Woo hoo! The holidays have already started for some children and very shortly all students will be on summer holidays in Australia.
Summer holidays are a wonderful time for children and their families to slow down and take the pressure off. Mum and Dad taxis can have fewer trips and the whole family can destress.
If you are planning any trips, either long or short, it is a good idea to get the children involved in the planning. Check out the destination on a map with them. They can make a list of what they need and want to take. They could work out how long it will take to get there and plan any stops along the way. (Sneaky way of getting them to ‘own’ the trip and to learn something about their surroundings and map reading)
What games would be good on the car trip? -Leave the devices in the boot! Eye spy is good for all ages. You could make a list of things they might see and construct a checklist for them to tick off. Whoever can find the most of them is the winner. Play ‘Do you know what that is?’ Describe something you see, and they must name what it is – when they don’t know you tell them. It is amazing the number of older children that cannot tell you the difference between a lake and a river, what a crossroads is etc. which causes issues when they are comprehending what they read or are writing their own texts. Playing cards can also work depending on the space and number of people.
Can you play a CD in your car? If so, why not borrow an audiobook from the library and listen to that? We did this once on a cross-Australia trip and the children enjoyed the book so much that they couldn’t wait to get back in the car after a pit stop. We, the parents, enjoyed it too! Artemis Fowl was the book, I think. We also had a couple of others that were a hit as well. No CD player? Then maybe you can download one on your phone and play it in the car. (Keeps them occupied but also a sneaky way of getting them involved in literacy)
If it is a long trip, make sure you have time for stops along the way so they can get out and run off some energy. It takes a bit longer to get there but they will travel better. When we travelled when our children were young, we even let them ride on their bikes when we stopped. Try and find a playground to stop at for morning tea or lunch. I suggest you don’t ask them to sit at a cafe. Get takeaway instead and find a place for them to let off steam before having to sit quietly in the car again. You could even have the children be the ‘accountants’ for the trip and work out what you spend and on what and where. (Good life skills and another sneaky way of getting them to practice their maths.)
There are lots of ways of keeping children busy, happy, and learning on long or short road trips even before you get to the exciting destination you have planned.
You might just be doing things close to home but by encouraging the children to help plan the outing they will be more involved and more interested in it too. Children who do this when they are younger find it much easier as an adult to organize themselves and be successful in their chosen careers.
Don’t forget though, just relaxing and even getting bored is a good thing to do as it gives you and them time to think and imagine what they would like to do. From this can come creativity and new interests that could lead them to what they would like to do when they are an adult.
The holidays will fly by. In no time at all and you will be back dashing back and forward from pickups and activities, so enjoy the more relaxed routine as much as you can.
Have a lovely holiday time and if you celebrate Christmas have a lovely time with family and friends.
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