Stay Occupied on a Long Trip

Ever been on a long trip with nothing to do except stare outside the window? Here are things you can do other than ask "Are we there yet?" every five minutes.

Steps

  1. Prepare ahead of time. One or even two days before the trip, prepare a bag of useful items you can use while on this trip.
    • What should you bring?
      • Electronics are always time occupying. Bring a handheld game or an MP3/CD player (make sure you charge your batteries). If you have one, definitely take your laptop. If you really want to, you can buy a power adapter for you car, find a small TV, and you can play a game system while on the road as long as someone else is driving. You can also watch movies.
      • Bring a deck of cards. If you are on a train or a plane you can play solitaire by your self or another card game with someone else like speed. Search the Internet for single player games and card games. If you are traveling in a group, Uno is always a good choice.
      • Grab a few books or magazines. Grab many books in case you get tired of some of them. If you subscribe to magazines, try not to read them until you go on the trip. That way they will still be interesting when you leave.
      • Buy "The Book of Questions" or "Would You?". These are cheap, fun and good for hours of entertainment, especially if you can even involve others!
      • If traveling with friends and family on the road, you can play fun games like the alphabet game(instructions are in Tips), I Spy or 20 Questions.
      • Bring a book of mad libs or print some off the internet. This is perfect for large groups of people
      • Bring the puzzles you find in Newspapers, such as the Sudoku puzzle or crossword puzzles. You can also print these off the web.
      • Bring food and drinks. Bring a couple sandwiches and beverages for the road. Grab some snacks (chips) also.
      • Take a camera to take photos while you are traveling.
      • If you are on a train or plane with a tray table by your seat bring puzzle books (Sudoku, Word Find, Crossword Puzzles) and a pad to draw and write in.
      • Yarn and needles if you are a knitter.
      • Bring some paper and a pencil. Drawing is always fun.
      • Bring a travel diary.
  2. Begin the adventure!
    • Choose what to do.
      • Choose something out of your bag to do when you get bored of looking out the window.
      • When you get bored of one thing, pick something else to do.
      • Have fun! Remember: if you ever run out of things to do, use your imagination to come up with things to do.



Tips

  • Portable DVD players are always great for long car trips.
  • Dollar stores are a good place to find games, books, activity pads, puzzle books and even CDs/DVDs on the cheap.
  • Bring plenty of things to do even if you don't think you will use them all.
  • Bring car chargers for your phone, iPod, and/or computer so you can continue being occupied even though the battery may be dead.
  • Tell the driver to turn on the radio to the station the EVERYONE likes, perhaps Pandora?
  • Hand slapping games are always fun.
  • If you have a small backpack, bring it to keep you organized with your stuff and for adventures at your destination.
  • Watch for punchbuggies (Volkswagens) and padiddles (cars with only one headlight working. When you find one kiss the person next to you or touch the ceiling if you are squeamish)
  • Make sure you replace and recharge all batteries before leaving.
  • Do the spiral art thing where you choose a circle and dot and then you have a cool design.
  • Make a list of the things you want to do when you arrive at your destination.
  • Play "I Spy". You would look at something in the car or on the road that everyone can see and say,"I spy with my little eye something beginning with [insert first letter of object]". This game is a test of observational skills.
  • The Alphabet Game:
    • You search the road for signs and license plates that follow the alphabet. You start with 'a' and work your way to 'z'. Everyone can play.

Warnings

  • Don't play games and drive at the same time, it is very distracting not to mention very dangerous.

Things You'll Need

  • Extra batteries
  • Pencil and paper
  • Yarn
  • Bag (in case)
  • Food
  • iPod or any portable MP3 players
  • Game Consoles like PSP,Game Boy or a Nintendo DS
  • Travel diary (or diary)
  • Books

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