Sitting still for hours at a time can be challenging even for adults. If you have an upcoming trip with a little one who gets the wiggles after 15 minutes, we’ve got you covered! Check out our take on road trip activities to keep the whole family busy!
Your kiddos will have their favorite stuffed toys, books, etc. already packed, but when you’re 30 miles in and they complain they’re bored? Bust out the mystery bags! Before hitting the road, hit up your local dollar section to find some new activity pages, edible treats, books, & more! Pack each one in a paper bag and staple it shut. Space out when your child is able to open one. “We made it 100 miles!” or “90 minutes of driving with no stopping!” Consider investing in a kids lap desk to make coloring a road trip friendly activity. A few surprises will keep things interesting.
Sick of round after round of “I spy” finding the same red car that’s been driving next to you for miles? Challenge your kiddo with developmentally progressive searches focusing on different themes! You might have Letters Only Edition! Or try finding certain shapes, colors, foods, or animals. The airport is a great place to seek out specific items and ask your kids questions, “You found the letter ‘m’ and next to it is the translation in Mandarin! Which character do you think corresponds with the words we’re looking at?” There are all kinds of signs and symbols in our world, and traveling both in and outside the country is a great time to explore their meaning.
Sitting still for long periods of time isn’t fun for kids and parents alike. Get your juices flowing with car yoga! Car yoga is ideal for kiddoes big enough to be out of the car seat, but these seated poses are great to try while waiting in the airport gate, rest stop, or on the train!
TO DO: Reach your arms high over your head and press your palms together. Take a big breath into your belly and let it out on a “huh” sound. Lean to one side and breath into the side of your tummy. Come back up to the middle and lean the other way. *Pro tip* children aged 3+ can start working on differentiating between left and right as they do the side stretch!
TO DO: Bend your knee and bring one foot tucked pressing into the other thigh. Extend your other leg long in front of you with your toes pointing toward the sky. Reach you arms long for your toes! Kids can try this one with their backs straight and heads reaching forward, or try reaching their nose toward their knee for a deeper stretch and quad exercise!
TO DO: With your legs facing forward, reach your right hand just above your left knee and gently twist your back. Switch your hands and twist the other direction.
TO DO: Stretch your legs in front of you and extend them off the floor either with bent knees or straight and long. You can either reach your hands on the sides and underneath the seat, or support your legs just under your knees.
Family trips help build lasting memories for your children. Help them stop and appreciate the whole trip with some good old fashioned scrap booking. Older kids can journal about what they’ve seen, people they’ve met, and favorite meals along the way. Younger children can draw pictures showing you their favorite parts of their vacation. This kind of souvenir will help them build gratitude for each moment during the trip.
