Planning a Road Trip this Summer?

The DVD players in the car are the norm these days to occupy children's time and attention while traveling, but I have other suggestions for you.

When I was growing up, I remember people calling the TV the "boob tube'- a vast wasteland for your mind. Now, we not only have TV, but computers, the Internet, video games, cell phones, e-readers, portable DVD players, etc...

We are constantly "plugged in" and the children growing up now are immersed in it. But what is the impact on our children? Here are some interesting facts:

Most kids plug into the world of television long before they enter school. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF):

• two-thirds of infants and toddlers watch a screen an average of 2 hours a day
• kids under age 6 watch an average of about 2 hours of screen media a day, primarily TV and videos or DVDs
• kids and teens 8 to 18 years spend nearly 4 hours a day in front of a TV screen and almost 2 additional hours on the computer (outside of schoolwork) and playing video games

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that kids under 2 years old not watch any TV and that those older than 2 watch no more than 1 to 2 hours a day of quality programming.

The first 2 years of life are considered a critical time for brain development. TV and other electronic media can get in the way of exploring, playing, and interacting with parents and others, which encourages learning and healthy physical and social development. (http://kidshealth.org/parent/positive/family/tv_affects_child.html)

So here are some ideas to keep the kids busy in the back seat during your road trip instead of turning on the DVD player:

Being a Toddler is All about ACTION!

To keep toddlers interest in books and reading, keep things lively and engaging! Toddlers need to move! So, don't worry if they skip, romp or jump around as you read to them- they ARE listening!

Rhymes, chants and songs are a great way to encourage language development because the natural rhythms encourage the child to move and join in! These are short, simple and repetitive phrases that they can learn quickly. Once they master them, make mistakes on purpose, so they can catch the mistake!

Pay attention to your child! If they don't seem engaged in a story (even if you think they should know it or you think it's the best book in the world- one of your favorites from childhood maybe...) stop reading it and choose another! Choose books they respond to- ones with animal sounds, machine noises, ones that they can mimic or participate! Books that they search for recurring things or flaps or textures all encourage participation.

Short stories and then repeat! Repeat and then repeat! And then repeat again....Read a little at a time, many times a day!

Early Literacy Idea

I saw flashcards that you could purchase that looked just like this! So, I thought that would be something easy to make at home. I just took paper and folded it, printed out clipart off the Internet and made my own compound word flashcards. If you google "compound words", you can get a whole list of compound words and make these yourself! Not only do you have a visual, but the print as well, to help your little one understand how the word is formed! Again, easy-peasy and inexpensive!

Early Literacy Idea

I am behind in my posting! As I have mentioned before, I like to go through educational catalogs, books and Internet resources and I often find things that inspire me! Things that can be made at home and inexpensively!


There are so MANY early learning tools to make with craft sticks and craft sticks are inexpensive. I used an old tin can to make a word family can and craft sticks with words that belong to that family. Easy-peasy, 1-2-3. You have instant fun family learning! Make several cans, maybe make each one a different color as well, make many sticks and mix them up! Take turns putting them in the correct can, talk about the words, sound them out, emphasize that the ending sound is the same! If you incorporate colors, you have another concept to include in the game as well!