The Best Busy Game *Ever*

I have found the best way to keep Faith entertained for hours at a time. I call it:

The "Packing for a Plane Trip to Nana's" Game!

The rules are simple.

Hand the 5 year old a rolling backpack. Inform the 5 year old that this is her carry-on for the airplane. It is up to her to fill it with activities for her plane ride. But there is just one caveat (side note: take a 30 second break to explain the word caveat to said 5 year old).

The 5 year old must be able to carry her own bag through the airport and onto the plane. Other than lifting the bag into the overhead compartment (a mommy job), the 5 year old is now responsible for her very own carry-on. The bag can be rolled on wheels with a handle or worn as a backpack. Both are acceptable options. Techincally, the mommy can also carry the backpack, but this is not an acceptable option to the mommy.

Thus, the 5 year old needs to use her discretion as to what she packs and the weight of those items.

Now starts several hours of fun as the 5 year old makes piles of items she might want to take and carries on an external monologue of whether or not she *needs* these items and how much they might weigh in combination. Breaks are taken to ask the mommy about exactly what will be in the mommy bag (snacks & mommy books only, no matter how many times the question is asked). Further questions include what is available at Nana's house for 5 year old usage. Mommy attempts to make logical suggestions like "do you really need 4 different coloring books for one 3.5 hour trip?" and "do you really want to hunt for Polly Pocket shoes on a plane?"

As of this evening, the bag has been packed, rolled around the house, carried up the stairs and down again, and meets with Faith's approval. However, we don't leave till Wednesday. I'll lay money on the fact that this is *not* the final version of the bag.

Comments

  1. lol Shannon. My kids have packed a month early for trips before. At least you have the game to keep her busy for a while. You can also give her paper and pencil to make a "packing list" Patrick went one step further and typed his list out on the computer.

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