Entertaining Your Kids

Does your family take a summer vacation every year? If you are planning one before school starts, you are probably already deciding what to pack for the trip. If your vacation includes a long road trip, you might also be a bit concerned about how to entertain your kids along the way. If that's the case, from playing games you played when you were a child traveling with your family to buying miniature games, here are some ideas that might help you.

Create Your Own Games - Consider what you did as a family when you traveled together in years gone by. You can even embellish those games. For example, you probably played the game of I Spy where clues were given and people in the car had to guess what it was that you had spied. Give the game a bit of a twist by using fun and positive characteristics of family members. For example, you could say something like, I spy somebody who always makes our family laugh.That person might give himself or herself away by yelling, That's me! Did your parents tell you stories while traveling? Give that activity a twist, too. For example, think of you starting a story, but instead of finishing it, each person has to add to the story. You might start off with a mystery and end up with a comedy.

Buy Miniature Games - If you think you can entertain your kids for hours and hours, then hats off to you. However, if you realize that you'll need some of your own time, consider going to a store that sells miniature games. Do your kids love to play games like Scrabble at home? If so, look for a tiny replica of the same game. How about Star Wars? If your kids are fascinated by the characters found in the Star Wars movies, buy miniatures of those characters and the kids will keep themselves busy playing with them. If you have little girls, consider buying tiny dolls that even come with a pet. Consider, buying magnetized miniature games. By doing so, the kids are less likely to lose game pieces. The great thing about miniature games is that they are easy to find and they come in different price ranges. Some of them are so affordable that you can buy several of them. If you take your children to the store to pick out their own miniature games, consider telling them that they won't get the games until you are all in the car and ready to travel.