Road Trip – Are we there yet?

by Anna Jones & Hope Hoffman Print This Article

Red minivan with the sliding door open and a person driving.

We all know that as a society we are always on the go. All children spend their fair share of time riding around in a car or bus, on their way to and from school or to the mall or grocery store. Knowing that we are so busy, it’s hard to ask parents for one more thing. Good news though…speech and language skills can be taught anytime and anywhere…even while riding in the car!

Car Safety:

Safety always comes first and is a most important lesson for your children. There are times to have conversation and play games and there are times when it is essential not to talk while driving. Discuss safety with your children and why you do certain things while driving. Also, small children should not sit in the front seat if there is an airbag. Always be sure to bring along toys or activities to keep you child busy when you cannot talk, and always buckle up!

Activities/Games to play while “on the road”:

Silly Sounds

If your child is learning certain sounds like /t/ or /b/, look for items that start with that sound and practice saying them or practice saying “be”, “bay”, “bye”, “bow”, “boo”. Sing the BINGO song or the Apples and Bananas song. Another good idea is to pack index cards with pictures of words that start with the selected sound.

I Spy

All kids know the game of “I Spy”. The entire family, including brothers, sisters, and parents can join along in this tried and true favorite You can use the game to concentrate on colors by looking for something “blue” or “pink” or you can concentrate on concepts by looking for things that are “big”, “up”, or “closed”. Other ideas to use while playing are vehicle names, textures, and shapes.

The saying goes…

“I spy with my little eye, I see something _______”.

Literacy

To help promote language and literacy play rhyming games (what rhymes with ‘door’), look for letters on road signs, or use Pig Latin (for older children). You can also help your children learn what different signs mean (i.e. the “golden arches” is a restaurant where you can eat, a “red octagon” means ‘Stop’, etc.)

Remember parents that being on the road is a great learning experience for children. You can use this time to teach them important skills, make use of some down time, and help travel time to pass more quickly!

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Road Trip – Are we there yet?

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