New Mom of Foster to Adopt Boys Needs Advice

Play a 'get to know you better' game...have everyone ask questions about each other that they may not know the answers to: i.e. what is your favorite color? favorite singer? what's the strangest food you've ever eaten, etc. You might be surprised at how little you actually know about your own family. I know I was.

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7 hours is a long time in a car. I would def bring the dvd, but after the movie is over shut it off for an hour then let them play games for a while then off for another hour etc.The time will go faster for them and def no electronics out of the car.

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On our most recent trip with our boys (9,7,4) we went "unplugged" as well. We read a couple of books with the kids - it was really good, we stopped every so often in the reading to talk about what we had read. We also talked about some of the places we were driving through.

Books on CD or Tape are also great for the same reasons above. We also armed the boys with small notebooks and coloring pencils...our 7 year old started drawing and by the end of the trip he had free hand drawn and colored in probably 25 cars/trucks/tanks/bulldozers etc. Our 9 year old did some reading on his own.

I will also add that this was the first totally unplugged trip we have done in a couple of years. It was great.

Have a great trip.
T.

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Remember back in the old days? We had MAD LIBS! The entire family can enjoy adding words to make silly stories and maybe learn a thing or two about nouns, pronouns, adjectives, etc. The Dollar Tree carries them.

To ensure the whole trip isn't consumed with screen time, I'd take a timer for specified gaming time. What my sister does is give her kids rechargeable batteries. Once their juice is gone, you must wait until they're recharged. You can conveniently leave the car charger/adapter in the trunk ;)

We enjoy music, (name or animal) alphabet games, licence plate solving games and just talking about favorite summer moments on long trips. Always bring reading and puzzle books for quiet time. My kids also like reading the paper map we bring along. Navigation systems are cool, but they don't allow you to see where you've been. So as soon as my kids ask, "Are we there yet?" I pull out the map and let them solve the question themselves. They should be able to identify where you are at that moment by reading road signs, where you started and the final destination. Your boys are old enough to do that. If they have trouble, you're right there to teach!

I ask the kids for help preparing healthy snacks for the road. We make our own fun mix with pretzels, cereal, mini crackers, M&Ms, yogurt or plain raisins, etc. They get to pick their drinks at the store, sometimes asking for stuff I don't usually buy. We almost always pack sandwiches, so they have a say in what they will have when we stop to eat. My kids also get to choose a few pieces of fruit and wash/prep them as well. They have to feel like they're contributing, so making decisions helps that along.

My last suggestion is that you plan a fun stop or two along the way. That takes a little research, but there are always things to see on a 7 hr trip. It breaks up the road time, allows them to stretch their legs and makes a huge difference in behavior. For rest stops, bring a soccer ball or a frisbee. Have a great time! Take lots of pictures!

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My kids love playing I Spy. I always use road trip time to get to know my kids a little better, since we are all stuck in a car together for several hours, now is the perfect time to strike up a conversation. We also make do a little research ahead of time to make strategic stops (ie. Restaurant w/ playground, park, attraction, etc). On really long trips I make sure I have kids stay up late the night before. The first few hours of the car trip the next morning is spent sleeping.

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If they are boys what about some Sports magazines my boys enjoy them. But definitely do the dvd for one or 2 movies. Bring a football or some ball to kick around at a rest stop. I had my boys run laps around the stops for 10 min they loved it. Then in car we have also done these Brainquest workbooks depending on the child if they are shy or learners they might enjoy. My son is Aspergers(Autism) and he loves these books they are geared for grades. Maybe just fun word searches, you can make your own online at A to Z learning. com so they can create word searches with topics of where you are going or things you see along the way. My boys love to color in the car as well they are 6 and 9, Quick tip use colored pencils no crayons they melt. Best of luck to you and have a great trip.

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You could play the license plate game. Have a list of the 50 states and see who can find the most out of state license plates while on the highway. Or work together to try and find them all. Before you go, make up a scavenger hunt. Give them each a list of things to find on the trip: cows, U-turn sign, red mini-van, water tower, etc. whatever you know you might pass while driving. Have a great trip!

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Bring food. A LOT of it. In easy reach. Even if they weren't foster kids (who usually have food issues, no idea how long you've had yours and if you're familiar with the "shrine" to Top Ramen in easy reach), boys that age tend to eat their weight. And EVERYONE gets the munchies on the road.

Similar to food: one place, all over the country, has CLEAN bathrooms... with actual mirrors. McDonald's. And they're everywhere. My fav road tip trick is that it's worth buying fries if nothing else (and traveling with kids I always get quite a bit of "something else") JUST to use their gloriously clean bathrooms. Washing my face (and reapplying makeup, but that's me, I consider it my warpaint) is *amazingly* vitalizing.

I also recommend *always* taking your personal pillows. They smell right. They feel right. They squish up against a window not quite right, but better than cold glass and inconvenient plastic going bonk bonk bonk ow readjust bonk bonk. It's like traveling with a "blankie". For some reason, taking your pillow with you is like taking home with you.

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When we travel long distance, we like to stop after a few hours at a rest stop for the kids to run off some pent up energy. 15-30 minutes does wonders!

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Sometimes you can find an old game in a game store that we played as kids. It's car bingo. This way they have to look outside to find things for the bingo because it is things like cows, farms, et....

We play an alphabet game. Go around the car using the alphabet and name something that begins with the letter of the alphabet that falls on them. With older kids it may be cities. With young kids it may be foods. Whatever sounds fun to your crew.

I see somebody else mentioned our favorite. License Plates. You keep a pad of paper and list every state you see. Keeps the kids busy.

Another alphabet game that works if you are going through a lot of cities. Best with younger kids. Is just calling out the alphabet as you see the letters on signs or license plates. A, B, C in order. Q's and Z's are always a challenge.

Singing too. Bring good CD's and teach your kids fun camp songs.

Have fun!

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my kids have always loved the numbergame. you can't use anyones elses number. you look for numbers starting with one and go to 10. get the numbers from plates, road signs etc. and you can do the same with the alphabet. any way good luck and have fun. don't forget to sing silly songs. mom of 7, R.

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There is a game we play with my now 8 year old and have been for a long time. Every time we see an out of state car license plate, my child names the state capitol.. Example.. Virginia... he shouts out RICHMOND... I know it sounds corny but it's fun because he knows all the capitols and it's a great way to help the kids learn and retain info...We also bring books and paper to write on... and if we have guidebook(s) to a specific place we are going, my child reads aloud about the places and let's us know what he thinks might be fun things to do.
We also listen to lots of music... Lastly, we do stop about every 2 1/2 hours.. either for a drink or snack.. sometimes lunch,. this breaks up the monotony.. although, my 8 year old has always been a great passenger.. we still like to stop to break it up. with two boys, why not bring a ball and stop at a reststop (some are really big) and play a few rounds of catch, break out some sandwiches and have some lunch.. believe me, this will help burn off restless energy too..
have fun and best of luck!

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I see you have Many suggestions but when we drive to Florida it's a 13 hr drive and actually we just drove to Western PA yesterday & my daughter is 7.5. She has a TOTE you know the ones you can at any store but it's bigger than a shoe box;) I usually pick somethings that she
Hasn't seen yet and ask her to gather some of her personal thongs she wants to bring. We have used
Word searches, doodle pad, CD player with not only music but Audio Books borrowed from the local library, coring books w/colored pencils as crayons melt & markers stain clothes. We also have a plastic table (sold at Michaels) that she puts over her lap when we travel 'so' she has something sturdy to use if needed. Another thing we've done is to buy cheap journals or you could
Make one or use those composition notebooks the
Primary grades use for a vacation journal.
We bring lots of healthy snacks like baby carrots, sliced apples,grapes,pretzels and some fruit snacks & one of her other favorites, this allows for snacking but controls
How much sugar she has since she has limited
Time to burn it off. I was thinking that often places like Target have travel games the boys could play
With each other: battleship, UNO etc...

Have fun & enjoy your trip!

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Make sure you plan stops that are enjoyable for the kids like parks and playgrounds. If you have been their foster mom for a while then you know what appeals to them already but they will need to run off some energy and everyone will be happier for it.

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take my advice... DRIVE AT NIGHT!!! you will save many fights, im boreds and are we there yets....