Family Skills: Trips

[ysabetwordsmith]

Trips serve many functions in family life. They allow us to visit distant relatives, explore cultural events, spend time with each other, and much more. Where you go and what you do there will depend on your personal tastes and budget. But do something -- at least once a year, and preferably once a month or more, get out of your house and make a trip.

Where to Go

• Visit relatives from both sides of your family. Visit friends in far places too.
• Look up some state parks and national parks in your area. World parks are listed too. Don't forget that there are many smaller local parks that you could enjoy.
• Go to a zoo, animal sanctuary, or other wildlife exhibit.
• Explore a museum. The big national and state ones are cool, but can be crowded and overwhelming. My personal favorites tend to be obscure little places like quilt museums or local history displays.
• Go to a fair. County and state fairs are fun in summer, but there are many other types of exposition.
• Shop at a megamall. I have a soft spot for Wall Drug.
• Tour a Renaissance Faire or other historical event.
• Visit places where you grew up.
• Take a road trip just for the heck of it, and go where the wind takes you.

What to Do on the Road

• Sing. Get a good songbook such as Rise Up Singing.
• Hold discussions. If... is a fun book of questions to get you started. Courting couples may enjoy Intellectual Foreplay.
• Practice a foreign language.
• Hold a spelling bee.
• Play road games. Some of these teach good mental skills -- observation, spelling, reading, memory, etc.
• Read. If one person doesn't get carsick reading but others do, consider reading aloud. Another good choice is to play books on tape.
• Be safe, though -- remember to teach young kids the rule, "Don't bother the driver!"

What to Do When You Get There

• Talk about old times and exchange new family news.
• Go camping. While you're out in the wilderness, also go hiking, canoeing, horseback riding, or anything else you can't ordinarily do at home.
• Take lots and lots of photos. Everyone should learn at least enough camera skill for snapshots.
• Shop for souvenirs. It's fun to pick a single thing you will collect everywhere you go. On one of our great excursions, I collected keychains and my father collected patches.
• Eat at unique restaurants, not chains. Ethnic restaurants are especially fun.
• Ask the locals what places are worth visiting. That's a good way to find stuff off the beaten path.
• End each day with a discussion of what you enjoyed most and what you learned.

Trips are some of our best memories. Make them count.