Summers are all about the road trips. Are we there yet? Are we there yet?
The real question is how to keep the kids busy until we are there, wherever there may be. Beach? Grandma’s house? Camp? We’re about to finish up our adventure in Washington, D.C. Then we are off to the beach in a few weeks. In the fall, we’re visiting St. Louis. Whew! I don’t even like to travel! How is it that I travel more with children then I ever did before they were born?
Since I try to minimize screen time, I was very excited about this little find at the library – Playaway. You can rent these all-in-one recorded book devices at the library or buy them online (playaway.com or Amazon). The handheld devices are light and easy for my toddler to start and stop. One device usually has one recorded book but some have a collection of short books. You can get all types of books – children’s, young adult, classics.
My toddler has been enjoying listening to books via Playaway in the car and it’s a great activity for a long car trip. Since your child uses headphones to listen, that means you don’t have to listen. Sometimes I like to listen to music and stories with my child but sometimes mommy needs quiet time! My favorite part is hearing my toddler burst out laughing in a seemingly random way when everything and everyone else is quiet. It’s almost as good as hearing him talk to himself. You could give your child an actual book to hold while they listen or just let them listen without any visuals. Either way is fun.
What are some interesting ways to keep kids busy in the car? Have any long car trips planned for this summer?
Forcing the Bloom 