PLAN A COLORADO

FAMILY SKI VACATION

Go just about anywhere in the West, and you can expect to spend time in the car. Although children naturally love an adventure, the third hour of red rock spires or jagged peaks can wear on a kid. There is only so much looking out the window you can do.

So we made a list of things to bring, and activities to help pass the time. And we’ve included some tried and mostly true ways to settle kids down for the long haul.



1.    Make a Survival Bag.

Pack a canvas bag or an old soft-sided briefcase with maps of the journey and highlighters, small toys, sticks of sugarless gum, colored pencils, round-tipped scissors, glue sticks, stickers, lolly pops, music, and books from the library. Preferably the items should be new to the kids.



2.    Make a List.

Itemize the items in the survival bag and the activities you have planned. That way, when you are brain dead after hours of driving, you’ll have a quick reference when boredom rears its head.



3.    Keep Their Hands Busy.

Small manipulatives are great for kids cooped up in the car. Sometimes, simple things are the best. My kids love brightly colored chenille stems (we use to call them pipe cleaners). We make figures that have to do with our vacation: like cactus, buffalo, skiers, or tents. We also save all those little plastic toys that come in party favor bags, and bring them out, one at a time, to play with on road trips.



4.    Keep Their Mouths Busy.

Idle mouths are soon complaining or hurling insults at siblings. Have a variety of activities for those oral children. Small musical instruments, like a harmonica or pan piped will keep hyper little ones entertained for a minute or two. Then you can fall back to singing. It is especially fun to sing songs in a round. When that’s worn out, and the griping starts, pop out the lolly pops. They are good for at least a few miles of quiet.

We also like snacks made from a mixture of cereals and dried fruit and nuts. Each child gets a cup full and they seem to enjoy picking out the items one at a time to eat. Follow up with sugarless gum to help keep the cavities away. Dispense water bottles to keep kids hydrated.



5.    Alternate Brainwork with Down Time.

Toys, craft supplies, candy and gum can be used as rewards for brainwork. There is nothing wrong with giving a 3rd grader a set of multiplication problems to work on while driving. Just make sure the task is fairly short and that the reward comes immediately upon completion.

We also work on handwriting in the car, with that specially lined paper and silly sentences for them to copy. Their favorite is “Fooby woobie gloobie?” I guess all those o’s are fun to loop around. When they get tired of brainwork, they are welcome to veg out and do nothing for a while.



6.    Map it out.

One of the best things about traveling with kids, is that it gives them valuable hands-on learning experiences. It follows that trips create a prime opportunity for children to learn map skills.

Pick up special maps or atlases for the kids to use. Show them on a large map of the continent or the world where home is. Then help them find your destination for the day.

As you trundle down the road, have them identify things on the map to look for in real life. Help them anticipate towns and cities by checking the size of the dot on the map. Help them learn the four directions and orient the map with a compass or the sun. You’ll help them understand geography at a gut level that can never be matched in a classroom.



7.    Take a Tag Break.

Sometimes nothing works like getting out of the car. Find a park in the next town or even just an empty field. Pull over to jump out and run around. Mom or Dad is “it”, and tries to catch the kids. Don’t stop running until everyone is completely winded and sweaty. It is a great way to wash out all those stagnant pools of blood that collect when you’ve been sitting too long.



8.    Bring a Book.

Books on tape are a gift from Heaven on a long road trip. Check out the children’s section of the bookstore or library and pick titles appropriate for the whole family. Then settle back to fall under the spell of a good story, and put the miles behind you. When it’s over, talk to the kids about their favorite parts, characters, and what they thought of the story. Our favorites: anything by Beverly Cleary.



9.    Keep Them on a Budget.

Pick up bill-sized envelopes from the bank or buy small zipper bags to hold cash. Decide how much you want to spend on souvenirs for each kid. Put that amount in envelopes with the kids’ names on them. Tell the children that you’ll hold the money for them, but they can spend it however they want. Be sure they understand that’s all they get for the whole trip.

When they want to burn through all their cash in one place, remind them of the attractions still on the itinerary, and ask them if they think they’ll want to buy anything at those other places. Suggest inexpensive souvenirs like postcards and key chains, so they have enough for later. Use the whole process as an opportunity to work with your children to understand budgets and wise use of resources.



10.     Pillows, Blankies, and Cuddly Animals

Finally, there is nothing like the hum of a motor and the constant swaying motion to lull little ones to sleep. And there is nothing like the peace in the car when the children are asleep. Encourage the process with small pillows, blankies, and cuddly animals from home. Snuggle the children in and insist on 5 or 10 minutes of quiet time, when no one, including adults, is allowed to talk. What a lovely break the silence can be.




Related Links:

Best Family Attractions in Colorado
Recommended Trips

Colorado Lodging

Camping in Colorado with the Kids
Hiking with the Kids in Colorado
Skiing in Colorado with the Kids

National Parks of Colorado