Children love the RV lifestyle. There is an excitement that comes with packing up for a camping trip that most children never grow tired of. Whether you tow a trailer or have a massive coach, the kids will usually be excited and anxious to get the vehicle packed and head off on the next adventure. However, the time spent on the road and relaxing at the campground doesn’t have to result in them forgetting everything they learned at school. Even though you are on the road and away from home, the trip can still be educational.
Early Readers
Billboard signs are great for encouraging reading skills and teaching the alphabet. Have your kids read road signs and billboards, looking for words that start with the alphabet letters. Go in order from A to Z, and then make it more challenging by having them repeat the growing list of words. At the campground, have your child read the bulletin board or newsletter to see what the wonderful activities are.
Geography
Have the kids read license plates to see where the different cars are from. One person can keep a list, tracking each one to see if they can see all fifty. Ask them if they know where different states are to reinforce the geography lessons. At the campground, have your children read the map and then give you a tour of the campground. You can also take an atlas and have them find the campground and see how far away it is from your hometown.
Chess and Checkers
Rainy days will happen when you are camping. You could turn on the TV and put a movie on, but chess and checkers would be a better choice. Teach your children the strategy behind chess, or challenge them to a game of checkers. Other options include various card games and board games like Risk or Monopoly. Your kids will see a glimpse of what your childhood was like, and you will be encouraging them to continue thinking and using their brains.
There’s more to traveling healthy than eating right and avoiding muscle aches. Help your children stay healthy mentally by interacting with them throughout the trip. Playing games like I-Spy and the other road trip games mentioned will help prevent cries of boredom and reduce the level of arguing. They will also keep their brains working, putting them in a better position when they return back to school after vacation.
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