If you’re getting ready to take a family trip in the car, you might want to take advantage of that time to set up some educational activities that your children will enjoy.

If you want to enhance your child’s creativity, then why not take along a tape recorder and give everyone a chance to sing a song. Then ask your child to sing a song he or she knows well but to change the lyrics. Education can be fun for your kids if you know how to deliver it.

You can also play games along the way. For instance, you can find license plates from other states and count them. Or you can look for things to identify in the landscape that follow an order—alphabetical perhaps, or color categories. It’s your choice.

Word games are another excellent way of passing time and exercising your child’s mind. Try rhyming games, opposite meaning words and so forth.

You can also have everyone in the car empty their pockets of change, and then let your child count it and calculate how many nickels, dimes, etc., you have and determine the overall total of change available.

And don’t forget to bring books. When you’re tired and don’t feel like playing anymore, your child will still need to be occupied. Giving him a book will allow him to stay active and give you a break.