Getting READYYYYY

Everyone knows we are taking the plunge with car travel...we drive to Texas early Sept. It is mere 16 hours away. I have been told the "Allbritton way" is driving all the way through...that tradition may end at this generation. Our "plan" is to pack the night before, get up at 2:45 AM (YES AM), sneak the kids out of their beds, softly transport them into the car, drive and drive until we need to stop for feedings and blood flow. Then we will see how it goes, stop at some parks to play and stretch, drive, stop, drive, and stop until we either make it to Grandmommy and Granddaddy's house or mommy calls it quits.

We made a countdown string of rings today that we will pull off every day until "the day!"

Everyone knows I am a planner, so I started creating my activities list for the car about two weeks ago. According to Tyler there is something called "being over-prepared", I totally disagree. Here is my activities list (which of course will be in a folder in the front so I can pick and choose when the going gets crazy). If anyone has ANY other ideas, please let me know!!!

Travel Activities List

NEW SURPRISE EACH HOUR

NEW SNACK EVERY HOUR (alternate with surprise)

CDs – Bible, Christopher Churchmouse, Pooh, Dr. Seuss, Wee Sing, homemade books on CD

Cards – crazy 8s, go fish, old maid, rummy

Books – read alouds, picture books, homemade Thomas book

Homemade map with landmarks (parks we will stop at, buildings to look for, cities coming up, and happy faces at final destination, tunnels)

Tix-tac toe –travel size magnetic

Make up stories - have Tate pick creature/animal to be main character and maybe an object that is involved and take it from there

Practice sign language

Legos – build a car, truck, bridge, car wash, tower, crane, etc.

Cars/trucks in shoebox that has race track drawn on and it makes a great holder for the cars

I-spy: “I spy with my little eyes, something red” – then the others have to guess what it is

Syllable game – say a word and have them clap it out and tell you how many syllables are in the word. Then try to say a number and have them come up with a word with that many syllables.

Crocodile Dentist – plastic toy from Amazon

Find 10/20/30 – choose a color or an object and then count them until you find 10 or 20 or whatever number they can count to. Popular Find items are American flags, statues, rivers, water falls, churches, red cars, etc. A competitive variation has each person choose a different item or color of car that passes you, and have a race to get to the final number.

The Rainbow Game - call out a color and they have to find something that color. Make the older kids find five things while the 2 year old looks for one.

Tape – let him go crazy, make a ball, tap on paper,

Treasure bottle – homemade before trip. In a jar with taped lid fill it no more than 2/3 full  with uncooked rice, cornmeal or birdseed and hide 20-25 small objects (safety pin, plastic bugs, button, M&M, nut, bolt, paper clip, penny, bead, piece of macaroni, tiny lego, and other misc. toy pieces or stuff that is probably rolling around in your kitchen junk drawer.)  Keep a count of the items and write down the number of items on the outside of the bottle. Let the kids roll them around to find all the goodies. Make a list of all the items to have them tell you what they have found and see if they have missed anything.

Magnetic Playboards – purchased boards that come with themed magnets – construction, plane and cars (of course)

Small magnadoodle – plastic drawing toy

Have Tate make up stories with plastic small animals and people (purchased plastic elephant and lion)

Aluminum foil art - give everyone a sheet of aluminum foil. Have them mold it into anything they want: animal shapes, Frisbees, balls, jewelry, crowns, headband, necklaces and masks. Hats, body armor, goofy eyeglasses, bowl for nuts.

Car bingo – magnetic boards to look for signs, animals, etc.

Movies – Thomas, home video DVD, Are we There Yet? (travel DVD for kids)