# Ideas For Driving Activities



## KristiC0776 (Mar 2, 2005)

Ok, so what do you do with your kids during the long drives? What do you have packed in the TT for rainy days. Any suggestions? I know that sunny days will be filled with water and sand play (will be at the lake most weekends), but what about those days it rains. What are some good ideas for indoor fun?

And what do you do with toys? I know we will have lots of sand toys and then regular (indoor) toys. What do YOU do?

Thanks


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

For driving, my wife packs coloring books, crayons, gameboy's, and we have a dvd player with two LCD monitor's that hang from the front seat head rests. The DVD player comes into the camper for rainy days, plus we let the kids pick a few toys to bring. We also have some cards, and a board game or two for mom and dad on those rainy days.

Tim


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Glow Stick, Glow Sticks, Glow Sticks









In the car, DVD player seems to work the best. I was never a big fan of TV in the car but after a trip with one, I have been converted. It is amazing how peaceful a trip can be.

Rainy days we usually do more adult things like shopping or local attractions. In the TT we have board games and puzzles.

Thor


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

Yes DVD player in TV is a blessing for long trips
As for the TT board games books DVD player T.V. coloring books
small toys.
What ever your kids like. Just on a smaller version.
Don
Ha Thor I got Glow Cups to go with your Glow Sticks








Don


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## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

Someone mentioned this on another thread once, I think.........DUCT TAPE.

Just kidding. My grandkids like the tv in the TV on long hauls (like when we drove to Florida a couple years ago). Short trips like 5 or 6 hours, no big deal!

Mark


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## arbee (Feb 3, 2005)

Our boys really enjoy books on tape/CD. The kids still see the scenery and get to use their imagination. We are often surprised how good their attention span is for audio books. If your kids are into Harry Potter, I can highly recommend the audio series. I've listened to many, many audio books and the reader for the Harry Potter series is probably the best ever. Does all kinds of different voices.

Another of my personal favorites is "Fantastic Mr. Fox" by Roald Dahl. The author of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory". All of his audio stuff is really good.


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

Our girls are to the point now where they are responsible for keeping themselves occupied. Usually it's books, gameboys and knitting (my mom taught them).

Mike


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## Herbicidal (Aug 29, 2003)

My kids, 4 and almost 8 each have their own Leap Pad device (Link - click here). There are tons of books available over a large age range. A bonus is that the Leap Pad has a place to plug in a set of headphones.







That way each kid only hears their own book. My 4-year-old hasn't quite mastered the headphones, but my oldest one has.

The good ol' Etch-a-sketch, travel and regular size works well. We also found at some toy store type place something we call a "travel tray". It fits over their laps, has a large flat surface and two deep pockets, one on the left and one on the right to store things in. It is made of molded plastic.

If things get real bad, I have some foam ear plugs!


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## CamperDC (Oct 30, 2003)

arbee, I really like your idea of books on tape. My wife and I really like these but for some reason I have not thought about the kids liking them. We are always naging the kids to read more. Very good idea and thanks for posting it.


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Reading is fundamental!

My kids are older now and generally know how to plan for a road trip. They bring books (lots of them - they read often and fast), gameboy (never should have bought these), movies and DVD player, computer, homework (seasonal







), road games (portable chess, etc.) and CD/MP3 players. They can also hook into the Expedition sound system with individual controls for the back seat.

For the camp we rely upon all of the above and hiking sticks. A few board games and cards too. I hope to mod a bike carrier to the Outback too.

Also for camp, younger kids are a great thing for my kids who enjoy rounding up a batch of kids and getting some games going. I anticipate my daughter will be a game leader at the Spring Rally in Oregon in 37 days!


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## Morrowmd (Feb 22, 2005)

I'm gonna add the duct tape to my list- oh that's right, already in there for those plumbing repairs!









For the long drives- Etcha Sketch (sp?), books, CD's & DVD's as long as headphones are attached.

For rainy days in the TT- Barbies, Polly Pockets, My Little Pony, Twinkle Twirls, etc, etc, etc. (did I mention I have girls?)

That's why we got the 26RS. They turn the bunkhouse into a playhouse and we can just shut the door when necessary.

Everything stows under the bunk bed- works out great!


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

I gave up the fight long ago, between driving and flying the Gameboys seem to keep them busy and happy, and when they can play against each other they enjoy it even more. Oldest now has his CD play and headphones too. We've had a portable DVD player, but the Gameboys get more use. They also each bring a small bag of toys along. I rarely get to many of the annoying are we there yet. If anything its getting them out of Gameboy mode once we arrive. The rule is Gameboy only while driving (long drives) and only during FOB time (for the non-resident campers that is Flat On Bunk aka rest time).


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

The dvd player seems like a good idea. The girls have been hinting at one for the trips this season. They've agreed to put up half if I'll pony up the rest. The gameboys are amazingly addictive. We put limits on them also, only in the car and not during the day when we're camping. If I start playing I can't stop either.

Both girls love to read...a lot. Last summer Brooke read over 50 chapter type books and Melissa slacked off only reading around 40







We sometimes have to tell them to get their heads out of their books and look at the scenery









Mike


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

Mike, Clare bought our DVD unit at Target. It is completely portable, comes with a carry bag, and was under $300. The nice part is I can plug it into any TV that has RCA type video inputs on it, so the 12v. TV I have for the camper can also be used as a monitor. It comes in handy in hotels too, if the TV you have in the room has those inputs.

Tim


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

Right Tim, that was also one of the reasons we might get one. Being able to watch dvd's on rainy days would be a good thing.

Now if I could figure out how to get netflix movies mailed to us on the road.........

Mike


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Mike,
Good news on the reading for your girls - best thing in the world. Just wait until they bring you home a 710 on the verbal SAT, makes every time they ignore your "will you PLEASE put the book down!" worth it! (That was my daughter - 11th grade - my son who is in 7th grade and was invited to take the SAT only managed a 610







)

Gameboys







Books







Ignoring scenery







Getting there


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

I know you're right Brain, I never read like that and I know it's really great they read so much. Our Melissa hasn't scored any less than 100 on all of her spelling tests so far this year. I hope I didn't just jinx her









Mike


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## hatcityhosehauler (Feb 13, 2004)

Ok, everyone else is braggin, so I will too! Timmy, my 6 yo kindergartener is reading at a low 3rd grade level. He has read about a dozen chapter books since Christmas. I think they are called "The Magic Tree House Adventures". I hope that my daughter developes the same love of reading. As for the gameboys, Erin doesn't use hers much, at 3, she is still alittle young for it, but Timmy uses his in the car mostly.

Tim


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## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

Tim,

You think that's braggin? I let my 6 year old granddaughter drive the TV so I can nap in the back seat!









Mark


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

That's very impressive Tim. You and Clare should be very proud. It's not bragging when you're talking about your kids









Mike


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## Campfire Squad (Nov 15, 2004)

We like to bring books, board games, movies for rainy days or for at night. I also like to bring arts and crafts projects for the boys to do. Oh and we can't forget the bubbles.

We also have a television that we can put in the car for the long trips. We also bring books to read in the car ( books on tapes as well). We don't allow crayons in the TV. Call me silly, but I have left them in the car on a hot day and witnessed the results.

Happy Camping.

Amy action


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## johnp (Mar 15, 2004)

My girls love to read. On long trips its books, tv/vcr, playstation,gameboys and laptop. But let me knock the cord for the inverter out and it gets ugly real quick.

John


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Now if I only could get my 6 year old to read the Outback owners manual and have her explain it to me
















Thor


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## lakesider (Sep 1, 2004)

For the long rides, we like to play "car bingo". Each person picks an item (i.e school bus, police car, Outback TT, etc.). Then on "go" we all start searching. When you spot one of the items, you point it out. First one to spot all the items wins.

Over time, we have also developed additional "back-of-the-bus" rules (with young kids you often have to be very precise on rules!)

If you spot an item and call it out, it must also be verified by someone else in the car.
If you call out an item, and you are wrong you lose all your items and have to start over. 
Once you have an item, if you see another one you cannot call it out to keep someone else from claiming it.

Just be careful to pick items that have some chance of being found. Looking for a Buffalo while travelling through New York City may not be the best choice!

Have fun.


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## 7BeaverDam (Mar 6, 2005)

For 'long trips' (We live in Maine) to places like Florida, South Dakota, Milwuakee, Colorado, etc. We plan wayyyy in advance. Throughout the year we will buy little things at yard sales (for under $1) and hide them away. We hide some of their real toys away too during the year. We distribute the toys into small bins for each child and keep stuff hidden and separate for the trip out and the trip back.

During the trip, each day we will break out a new bin and the kids have a ball with the 'new' toys.

We also make "fun kits" by heading to Staples and picking up the plastic clipboard-like boxes (they open up, you can put paper, pencils, etc in them). We buy paper, pencils, crayons, stickers, glue, etc and fill each of the three kid's fun boxes. They will draw or write for hours.

Already mentioned, but we have a 9" TV/VCR combo and my laptop plays DVD's. We will play a movie, turn it off for the length of a movie (90 mins or so) and let them play with their fun kits, new toys, books, Gameboys, etc.

We usually try to make the trips out as much fun as possible.

We have three kids and a dog, I can honestly say that on our long trips (24+ hours of driving) we've never gotten the "are we there yet?" or "this is sooo boring" attitudes from the kids.

Oh yeah, the best part, making everything fun for them. When driving through Iowa a few years ago, the front windshield became redecorated with dead bugs. We would have the kids try to count the dead bugs or name the large ones that looked alive (enough). That was good for a big chunk of miles (cleaning said RV was another issue).

Make sure you make plenty of stops, keep the fed etc. We were spoiled with the Motorhome, potty breaks were done on the road, we could literally ride non stop from a gas station to the next gas station 450 miles away (we will miss that).

-=Glen=-
Lonnie, Miranda, Mikaella, Jacob
& Fox Mulder


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

Ac Dc 13 tv with headphones and snacks and drinks within their reach Then coloring books etc. Arrival set up camper, clean up my truck, the latter some times takes longer.


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Now who can forget about teaching your kids the classic

*Punch Buggy *









Thor


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## 7BeaverDam (Mar 6, 2005)

Thor said:


> Now who can forget about teaching your kids the classic
> 
> *Punch Buggy *
> 
> ...


I'm kind of regretting that, my 10 year old can really punch. . .

Of course it wouldn't be much fun if Volkswagon hadn't reintroduced the bug.

-=Glen=-


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## campingnut18 (Mar 11, 2004)

We definitely do the DVD, books, and lots of snoozing and such too. But found this neat Roadway Bingo game. It's small boards with different road signs and such (bridges, trucks, etc) that you play moving on down the road. We saw it once at a campground store in Myrtle Beach and didn't buy -- but then found it again in Gatlinburg.







Wish I could refer you guys to a place that might sell them but I don't know of one. Might be something that someone could re-create.

Carmen


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Carmen,
We played that game too. It had little plastic windows you could close but still see through (they were red I think) so you didn't have markers that could get bumped off. I liked it but I was pretty young. My siblings didn't like to play it so I played by myself in the very back seat of our Country Squire stationwagon nestled in amoung the suitcases, sleeping bags, ice chests, coats, sweaters, toys, etc. that are required for a family of seven.

BBB


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## jnk36jnk (Mar 9, 2004)

We played one with the kids called White Horses. Who ever saw a white horse first got to count it. Had to be a pure white horse, and if you saw a cemetery it wiped out ever one else's white horses. Works best on rural non free way roads.


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## Roloaddict (Oct 29, 2004)

When our kids were younger, we found "Storytime with Barney" cassette tapes and a cassette player with earphones to be a lifesaver in the car.

Now our kids love to read, but don't like to do it in the car; so, I get books on CD at the library and they are content to sit and listen. We also play thinking games like "I spy" or "I'm thinking of a number between...". We play a version of "Pyramid" where you start naming things in a category such as "things that are green", or "types of trees" until they guess the category.

There is a dice game called "Shut the box" which we have found to be quite fun for one or two people to play. Each game takes a couple of minutes, so no one gets bored.

They, also, like to look out and comment on the scenery and follow the trip on the map. When all else fails....snacks, snacks, and more snacks. If their mouths are full, they can't say: ARE WE THERE YET?

When we go camping, we want to get them away from the television, etc. We try to choose a campground that has hiking trails, fishing etc. They have magazines, games, cards etc. for evening or rainy day fun.

We will be making a trip from Washington to Colorado this summer and may need to add the duct tape to this list








H.


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

As our kids got older they would require different types of games to keep them going.

Granmother's Trunk - Each player takes a turn adding to Granmother's trunk. The first to go names one thing (it can be silly or not - like an elephant or a shoe) and then it becomes the nest persons turn; they must list all the items in Granmother's trunk and then add their own item at the end of the list. If they miss an item they are out of the game. It works best with more than two so there aren't arguements about ewhether a player forgot an item or got them out of order (yup, order counts).

GHOST - The game of Ghost involves spelling a word, with each player in turn adding a letter to a growing word. The object is to avoid being the player who says the last letter of the word.

To start Ghost, one player says a letter. The next player then thinks of (but doesn't reveal) a word which starts with the given letter, and says the first two letters of that word. The next player thinks of a word which starts with those two letters, and says the first three letters of that word. Play continues in this fashion until someone spells an entire word more than three letters long; the player who completes a word loses the round. If on your turn you don't believe the previous player was thinking of a real word, you can challenge that player; the loser of a challenge loses the round. Since my kids now each have vocabularies greater than my own, this game is no longer allowed in my truck. It was fun for a while.

There is another version of GHOST called SuperGHOST where a player can add a letter to either end of the current word. It is HARD to play.

My Daughter came up with a game she calls Alphabet Soup (as far as I know she invented it) where a letter is chosen by one player and each of the other players must say a word that starts with that letter. The last one to come up with a word wins the round. Sounds easy and it is for the first couple times around the car but gets tough after a while. Give this one a try if you have older kids.

BBB


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## Fullcrew (May 2, 2004)

We have 6 kids and have driven long trips since the oldest was 2 ( he's now 11 ). We have tried movies in the car, books on tape, coloring...
The best solution, for us, that keeps everyone entertained is read alouds.
My wife will read aloud to the entire car anything from Hank the Cowdog to The Last Of The Mochians.
I really enjoy the read alouds because they allow me to use my imagination while I drive. We noramlly drive 11-13 hours a day.
I banned the movies because I got sick of hearing the same video over and over.


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

Hear the movies? not me. I put the girls in the third seat of the suburban. I fold the middle seats down. They use headphones so only the one watching can hear. That far back also gives them floor room to put reading, coloring books and anything else they want. It also leaves room for a cooler behind the wifes seat that she can reach. The only real problem I have is they always wait til we pass a rest area and then say I have to go!!. Then I usually get off the next exit, cross over to entrance ramp and park to use the camper bathroom. On the entrance ramp, the traffic is slower. If there is a parking lot to use, obviously that is better.


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