8 Awesome Unplugged Activities For Your Next Road Trip

by Michele Ranard, M.Ed.
530 wds

For all the ways technology streamlines our lives and widens the possibilities for news and connection, sometimes it leaves families vulnerable. With so much constant entertainment and stimulation from sources “out there,” it’s important as parents to be intentional about providing our kids opportunities to slow down, laugh together, and OMG, I’m just gonna say it: DAYDREAM.

Vacations and road trips are an ideal time to also vacation (at least for periods of time) from electronics and plugged-in distractions. But does the thought of temporarily ditching iPods and Disney DVDs terrify you? Relax. Luckily there are plenty of healthy creative unplugged activities (you may have developed amnesia forbout!) to keep kids engaged and happy during long drives with the family.

I hope you’ll consider these suggestions to create lasting memories before you even reach your destination and to connect or re-connect with the ones you cherish most.

1. Old school games with string. Supplies required: string. Your kids will think you’re a rockstar if you teach them to make “Jacob’s Ladder,” “Kitty Whiskers,” or “Cup and Saucer.” Introduce them to “Cat’s Cradle” and bask in the beauty of unplugged quiet nirvana.

2. Foil in love! Remember when shiny, reflective aluminum foil was magical to you as a kid? Give your artsy imaginative kids a cheap roll and watch them save the world. They can transform themselves into superheroes, creating masks and “power bracelets.” My sons could always be counted on to make swords, and girls often love constructing tiaras, jewelry, and headbands. It’s fun to sculpt foil into cool animals too—with no cleanup!

3. Bend it, baby. A pack of inexpensive pipe cleaners and a nail clipper will keep fidgety kids happy for long stretches of travel time. They can bend the fuzzy sticks or wrap them around pencils to form cheerful colorful creatures. The best part? When they’re satisfied with their figures, they can play imaginative games with them for more stimulating fun.

4. Cootie Catcher. Remember these things? You pick a color, then a number, and then you get to read your fortune. You only have to demonstrate for your kids once how to do this before they’ll master countless variations and stay busy for hours!

5. States and plates. Before you leave, print out a map of the U.S. so the kids can color in the states as they see license plates. They can even record the time and date they saw it.

6. It’s in the cards. Card games are especially nice for traveling because a deck is easy to transport, and there are tons of games to play. Crazy Eights and Old Maid are two possible kid pleasers.

7. Remote hide-and-seek. This imaginary guessing game is a hoot! Pick a place inside your house to hide—and here’s the fun part—it can be any size at all! A sock drawer, the dishwasher, the medicine cabinet…everybody asks questions until they narrow it down and find you.

8. Random roadside revelry. Go to the website www.roadsideamerica.com to find quirky, eccentric, touristy, places to visit. The kids will remember these nutty detours with you forever.

And they may not even miss the Wii.

Michele Ranard has a husband, two children, and a master’s in counseling. Her blogs are at hellolovelychild.blogspot.com and hellolovelyinc.blogspot.com.