Making the most of time spent in the car!!

I think most people can say they spend more time than they want in a car and usually we have our children with us. I am not just talking about longer road trips and days out, I am talking about all the little trips too (to the shops, to activities etc). 

 

What occurred to me is that I can utilize this time better, make it a learning experience with fun activities. Also keeping the children engaged can also help avoid conflicts arising from siblings being  sat too closely to each other!! 

So here are some of the ways I use out time in the car for learning and fun.

• Put an audiobook or lesson on the radio. If I don't have a CD, use your phone and Bluetooth it to the radio. You will be amazed the books you will get through!  

• Discuss a current read aloud book that you are reading or a documentary that you have watched together. Ask questions or opinions to keep them engaged.

• Tell stories. Make one up, tell one that your grandparents used to tell you. Ask a child to retell one of their favourites.

• Do some mental Maths                                                                                                                         A way to get all ages engaged is to chose a number such as 25 and ask them all how many ways can they make it. The older children can use more advanced methods such as multiplying/ division/ squared and square roots and younger children addition or subtraction. 

• Counting car

           Give each child a different colour car to look for and they have to see if they can spot a certain                 number. On longer trips I go for 100 cars but for smaller children or trips, go for 10 blue cars or                 20 red cars. I still remember doing this as a child. 

• Practise memorising. We use the car time to practise Ayahs (verses) from the Qu'ran - we have CDs to do this, but you could just practise what you already know. 

• Play memory games. 

        I went shopping and bought......    is one of our favourites

        How to play:
        The first person says: I went to the shop and bought (then pick an item). 
        The second person repeats and adds on their item. 
        I went to the shop and bought .............. and ............

        The third person does the same adding the 2 previous items and their own item.

        The game continues until somebody forgets an item - they are then out. 

• Play I spy with my little eye. 
• Good for all ages but especially for younger children learning phonics.
• For older children or to take the game to another level, try it in another language that you are learning or know. 

• Play the alphabet game - pick a topic (animals, Countries, foods) and then go through the alphabet and think of something beginning with each letter. This game is great as you can focus on a topic you have been studying. 

• For a longer trip when you have time to prepare, give the children a check list of objects and things that they have to see and tick off. 

These are a few of the things we do to keep us busy, learning and having fun in the car. Some are good old classics but some are things we have just started doing the past year and are working well.