Are We There Yet?
July 20, 2009 | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBack
It’s summer and that means it’s time for that great old American tradition, the family vacation. Whether you are going across the state or half way across the nation, traveling in a car with children means that you had better be prepared.
As experienced parents will attest, a child that is occupied and having fun is a happy child, and that is good news for parents. This is true whether you are in the car or after you’ve arrived, and are getting situated in your hotel room.
Fortunately for Road Warrior, a recent Fox News article brought new life to some old standby games. The license plate game can be made more fun and educational with just a few changes. For instance, have everyone look for the letters of the alphabet in order. Each time a letter is called out, that person must then say a word beginning with that letter. Ramp up the competition by limiting the words to a particular type, like vegetables or cities.
Car travel is a great way to learn United States geography. Give each person a blank map of the country. About.com has a printable map available here. Tell children to look for license plates from each of the fifty states. Once they see a plate, ask them to find and color that state on the map. Washable markers are, of course, recommended!
Musical families might try their own version of “Name That Tune” by using the scan function of the car radio. Set the radio on FM, press scan and give points for the first to identify the song, the performer and the songwriter. For more great road trip ideas, visit Momsminivan.com.
Ben Franklin told us to be “early to bed and early to rise.” This is good advice for anyone traveling with children. By starting your trip early, you arrive at your next Extended Stay Hotels location early enough to have some wind-down time, and perhaps enjoy the pool. If you prefer a hotel with a pool, Extended Stay Hotels offers several locations with a poolside seat waiting for you.
Picking one of the over 700 Extended Stay Hotels for your road trip is a great idea for many reasons. Thanks to the full kitchen, feeding hungry children is never a problem. The extra space in each studio means everyone has room to roam. And as for on-premise laundry facilities, if you are a parent, you know that is a must have on any car trip.
Road Warrior wishes you and your family a fabulous highway adventure filled with enough fun activities that, by the time the question “are we there yet” comes, you have arrived.
