I just found out about a new card game to improve family communication on long vacation drives and a kid’s seat harness for airline flights to improve safety.
Family Talk-Improved
This weekend our family is driving three hours to visit friends in Clear Lake, CA. We always let our kids watch a movie in the car but that only keeps their interest for part of the drive. They have moved beyond “I Spy” and I have forbidden them from their all-time favorite game, “slug bug” as they think it is fun to slug harder with each turn. No, I didn’t teach them that game, a 28 year old cousin did…(thanks, cuz.) As I contemplated the journey, I was pleased to get a few ideas for improving the car ride from a new company, Around The Table.
Around The Table has created three card decks for promoting family communication. I plan on taking Family Talk. I like the concept because the game looks fun, I think it will create interesting conversation and it is portable. Each card has a question you ask your kids to get beyond the “how was school? it was fine.” daily routine. The question that captured my interest was “what is your favorite stuffed animal.” My ten year old daughter loves her stuffed animals, she brings about a thousand with her all the time and I would like to understand this, well, obsession. For my 8 year old son, I want to ask him, “What would he change about school?” I won’t let him say cancel all classes. Both ideas are from the pack.
Each deck of 100 cards is attached to a carabineer clip you can clip to a backpack or purse. The manufacturer promises, “Anticipating a long wait at the airport? Whip out these questions and the time will fly. Stuck in traffic with the kids? Family Talk, will encourage the kids to ask anything but “are we there yet?”
And I am all about that. For more information about the other games, go here.
Hate schlepping that car seat onto the plane?
My kids are more comfortable and better behaved wearing a seatbelt but the lap belts on the plane are too big for them. I was pleased to see a smart mom invented a harness just for airline travel called the Child Aviation Restraint System (CARES). The National Parenting Publications Awards recently awarded CARES with a Gold seal for the Toddler age group in its Parenting Resources Awards.
CARES is a seatbelt attachment that weighs less than a pound and provides extra support to children who weigh between 22-44 pounds on an airplane. No need to bring that bulky car seats on planes for your children.
In addition to winning the NAPPA Gold, CARES has recently received the Crystal Cabin Award, which recognizes innovative airplane cabin concepts; the Good Housekeeping 2008 Good Buy Award; an iParenting Media Award for Excellent Products; a National Parenting Center Seal of Approval; an Editor’s Choice Award from the Family Review Center; the Toy Man Seal of Approval, Award of Excellence and eChoice Award; and the Mr. Dad Seal of Approval.
CARES retails for $74.95 and is certified for all phases of flight - taxiing, take off, turbulence and landing. CARES is manufactured exclusively by AmSafe, the foremost manufacturer of aviation seatbelts and pilot restraints in the world. (Turn over your airplane seat belt buckle. Chances are it says AmSafe.) For more information, visit their website at www.kidsflysafe.com or call 800-299-6249.
If you enjoyed this post, make sure you subscribe to my RSS feed!
3 Responses
Family Talk sounds like a great game, and a nice break from the in-car video and Nintendo games. I’ve never heard of Slug Bug but I’ll be careful not to mention it to my girls and give them any ideas…
Marsha, slug bug is very simple. If you see a volkswagen “bug” drive by your car first, you scream slug bug at the top of your lungs and slug your seat mate. Big fun for five year old boys. Now , you know why I didn’t share this game with them.
I’ll need to check out Around the Table. It sounds like something that would definitely help keep everyone busy for a long time. I get a lot of really good ideas from the tip sheets on WeJustGotBack.com. There is one on road trips and another on flying with kids, and both have lots of ideas of games and ways to keep the family content. You should add it to your blogroll. Another great site is MomsMinivan.com. Tons of printable car games — roadside bingo, license plate game, etc., especially for the 5 to 8 age range.