Getting There

Getting there is half the fun (said no mama, ever). But I have a quiet little secret. I have fond memories of long road trips. Packing a cooler full of snacks I didn’t get to enjoy every day, checking out some fun books from the library, grabbing my favorite blanket….these were pieces of the magic of summer for me. These days, it’s not impossible to disappear into a phone or iPad for the entire trip without much ado. But I hope you don’t! Here are some ideas to make your summer travels more intentional.

Our online devices are a blessing. And occasionally a curse. How you view them has more to do with HOW you (and your kids) use them than IF you do. Here are some fun travel adventures with and without screens!

1. Research your road trip. Find some fun places to stop along the way. Maybe a great little restaurant or the largest ball of twine. Let this be the job of the kiddos. Use a friendly tool like Roadtrippers app or Roadside Attractions app!

2. Do a Road trip Rescue! When (or even before) the wiggles take over, stop at a rest stop and create an obstacle course using the space for some physical and mental challenges. Walk up and down the sidewalk, draw a picture on the sidewalk using chalk, climb over every bench where nobody is sitting, collect 2 brochures of places you’d like to visit. You can also use an online app to count your steps and give an award for the person with the most.

3. Make a vending machine grab bag. Give everyone $ to purchase something at the vending machine. Have each person drop their purchase into a grab bag and let everyone pull out a treat. (Trading allowed). You can look up your treats online for nutritional information or even fun facts like when it was invented and who invented it.

Our On the Roam cards have tons more ideas to turn your travels into adventures, making the getting there an adventure in itself. You can grab some now for 20% off- just use the code: SUMMERFUN20

Adventure awaits,
Team Gnome