Shannon over at Rocks In My Dryer has started a new column called "Works-For-Me Wednesday". She has invited others to "play" along so you can go to her site and check out all the other great ideas. Also, there will be a link on the side bar called "Works-For-Me Wednesday" that will allow you to come back and look at the great ideas later in the week if you need too!
So my tip of the week is this: Travel Time Treats
Some may already know of this but if you don't this is a great way to keep kids entertained on a long trip. I take zip lock bags and put not only snacks for the trip but small toys, games, books all in their own bags. The trick is to buy small "travel" type games and toys (I am talking C.H.E.A.P. - like from the Everything's A Dollar Store) and keep them in a bag up front with you and not let the kids see them "at all" until it is time to pass them out. Then everytime they start to get fussy you pull out something "new". I have even done this with toys out of my daughter's room that she didn't know I brought. The reason it works so well is because if you give them everything all at once they get "bored". If you give them things "they don't even know you have" spread out through the trip they will play longer with each toy instead of the usual, "Are we there yet?" after five minutes. I am sure this works with kids of all ages but it really worked very well when my daughter was younger and just she and I would make long trips to visit family, etc.
Not much but that is what I have to offer this week!
10 comments:
I love this idea. We do something similar as for the bag of toys/snacks, but I don't keep the items concealed. He gets bored with the the toy really quick so that he can move on to the next. Out of sight, out of mind!!
Check out my Works For Me Wednesday!!
Great idea. My kids have toy boxes in the car for trips and everyday driving around, but I never thought of getting other stuff to hand to them during the trips. What an awesome idea :)
My tip is up on my blog too, check it out :) It's also travel related LOL
What a great idea! I think I'm going to buy one of those small portable dvd players for the truck. Maybe that'll keep Zach entertained for 10 minutes.
This really is a great idea. I first heard about it when my kids were 7 and 3. I wish I'd heard about it long before, though. Now the kids are 13 and 9. Guess what? It STILL works!
I use long trips as an opportunity to get them each an age-appropriate magazine (a rarity around here), a healthy snack or two, a new DVD they can share, some super-cheap travel game (Dollar store for sure!) and some chapter book or pencil-puzzle book. (Hurray for Su-do-ku!) My husband confiscates their MP3 players before the trip and u/l's a few songs for each of them, too.
My kids are soooo quiet on road trips!
Thanks for visiting She Lives!
I tried this with my kids once when we were traveling sans their dad, except I bought stuff at Target. I guess that's why I only did it once. It would be way more economical to go to the dollar store, or, better, get things from their own room! Thanks for visiting my WFMW.
that is a great idea!
Thanks for visiting my blog today! My mom and dad used to do this for me and my sister on long trips, but usually we fell asleep long before we could get fussy.
This is a great idea - my kids may be older, but they still like treats. My last trip out of town they did their 'usual' they pack some books, and portable electronic games in a back pack - each brings their own thing. I surprised them each with a new magazine geared to their interest and age (I had them sitting on the vehicle seat, so when they got in after school to head out of town with me they discovered them - they all loved this.
Pacing the fun, that is a great idea! Usually we just listen to books on cd or I read aloud till I'm hoarse. Thanks for visiting me!
I can't wait to use this idea! Reagan is just now getting to the age that I think this would be useful on the eight hour drive to visit our families!
I also like Nettie's idea of books on tape or reading aloud. We used to check out "Adventures in Odessey" tapes for trips, and that was lots of fun for all of my family!
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