kids be trippin'

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photo :: property of getty images

as promised, here are the things i have packed in my magic bag of tricks. originally i was going to share only what i have planned to keep elfling occupied on the long trip, but then i thought perhaps those with a teen would appreciate what i have for thehobbit. so, without further ado, i bring you the following:

i spy bottle - see yesterday's post.

window art - the above photo says it all. i know elfling will want to draw on the windows of he sees his brother doing it, so this activity is only to happen when he-who-can-not-yet-reach-windows is alseep.

busy wallet - what toddler doesn't love going through mama's wallet? luckily i had a large passport wallet that i forgot to donate to the thrift shop. old greeting cards were cut into the shape of credit cards, i added a few sheets of not-yet-seen stickers in lieu of dollar bills, & slipped in an old checkbook. 

blue painter's tape - this is a brilliant idea. because it peels off easily, & leaves no residue behind, it is the perfect thing to occupy a stir-crazy toddler. elfling can rip off pieces, & stick it anywhere he can reach! seriously brilliant. a friend also informed me that we could use the tape to cover outlets at the hotels. (note :: my toddler would be lured by the bright blue on the wall, so we'll just leave the outlets naked, & keep an eye on him.)

lap desk - a sturdy surface for writing, drawing, stickering, etc.

luddites, close your eyes.

fifi - my plan is to move my unnecessary apps to the could, & fill fifi with new ones for elfling. i have found some fabulous free ones: a kaleidoscope, veggie tales game, interactive books, etc. thus far the only app i have purchased was this. the typewriter keys are not as large as i thought they would be, but elfling's fingers are tiny, so that's ok.

portable dvd player - ours proved indispensable on that train trip 2 years back, so will definitely accompany us this time around. i hope to only pop in a movie as a last resort, but whatever makes the trip easier for elfing is fine by me. as i said yesterday, he does not enjoy being in the car for more than an hour - two days is asking a lot.

i-touch - thehobbit has filled his with new music - his very own road-trip soundtrack :)

ok luddites, you can open them.

new things - for elfling i bought a few board books ($1 used book shop), drawing pad, gel pens, japanese coloring books, flash light, & hamish. the most expensive thing was hamish at $8.50. everything else was $2 or under. i have split the items into two piles; one for the ride up, the other for the ride back. (note :: no, elfling has not seen brave. he is much too young.)

thehobbit only wanted new music, & a journal. teens are easy to entertain.

audio books - this will be our first road-trip without any. with a teen & a toddler in the same vehicle, finding an appropriate book became too much of a hassle. i thought i'd mention audio books anyway, for those who had never considered them. you'd be amazed at how quickly the miles fly past when you're listening to a book. 

that is all i have planned to entertain & distract. hopefully everything will be a huge success. i'll let you know how it went; shall i?

~peace.

edited to add :: everything was a hit! if i could only choose two things from above, i would go with the dvd player (for obvious reasons), & the painter's tape. every person in the family played with the tape. we made pictures on the lap-desk, wrote words on the windows, stuck pieces wherever we felt like, & manlyman hung long strips all over the backseat's ceiling. when he cracked a window, the  strips went wild! eventually they all came loose, flying everywhere, but that's was fun too. one thing i had not packed to be played with; but was a hit with elfling; was thehobbit's hand-cranked flashlight. that shall definitely accompany us on future trips.