BEEN BUSY

A 5+ hour car ride with young kids is no easy endeavor, especially when Kday and I choose not to use DVD/Ipad players in the car. (At least for sub 7 hour car rides! It just works for our family and not throwing any judgment out there to those who use them!) But I was up to the challenge, and so were my kiddos. 

I spent three days before the trip planning and creating a "BUSY BAG" for each of the kids. A quick trip to the dollar store and some around the house items, voila. Some of the busy bag games included: 

FOAM BEAD PATTERNS

 I used the sponges off Layla's foam curlers that we've never used, and a package of new sponges. I cut up the curler sponges into small pieces, made square beads out of the new sponges and pipe cleaners to thread with. I printed out a few patters and Layla really loved this activity.

 MAGNETIC PUZZLES

I simply took a puzzle I had in the play room, (thanks to Kday's oldest sister Sidders who has the best hand-me downs!) I slapped some magnetic strips on the back and used a baking dish. It's the perfect toddler friendly puzzle because the pieces don't slide around during a winding car ride.

I also grabbed a $1 barbie puzzle for Layla and again made it magnetic. The trays are great also to keep pieces from falling on the floor.

FLASH CARDS

Another $1 store find- Numbers, Letters, and Opposites.  I used a hole punch and put them on a ring so the kids could easily flip through them without dropping card all over the back of the car. The boys liked it when I'd ask them to find a specific picture on one of the cards and they'd try to find the right one. 

TACTILE SQUISHY BALL

 A neighbor gave these to the kiddos the other day and I confiscated them an kept them a secret until the drive. New toys are always more exciting.

POM POM POP IN

Kday drilled holes in the lid of a Tupperware that was just the right size to push pom poms into. Owen is really into putting objects into containers and this was a great repetitive task for his chubby little fingers.

PIPE CLEANER SORTING

Same idea as the pom pom's but with pipe cleaners and added the element of matching colors.

 STICKERS

Stickers and a little note pad go a looooong way with my kids. 

 SORTING OF SORTS

I found these magnificent little ice cube trays at the dollar store and they were great for following patterns with the pom poms or divying out treats. Rider likes to shove every single piece of food into his mouth at once, so this was a good way to slow him down and make his treats last. Or, pretend it's a boat which is what Owen did. Hey, whatever keeps them happy for a couple miles - right!?

LAST RESORT

You know that moment on a road trip when all Hell breaks lose and the kids diapers a soggy, everyone is screaming because they can't stand another minute being strapped in a 5 point harness, and you debate stopping just shy of your destination or pushing through?! That's when suckers are a LIFE SAVER!!!! These ridiculous sucker binki's were a hit and they kept all crying mouths quiet for the last 20 miles so we could reach Jackson Hole in peace and quiet. (after many experiments I'd add that a fancy exciting sucker and not just a plain dum-dum makes all the difference in the success of this trick)

Throw everything in their individual bag and magically the kids were super awesome for the entire drive. Boy oh boy did the kids impress! They enjoyed the scenery, played I-spy, sang songs and actually didn't even need the busy bags until the last 50 miles! 

And just in case this post sounds too "peachy keen"... It was still a 6 hour car ride with three kids and thus a little demanding on mom and dad to keep kids entertained, pick up dropped binki's and sippy cups, and potty stops. But we survived another trip sans media devices and enjoyed each other's company and the scenery! Yay Day!