We’re going on a road trip! According to Daddy that’s a really, really long car ride – at least an hour.  Maybe even TWO hours!

My parents are going crazy packing suitcases, and snacks, and even my PJs! (Does this mean we’re going to Disneyland?) I asked Daddy what we do during the road trip.  He said there are lots of fun things! We can talk, and listen to the radio and there’s always lots to look at out the window.

Uh, Daddy? That’s boring…

I started to get a little worried about this whole ‘road trip’ thing, so while my dad took the family car in for pre-trip tune up, I pulled out my crayons and came up with some of my own ideas. It turns out there are a lots of fun things for kids to do on a long car ride! 

Mayson’s Idea #1:  A Colouring Tray

I LOVE colouring! But colouring in the car is really hard – especially when your markers and crayons keep rolling everywhere. That’s why I asked Mommy to help me make a special colouring tray for the trip!

Mommy found an old cookie sheet, and we glued magnets to my markers to stick them to the tray.  Then we went shopping and I picked out a brand new colouring book full of trucks and cars – my favourite! Now I’ll have a nice flat surface to colour on for the trip, and I don’t have to worry about my markers disappearing under the seat! 

Mayson’s Idea #2: Audio Apps

Daddy’s always listening to weird old people tell boring stories on the radio. He calls it the ‘news’.  Why not listen to something more fun? Like a book!

Everyone loves books! Mommy and Daddy have to read them out loud to me since I can’t read yet, but I found out last week that even adults like to hear stories. They call them ‘podcasts’. It turns out there are lots of apps filled with thousands and thousands of stories for kids and adults!

Daddy loves to listen to Audible, while Mom has Spotify on her phone. Our car’s ‘Blue Tooth’ lets us play anything from the phone through the speakers, but you can always get an audio cord if your car doesn’t have any teeth.

The best part is that most apps let you download your favourite stories, so you can listen to them even when there’s no internet! (Wait, what place doesn’t have internet?)

Mayson’s Idea #3: An I Spy Jar (aka The Mayson Jar)

Daddy showed me how to play I Spy when I was little and now I play it all the time! The best part is all the other kids know it too! (Daddy says he used to play it when he was my age – so it must be really, really old.)

But as much as I love I Spy, playing it inside the car is really boring. Everything’s the same colour, and everything outside the window zooms by way too fast!

That’s when I had the great idea to play I Spy with a jar!  I found a bunch of my favourite little treasures – like birthday candles, buttons and small toys – and put them inside an old jar along with some dry rice. Mommy took pictures of everything that went in before she super glued the lid on. Now she gives me a colour or a treasure to look for and it’s my job to find it by turning the jar! I call this creation the Mayson Jar!

Mayson’s Idea #4: The iPad

I like to play with the iPad when Daddy’s taking a nap and Mommy’s busy driving. There are so many activities for big kids like me in the app store, and my parents say they’re Ed U-cational. (Whoever that is.)  The racing games are my favourite, but I also love solving puzzles and watching my favourite movies!

To keep the iPad from moving around inside the car, I rest it on my lap in the cookie tray with a pillow underneath!

Mayson’s Idea #5: Pipe Cleaner Crafts

I love making crafts, but Daddy says paint, glue and glitter shouldn’t go in the car. That’s why I’m practicing making things from pipe cleaners for the road trip!

You can make lots of cool shapes from pipe cleaners – like your favourite animal, a crown, and even a 1972 Porsche 914 2.0!  And they come in lots and lots of colours – even sparkly gold ones!

(Daddy says the best part is that they’re easy to clean up later.)

Well, that’s it for now!  Be sure to put https://searlesauto.ca/ in your favourites, and if you have any “Grown Up” questions about your car, truck, van you can always call us (250) 475-2000, or book an appointment online at: https://searlesauto.ca/make-an-appointment/.