Road Trip!

Seeing that we're moving soon, I thought this was a timely post for us. Maybe others will find our sanity saving tactics useful. (Don't judge me for the tactics I use, just keep in mind I'm trying to keep 4 kids entertained. 2 of which who don't wait well. AT. ALL.)

#1 Portable DVD player, my kids actually don't watch this the entire trip. Last time my kids
     only watched a few things (keep in mind 2 day drive, only watching a couple things-
     pretty awesome in my book).

#2 Nintendo DS. Yes, they play traditional games on there, but they also play A LOT of educational
     games. My list of educational games: Scribblenauts, Super Scribblenauts, Reading Tutor (there's
     multiple grade levels for this one), Hello Kitty, Crayola Treasure Adventure...

#3 Books

#4 Coloring books, Twistables Crayolas, pencils, journal, and workbooks.

#5 Snacks & drinks

#6 Audiobooks and the music THEY like. This has saved me so many times.

#7 Etch-a-sketch or magna-doodle

#8 Cars, dinosaurs, animals, a couple Barbies, or other small toys.

#9 Stickers

#10 Magnetic toys (some of my kids fav's):

Playsets like these. We've gotten the more character themed ones and they 

went over well (these ones by Lee Publications tend to be the best value though)

Melissa & Doug Dress up dolls. There's several kinds of these

so far we've found they're all great.

Tangoes. Classic puzzle solving at it's best.

Letter matching! Also there's one with words too. Great learning toys!

#11 Sewing cards (or small crafts for bigger kids)

#12 Car games like car bingo, I spy, alphabet game

#13 Color Wonder! 

More Gross Motor

Yes MORE Gross Motor. Why? Because [at least for my kids] I've found when I trade off between a gross motor skill and and fine motor [or one that requires more attention], they do a lot better with those finer tasks. Sometimes we even do gross motor and fine motor together. So a list of some of the tasks we do:

* kicking a ball- either just for the fun of it or playing soccer or kickball
* balloon volleyball. My kids LOVE to play this!
* jump and/or stomp on bubble wrap
* rolling around (especially down a hill, and then they have to run up the hill to do it again)
* play Hullabaloo, Tag, hopscotch, musical chairs, or Twister
* Obstacle Course

* play at the park

* dancing party

* balance sitting on a ball while writing (I do this to my kids ALL the time)

* bike riding

* My kids' additions:
     virus tag: where one person is "it" and as they tag people they are also "it" until everyone

               is tagged. Last person tagged is the first person it.

     shark attack: one person is "it" and tries to hit others with a giant exercise ball (one of our fav's)

              once tagged you sit out til all are tagged.

     fishing frenzy: relay race where you try to get a gummy worm off a clothes pin fishing pole.

     freeze tag

* basically any sport. My kids like football, baseball, kickball, soccer best of all

Now get moving!