Austin

There's a game you can buy - the name escapes me - something akin to I Spy, but cards are drawn, and each person has to find certain things (bird on a wire) or do something ("Get the diver of a car to wave to you"). First one to finish all on their card wins. My daughter loves it - We've had the game for about 4 years - she just turned 14. She and friends even play it during trips around town.

emd

marigross: OK, here's my real secret. I splurged and got a car that has a rear entertainment system. So I can listen to a CD in the front seat, and the kids can either watch a DVD or listen to the radio WITH THE HEADPHONES ON (that part is key). So no more listening to Dropkick Murphies or Avril for me. I deserve to listen to what I want, and now they get to also. The headphones are great- only work in back seat. Keeps them from bickering, which is the big deal w/11 yr old girl and 13 yr old boy (only so much "stupid" and "fartface" that I can take hearing from the backseat while driving before I explode). The cost was worth it- I wish I had done this years ago. I can't "entertain" anyone while driving- I have to concentrate on the road, and neither of my kids can read, they get carsick.

placeu2

Have played most of the games listed as my kids were growing up.

Here is another idea that may be a bit advanced for a 6 year old but...

On lengthly trips everyone in the car would choose 5 states that we would NOT see on the road during the trip. Last one standing wins.

Lots of time is killed taking turns picking your states, making the list and debating the rules. Examples: What is the order of state picking? Does a car in tow count? How about the plate on a U-Haul trailer? What if you see cars plates in parking lots, gas stations, etc. or do they have to be ON the road? What about car carriers with multiple cars on it? Does Hawaii count? Should we add in Provinces? You get the idea.

On a trip to Mt. Rushmore and back to Chicago we eventually cataloged every state. Oddly enough (to me) the last state we saw was Kentucky.

bennnie

Every time we go on our annual vacation, my girls get a new cutesy bag or backpack filled with new stuff. When they were younger it was crayons, mini coloring books, a new beannie baby. Now that they're older its a new book, maybe a new gameboy game, a silly pen and journal. Plus a few snacks and candies. They look forward to them.

Our upcoming trip to DC/Williamsburg will be the first try with books on tape. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkerban. (Can't wait for the movie!). Hopefully this will reduce the bickering that has increased as they get older.

Also play what we call the sign game. Its getting all the letter of the alphabet in the right order but only from road signs. We collect license plates also. Have a list from each trip.

I love road trips.

eileenleft

Austin-the name of the game is Rubber Neckers. There's also a RubberNeckers Jr for younger kids. You do what the card says and play to 100 pts: 5 pts for a police car with an extra 5 if its' lights are flashing, 5 pts for a baseball field, 5 pts if you can get a person in another vehicle to make a peace sign. I played with a group of adults on a tour bus and ended up with half the bus involved. It's available at Amazon.com.

buckeyemom

They make travel games like Uno and Battleship now which are great to take along. Go to Amazon and do a search on travel games.Or a travel magna doodle or hand held computer game.Books on tape are great, but a 6 year old has a short attention span. We have a tv/vcr/dvd combo in our new conversion van and it's great on trips. A portable dvd player would be great also.

I like the Bailey's idea. ;-)

bonniebroad

Wow, I'm gonna print this thread out for future excursions with GD.

She does have her own portable DVD player so we did watch "Brother Bear" and the first Harry Potter movie enroute! That is a great invention.......... thank you, Lord! But she'd RATHER do word-games with Granny, of course, until Granny is GA-GA!!!!!!!!!

Her parents tried the audio-books, and she didn't take to that idea too much. She was a very early and (is a) voracious reader, so likes to do it herself, I gather!

She's also the kind of child who will just take a "rest" for a couple of hours now and then........ but only for a couple!;-)

Thank you all for your wonderful responses, and please feel free to keep them coming!

bonniebroad

P.S. The funniest response in this thread is, I think, from Tandoori_Girl........ the thought of them "racing themselves" into exhaustion at rest-stops is hysterical! Why didn't we all think of that???????? ;-)

bennnie

My parents used the "race" technique to wear we 8 kids out on all our family excursions. When we grew up we all were on the high school track team. Two brothers went to college on track scholarships. No wonder!