Are We Having Fun Yet?

Great Activities & Apps for Family Road Trips, Camping, & Other Summer Fun

Are you and the family planning your annual camping vacation or road trip? Have you promised your spouse that you won’t just pop another movie disk into the van’s DVD player to keep the kids from whining while you’re driving? Or will the children miss the sites along the way because they’ll be hypnotized by the latest video games?

So, what can parents do to keep the peace AND keep their families safe on America’s roadways this summer? In addition, what if the solutions also provided some learning experiences for the kids? That would be a great vacation, right?

We’ve assembled some ideas that might just fill the bill for today’s families. We think you’ll find some to be traditional while others might be new and different. We hope you’ll find at least a few options to help make this year’s summer vacation one where everyone in the family will feel like he/she actually had a vacation---especially Mom and Dad!

A. Games with a Purpose

Magnetic Travel Chess---No other game promotes and teaches good critical thinking and problem solving skills like the game of chess. Here is a magnetic version under $10 that can keep both kids and adults busy thinking for hours.
http://www.chesshouse.com/10_Magnetic_Folding_Travel_Chess_Set_p/e117.htm

Travel Games---Avoid boredom & restlessness when you play these travel games on the road!
http://familyfun.go.com/vacations/on-the-road-games/travel-games/

B. FREE Printable Learning Activities

36 Fun, Free Printable Travel Games to Entertain the Kids on Your Next Road Trip
http://parentables.howstuffworks.com/family-travel/36-free-printable-travel-games.html

Memory Games---These printable games can test kids' memories.
http://familyfun.go.com/vacations/on-the-road-games/memory-games/

Mazes---Kids can go on an a-maze-ing journey with this collection of printable mazes.
http://familyfun.go.com/vacations/on-the-road-games/mazes/

Matching Games---These FREE printable activity sheets can really get kids thinking!
http://familyfun.go.com/vacations/on-the-road-games/matching-games/

Printable Travel Activities for Kids
http://motherhood.yourway.net/printable-travel-activities-for-kids/

C. Travel Learning Apps for Your Tech Devices

Best Travel Apps for Kids (by Heidi Leder---June 01, 2012, Techlicious)
http://www.techlicious.com/guide/best-travel-apps-for-kids/

Apps to Keep Children Happy (by Michelle Higgins, published December 21, 2011)
http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/12/25/travel/apps-to-keep-children-happy.html

10 Best Family Travel Apps (Available on the Apple iTunes store via itunes.apple.com-Edited by Shiran Lugashi)
http://www.workingmother.com/family-travel/10-best-family-travel-apps

Best Travel Apps for Kids (by Jen Leo---May 24, 2012, Conde Nast Traveler)
http://travelkit.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/05/24/11642813-best-travel-apps-for-kids?lite

Happy traveling---and learning---to all our families on the road this summer!

For more information:
www.FocusandRead.com Tools for struggling readers of all ages!
www.BrennanInnovators.com Info & support for struggling readers
314-892-3897

Clip art courtesy of: https://www.google.com/search?q=free+clip+art+for+family+summer+vacation&hl=en&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=SU3dT47WPJSe8gS53_TZCg&ved=0CIgBELAE&biw=1257&bih=626