Summer is approaching, and for many of us, it’s sure to include at least one road trip. I don’t know about you, but I can only answer the “are we there yet” question a few times before I start regretting my decision to cram my minivan with snacks, toys and three little boys and head out on the road.
Road trip games preserve our sanity. I’ll be honest, electronics save the day on trips. But since our road trips usually last for several days, battery life and parental guilt do keep me from allowing non-stop screen time. Plus I want my kids to experience the trip in a way that’s tough to do with their faces buried in a screen. I want my kids to know the old school games I used to play in the car as a kid. I want them to notice the scenery and think about where we’re going. Oh, and it doesn’t hurt to exercise those brains a bit while we’re at it.
A few years ago, I created this little guide called Read and Write on the Road. It’s a printable booklet for parents to keep in the glove compartment to help kiddos reinforce literacy skills while passing the miles. It includes classic road trip favorites like “I Spy” and “Categories,” with an emphasis on literacy skills including letter/sound recognition, storytelling, oral language skills, retelling, making inferences, using descriptive language and more.
If you’re planning a road trip, or even a trip across town, don’t forget to pack this free printable. Download Read and Write on the Road from my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
And speaking of traveling. Follow my new See the World board on Pinterest for geography activities, family travel tips and all sorts of inspiration for worldly kids! Happy trails!