Parents in Action: Roadtrips with kids

Summertime is about making family memories and what better way to make lasting memories than by planning a road trip.

Heading out on the open road this summer will help your family save money by avoiding the airport and give you a chance to discover little nooks not normally visited by the masses. You'll also get to spend quality time together while on the road. Making sure that your kids stay engaged and excited will help make the trip much easier for mom and dad.

Traveling by car gives you and the kids a chance to see sights up close and stop when something seems too good to pass by.

Here in Florida and in many other states, the turnpike systems have rest area and service plazas where you can find out local history and information about the surrounding area. Many of these stops also offer family friendly activities near by when the family needs a break from the road or just want to experience something off the beaten path.

Spending a long period of time in the car, you'll need to plan about ways to keep your family entertained for the long car ride. Even if the drive is only an hour or two long, it can seem like an eternity for your kids if there's nothing to do. Here are some fun activities and games your family will love.

Count Your Animals - Each person counts the animals they see one their side of the car. As they count, if they spot a graveyard they have to bury all the animals and start counting all over again. The person that's spotted the most animals by arrival wins the game.

Alpha-Spot - Put all those road signs and license plates to good use in this game. The first person to spot every letter of the alphabet (in order) wins this fun, action-packed game.

Sing-Along - When there's nothing ahead of you but open road, get a chance to learn some of everyone's favorite music. Have everyone in your family create a play list of their favorite songs and share it with everyone on the long drive ahead.

Watch for Plates - On your road trip, you're bound to spot cars from other states. The person who spots the most state license plates is the winner. The passengers in the car can decide what the grand prize is (ie: the winner gets to choose where the family has dinner or gets to choose the movie you watch in the hotel).

There are an endless number of games that you and your kids can play on your upcoming road trip. The most important thing is that you'll get to spend invaluable time together without the distractions of T.V. or computers.  Your kids may not thank you now but they'll definitely appreciate the time spent together when they're older.


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