Roadtrips are a wonderful way to see the landscape and sights of America on a budget. Flights have been increasingly expensive. Not to mention all the issues with potential delays and cancellations. Driving also allows for flexibility and schedule changes if needed that flying does not. The downside to driving, especially with children, is that they want to be entertained during the long hours in the car. If you are planning on taking a family roadtrip this summer with your children, I’ve rounded up some really fun items. These four items are sure to keep your children entertained and happy throughout the roadtrip.
Snacks
If your kids are anything like my girls, they are constantly hungry! The last thing they need is lots of sugar and junk food. Even if we are on vacation, I try to at least tone down the sugar. Mode Chocolate is the perfect treat for the family. If you are looking for something sweet, but want to avoid all the sugar, Mode has you covered. Their dark chocolate only has 1g of sugar per bar. The milk chocolate has 4g of sugar per bar. It is sweetened with monk fruit and made with all natural ingredients.
Books
I know it’s easy to rely on screens to keep children entertained during roadtrips, but don’t forget about books! Reading will help prevent the learning loss over summer and even help improve their vocabulary. If you are looking to keep your children motivated to read, try getting them a Once Upon a Book Club box.
Once Upon a Book Club has subscription or box options and several different age ranges. I tried an adult box and loved it. It made the book even more engaging and fun. The items went really well with the book. Claire got to try the middle grade box. She was SO excited about it. She is currently half way through and loving it. The book caught her attention and held it easily. Claire has been telling all of her friends and teachers about it, too. She loves it that much!
A Cuddly Friend
Kids always feel more comfortable and sleep better when they have a stuffed animal. In an unfamiliar bed or room while vacationing, it’s nice to have something they are familiar with. Space is limited in cars so why not pack a cuddly friend for your kids that a 2 in 1 like a Teeturtle? These darling little plushies are reversible. Some change expressions and others change into a completely different animal. They are adorable!
Educational Entertainment
It’s nice to have multiple forms of entertainment for your kids when you have a long drive. That way if they get bored of one activity, they can try something else. We have two games that are so perfect for the car. Both games are made by Giiker and available on their website or amazon. What’s nice about both of them is that they help with your planning, reasonging, and spatial skills. Both games are small and the parts that attach either magnetically or with pegs. And there are hundreds of challenging levels to keep you interested.
- Super Slide– The goal of this game is to slide the red square block to bottom middle location. The game comes with different magnetic blocks to configure in multiple puzzles. It comes in challenge and learning mode to make the puzzles even more challenging.
- Super Blocks– The object of this electronic game is to place the appropriate colored pieces to cover the lighted areas on the screen. The Indicator at the left determines which colors you’re supposed to use for each challenge.
My kids LOVE these puzzles. My husband and I both find them fun, too. We have been playing them on multiple levels. Claire has been bringing these games everywhere-to school, Girl Scout camp, the car…you get the idea.
So there you have it! Four things to help keep your children entertained during any roadtrips you plan on taking this summer. And maybe a few ideas for yourself as well!