Heading home for the holidays? So are 43 million Americans. According to the latest travel reports, 90% are driving, which means there might be one epic car ride standing between you and that turkey. And if you're traveling with kids, they might get a little....errr...stir crazy. Not to worry! We've got a list of resources, books, games, and activities prepared for your commute.
It might not be the Best. Car ride. Ever., but we promise it will at least keep things interesting.
Activities, Books and More
- There are so many unexpected teachable moments in the car, like predicting the cost of gas, reading road signs, and navigating a map. Check out a full list here.
- This video offers practical ideas for making the most out of any car ride.
- This list round ups books that teach the importance of giving thanks. Thank you, Clifford is a favorite this time of year. You can find more suggested titles on our Thanksgiving Pinterest board.
- This activities collection from our Parents team has a plethora of printables, game ideas, and more, which you can sort by age range. I'd recommend making a pit stop at the printer before jumping in the car—you'll want to bring this "I'm Thankful" mini book printable, or this Gobble Gobble Graphing Activity. This corn on the cobb coloring sheet is pretty darn cute, too.
- If you've got extra paper and a big enough space in the back seat to set up a little arts and crafts area, try this Thankful Garland, a beautiful present for hosts, dinner guests, or family members!
Apps
- Meet Sushi Monster, your new best friend. This math app is addictive and educational (the levels meet the Common Core State Standards) and fun for adults to play, too.
- Clifford's BE BIG With Words app is great for little ones. The app allows them to experiment with letters and letter sounds as they learn to spell three-letter words.
- The Scholastic Reading Timer app is free (!) and lets kids log the minutes they spend reading with a cool interactive stopwatch feature. Just grab a book, set a reading time, and hit "start."
- Scholastic Storia (also free!) features an incredible selection of enriched ebooks that offer video, dictionary and reference tools, and more. For younger readers, Try Read-to-Me Audio eBooks—they can listen along to build reading confidence.
Have more resources to share? Add them here. Happy Thanksgiving!
