"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." —Mark Twain
There's nothing like play in a waterfall behind Grandma's house!
And a new camera to celebrate and experiment with:
Oh my, how a picture really shows how the belly is swelling. ;)
We've finally arrived and the road here was long, but filled with wonder. Here are a few little things to get you packin' for your next journey. The funny thing is that many of the things we end up bringing along don't end up getting used, but you never know what thing will strike a fancy when the road gets long. And now we even have a few things to explore on the way home.
Packing with Creativity in Mind
Being required to sit in one spot for hours on end can be a difficult task. Ease that by providing children things to stimulate their brains and bodies. Provide the tools that turn getting to your destination into a creative venture. As you plan your travels, consider packing the following:
Music
Bring along both recorded music and things to make your own music. Stock a harmonica or simple a egg shaker. Bring a scarf or slinky and do the car seat dance.
Art Supplies
Sculpting opportunities give the mind and hands a workout. Bring along wire, aluminum foil, string, modeling clay (not playdough because it’s just too crumbly when it begins to dry out), and a few good carving tools. And being on the road is a perfect time to try our window markers!
Writing Supplies
With all those bumps and curves, writing in the car can sometimes be frustrating for beginning writers. Pack writing materials that are easy to erase like white boards and dry erase pens. For pre-writers, bring along maze books, dot-to-dots and items for children to trace. Be sure to bring along an empty notebook to write family stories or take dictation from your kids. Consider attaching a pencil on a string to the hook in your car so you will always have your writing utensil when you need it.
Stories
Bring a variety of books: old favorites that your child will can read on their own, a new title your child has never seen, audio books, and of course your own personal stories to tell aloud.
Magnifiers
When you are on the road, you are looking at the world through different eyes. Make sure you pack the tools that help you do that best. Binoculars help you check out the trees, hilltops, and the tallest, most unique buildings. Use a collapsible telescope to check out the view from the backseat. Or try stocking a magnifying glass to give your child hours of fun just exploring the back seat.
Exploratory Materials
And when you are in need of a fresh activity try blowing bubbles, playing with magnets, using silly putty on your newspaper, and exploring with prisms.
1 comments:
We just returned from a MAJOR trip with our two 2.5 year olds and I thought of all of this but we hardly used any of it. They just weren't into it. And, once we opened the DVD player and put Elmo in there was no turning back. In fact, I'm still trying to fix that decision. It did get us through the 1200-mile adventure, though.
Perhaps next time these other things I packed will get used??!!
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