Sitting in the back seat of a car for hours on end–whether we’re on a cross-country road trip or just running errands all day–has got to be so boring for my kids. I think that’s why they’re so crazy about the new app we downloaded this week made just for, well, kids in cars.
I’m a big fan of the 52 Fun Things to Do . . . series. Have you seen these at the bookstore? They are little card decks with 52 fun activities you can do while in the car, on the plane, at the beach–the possibilities are endless. But now they’ve gone digital with the new 52 Fun Things to Do In the Car app for iOS devices.
Having this deck in app form is great, because now I won’t be reaching behind me every time my son drops his card in the back seat.
One of the best things about this app is that it actually gets your kids off the iPad and using their smart little brains. The app is simply a digitized version of the card deck, so you can swipe through and pick the activity you like (taking turns, of course–right kids?), then touch to flip the card around so you can see the directions. All without cards all over the car.
The downside–you can’t hand each kid their own card and tell them to go at it like you can with the deck. And you’ll definitely want to turn the annoying car horn sound effects off while you’re driving.
But there are some really fun, fresh ideas in this deck, with games that range from silly, like making up a new language, to educational games that give you alternative to the alphabet game. There’s even a modern version of the MASH game; check out “Home Sweet Home.”
Who knows? Maybe your kids will come up with some of their own ideas. Maybe even without bugging you to help them. –Kate
You can download 52 Fun Things to Do in the Car for your iOS device for $.99.
