What's in the Truck?

Directions:

What child isn't fascinated by the big trucks on the highway? Here's a simple way to parlay that interest into a fun activity that will help pass some time on the interstate.

First, have your children come up with a list of things trucks carry. The items on their list can be general or specific. The list could, for example, include "food" as well as "potato chips," or "construction materials" and "pipes."

As your children come up with items for the list, you or an older child can write them down, leaving room next to each entry to tally sightings. Then, have your children pick a time or distance at which to stop counting—say, twenty minutes or twenty-five miles (or, to add an element of the unknown, "at the third exit sign"). When everyone's ready, announce that you'll start counting in one minute (or one mile), and then see how many trucks your children can find that match their cargo list. They may also want to add new items to the list as they go along.

Let's see, that's three milk trucks, five moving vans, and one truck full of popcorn. Right?

More on: Games for the Whole Family

Excerpted from:

© 2005 by Steve and Ruth Bennett. Excerpted from 365 Unplugged Family Fun Activities with permission of its publisher, Perseus Books Group, Inc. All rights reserved.

To order this book visit perseusbooksgroup.com.