Road Trip Family Fun!

Does the idea of packing the kids in the car for a road trip sound like a recipe for disaster or delightful memories?  Whether you're on a cross-country vacation trip or taxiing the kids across town for Little League, bickering siblings, complaints of "I'm bored" or "I have to go to the bathroom", and the never ending "Are we there yet?" question is enough to make any dad dread the family road trip.

However, with a little creativity and preparation, you can make family road trips a time of memories and fun!

7 Ideas for Making Family Road Trips Fun For All

• Idea #1: Be active at rest stops:  On long road trips, stop every hour or two at a rest stop and get everyone out of the car.  Tossing a frisbee, baseball, or football or playing a game of tag will let your kids expend their energy outside the car instead of inside.
  
  
• Idea #2: Play car games:  Classics such as the Alphabet Game, the license plate game, "I packed my bag...", or Mad Libs can help build spelling, grammar, and memory skills.  Or start a competition to see who can spot cars of different colors or models. 
  
  
• Idea #3: Listen to audio books:  Even on a short drive across town, listening to an audio book is a great way to pass time.  Audible.com has thousands of audio books to.  Focus on the Family's Radio Theater has dramatized classics such as Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol and produces a weekly audio show called Adventures in Odyssey with faith-based character-building lessons.
  
  
• Idea #4: Create a photo scrapbook:  Give your kids a disposable camera and encourage them to document the trip by taking pictures and collecting them in a special notebook that they can decorate.  Add postcards and brochures from places you visit or a colorful autumn leaf or pressed flower picked up along the way.
  
  
• Idea #5: Have a sing-a-long:  Pop in your kid's favorite CD or the iPod, crank the volume up, and get everyone singing along.  Whether it's the Wiggles, classic Disney songs, or your pre-teen's daughter beloved Justin Beiber album, your kids will love sharing their favorite music with you.
  
  
• Idea #6: Exercise your imagination:  Make up a story as a family.  Start it off with "Once upon a time there was a..." and have each family member take turns adding the next sentence of the story.  Or, pretend that your family vehicle is a pirate ship or a space shuttle.  Let each family member pick a role and act out a story as your journey progresses, making rest stops and drive-throughs scenes for your drama. 
  
  
• Idea #7: Give each child a box of road trip treats and toys:  Go to the dollar store before a long road trip and pick out a few new toys and treats for each child.  Include things like coloring books, stickers, figurines, books, some healthy snacks, and a couple pieces of candy and pack them in a small plastic box or canvas bag.