Word/ Numeracy games for long car journeys!

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fatbananas
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Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:03 pm

Word/ Numeracy games for long car journeys!

Post by fatbananas »

Hello, I wasn't sure where to post this!

Does anyone have any tips for good long car journey games to practice vocab/ spelling/ mental maths/ times tables? We have 4 long long long car journeys this summer and I already feel depressed at the thought of yet more eye spy :cry: :cry: !

Thanks :D
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
yoyo123
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Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: Word/ Numeracy games for long car journeys!

Post by yoyo123 »

how about something along the lines of

anxious aardvarks from Accrington
brillian bison from Benidorm .......

or antonym chains? ( or synonym chains)
eg

a. happy
b. sad
c joyful
d distraught

person who can't carry on chain loses.

or word chains? each person has to say a word beginning with the last letter of the word before.
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: Word/ Numeracy games for long car journeys!

Post by yoyo123 »

guess my number/shape etc?

You can play it as 20 (or 10) questions or just keep going as in I spy.


eg is it between 10 and 100?
is it even?
is it a factor of....?
is it a square number?
is it a multiple of...?
is it prime..?
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: Word/ Numeracy games for long car journeys!

Post by yoyo123 »

or maybe a score type game?

e.g Lorries = 2 points, red cars =1 police car = 3, ambulance = 4, German cars = 5 etc.

you can make it as easy or as complicated as you like.

first to reach a given score is the winner.
menagerie
Posts: 577
Joined: Thu May 26, 2011 9:37 pm

Re: Word/ Numeracy games for long car journeys!

Post by menagerie »

We do the animal alphabet or fruit alphabet or countries of the world. First time round, just the animal, second time round, animal plus alliterative adjective.

Last night my son (who needs to practise his spellings a lot) was playing compound words in the bath. We took turns to say a stem word then the other had to add as many prefixed or suffixed words as possible.

E.g. light: sunlight, moonlight, highlight,firelight but twilight loses because twi is not a word.

I knew a teacher who would just say a letter and the kids had to shout out spontaneously all their favourite words beginning with that letter. It was as simple as that, but great for increasing not just vocab but love of language, its musicality and rhythm.

Another great way to pass the time is to put on an audio book or drama of something that might be slightly over their heads if they tried to read it, but will grip them (Kidnapped, any Jules Verne story, some HG Wells, etc.) We've managed whole five hour journeys with not a wriggle or squabble along the way if the book is good enough. They get riveted.
fatbananas
Posts: 1411
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:03 pm

Re: Word/ Numeracy games for long car journeys!

Post by fatbananas »

Wow, thanks Yoyo and Menagerie, they are great ideas. :D

We do have talking books as well but there's a bit of an age gap between my 2 DC, so I have to even out what we listen to or someone will yell 'bored' or 'unfair!'

Are there any times tables games that anyone knows of (aside from simply yelling out a question and hoping for an answer, which might cause fisticuffs if I try doing that in a confined space, when we've been sitting on a motorway for several hours!).
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: Word/ Numeracy games for long car journeys!

Post by yoyo123 »

I've just googled maths games for car journeys and there are loads!

http://www.google.co.uk/search?sourceid ... r+journeys" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
fatbananas
Posts: 1411
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:03 pm

Re: Word/ Numeracy games for long car journeys!

Post by fatbananas »

Thanks Yoyo!
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
yoyo123
Posts: 8099
Joined: Mon Jun 18, 2007 3:32 pm
Location: East Kent

Re: Word/ Numeracy games for long car journeys!

Post by yoyo123 »

fatbananas wrote:Thanks Yoyo!
you're welcome I will slowly spread the joy of maths...it is my mission....mwahaha 8)
fatbananas
Posts: 1411
Joined: Mon Mar 08, 2010 2:03 pm

Re: Word/ Numeracy games for long car journeys!

Post by fatbananas »

On that basis, your evil genius is welcomed round my house anytime! :lol:
Seize the day ... before it seizes you.
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