Travelling With Children
Entertaining car journeys without reaching for the electronics!
This summer you are likely to be in your car with your children for lengthy periods of time, going off on a summer holiday or day trip, possibly to a great play centre called 360 Play?
However being ‘non tech’ play advocates, we think hiding the iPad and using the time in the car to play is a great for the whole family and creates wonderful memories. For me I remember singing songs with my family and laughing at my dad getting all the words wrong!
We entertain children all the time at 360 Play, and so we have put together our top 5 tips for ‘in car entertainment’ to stave off cries of ‘are we there yet’ and stop the need to referee sibling squabbles (for some of the time).
1. Name game
Go around clockwise in the car saying ‘My name is (insert your name) and I am going to a party and I am going to take (insert any object beginning with the same letter as your name) For example: My name is Ben and I am going to a party and I am going to take a Balloon. Then the next person has to remember your thing and add their own and it keeps building up. Great as a memory trainer!!
2. Campfire singing
One person takes the lead and says or sings random phrases and the other passengers have to repeat. You can change it up a bit by changing how quietly, loudly, stupidly, in a funny accent, we can sing.
Here are some of our favourite phrases: ‘Flea’…. ‘Combanna combanna combanna bista’…. ‘eddiebeedie esta berry you are the wonka berry’.
3. Story building
Each passenger takes turns in making up a line of the story, building it up to a full (normally crazy) tale. This is wonderful for building literacy skills as well!
4. Mime
Each person takes turns in miming something and the other passengers have to guess what they are doing (like charades). Eating an apple, brushing your hair or applying suntan lotion are good starting points.
5. Number plate bingo
Each pick a letter and if you spot a number plate with that letter in it you get a point. 1st traveller to 50 points wins. This will involve some score keeping.
Car journeys needn’t be boring!
It’s a great time for conversation and family fun!