My boys love just about anything that you call “a game”. I am choosing to believe that is because they love the fun of it and interacting with me. Surely it has nothing to do with inheriting their mother’s slight sense of competitiveness. Surely.
I use “lets play a game” constantly for distractions. Both boys want the same toy, or are arguing from the backseat of the van or are just driving me crazy, and a quick “Let’s play a game” can divert all attention and energy in a quick hurry. Because of the fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants method in which these games are drudged up (is that a word?), they must require zero prep, very few supplies and must “travel” well (anywhere, anytime).
I’m sure those things only happen at our house so this post may be completely irrelevant to everyone else. But humor me (and help me, too). Here are a few of our favorites.
1) I spy (“I spy something that is… fill a color” then everyone guesses what it is)
2) The cloud game (“I see a cloud that looks like…” our kids haven’t really figured out yet to look for actual clouds that look like actual things. we pretty much just drive along making up crazy things that a cloud could look like)
3) The opposite game. KJ recently invented this (or maybe learned in school…but he says he “figured it out himself”. always questionable). You just say something and he figures out the opposite. Sometimes that just means adding an “un” or “not” to whatever you say, but for the most part he really is amazing at this game. Some of the most impressive ones that he knew were full/empty, upside down/right side up, black/white, messy/clean. We’ve never done this before so either he just “figured it out himself” or they’ve really been working on opposites at school. Either way, I’m impressed. Then again, sometimes he’s just plain creative. Some of my recent favorites…
Q: What is the opposite of Aunt B?
A: Uncle J
Q: What is the opposite of nobody?
A: Yesbody.
4) The can you find a (fill in the blank) game? This is my normal go-to in the car. I just say, “Hey guys, tell me when you see a stop sign, a cow/horse/dog, a blue truck, a letter ‘W’, etc” They get really excited. We were playing some version of that game on our recent trip to see the bluebonnets. Here is a video.
Ok, so here is where you can help. I’m running out of ideas and the ones I’ve got are starting to get old. What are some games you like to play with your children, especially in the car? Remember mine are 3 and 2 and can’t read yet. It should be something that has quick turn-around (neither of them have patience to wait very long for it to be their turn); and its best if it doesn’t involve touching each other (this quickly escalates in the car to punching each other).
Thanks.
and remember to let the kids win once in a while
ABL
Love the games — I will definitely help myself to the use of those ideas. One game along those lines that we play is the Favorites Game. Casen and I take turns asking each other “What is your favorite…”. Usually I’ll start out with something normal like “What is your favorite food?” and then it inevitably evolves to him asking me something a little more challenging like “What is your favorite door?”