I created this busy box as part of a sponsored post for Goldfish® Crackers and SocialStars #GoldfishCrowd
The last day of school is just around the corner, and it is almost road trip season! We are going to have a pretty busy next couple of months, and since the kids will be in tow, we need to find ways to avoid meltdowns and ensure peaceful travel for everyone. We love our adventures, but being in the car for long periods of time can be super boring for the littles. Having something that they can discover and play with for at least part of the time is super important to everyone’s sanity, so check out my fun new Summer Fun Busy Box! It’s great for trips, to pull out if boredom strikes, or even something to give out as a party favor for those with Summer birthdays.
I have always loved road trips, and love the freedom that they give you because the adventure is just as important as the destination! When I was little, we went on all kinds of road trips and my sister and I counted license plates from each state, played tic-tac-to, I-spy and so much more. I loved our trips, and even though we were in the car we had a great time watching the world along the way. It was one of things in life that I will always look back on and miss now that I’m older – that freedom and excitement of our family trips before I knew anything about the world. Summer trips will always have a special place in my heart, and I hope that my kids grow up feeling that way too!
Now, let’s get to this box of fun! The great thing about it is that what goes into the box is based on your child’s age, needs, and etc – you can customize it for any occasion, and it is super wallet friendly. I made all the paper games myself, and since they are laminated we can reuse them which is pretty cool! I really wanted to make sure each activity brought something educational to the table, so I chose things that gets the wheels in their heads turning – using their senses, strategizing, and letting the creativity flow are great ways to stimulate their amazing minds! I also threw in yummy Goldfish® Mix crackers! I love these new mixes, and they are perfect for snacking with variety!
The first activity is a “Build A Bug” kit that is great for creative expression. It has a few blank bug pictures that I printed on cardstock along with a glue stick, crayons, pipe cleaners, plastic eyes, puff balls, stick on jewels, and a few other decorative items. Kids can use their box top as a surface to decorate their bugs, and cleanup is a breeze with everything fitting neatly in a sealable sandwich bag. My kids LOVE this activity!
We all know kids get hungry after a few hours in the car, so no busy box is complete without a little snack! We love Goldfish® crackers around here, so I added a portion of Goldfish® Mix Chocolate Mint + Pretzel crackers to my box. These snacks are BIG on flavor as well as fun, and if you’re not a fan of mint they also offer Goldfish® Mix Xtra Cheddar + Pretzel crackers and Goldfish® Mix Honey Mustard + Pretzel crackers. I know, you’re not supposed to play with your food, but I can totally make an exception for these babies. My kids love playing with Goldfish® crackers, and that means less time asking “are we there yet” which is fine with me! Plus they are easy to clean up if they get dropped, so you don’t have to worry about spills.
Our next activity is my tried-and-true Road Trip Bingo, because you can’t have a road trip without Bingo, right! Print out your own by heading over to this post and clicking on the image. I would recommend printing at 40% if you are using it on a road trip so it isn’t too big, and covering it with self laminating stick on sheets to make it more durable. Want to make it extra fun? Use your Goldfish® Crackers as Bingo pieces!
I also included some laminated tic-tac-toe games that I made, which is one of our family favorites. This one is perfect to use your Goldfish® Mix Crackers with because of the two different types of crackers. If you are worried about sliding, you can also use dry-erase markers.
In addition to the paper activities, I added in a pack of plastic animals, a couple of toy cars, some small building blocks, and a top/bottom animal matching game. Everything fits inside the box, so cleanup is easy! Did you know Goldfish snacks has a #GoldfishTalesPromotion going on? Now through 6/30 you can create a photo or video that shows off Goldfish crackers in a Great Outdoors theme via Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #GoldfishTalesPromotion to enter. Posts using #GoldfishTalesPromotion may appear in the gallery on GoldfishSmiles.com. No Purchase Necessary. Open only to 50 US/DC residents 18+. Ends 6/30/16. Official rules and more at www.GoldfishSmiles.com. Void where prohibited.
