Turn cabin fever into teachable moments while driving around with your kids
There’s a reason for kids to feel restless after being virtually locked up at home for the last 18 months now. Some change of scenarios can help break the cabin fever and what better way than drive them around even just for a quick joyride. And even better if we can sometimes play games with them inside the car, have some in-car dining or pick up picnic and do drive-by hellos visiting grandparents our cousins. A joyride can also work for us parents especially if you haven’t been going to secret coffee run to clear your mind and get away from nagging spouses and needy children.
Here are some ideas on how to keep your kids entertained before they start a revolution.
Play sCARvengers hunt
This game requires a bit of preparation. It would be best if you surveyed the area first to formulate a list of clues and maps. Give your kids a list of clues to look for during the ride. For example: Find the following road signs; 1) This sign tells you to stop; 2) This sign tells you there is a hospital so on and so forth. The one with the most answers gets a prize like a BTS drive-thru meal!
Mobile distance learning
Find out what your kids are learning in school, and see how you can make it more fun. For example, when my kids were learning about the community, I would ask them to look for buildings like a school, church, government office, etc. You can take it further by equipping your kids with a camera and print the pictures later.
Dine In-Car or Pick Up Picnic
I bet your kids haven’t had a dine-in experience for a long time now. So having a car picnic or dine-in experience is something you can do with your kids. Just don’t forget to bring your own utensils, a UV wand, or disinfecting wipes to make sure anything you bring in is safe. You can also use the pickup bed and park in an open space parking lot near lots of greens for an impromptu pickup picnic.
Drive-by hellos
If your kids haven’t seen their grandparents or cousins for a long time, you can also have a “drive-by hellos” to their houses. Kids can stay in the car and visit their loved ones who stand by the gate. This way, you kill two birds with one stone, you get your kid out of the house, and they get to see other people as well. Ask your kid to make big flashcards they can use to send a message from afar similar to the movie “Love Actually” (did I date myself). You can also ask your kids to make a card or write a letter ( additional grammar, art, and writing practice) that they can deliver to their grandparents, friends, and cousins’ houses.
Bring your kids to errand days
This works if you’re enjoying a relatively easy day for errands, like delivering items in the village or the nearby areas for your business or work. Include your kids in the process. Besides getting them out of the house, giving them purpose or a “job” at this time will help take their mind off the situation. They can be your dispatch buddy or disinfecting officer before you make a delivery.
We are all in this together. This pandemic and our situation are not ideal, but we need to be strong for our kids as parents. A joyride can also work for us parents especially if you haven’t been going to secret Starbucks run to clear your mind and get away from nagging spouses and needy children. Perhaps give it a try. A valuable piece of advice, don’t forget to buy some goodies for those left at home to maintain peace.
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