It’s estimated that 65% of the families traveling on vacation this year will be doing so by car, and that’s going to provide a lot of opportunities for out-of-school learning. With some planning, parents can take this travel time for in-car conversations, roadside stops, and other activities that will have their children engaged to the point that they may not even realize that they’re learning!
Here are some ideas for road-trip fun:
Add up the numbers on a license plate or highway distance signs.
Figure out how long it will take to get to the city or destination if driving 60 miles per hour.
Make a written note of the populations of the towns you drive through, then have the kids add up the numbers to see how many “people” they’ve pass on the journey.
Tell stories about family connections to areas, industries, historical spots, crops, etc, that you pass by.
Choose routes that include Indigenous, women-centered, historical happenings, or other topics that include your child’s specific interests (sports, music, etc).
Have your children look up how towns, cities, rivers, or mountains got their names as you pass through them.
Talk about the origins of the people that settled particular areas and any other relevant historical facts about the area.
Older children and teens might enjoy podcasts or other audio that talk about your destination, so search out sources before leaving home.
See a dam, canal, or lock as you pass by? Talk about how they work and why.
If you’re passing through an agricultural area, tell them how silos work, or those gigantic crop sprayers and irrigation systems.
Have the kids keep track of license plates that they see, and then figure out on a map which car came from the farthest state.
Stretch the legs during rest stops, and stretch those brains with a scavenger hunt or a bit of geocaching.
Evening rest stop? Take a little time to work on identifying planets and stars. There are some fun and free smartphone apps that can be downloaded that will be perfect for this activity.
Another rest stop idea: encourage them to take photos of bugs, trees, birds, or any other nature that inspires them. They can spend some time searching for information about their “finds.” And if you’re in a part of the state or country that is different than your hometown, be sure to point out the different plants, birds, and other wildlife that reside in this new place but not at home.
Family sing-along! Have everyone join in and maybe even compose a new song together, being sure to capture a recording of it on your phone.
Along those same line, join together to create a story.
And if you still hear “I’m bored” coming from the back seat, don’t fret. Boredom actually can be a real creativity stimulus, allowing the brain the room and chance to let minds wander. Next month we’ll have a feature article on why a little boredom is actually a good thing!
Finding a way to make unstructured learning a part of your family’s road trip can encourage curiosity, increase interest in the environment, impart family history, and expand your child’s view of the world.
