ROADTRIP ROUNDUP DAY 5: ETSY/WEB FINDS FRIDAY

Here are some products we thought were fun/useful on Roadtrips, plus any we've already mentioned. Don't forget to pack a small booklight if you're traveling in the dark (test it out before you do to make sure it doesn't bug the driver)

1. Artfolio from Rock a Bow

2. Triptivities from Kidstop

3. Flip to Win Hangman from Kidstop

4. Find it at the Beach from Kidstop

5. Car seat organizer from SewnNatural

6. Rory's Story Cubes from Kidstop

7. Backseat Organizer from Amazon

8. Dude Diary from Amazon

9. Boys Doodle book from Amazon

ROADTRIP ROUNDUP DAY 4: WHAT TO DO DURING A ROADTRIP

So we've established what to bring, what to eat, and even given you something to bring, but what do you DO during a roadtrip?

Here's a general idea of how Roadtrips work for us. Keep in mind the longest we've done is 6 hours give or take a few. On the way there the boys don't need nearly as many rest stops or bathroom breaks for whatever reason so we usually only stop twice but this is how roadtrips work for us.

I don't give them anything new/play any games/or get out anything until the excitement of leaving wears off. Sometimes this takes 20 min other times an hour. They'll fiddle through the things they brought in their bags, look out the window, etc. Once that excitement wears off we'll start the entertaining.

Games! Here is a great list/site of roadtrip games. You could buy their favorite board games in a travel edition.  One really fun game for the older kids is a digital camera safari. If you have more than one digital camera give one to each kid along with a list of things you're sure to see along the way and see who can get a picture of everything on the list!

Roadtrip bag - as I mentioned in the last post these are SUPER fun for my kids and I've given them something from the bag as I see fit and also done choose one thing each hour (be sure to leave some for the ride home).

Movies/portable games are GREAT but I like to space them out. We actually haven't done any movies the last couple trips and have had no issue missing them. I like to wait until they've exhausted a couple of play options and we just need that little extra time to get to a rest stop.

If you can make time to stop at silly tourist spots along the way. This has also become a roadtrip favorite. Find out ahead of time if the World's Largest Ball of Twine or Cup of Yogurt is on your route and make time to stop. It's a fun photo op and will probably be one of the silliest highlights of your trips.

(I ALWAYS wanted to stop at these dinosaurs in Cabazon - Pee Wee's Big Adventure anyone? but my parents never did so I made sure to stop when mine asked to. My "traumatic" childhood memory had nothing to do with it I'm sure)

If you have the time and desire you can create a treasure map with a little symbol for each stop so they can check them off along the way until you get to your treasured destination.

You could even do some Geocaching (we're doing a post on this soon) along the way!

Take advantage of the rest stops. This last trip on the way home (when they are just a little bit more on edge ready to get home) we stopped a few more times than usual to stretch. This is at a random rest stop in the desert of California and the boys checked out the wildlife trying to find everything that was on the display, threw rocks, ran around and got hot and tired. After 15 minutes they were asking to go back in the car :)

 We've listened to audio books as a family or read books, cut or picked out things we want to do out of magazines (my 8 year old loves Family Fun), talked about landmarks, danced and lip synced to our favorite songs (don't forget to take video), colored, drew pictures of each other, practiced math/writing/spelling, told each other jokes... We basically do a lot of hanging out. My boys appreciate the one on one time and conversation and when they are tired of that we move on. 

Most of the time we won't go through everything on the way there, but will use a lot more of the ideas on the way back.

ROADTRIP ROUNDUP DAY 3: WHAT TO BRING ON A ROAD TRIP

I thought I'd present a list full of items to bring on a roadtrip to keep the boys entertained and smiling. Tomorrow (well at the point you're reading this probably TODAY) will be a list of things we DO on Roadtrips as well as Etsy/web finds Friday for fun items to buy in preperation for Roadtrips!

First, when going on roadtrips I've found that preparation and expectations are 2 important factors. Preparation is pretty self explanatory, prepare all the snacks, activities, stops, etc ahead of time.

Expectations for both yourself, your spouse, and your kids. I don't expect them even at 6 and 8 to sit still and quiet for 6 hours. Nor do I expect them to appropriately pack a roadtrip bag. While their choices are important it might make everyone crazy to hear "Buzz Lightyear to the Rescue!" for 3 straight hours. I DO however go over expectations with them beforehand like how long we will be in the car, remind them about behavior in the car (such as pterodactyl screeches are NOT appropriate), and to try their best to get along and not argue.

My boys love riding in the car and look forward to certain traditions for our trips. Like the trip bag! I will usually try to stock up on quiet items throughout the year, but a trip bag is filled with all kinds of really fun/silly items to play with in the car. Sticker books, notebooks, travel games, little dress up items like fake mustaches or teeth

(these were one of the best trip items so far we make each other laugh as well as others on the road/gas stations), finger puppets, mini candy, maybe a new DS game, trading cards, and any other small/cheap items I think they might like. Then I'll either hide the bag and give them a new item each time I think they need something new, OR they can close their eyes and pick something out once or twice an hour (do if at certain times so they can look forward to it). I've done bigger items and I've done really cheap bags - it goes over great either way.

Here are some items we like to pack for roadtrips:
Dry erase board and markers (kids love writing on these and even working on math problems, words for new writers, tic tac toe etc)

(source)
Paper/coloring book/crayons/printable acitivity cards - Wreck this Journal (or even better the box set) is really fun for older ones as is the Doodle books.

A Clipboard
Window clings
Foil, wikki sticks, pipe cleaners for molding/ making things without the mess of other sculpting items
Books (new books are good whether bought or borrowed paper or electronic)
Audio books whether for the family or for each boy with iPod/personal CD player etc
Nintendo Ds/iPod/Leapster
New small Lego sets with some sort of hard storage box to keep them in
When they were younger they LOVED the Color Wonder items which are great for the car
Cookie sheets with magnets/magnetic toys or the little magnetic sets you can buy

I think their favorite by far though is the roadtrip bags (I didn't have time to make these for this roadtrip and they did miss them but did great since it was SUCH an impromptu trip.

ROADTRIP ROUNDUP DAY 2: JENNIFER FROM BIG D & ME

Roadtrip Roundup Day 2! Today we have Jennifer from Big D and Me - a super cute/funny blog about her and her boys (and girl's) crazy life.  You'll have to go check out her blog for her fun activities, her recent Lego party and Father's Day printable! Let's see what she has to share with us today.

Hi! I'm Jennifer from Big D and Me and I'm so excited to be guest posting on All for the Boys during Road trip Roundup. I have two boys, 9 and 6, and a little girl who's 2. All three love legos, star wars, and wrestling -it's never dull at our house. So grab a light saber, come on over for a visit, and laugh as we find humor in everyday life.

Are we there yet? How much looooooonger? He's bugging me! Stop touching me!

These are all familiar tunes when going on a road trip whether the trip is 50 miles or 1500 miles. Moms must be prepared. I always have the usual stash of new books, snacks, and movies ready to go but I felt I needed something else.

So...I created high interest activity cards to keep my kids busy. Since the car will be filled with pillows, suitcases, blankets, can't leave behind stuffed animals, and a food bag, I wanted the activities to be pocket sized.

My set consists of 48 Activity Cards which have a variety of problems or prompts for kids to work on. The cards cover math, social studies, sports, poetry, word puzzles, or just high interest topics.

Note: If you are looking for Emily Bronte you have come to the wrong place. My poetry cards deal with snot and burping. I have boys....they tend to like that kind of stuff.

Print out the Activity Cards and cut them apart.

I printed the cards on different colored paper to add visual interest.

Since the goal was to have pocket sized activities, I searched for a small container. A plastic coupon holder turned out to be the perfect size. Since the holder is small, each child can get their own set of cards. Plus it's easy to store.

I also included 3 pencils, a pencil sharpener, and an eraser into the coupon holder.

In addition to keeping the kids busy, hopefully these cards will also start some conversations as they determine who their favorite story book character is or what they would do as president. Although, let's be honest, I won't complain if they are quiet while contemplating their answers.

Thank you Allison for having me and safe travels to everyone this summer!

Maybe these cards can help you retain some sanity while driving and answering, "Are we there yet?" for the millionth time.

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Thank you SO much Jennifer! I LOVE these printables and will definitely be printing them out to keep in the car for my boys.

ROADTRIP ROUNDUP DAY 1: GUEST POST - THIS HOMEMADE LIFE

Yay! Day 1 of Roadtrip Roundup! My hope for this week is that you gain a ton of ideas and/or inspiration for your own roadtrips this summer - even if it's just across town, create memories for your kids, and instill a love of travel!

I had planned something else for Day 1 but I loved this guest post so much I decided to move it up a bit :)

Please welcome Alison (love your name) from This Homemade Life if you have never been to her blog you are in for SUCH a treat (pun intended). She has an absolutely gorgeous blog filled with amazing photography, recipes, and little glimpses into her and her boys' life. Please check out her blog and I know you'll want to add it to your blog reader!

Take it from here Alison!

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You've packed and planned.  The van is gassed up, boys are in their seats and you are ready to go.  Just one thing...did you remember the snacks?

Yes, the all important road trip snacks.  Packed and easily accessible for the moment you hear those dreaded words..."Moommm, I'm hungry!"

If your boys are like mine snacking isn't just something they do to pass time, it's part of the road trip experience. When we talk about past road trip adventures they almost always mention the snacks they enjoyed along the way.

Here are a few ideas for healthy snacks that will have you feeling not only organized, but good about what you are feeding the kids as you roll down the road.

Fruit--we usually have grapes, cut up strawberries or even a small container of raspberries.

Popcorn--popped in individual brown sacks, with their names on the outside, making it easy for each boy to find their own.

Nuts, pretzels, granola and dry cereal--my boys favorites are dry, roasted almonds, pretzels and pistachios.  I pack a stack of cups for them to fill (and refill) for these snacks.

Don't forget the drinks!  Each boy gets his own water bottle (spill-proof) to keep trash to a minimum and make refills easy.

Granola Bars--these have been in demand around our house lately.  We take them to ball games, on picnics, road trips and where ever else the need for a snack may pop up.  They are filling and not too sweet.  You can easily customize them to your own family's tastes by what you choose to add-in.  My boys favorite add-ins are chopped peanuts, peanut butter and chocolate chips, but pecan and cranberry runs a close second.

Granola Bars

adapted from King Arthur Flour and Smitten Kitchen

1 2/3 cup rolled oats

1 cup rice crispies

1/2 cup sucanat (or brown sugar)

1/3 cup oat flour (or 1/3 cup oats processed til finely ground in a food processor)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)

2 cups dried fruit, nuts or chocolate chips (mix it up, but total should be roughly 2 cups)

1/3 cup peanut butter (optional)

6 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 cup honey, maple syrup or brown rice syrup

1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare an 8x8 pan lining with parchment paper or using a nonstick spray.

Stir together dry ingredients, including fruit and nuts.  In a separate bowl, whisk together vanilla, melted butter, liquid sweeteners and water.  Add the wet ingredients to the dry, including peanut butter (if using), combine until crumbly.

Spread into the prepared pan, pressing firmly.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown along the edges.  These will still be soft when they come out of the oven, almost like they are under baked.  Keep the bars in pan until completely cool (this will help them mold, to avoid crumbling).  Once cool, cut with serrated knife.  If bars still seem crumbly, even after fully cooling, place them in fridge for 30 minutes to help them set.

Wrap individually and store in air tight container.

Pack everything in an easy to reach container and you are ready to go!

I hope these ideas help, or even spark a few of your own, as you pack for your next road trip, ball game or even just an adventure across town!

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Thank you SO much Alison!

WORKIN ON IT!

We have a few fun projects that we're working on but life is getting in the way a bit. For example, this is the current state of my dining room table:

Today is the boys' last day of school! They are so excited (I'm excited not to pack school lunches anymore). Next week I'm going to share how our summer schedule is going to look. I currently am a full time work at home mom. I am in the office 1 day a week and work the rest from my home office. This works REALLY well for me during the school year and I plan on making it work for the summer. I have a lot planned for the boys and I'm going to share how I PLAN on making it work this summer!

For now the boys are working on a craft project that they are really excited about. I'll share the completed project tomorrow but for now here's a peek

Don't forget that Roadtrip Roundup is coming SOON! I'm excited about some guest posters and projects we are working on for that week. If you'd like to participate shoot me an email!