Holiday Road Trip Unplugged Wonder

Are you headed over the river and through the woods this year? Are you praying it will be a pleasant sleigh ride with minimal whining, bladder issues, and weary traveler meltdowns? I hear you.

Family road trips have undoubtedly changed since we were in the backseat...remember what a big deal it was when FM joined AM on the radio? (No? Never mind). High tech handhelds, electronic games, DVDs, and more should provide our kids with sufficient entertainment to stave off boredom and enjoy the ride, right? Except they may not be able to create opportunities for bonding and memory-making the way old school road trips rolled.

Electronic media can sometimes leave family members disconnected, and viewing “The Incredibles” more than 75 times honestly triggers hives in certain parents. So an unplugged adventure may be just be what everyone needs. After all, there are plenty of healthy creative unplugged activities for kids to keep them occupied on long drives.

Here are some suggestions to create lasting memories even before you arrive at your destination and to re-connect with the ones you love most.

1. Pipe Cleaner Paradise. 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 creation, they can play imaginative games with them for more stimulating fun. They can share them with you and make up a story about the creature’s adventure to a faraway planet.

2. Cootie Catcher. Remember these things? You pick a color, then a number, and then you get to read your fortune. You need only show your kids how this works once before they’ll be able to come up with variations and stay busy for hours!

3. Figures & Games With String. Supplies required? Wait for it…string. They can make “Jacob’s Ladder,” “Kitty Whiskers,” “Cup and Saucer,” or play “Cat’s Cradle.” AND IT”S QUIET!!!

4. Go Nuts With Foil. Remember when shiny, reflective aluminum foil was as magical to you as fairy dust? Remove the foil from the box with the razor sharp edge, and provide your artful imaginative kids with a cheap roll to go to town! Perhaps, they will transform themselves into superheroes, making masks and “power bracelets.” Perhaps, they will enjoy constructing tiaras, jewelry, and headbands. In any case, they will discover the fun of sculpting foil into cool animals and more—with no cleanup!

5. Old School Card Games. Card games are smart for traveling because a deck is so easy to transport, and there are so many variations of games to play. Crazy Eights and Old Maid are two possible kid pleasers.

6. License Plate Game. Before you depart for your trip, print out a map of the U.S. so children can color in the states as they see license plates. They can even record the time and date they saw it.

7. Virtual Hide and Seek. This 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. Make a Wacky Roadside Stop. 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.

Michele Ranard has a master’s in counseling and a passion for helping families and children.