Back in the 70’s when my brother, sister and I went on trips with our parents my father kept us busy by giving us rewards whenever we saw specific items. When we traveled in Europe we would get 50 cents for every castle we could find, 25 cents for hay stacks, 50 cents for deer, 50 cents for “onion domes” (onion shaped spires on certain types of churches) and so forth. It not only kept us busy looking out the windows, we earned our pocket money for the trip that way. It was great fun. I now do this with my daughter. She still spends a lot of time on her smart phone but she actually looks around a lot more than she did before we did this game. It also helped with our basic math skills keeping track of how much our father owed us.
I was involved with a caravan of Scouts that traveled near a thousand miles to a camp in Wyoming. They made sure everyone had a GameBoy, and every hour they would rotate cartridges. Camped in church basements and stopped at historic and scenic sights along the way. Don’t know about the boys, but great memories for me.
When my parents took my daughter (9) and niece (13) to a family reunion (drove from Virginia to Wisconsin in a large van), they set up TV trays in the back, in front of the back row seats (mid-row seats removed), and gave the girls maps of the states they would be traveling through and highlighters the mark the roads they were on so they could keep track of where they were. The girls have been using maps to help navigate their moms already, so it wasn’t difficult, but it kept them interested for a surprisingly long time as they looked for rivers and big cities and tiny towns (or signs for tiny towns), etc. That way they could keep track of how far they had come, when they would get to interesting places to visit, and how far they had to go. Then at night, my mom would give them string to mark from start to finish of each day (each day used a different color highlighter) which they would then measure against the scale marker on map. They were in no hurry (I think they took 4 days to get there) The girls seemed to really enjoy it. My daughter is now 36 and my niece is now 41 and the mother of 6!! They still remember that trip and some of the fun things they saw along the way.
There are roads in space? Anyway, it’s always been that the roads are usually dull, it’s where they take you is the most fun. Better they play games than complain. Parents can call out the important sites, and even stop at them. Watching millions of trees go by just ain’t much fun, even for adults.
It is being slowly but surely established that electronic devices are damaging creativity, analytical method, and common sense in today’s generation. Humans have never been likely to heed warnings.
We were on a tramway going up a mountain to an amusement park. An absolutely incredible view that was missed by two teenage girls on the tram that had their noses stuck to their cell phones the whole way.
David Huie Green LoveJoyAndPeace over 4 years ago
We took a trip out west somewhat like that. Older son was far more interested in his Gameboy.
Imagine over 4 years ago
Back in the 70’s when my brother, sister and I went on trips with our parents my father kept us busy by giving us rewards whenever we saw specific items. When we traveled in Europe we would get 50 cents for every castle we could find, 25 cents for hay stacks, 50 cents for deer, 50 cents for “onion domes” (onion shaped spires on certain types of churches) and so forth. It not only kept us busy looking out the windows, we earned our pocket money for the trip that way. It was great fun. I now do this with my daughter. She still spends a lot of time on her smart phone but she actually looks around a lot more than she did before we did this game. It also helped with our basic math skills keeping track of how much our father owed us.
Gent over 4 years ago
Just take away their phones already.
The Brooklyn Accent Premium Member over 4 years ago
Hey, at least they’re not fighting in the back seat.
“Daddy, he touched me! Make him stop!”
Greyhame over 4 years ago
I was involved with a caravan of Scouts that traveled near a thousand miles to a camp in Wyoming. They made sure everyone had a GameBoy, and every hour they would rotate cartridges. Camped in church basements and stopped at historic and scenic sights along the way. Don’t know about the boys, but great memories for me.
banjinshiju over 4 years ago
They were able to find service so far from home?
Michael G. over 4 years ago
This one’s on you, Pops!
contralto2b over 4 years ago
When my parents took my daughter (9) and niece (13) to a family reunion (drove from Virginia to Wisconsin in a large van), they set up TV trays in the back, in front of the back row seats (mid-row seats removed), and gave the girls maps of the states they would be traveling through and highlighters the mark the roads they were on so they could keep track of where they were. The girls have been using maps to help navigate their moms already, so it wasn’t difficult, but it kept them interested for a surprisingly long time as they looked for rivers and big cities and tiny towns (or signs for tiny towns), etc. That way they could keep track of how far they had come, when they would get to interesting places to visit, and how far they had to go. Then at night, my mom would give them string to mark from start to finish of each day (each day used a different color highlighter) which they would then measure against the scale marker on map. They were in no hurry (I think they took 4 days to get there) The girls seemed to really enjoy it. My daughter is now 36 and my niece is now 41 and the mother of 6!! They still remember that trip and some of the fun things they saw along the way.
Ray_C over 4 years ago
There are roads in space? Anyway, it’s always been that the roads are usually dull, it’s where they take you is the most fun. Better they play games than complain. Parents can call out the important sites, and even stop at them. Watching millions of trees go by just ain’t much fun, even for adults.
geese28 over 4 years ago
If it’s heading to earth it wouldn’t make a difference. The alien kids would just text the human kids right next to each other on Snapchat
WCraft Premium Member over 4 years ago
Are we there yet?
Bilan over 4 years ago
Instead of Slug Bug, the aliens play Hit Her Meteor?
Snoots over 4 years ago
It is being slowly but surely established that electronic devices are damaging creativity, analytical method, and common sense in today’s generation. Humans have never been likely to heed warnings.
ferddo over 4 years ago
At least they’re not repeating over and over “Are we there yet?”…
Dragoncat over 4 years ago
Would you really want to hear them chanting “Are we there yet?” every five minutes?
Tossle Premium Member over 4 years ago
Groot has been there, done that.
William Stoneham Premium Member over 4 years ago
We were on a tramway going up a mountain to an amusement park. An absolutely incredible view that was missed by two teenage girls on the tram that had their noses stuck to their cell phones the whole way.