NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

April 23, 1998

Parent Line: Tickets to Fun and Learning

Kim Bushaw, Parent Line Program Specialist
NDSU Extension Service

As the weather begins to warm up and thaw us out, our fondest thoughts begin to turn to summer vacations. An inspirational calendar once said "take a family vacation, even if you can't afford it." I'm not making that suggestion, but the sentiment is there. Family trips, big or small, can produce special memories that members will "take to the bank" for years to come.

Whether your trip is to the nearby zoo or across the country, there are always ways to extend the experience. Great vacations don't have to span the globe, they just need to be enjoyable.

When your family considers their vacation, keep in mind everyone's age, attention span, interests and temperament. Nothing can be so miserable as to pile a bunch of people together in a car for hours just to discover that nobody wanted to go to that destination in the first place, that nothing is of interest, and that a lot of time and money is being spent for a less- than-great experiencejust to say you've been there and done that.

Speaking of money, figure out the finances far enough ahead of time that children can make and save souvenir money, ticket money or any other expenses they will need to cover on their own.

To extend the learning and build excitement for the excursion, do your homework together. Find books, movies and brochures on the major sites you want to see. Imagine how it would be for a 6-year-old to check out a book on the Grand Canyon or Mt. Rushmore, then see the same place in person. Or to find a photo of a giraffe or an elephant, and then see one at the zoo. What a great opportunity for comparison.

Plan in some flexibility in your scheduling. A 2-year-old may be so fascinated by the worm on the sidewalk that his attention is hard to divert. Allowing a little extra time for these discoveries will extend his learning and make everyone feel less pressured than too rigorous a schedule. Everyone needs a little extra time to absorb new information.

Older children can help with the itinerary. A school-age activity might include having the child design a trip brochure with dates, times and points of interest.

Everyone can take turns writing and drawing in "The Captain's Log." Or you might supply notebooks for individuals to write their own thoughts and feelings. These journals can be private, or part of a scrapbook assembled with photos when the trip is over.

Jot down questions before you go. You might wonder what kinds of trees you will see in that part of the country, or if baby Emus have spots or stripes. Add questions that come up along the way. Work together to find resources that answer all of the questions.

Teamwork is an important skill to teach children too. List jobs, chores, assignmentswhatever you call themas you start the planning process. These may be as simple as choosing who will monitor the car garbage, mind the maps, pitch the tent or do the dishes on a given day. Working as a team takes practice. Rotate jobs with other team members when the fun begins to wear off.

Play games along the way. Old favorites like the license plate game and "I spy with my little eye" are great ways to sharpen observation skills. "Twenty Questions" helps kids categorize and imagine. Other games might include creative thinking too. Pull a common item out of a bag and think of its many possible uses. "What else could a comb be used for?" A musical instrument, a tool to draw lines in the beach sand . . .

For older children you might ask the really tough questions. " What if we didn't have computers? televisions? clocks?"

And best of all, what if this fun vacation didn't have to end?

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Source: Kim Bushaw (701) 231-1070

Editor: Barry Brissman (701) 231-7866