Family Travel Games

Travel with children is not always fun and games. Particularly on long automobile trips, you can travel to a constant chorus of: “Are we there yet?” “I need a drink of water.” “When can we stop?” “I want an ice cream cone.” “How much longer?” “I have to go to the bathroom!”

But with a little preparation, parents can make travel both educational and entertaining. This activity is intended to help families do just that.

Preparation

To help children get the most from traveling, include them in the preparations for the trip. Get a road map for each school-age child, and check the library for books about the places you will see. Read the books together and take some of them along. Then as you travel, talk about the things you will be seeing and their significance.

Activity

Try some of the following games on your next family trip. Encourage family members to make up their own games. The games suggested are intended for automobile trips, but can be adapted for plane, train, or bus trip.

• 1      Junior navigator. Get a road map for each child. At home have a basic lesson in map  reading and have the kids mark the routes you will be traveling. On the road, show how  highway signs relate to the map. Make a game of estimating how long it will take to    reach a certain town. Let kids take turns giving directions. Older children can also help  keep track of mileage, miles per gallon, and trip expenses.
  2.      Talk show. Have children take turns pretending to be a talk show host. They can use a  tape recorder and have other passengers discuss what impressed them most about  attractions or pretend to be historical characters related to the sites. The tap makes a  nice trip souvenir.
  3.   Trip journal. The type will vary with the skills of the children. Little ones can draw    pictures of their impressions; grade-school children can write and illustrate; older ones  may want to gather materials for scrapbook collections brochures, postcards, leaves,  or flowers  
  
  
  4.      License games. Various games can be played by sporting license plates.
  Alphabets: look for the letters of the alphabets –in order –on plates. The first one to spot the next letter gets one point.
  Doubles and triples: Look for double or triple digits on license plates, points per double, three per triple.
  
  
  
  

• 
  
• 
  
• 
  
• 
  

Did you know you can teach your family through Demonstration?

One of the best ways to teach a skill or show a process is by a demonstration. Demonstration is a “show-and-tell” technique. You may use charts, pictures, drawing, or films to show the skill or process. Most members of the family have some skill they could share, and sharing these skills with each other is a good way to build confidence.

Preparation

These suggestions will help you give an interesting and motivating demonstration.

1.       Choose a skill or process that is simple enough to show a few minute’s time.

2.       Decide how you will teach the skill or process. For example, if you want to     demonstrate how to make a cake, you could bring the ingredients and actually make  the cake. Or, if you wanted to show how to calculate family budget, you could use a chalkboard, a poster, or real coins.

3.       Divide the process or skill into its most important steps or parts build the demonstration around these basic steps or parts.

4.       Let the members of the family use the materials you brought to practice skill or process you are demonstrating.

5.       Use chalkboard outlines or other visual to clarify concepts when needed.

6.       Explain any terms you use that might be new and unfamiliar to the family.

7.       Give handouts if needed to help the family remember know what you have demonstrated.

Activity

Set a time to share skills, information, and talents through family demonstrations. You will be surprised how much family members have to share and how much they will enjoy learning new ideas. Let even the young children take part. Here are some skills your family might want to demonstrate:

How to make bread

How to cook in a wok

How to make crepes

How to set a table

How to plan a well-balanced meal

How to arrange flowers

How to decorate cake

How to make a baby quilt

How to change a tire

How to survive in the water

How to sharpen a saw

How to change a washer in a faucet

How to respond to various emergencies

How to find a location in a map

How to preserve insects for a collection

How to treat shock

How to give mouth-to mouth resuscitation

you name it........

Do you want to solve difficult problem in your home, at work, or your personal life?

Brainstorming

Creative thinking: seeing facts in a different light and finding solutions beyond the obvious –is one of our most valuable tools for solving difficult problems. And all of us have this tool, but not everyone uses it to its full potentials. Too often, fearing failure or rejection by others, we consider only obvious or familiar solutions. Brainstorming is a problem-solving technique that taps the capacity for creative thinking. To brainstorm an idea:-

•  Choose an idea or problem that has no obvious right answer or solution.
•   Ask the family to freely suggest as many ideas or solutions as they can think of.
•   Accept all ideas and write them down. do not make or allow any comments or criticisms.
•  After two or three minutes, evaluate all the ideas and decide on the most promising solution 

Activity

Present the purpose of brainstorming, as explained above, to your family. Then initiate them into the brainstorming process by writing just one word, white or black on a chalkboard or paper. Have everyone call out anything that comes to mind when he thinks of this word. Accept all ideas, even the least particle, and write them down. Do not allow anyone to comment or criticize another’s idea at this stage. Do this for two or three minutes. You can allow much longer if participation is good. See if you can fill the whole chalkboard or paper with ideas. Build an atmosphere of acceptance and creativity.

Then present a real problem or situation that your family needs to resolve. Have family members suggest ideas for solving the problem or reaching an objective. Use the same process as you used with the single word (white or black).  Once all ideas are in, have the family evaluate each one and decide on the most promising solution or course of action. Do this with love and concern for all. 

Amazing enough, this little technique has been credited with producing spectacular results. It can help you in family council meeting, managerial meetings or any time you have a problem to solve.

Your comments are welcome!

Did you know that family buzz sessions can get your family more closer together?

Do you need help getting all of the members of your family to take more active part in group discussions, family get together or family councils? Try this idea: Divide the family up into small groups for short “buzz session.” Have each group discuss the topic among themselves and then present its ideas to the family.

This is a good way to get quick reactions to new ideas or questions. This activity is designed to increase family communication, cooperation, and involvement through buzz sessions.

Preparations

Study these suggestions to make sure you know how to hold a successful buzz session.

1.    Bring the entire family together and then divide them into groups of from two to four    people, depending on the size of your family.

2.     Assign a topic for the groups to discuss. You could have all the groups consider the   same idea, or have each group consider a different aspect of the same problem.

3.     Have each group appoint someone to write down the group’s idea and make sure      that all have a chance to express their views.

4.     Tell the groups they will have three or so minutes to discuss their ideas and come       to some conclusions.

5.     At the end of the time, call for report and questions.

6.     Have the family listen to each group’s ideas and discuss them briefly.

7.    After all buzz groups have responded, have the family discus all the ideas            presented. Let the person in charge of the discussion sum up the ideas.

Activity

Explain how a buzz session works. Then chose a topic you would like to discuss as a family. You might, for example, use a buzz session to find ideas for a vacation or to make a plan for getting family chores done or for saving money. 

You could show a film, read a story, or watch an uplifting television program together; then ask each group to discuss their reactions to it. Buzz sessions can be a helpful way to make sure that every family member is part of family decision making

Family Unity: Do you have good communication in your family?

This article will show your family how to use notes to express their love for each other in a creative way.

Activity

A note can communicate love and appreciation over and over as the person who receives it reads it and re-reads it. As a family, discuss these suggestions for writing your own personal notes:

1. Make them simple and sincere.

2. Express how you feel inside.

3. Use creativity to make your messages personal.

Here are some examples of creative notes:

Daisies won’t tell, but I will. You’re the greatest, and love you.

Thank you for planting the seeds of what really matters in my life. You have helped me grow so much. (To Young Woman leader or school teacher)

I acted like a nut. Please forgive me!

(Peanut butter is good, too.)

Pack two lunches in two brown paper bags. On the outside of one bag write, “What do you say we ‘bag’ our differences and just enjoy each other today? Where shall we go? The park? The beach? You name.”

Mother, write a note to your child let him/her know how special he/she is and how much you appreciate his or her service to you.  

Teenagers and young adults, tuck notes in the pockets of your friends to let them know that you care about them and have faith in them. Think of clever ways to deliver your notes without getting caught.

Mothers, tuck a love note in your husband’s briefcase, ipad cases, sandwich, or newspaper.

Dad, set a note for your wife inside the refrigerator, washer, checkbook, under the pillow, or in a dozen different places.

Small children appreciate a note that says, “I love you because_________________.”

  

Family Unity: Do you know your Cultural Heritage?

What do you know about your family’s cultural heritage? This article is designed to help your family feel a sense of unity as you find out about the culture of your forefathers.

Activity

First see if you can answer these questions about your ancestors. You may find answers in family records, histories, and journals.   

    

 What country did they come from?

 When did they live?

 What was their Lifestyle like?

 What were their occupations?

Now find books, magazines, tapes, films, or pictures that relate to the countries your ancestors lived in and the things people did in those countries. The Public library might be a good place to start. See if you can find information about some of the following in your ancestor’s countries: music, arts, dance, literature, food, customs, the flag, and recreation.

You should not have to do too much research to find out how your ancestors may have lived and what they may have enjoyed doing. Discuss what you have learned, showing pictures and focusing on things that would especially interest your family.