Many of us have spent countless hours in the car with our children travelling from A to B. This time together is invaluable for rich discussions and learning with your family. Sometimes coming up with ideas to fill the time can be hard, so I would love to share some simple games and ideas with you to engage, laugh and create memories with your loved ones the next time you are all in the car.
Here are some of my fail proof ideas:
- Music and Songs– Music really does calm the savage beast. It is a great tool to use to learn language and develop brain stimulation. Rhyme and repetition are a fantastic way to help young minds develop listening, speaking and early reading skills.
- Play Games – I Spy and Memory are great for young children. Use this opportunity to incorporate initial sounds, colours and shape.
- Categories – a great game to help develop early language and turn taking skills. Each person picks a category and the players must name as many things as they can in that category. Then the next person gets a turn to pick the category and you continue on until all players have had a turn.
- Alphabet – Starting with the letter A each player must say something they see that starts with that letter and then move onto to B and name something, then C and so on.
- Going on a Picnic– A great game to help develop memory recognition. The first player begins by saying “I’m going on a picnic and I’m going to bring…” you must list all the things the player before you said, and add your own, and continue adding one item at a time. The list continues to grow. If you forget any items, you are out and the next person must recall the items until all players are out.
- Pens and paper – are a great way to encourage imagination and creativity. It can be used to play games such as tic tac toe and hangman or simply just to draw what they see out of the window.
With these games under you belt, your next car trip will hopefully be filled with screeches of laughter and memories to last a lifetime.
Zipboom, was created out a passion for teaching and the need to engage and immerse children in activities that are educational, non-tech based and fun. Early Childhood teacher and mother of two, Melissa, established a business based on her love of family and travel. Find her educational games, journal (with optional subscriptions) and a nifty travel tote/table rest on her website. What a fabulous way to keep your child entertained and engaged on your next trip in the car, coffee shop, while camping or an aeroplane. www.zipboom.com.au
