What can I do to prepare for a big trip?

LET'S TAKE FLIGHT!

Activity Description:

Promote cultural knowledge, cooperation skills, and study some fun and interesting jobs in this children's activity. You can fly to Montana, Michigan, Maine, Mongolia, or Madagascar! If you are planning a vacation soon, incorporate your travel destination into this activity. Get out your atlas, your world maps, or turn on your computer and check out http://www.factmonster.com/atlas/ . This great site, designed for kids, allows you to gather all the travel information you need before you take off!

Suggested Ages:

Children aged Preschool and above will love this activity and you can make it as extensive as you like.

What Is Needed:

Some chairs, crates or anything else your children can sit on and a space to set up your "plane"
Some maps (these can be hand drawn on construction paper or posterboard) to tack on the wall or hold up in front of the "plane". Write down one or two facts about each place on the back of the map (i.e. - the Capital city, or the nearest ocean, the weather forecast or the number of people who live there)
Suitcases or duffel bags to "pack", some simple paper ID's (the kids can draw their pictures, and add their names, and even practice writing their address')
Anything else "flight" related - some old wings to button on the pilot, or a few bags of pretzels for the flight attendants to serve, a microphone for the pilot, small pillows for a long flight, magazines, etc

Activity Directions:

Set up the seats for your plane in rows, as they would be on a real flight.
Choose a "pilot" and let her sit in the chair up front to drive the plane.
Practice showing ID's and boarding the plane (this will be helpful the next time you take a real flight!)
Let the pilot choose your destination and tack it up on the wall. Change pilots often so your destinations change as well.
Have a flight attendant serve pretzels, or water, and the pilot can announce your destination and give a few fun facts about that place (just write a few down on the back of each location and help her read them).

TIP: This activity can be as detailed as you want to make it! If you all decide to go to France, then maybe the children would like to set up a chocolate shop, or a bistro on a little table, with your tea set. When you exit the plane, with permission and a goodbye from your pilot of course, you can all go buy some chocolate or have some lunch.

Practice counting money with Kindergartners and older children - Preschoolers can work on recognition of coins - 1 quarter for tea, and 2 quarters for a sandwich. Let the children take this activity as far as they like. Quietly leading with suggestions can extend this fun activity for hours.

Please offer your extensions and suggestions for this activity by commenting at the bottom of this page.

GO MINING FOR GOLD!

Activity Description:

Fun activities for kids that are messy make them bound to be favorites! This sensory activity will take kids on a trip back in time and give them a fun way to practice hand eye coordination and attention to detail. Sorting the rocks with a "gold mining partner" will help children practice beginning math concepts and cooperation skills. Try reading this book before starting to mine - Gold Fever , by Rosalyn Schanzer.

Suggested Ages:

Preschool

What Is Needed:

A small children's pool or large plastic tub filled with water (you can throw in some blue and red food coloring to make the water darker)
Basic household cooking pots, or even a pet's water bowl, and strainers; no lids necessary
A good amount of small rocks -have the kids gather these and paint half with non-washable yellow paint and/or gold glitter a few days ahead of time

Activity Directions:

Simply get your water source ready by adding some food coloring or throw some handfuls of dirt into the water. Children will love mucking up the water!
Toss in all your rocks, and let the kids start "panning for gold" with the pots. They'll really have to reach in and get messy to grab those rocks.
Children should work with another adult or child, if possible, to pour them into a strainer and sort the rocks from "gold".
Take this activity a step further and practice beginning math skills - graph how many rocks and "gold" the children collect in each pan.