On the Road surprises/gifts for the kids

[disneymom3]

Hey all,
I am looking for some ideas for what to give the kids to break up the monotony of our drive. In some ways, I am not sure I will need anything but then again, I might. We will have 28 hours of drivetime including stops for breaks. The 3 kids will have 2 Leapsters and 1 Gameboy to rotate between them with games they really like. We have lots of books on tape and we have a DVD player. The kids like to travel a lot. We will be stopping for lunch to eat a picnic at a rest stop. We are also going to be spending time at Rock City and Lookout Mountain.

The kids are 4, 5 and 9. DD9 will also read books herself in the car and both DSs like to just ride along and look out the window. They also have the Fisher price Power Touch and a Leap pad but I am not sure about bringing those. I don't want stuff with a bunch of pieces to lose. We will have some juice boxes, bottled water, fruit snacks mini cookie packs, teddy grahams etc. along too.

I am just drawing a blank for anything to use in addtion for on the road distraction if I need it. What have you used?

 

[Daisy Duck 5]

How about having a bunch of games on hand suck as car bingo. Make up a 3x3 card with pictures of things they would see along the way. For example a red car or a flag. The first person to fill their card wins a prize.

 

[Mom to Jordan]

I bet they would enjoy you reading outloud to all three of them. DS has always enjoyed that more then books on tape and we still do it even at 13!! We tried to choose books related to WDW. One year we read Tom Sawyer on the way down.

Also don't forget art supplies. They can keep kids busy for a long time. I have done the get a prize every so many miles but most of the stuff was never really played with.

Good luck, We are one of those family too that really enjoy the travel part of the trip!!!!!

Jordan's mom

 

[tinkerjo]

give them a dvd of disney world!!! ... it would keep me busy!

 

[disneymom3]

Jordan's mom--my mom always read to me too and I loved it! The problem I have had with that is that with a van, it seems like the two in back cannot hear me as well and it is hard for them to then follow along with the storyline. We use books on tape a lot as we drive about half an hour even to get to some other store than Target or a grocery store so while I am driving they listen.

I would like to read to them and I could do that when I switch spots and go in the middle seat to add variety.

Art supplies is a good idea. Maybe I will get some new Color Wonder books. I know what you mean about the stuff not getting played with. That has been our experience too.

Tinkerjo--the only problem with a WDW video is I would want to see it too!! Poor DH would be up front all alone!

The games on the road idea is a good one too. They like to do a game where I say, "I am thinking of a......." and give a basic clue like place to go. Then they have to ask yes or no questions. It is kind of like 20 questions. My middle one has issues with competition though so I have to be careful with that or it might cause more trouble than it's worth. It's that whole 5 almost 6 thing!

 

[DBarber600]

I've seen ColorWonder coloring books featuring Cinderella at our Toys-R-Us.

 

[paigevz]

Copy of a post I made last week. Hope it helps!

Disney Keepsake Classics.........

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probably already mentioned here, as they've been in Walmart for some time (along with the bouncy, feathery, blinking pens), but I didn't see them mentioned on the travel toys for kids thread, so just thought I'd mention in case someone hasn't seen them.

They are slim books, about 6x8 size. They have spiral bound pages, but the cardboard cover goes over it, so they spiral won't get caught on anything. My Wal-mart has them for 4.97 each.

They have lots of writing and reading fun. There is a spot where the child writes different things about themselves..........in the Peter Pan one it has 8 words that describe me, drawing two of my best adventures, and so on.............Then half of the story with little games throughout.........word searches, dot to dots.............then pages of more games..mazes, polling family members about their happy thoughts.........then the rest of the story, again with little games throughout. These sections all have shiny dividers, and in the very front of the book are stickers, which can be put on the dividers or inside the front or back covers.

They have these for Mickey and Friends, Animal Friends (with Simba on the cover), Peter Pan, Aristocats, Donald and Friends, Bambi, Dumbo, Jungle Book, Minnie and Friends, 101 Dalmatians, Alice in Wonderland, and Lady adn the Tramp.

I got several as surprises for my boys. I plan to give them one the night before the trip so they'll stay ou t of my hair while packing, one on the airplane going, and one for in the hotel room/on the way back/at home for the younger one. I think the Mickey and Friends and Donald adn Friends are the only two that will appeal to my older son, and he will also have his gameboy to keep him busy, so I only have two for him.

I just looked at all of them again, and Mickey and Friends and Donald and Friends have two stories each (Mickey and the Beanstalk, Prince and Pauper for the Mickey, and a Donald Duck and a Huey, Dewey, Louie for Donald). Also, Animal Friends has both Lion King and Bambi stories. I also got Dumbo, Jungle Book, Peter Pan, and those each have just that story.

Even after the puzzles have all been worked and all the stickers stuck, it's still a great story!
__________________

 

[bartleby1]

Pipecleaners, magnetic stuff (my daughter has magnetic words to make sentences, magnetic dolls with different outfits, magnetic tangrams and I bring a cookie sheet for her to use as a tray to help from dropping the pieces), car bingo, invisible ink books, magnadoodles, color wonder. Just a few ideas.

Oh, and my kids love to play with a beach ball at rest areas. They deflate nicely so they don't take up extra room and can be used at the pool when you get there.

I almost forgot, sticker books. I bought each of them one of those big fat sticker books from toy r us. They were a little pricey (maybe $12.99??) but worth every penny. Kept them busy for HOURS!

 

[disneymom3]

Great ideas thanks!

We do have wikki stix that they play with regularly in the car and tons of books to look at.

Love the beach ball at the rest stop idea!! That is going on the list for sure!

 

[sandiegosusie]

My Dollar Tree had a few Disney themed activity books (in the coloring book section). One was Disney Movie Trivia which included word searches and other games. I bought them for our trip in Nov. Hope this helps...

 

[RF536]

We just made the trip in Dec. with DS4 (almost 5) and DS3. For DS4 he loved the magnetic sets we found at Walmart. We bought 4 at $5 a set, but he loved them all,the sets we found were contruction,zoo,circus and horses. They come in a nice metal container and we also had bought metal trays with short legs that fit over the car seats. The trays worked great not only for the magnets but also for coloring and snacks.

In fact he loved them so much on the way down we bought the pirate set and my parents bought a Buzz Lightyear one.

 

[disneymom3]

I got a great find at the Michael's near me yesterday! They have write on wipe off books for $1 in the clearance area with all kinds of little games, mazes, drawing etc. Those will be going in the box for the drive home. We have done the little magnetic books for past trips and it seems like all of those pieces end up in the cracks of the seat, the tracks on the floor etc. No container though so it sounds like we had something different. I may have to check out our Walmart and see if they have those books.

I am strongly tempted to get another Leapster off of ebay!