Mom Are We There Yet

Even with higher gas prices, families are still taking road trips. Or maybe because of the higher air fares caused by higher gas prices, people are opting to take more trips by car. Kids get bored riding in the car. If the children are bored, they start to pick on each other or insist on asking the dreaded, “Are We There Yet?” question that all drivers love to hear every 10 minutes. Below are some suggestions to keep your ride fun and most importantly, peaceful!

Play the alphabet game. Assuming your children are old enough to read or at least recognize letters, this is a great game to keep young travelers occupied. There are a few variations. They must find the alphabet, starting with A – on signs, billboards or license plates. You can make up the rules if you’ll use a combination of sources or just stick to one (it’s harder and takes a lot longer if you limit it to just license plates.) The next big decision you need to make is whether or not the word must start with the letter you’re searching for or if it just has to contain the letter. For example, if you’re looking for B, and drive past a Burger King restaurant, then you have your B, and can begin looking for C. If you decided it’s ok to find the letter anywhere within the word, then you could also claim the E, in Burger King. The key is that you must find these letters in sequence. You can’t claim an E if you haven’t found a D yet. Nor can you say “There’s a D on the street sign Doors R Us… and there WAS an E on Burger King.” There are no retro rules allowed.

Another variation of the alphabet game is that you have to find objects that begin with each letter. If you drive past a red barn, you could probably claim either an R (red) or a B (barn), depending on which letter you need next.
There’s always the trusty I SPY game. I spy something green and it’s outside (as opposed to inside the car). Riders take turns looking outside for something green. If you’re driving, chances are the object will pass by quickly – so participants have to be alert. Or perhaps you spy something black and inside. Possible guesses would be the steering wheel or Mom’s purse.

Equally important to the entertainment is the intermission. Take frequent stretch breaks. Even if you’re on a tight time frame to get to your destination, if you let others have a chance to get out of the car, to tap a kidney, have a snack and get some fresh air, your road trips will be much more enjoyable for all involved! Have fun!