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I need things to bring on long car trips that are not in pieces.


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I buy the really big bag of pipe cleaners at Wal-Mart and let everybody go wild with them. They are perfect - quiet, not messy, cheap and encourage creativity. It's my secret weapon for traveling sanity. If you're feeling really wild and crazy, get some of the glittery metallic ones and throw them in when interest wanes. :auto:

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I will sometimes let mine bring and play their Nintendo DS's, but we spend most of our time in the car listening to audio books. It's much better than trying to find something decent on the radio!

 

My girls also like to bring those "seek and find" type books.

 

-Angie

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For entertainment, I assume?

 

 

  • Magna-Doodle

  • Etch-a-sketch

  • sketch pad and pencil

  • books

 

 

What she said, and I will add I SPY books, and Crayola Color Wonder books/pens. I also let them bring their video games/movies, but they have to read or play w/ something else first to buy equal time w/ the video stuff. So, one hour of reading or brain activity, one hour of ds. etc.

hth

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We do audio books too - the library has some great ones, plus sometimes I can find free downloadable mp3 ones!

 

We take a lot of car trips, and I have a small zip-loc bag of finger puppets that I keep in the glove box for when I'm REALLY desperate - it's my "last trick" so to speak . . . I can put on a WICKED FUNNY puppet show from the front seat when I have to! :lol:

 

Another thing that we do is - have "times" designated for "new" surprises (i.e., when we get to Pennsylvania, you'll get a new sheet of stickers, etc.).

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We have used many of the things already suggested but one that hasn't been talked about is looking for 'falling rock'.

This was one my mom used with me when I was little and when we made 3 long trips in one yr I dug the idea out. If you go through any mountainous area you will see signs that say "Watch for Falling Rock". Well, my mom turned 'Falling Rock' into an Indian Chief. My two are native American decent and we had all sorts of fun with this. It kept them entertained for hours at a time.

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Discovery Toys wiz kids game

 

Etch a sketch

 

** suggestion - use those huge 2gal ziplocs & put things together in it. Keep it out of sight & at the rest stop or break... make a change. Just occassionally rotate the bags & bring out something new! Crayons can drop into bag with color books, pencils with drawing paper, couple of hotwheels or dolls, etc. Not little pieces like legos, but a way to keep some together.

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At a local store that sells school stuff, educational toys, etc., they have a sealed tube that has little odds and ends in it, all mixed up in (I think) plain rice. There's a list of everything in the tube and the object is to twist, turn, and tip it until you find the objects.

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At a local store that sells school stuff, educational toys, etc., they have a sealed tube that has little odds and ends in it, all mixed up in (I think) plain rice. There's a list of everything in the tube and the object is to twist, turn, and tip it until you find the objects.

 

 

I'll have to look for this.

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Discovery Toys wiz kids game

 

Etch a sketch

 

** suggestion - use those huge 2gal ziplocs & put things together in it. Keep it out of sight & at the rest stop or break... make a change. Just occassionally rotate the bags & bring out something new! Crayons can drop into bag with color books, pencils with drawing paper, couple of hotwheels or dolls, etc. Not little pieces like legos, but a way to keep some together.

 

We gave a small etch a sketch and I love the ziploc idea.

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We have used many of the things already suggested but one that hasn't been talked about is looking for 'falling rock'.

This was one my mom used with me when I was little and when we made 3 long trips in one yr I dug the idea out. If you go through any mountainous area you will see signs that say "Watch for Falling Rock". Well, my mom turned 'Falling Rock' into an Indian Chief. My two are native American decent and we had all sorts of fun with this. It kept them entertained for hours at a time.

 

My mom use to play games like this with us. I'll have to remember to through it in the mix.

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We do audio books too - the library has some great ones, plus sometimes I can find free downloadable mp3 ones!

 

We take a lot of car trips, and I have a small zip-loc bag of finger puppets that I keep in the glove box for when I'm REALLY desperate - it's my "last trick" so to speak . . . I can put on a WICKED FUNNY puppet show from the front seat when I have to! :lol:

 

Another thing that we do is - have "times" designated for "new" surprises (i.e., when we get to Pennsylvania, you'll get a new sheet of stickers, etc.).

 

 

I found some cute finger puppets at target. I am sure big brothers would not mind being silly and doing puppet shows for the younger kids. My sister use to be the one to entertain us like this. Thanks for sharing this idea.

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Thanks for all the ideas. I'll have to start collecting all the things we do have and look for the ones we don't already have. anyone audio book suggestions are welcome. I have 2 teenage boys and 9 year old boy and a 3.5 girl so anything books that come to mind for all to enjoy, please share.

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Large white board and different color markers (with a piece of velcro on the each marker and the other end of the velcro around the edge of the white board.) And an old washcloth to wipe it off. We used to put a shower curtain under the toddler's car seat to prevent stains from food, crayons that get left in the hot car, markers, and whatever else they could (literally) throw at the seat. This is perfect in case the 3yo decides to drop/throw the marker it won't do harm.

 

Audio books and the real book as well, so the kids can follow along (just be sure the audio is unabridged). Really really great for beginning readers (though I'll guess OPs 9yo already reads well, and the 3yo may not be ready yet, lol). They follow along with the audio book and gain the confidence to tackle harder chapter books. (OT, but same with putting the closed captioning on the TV....they see the words that are being spoken and it helps click, at least did for all of mine, lol).

 

Pipe cleaners are fun and easy to pick up....and reuseable trip after trip.

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