Travel games for 5 year olds???

[Chrissi Pooh]

In a few weeks I am taking my dd (who is 5) on a road trip and we will be in the car for quite a while (like 10-12 hours each way) and I was trying to come up with some things for her to do that are safe. So far I have come up with taking and etch-a-sketch, magna doodle, fat crayons and paper.

Can you give me any more ideas? I am trying to stay away from giving her pens and pencils (hence giving her the fat crayons) but I can't come up with anything else.

Any suggestions would be great!!!! Thanks

 

[Dan Murphy]

Originally posted by Chrissi Pooh
In a few weeks I am taking my dd (who is 5) on a road trip and we will be in the car for quite a while (like 10-12 hours each way)............

 

[browneyes]

I'd be careful with the fat crayons. They tend to melt too quickly. Do you plan on travelling at night? I'd get a touch light for the car. Does she have a learning leappad?

 

[Chrissi Pooh]

Dan- I am saying the same thing!!!!

Browneyes- I never thought about the crayons melting!!!! And great idea about the leap pad, she got one for christmas, I will be packing that for sure!!!

This trip is a surprise and it's hard trying to even look at stuff in the store because she wants to take anything I look at home with us...... can't wait until I tell her!!!!

 

[mommytotwo]

You could always play the cloud game with her in naming all the different pictures she sees in the car.

You could give her/maybe make her a felt board and different dolls with assorted clothes so that she could put those together.

 

[browneyes]

My kids like to have their own music to listen to on big trips too. Do you have a portable cd player for her to listen to? RoseArt have little kits for kids that have some fun stuff in them.

Instead of fat crayons, you could get some construction paper and buy some sidewalk chalk.

 

[Chrissi Pooh]

These are great ideas!!! I knew this was the right place to come to!!!!

This is already going to be a special trip....my mom and dad were invited to ride their harley in a special parade in Virginia and motorcycles are Julie's favorite things!!

Thanks guys!

 

[zen1]

Hi Chrissi! How about taking some books along that she likes to look at. Do you have a tape or cd player in your car? I know this is something that she can't do, but it might be nice to have some music that she likes to listen to while you are driving.

 

[oogieboogie]

portable DVD player. Can't say enough good things about these!

also, get some playdoh. Get her a lap tray (or make one) and put some playdoh and popsicle sticks.

for night time driving, get some glow sticks. That'll keep her attention for a long time.

Road bingo! Make up some bingo cards with pictures of birds, road signs, cars, animals, etc. and play bingo!

 

[DrCavin]

Invest in a portable DVD player... extra batteries for the leappad or other electronic device. Travel at night while they are sleeping. Maybe stopping 1/2 way & spending the night!!!

10-12 hours is a long time for an adult & with a child it seems like days after they get bored & are ready to stop

 

[Chrissi Pooh]

Thanks again everyone....wonderful ideas!!

We plan on stopping frequently and we will do about 8 hours the first day and finish up the second.

 

[momsully]

I have a 5 and 2 year old and we travel frequently. Some things my kids love to do when traveling are watch movies on the portable DVD, color wonder markers (they only color on special paper), magna doodle, books, felt boards (the pieces also stick on the ceiling), and bathtub crayons (they color on the windows then use baby wipes to clean up.) We also stop every three to four hours and let them run around. Have a fun trip!

 

[mommytotwo]

Along with games, don't forget to bring the pillow and blanket for her to be comfortable.

 

[nemo1987]

you should look for those markers that only show up on the special paper. i saw a commercial for them and they only mark on the paper they come with so that way they arent messy and wont mark on clothes and that sort of thing. also maybe some of her favorite dolls or toys books etc.
**Sarah**

 

[klmklm]

rubik's snake -- this is a puzzle for grown-ups (make it into a ball), but just fun for kids. no loose pieces, lots of possible shapes. you can get it at amazon.

 

[debster812]

Color Wonder markers and Finger Paint. They only mark on Color Wonder paper. They are a tad expensive, but for a trip like this, so worth it!!!

If you are bringing the LeapPad, invest in an inexpensive set of headphones for her as well, so you are not driven mad by the LeapPad. (*voice of experience speaking here*)

We just did a road trip from Mass to Baltimore, DS is 7, and he brought, books, Color Wonder stuff, his Gameboy, Activity book, pillow and blanket.

We played license plate Bingo, ISpy, and PunchBuggy.

 

[Chrissi Pooh]

Just wanted to thank everyone again for the great ideas!!!!!

 

[MerryPoppins]

Crayons would travel well if you keep them in a small cooler with one of those cool packs.

A magnetic board with shapes would be fun. My kids liked theirs when they were that age. Kind of like a colorforms set made out of magnets. They also had magnets that were knights and pieces of a castle.

Do you have a teacher's store in your area? I find that they sometimes have great things to keep kids occupied and they are age-appropriate.

Go to the library and look for a book on keeping kids busy on car trips. There are loads of games you can play. I have a couple of these books somewhere.

Does she like to sing? We stayed busy on trips singing songs like "Down By The Bay". Rhymes can go on endlessly and our family thought it was a blast. Get ideas from a Raffi tape. For that matter, take along music that she likes and pop in the CD or tape.

 

[robsmom]

I went to the dollar store a found a few "travel" size games and some little new toys. Cheap entertainment. The games were checkers, chinese checkers, etc.

My sister gave DS a book for his birthday that is really 50 activities. we saved that for the trip. Had a marker like pen to do the puzzles and stuff.

We have a done a few long trips this year (6-8 hours) and I will confess the best 3 items are:

1. the already mentioned DVD player. Hangs on back of the site in front of him and we watch movies

2. Gameboy - he can play this for hours

3. Leappad and books. another self entertaining option.

When we drive, my DH drives up front with the cooler riding shotgun to keep in in diet soda supply. I ride in the back with my DS to change movies, games etc. I am his personal entertainment planner.

Good Luck.

 

[ckmommy]

You can make a lap tray using a regular cookie sheet. You can put plain white contact paper over it and use dry erase markers with it. You can use the cookie sheet to play with magnets as well. We are planning a 18 hour road trip on Friday. I am going to go the the Dollar store and buy some very CHEAP--hopefully 3 for a $--- presents for the kid's to open while we are driving. Maybe one an hour. We are starting to work on time with our DD5 so, "when the big hand is on the 12, you will get a present" will work really great for us!

Another word on crayons. I found Crayola twistable crayons. They are awesome and have not melted in our car. I know this because I mistakenly left them in the glove compartment for 4 hot months. No melting!!

Good Luck!