On the Road Again? Make it Educational!

Here are a few of our go-tos:

Books on CD or books with audio versions have been a huge hit with my kids. They love to listen to the stories narrated by different people. One of our favorites is the playful rhythm of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom narrated by Ray Charles. We have found a large range of books and CDs at our local bookstore, through Scholastic Book orders, and through the public library. Some that my kids love are Clifford, Caps for Sale, and Duck on a Bike. Disney also produces many book and CD sets based on their movies and shows (like Tangled and Puppy Dog Pals).

Since my children are younger, I feel it is really important for them to have the images and words in front of them. For my two year old, I am taking every opportunity possible to show him how a book is laid out and to get him familiar with reading the images as he hears the words read aloud. For my kindergartener, I want her to pay attention to how the pages are laid out, the phrasing of the reader, and words she may recognize. When the text is in front of them, they can read along with texts they are currently unable to read on their own. Being able to experience fluent reading in this way will boost reader’s confidence and support their reading fluency; not to mention it is a great way to engage with books while mom and dad are focused on the road.

Imaginetics Travel Bingo is a new find for us. We love a good game of bingo and this one is portable and encourages the kids to keep a keen eye out for things on the road. I am really excited about using this as we travel to see grandparents this year. This particular Bingo has images that the kids cross off when they see them on the road. There are images of police cars, yield signs, and even deer. The images allow this game to be played easily by a range of ages.

My daughter recently introduced me to the Boogie Board Play n’ Trace Paperless Doodle Pad. Think an electronic Magna Doodle (my kids love these too). The pad allows kids to write, trace, and draw anything over and over without the use of paper. The shape of the tablet makes it easy to hold and rest on their laps as my daughter is riding in her booster seat. There are a few accessories available: a free Play n’ Trace iPad app and 5 different accessory packs (each sold separately) to support literacy, numeracy, and imagination.

After exploring the Boogie Board Play n’ Trace Paperless Doodle Pad, we discovered the Boogie Board Scribble n’ Play. This is a small ewriter that you use a provided stylus (or you can use a fingernail) to draw. To the amazement of my children the markings change colors. This is another opportunity for kids to draw and write with minimal materials which are easily portable.

We are huge fans of Melissa and Doug’s Water Wow books.  With minimal materials to keep up with and the ability to reuse pages, these are products my children return to again and again (even when we are not on a trip). The Water Wow books are flipbooks that include a refillable water brush. When the child brushes the surface of the book, colors are revealed. It’s like paint by numbers without materials to keep up with or the fear of getting paint in the car. Once a page has been completed, the surface will begin to dry and the colors will fade away. Once the colors fade away, your child can reveal the picture all over again. My kids love to “color” the images over and over again and search for the hidden pictures they are encouraged to find. There are many options in this series to appeal to many different ages and preferences. We have also tried the markers and the flip cards which are also produced by Melissa and Doug. While my kids enjoy these as well, they always go back to the Water Wow flip books. I appreciate the ease and convenience of these.