Family Fun Blog

Add the rising cost of gas to all the normal stresses families encounter on road trips, and this summer’s family vacations are at risk of driving your blood pressure as high as gas prices. Beat the boredom and involve the family in some fun drive-time activities to make the trip more enjoyable and less stressful for everyone. Here are a few ways:

DVD players are becoming popular choices for occupying the kids for a while. Toddlers and preschoolers will be most entertained by familiar favorites, while older kids should have access to new titles, if possible. Local libraries often offer longer-term borrowing, or try a movie rental source with no time limit to avoid late fees.

Audio books would be my choice above DVDs. Again, the local library is a great resource. A wide variety of titles offer entertaining and lighthearted choices, as well as deeper and more enriching works. This is a good way to “read” the classics, or listen to an autobiography read by the author. You might want to stop the book every so often for fun and lively family discussion. This can range from “What do you think will happen next?” type questions through “does this show a good character trait in that individual, or what should they have done instead?” You can have fun with the discussions, tell the next part of the story if you were writing it, or work in a good discussion on your personal values and beliefs.

Another type of audio book are learning tapes/CDs. I would limit these to a particular time frame, since it can be too overwhelming to continue long with them. But we’ve enjoyed 30-minutes at a time of language learning tapes, etc. Pimsleur is a good choice for this, since they advance slowly and offer lots of opportunity for listener practice (but someone other than the driver should be able to control the pause function in case you need more time to respond than the instructor allows.

If you have time to spare while driving, check the route (or consider a short detour) to include an interesting stop along the way. Check state park lists, historic sites, small themed establishments, and others. Often the state’s travel information center will have a wealth of such information.

Of course, there are all those old standby travel games as well. Depending upon the ages of your children, there can be many they would enjoy. Don’t limit yourself to “I Spy” or “20 Questions” either (although those can be fun). Search online or for a traveling with kids idea book for lots of suggestions.

Another favorite is to take along old family photos or a scrapbook. Past family vacations can be especially appropriate, but any family memories will do. Let everyone share their memories or give comments as you discuss whatever each photo brings to mind. Laughing over past family vacations can put everyone in a good frame of mind to be ready to enjoy this year’s vacation, and at the same time help everyone realize that in the years to come, you will most likely be laughing at what may seem like frustrations now.

A great outdoor sunny craft activity is splash-dyed T-shirts (or other wearables). This is a fun (and messy!) outdoor project for kids, which lets them break a lot of “rules” and can be a great release of energy now that they are out of school. It’s also great to do with a number of kids, since the supplies can be shared among them. It’s most cost-effective to have as many kids as you have dye colors available, at any rate.

A clothesline isn’t mandatory, but makes things easier. It should not be near any structures or anything that would be damaged by the fabric dyes. If you don’t have a clothesline, you can stretch a line between two points, or even do this with the clothing spread on the grass.

Start with white clothing, and prewash everything (use soap, but no fabric softener). Choose however many colors of fabric dye you wish (sometimes it’s more economical to purchase a kit with a number of dyes included). You will also need a spray bottle for each color of dye.

Simply mix the dye according to directions (adding extra water if you want paler colors, which looks great with this craft).  Mix it directly in the spray bottles if possible. Otherwise, pour the dye into the spray bottles after mixing. Dress kids in clothes that won’t matter if they get dye all over them, give them each a spray bottle of dye, and let them start working on their t-shirts! Expect a lot of splattering and a mixed-color effect … that is why added water for lighter colors produces a good effect.

For a variation, you might like to cut masking templates out of contact paper, masking tape, etc. and place the masking shapes on the fabric so that, when peeled off, they will reveal white shapes within the splashes of color.

This is a craft that can be very simple, or more elaborate if you prefer. Start with a cardboard oatmeal container (or a similar can-shaped cardboard container with a lid).

Cut openings for viewing the insects you will be placing inside. The openings can be 3-sided, if you want to re-close them, or you can completely remove them for a “window” effect.  Cut a piece of fine mesh screen almost large enough to wrap around the outside of the container, and just shorter than the height. Roll it up enough to slip inside the container, and allow it to spread back out and seal the openings.  Add a few small branches for insects to climb on, various kinds of leaves, and other natural materials from your nature walk to make your habitat more natural.  Place captured insects inside the container, replace the lid, and observe your guests! Be sure to set them free near their original collection place when you have finished with them.

To make the container more elaborate, you can use a utility knife to make more detailed cuts. Exterior “architecture” can be formed from cardboard and glued into place. The outside can be painted, and a fancy roof can be added. Older children might enjoy making the details, involving them along with your younger children.

For a fun and economical family vacation that lets the family spend lots of quality time together, consider a family camping trip. Get kids involved in the chores … make it a contest and they will enjoy chores even if they are past the “wanting to help” stage. Maybe a prize for the most firewood collected, or quickest clean-up. Tell stories of “how hard things were when we were kids” while you go with them to carry water, etc.

Be prepared for rainy times. Take along flashlights and plan on stories to tell (maybe scary stories) … you might even want some scary sound effects to go along with it. If you have a bright, battery-powered lantern, you can also take beads and make beaded bracelets, or maybe friendship bracelets, during any rainy weather.

Be sure to enjoy a nature hike together while camping. Older kids (and some younger ones) might enjoy looking for insects, animals, plants, and more in field guides. If your youngsters enjoy insects, try making a bug house (see our craft section for instructions) to take along to house their finds.
Plan a campfire and camp songs or stories for nighttime, and don’t forget the ingredients for s’mores. Every kid should make s’mores at least once! Take along a stick for roasting marshmallows. Prepare your s’more by placing a square of a chocolate bar on half a graham cracker. Place the toasted marshmallow on top of the chocolate, using the other graham cracker half to sandwich it on the bottom half as you withdraw the stick. Let the chocolate melt a moment, and enjoy!

Most importantly, prepare for every eventuality. Make a packing list. It’s a good idea to keep your list if you enjoy camping … you can add to it as you gain experience and you may eventually want to laminate it to re-use. Some things are almost always needed, like sunscreen and a first-aid kit. Not having these can ruin the fun. Other things will depend on your destination, like bathing suits or blankets for sitting around the fire. If you’re just getting started with camping, you may want to pack things to make it less work, like paper plates and plastic utensils for at least some of the meals.. For that matter, it’s a good idea to plan all of your meals and think through their preparation, so you remember things like mustard, salt, and aluminum foil if you will be needing them.

Speaking of food, pack plenty of easy snacks. The great outdoors tend to make everyone hungrier than usual, and kids are no exception! Enjoy your camping trip!