rest stops. Antsy kids don’t make good passengers. Stop often.
- Give each child their own flashlight. Just take my word on it. It’s a godsend, while en route and once you get to your destination. (Don’t forget a plug-in nightlight, too.)
- Place a few surprises in opaque gift bags: mini books, Matchbox cars, stickers, word search puzzles, sugarless gum, Polly Pocket dolls, tiny spiral notebooks and washable markers, mazes, string and string games booklet, etc.
- Prepare a list of car games and pack any necessary props. Many of them are good literacy builders, since they involve word and symbol recognition, playful rhymes, spelling, counting and writing.
- Add your own ideas to this list.
A Car Game for You
“Horse on Wheels” is a good car game for beginning readers. It involves observation, counting, spelling, writing and stickers. It can be competitive in nature or not. It’s a little like bingo and a little like the driveway basketball game “Horse” – only there is no hoop or basketball…or driveway for that matter! You do spell “h-o-r-s-e” though!
It’s easy to play and only requires three simple components.
- One sheet of stiff card stock, matte finish (no shine)
- One child-safe washable marker or a pencil
- One sheet of yard sale dot stickers (office supply aisle)
How to assemble: Take card stock and write the word “horse” in big bold letters across the top. Draw vertical lines from top to bottom between the letters. Draw horizontal lines to create squares big enough to fit a dot sticker in the middle. Add a few more horizontal lines to create rows of empty boxes big enough for a child to write the corresponding letter. (See graphic above.)
How to play: The child looks out the window until he or she spots a horse. For every horse, the child gets to add a sticker dot to the chart, placing it first under the letter “H,” then in the “O” column, and so on. After the sticker is in place, the child should write the letter below the sticker. The first child to write “horse” three times wins.
Note: We were driving through Tennessee, Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana, so it was easy to count horses. Not so easy if you are sticking to urban byways. If this is the case, mark the top of your sheet with a different word or phrase: dog, police car, taxi, bridge and so on.
*** NOTE: See more car games in my next two posts – all part of a three-piece series:
*** NOTE: If you are taking a laptop with you on your trip and have a 3G Internet card or have Internet hookup at your vacation lodging, Big Universe provides a portable library for children at your fingertips. With thousands of beautiful picture books available 24/7, there is no reason for your kids to experience “summer setback” in reading. Maintain or even improve their literacy skills with a wide assortment of fiction and non-fiction stories.
