Are We There Yet: A PBS KIDS Guide to Surviving Travel with Children

The sun is out, the weather is warm, and some of us will be traveling with our families this summer. Traveling can be an enjoyable experience, but it can also be a little taxing for children. PBS KIDS has several games and interactives that can help make your family traveling more fun.

To begin, PBS Parents shares with us DIY travel games for kids. This article teaches us how to make a small storage box for game pieces as well as three different games.  These simple games can be played anywhere.  PBS Parents also provides expert tips and advice for traveling with kids.  Some things highlighted were to start early, set realistic expectations, involve the kids in the planning, empower your children, and to step out of your comfort zone.

Arthur’s Travel Bingo is played just like regular bingo, but with words you may see while traveling. Children will focus on trying to find the words on their card to win the game. Buster, the Arthur character, also has a page of travel games that will keep children occupied on long trips or during a wait.

Wilson & Ditch take us on a fun adventure across the United States.  Children can select from various locations to learn more about that state or famous U.S. landmark.  This website is full of videos, games, comics, and even a blog!

Lastly, if you have older children, the Illinois Edition of PBS Learning Media can take them on a journey. Whether it is watching a video about Gooseberry Falls State Park, learning about the history of passenger air travel or even graphing distance and time while traveling-these can all be used to give your children something to focus on while building their academic skills.

Keep in mind that traveling with your children does not have to be expensive or require you to leave your own city or town. All of these games and activities can be played while in a car ride to the park or on a bus ride to the grocery store.

Traveling with children can force us to take a moment and appreciate each experience we share with them. Family travel can be rewarding because it takes us out of our daily routines and encourages our families to spend time together and create memories that can last forever.