family and community as well . She ’ s a pro at practicing reading , writing , and research skills in practical ways to do everyday tasks .
As grown ups , we may already have independent routines for planning a trip . But when we involve kids , we can help them practice key literacy skills , such as reading maps , creating schedules , and making lists and help them feel more invested in the trip . No matter where you ’ re going — whether running errands around town or to a big family gathering out of state — you can encourage your child to practice using functional literacy skills to help you plan . Here are four ways to get your kids involved in preparing your next trip :
1
Set a schedule together . Perhaps you , like me , keep the family calendar on your computer or phone . Unfortunately , that means kids often don ’ t know what ’ s happening more than a day or two in advance — and only because we tell them . One way to include your child in planning a trip is by talking about the schedule — the things you are going to do and when you ’ re going to do them .
Hand them a calendar and help them mark the dates you ’ ll be traveling . Draw a fun emoji or a symbol to indicate when you ’ ll be gone and what you ’ ll be doing on the days you ’ ll be away . You can also mark the days you ’ ll be preparing for the trip too , such as when you will make a packing list and when you ’ ll pack .
Of course , the next question is , “ What will we do when we get there ?” A daily schedule helps kids anticipate what comes next . Creating a basic schedule with your child of what you will do each day is not only a skill-builder , it will help reduce anxiety about traveling to a new place with a new routine . You can also empower your child to help make choices as to what you include on the schedule . What activities do they want to try ? What do they want to see on the trip ? For kids who aren ’ t yet reading , use simple pictures to represent activities .”
2
Explore with a map . Map-reading is not an outdated skill . It ’ s a key tool for building children ’ s spatial reasoning skills and helping them make sense of the world . Print out or draw a map that shows your home and destination . Read the legend with your child and discover how far you ’ ll be traveling and in what direction ( north , south , east , or west ). If you ’ re traveling in your city or town , read the name of the streets along the way . If you ’ re traveling in-state , how many towns will you drive through ? If you ’ re traveling out of state , will you cross rivers or other bodies of water ?
As you and your child explore the map , talk about what you know about the places you ’ ll travel by and where you ’ re going . For inspiration check out the PBS Kids show , “ Molly Denali ." In “ The Big Gathering ,” episode , Molly uses a map to learn how far her family and friends travel to get together . She also uses the map to learn about different parts of Alaska .
Your child can use the map to explore different routes . Encourage them to make a chart to write down the route they think will be the fastest or the route that will be the most scenic .!
3
Get more information . With the schedule and map as a reference , help your child research more about your trip online . Depending on the age of your child , they can help research some of the following questions — either independently or with your support .
• What is the weather forecast for the trip dates ?
• What are some sites and attractions at your destination ?
• Where might you eat ?
As they learn more , encourage them to draw symbols on the schedule to indicate the weather forecast or to add the locations of sites and attractions to the map . With more context about what to expect , they can engage in preparing for the trip in more ways . In “ The Big Gathering ,” Molly helps her friends who are also preparing for the event by looking information up online , including ferry schedules , delivery dates , and more . Researching together is one way to help your child practice using keywords and finding information to plan out a trip ..
4
Explore with a map . Trip-planning is a great time to use checklists to build skills ! If your child can write , let them . If they can ’ t , help them develop handwriting skills by putting them in charge of checking off ( or putting a sticker on ) items as you complete them .
• Things We ’ ll Do List : Helping kids create a simple checklist with three-tofive things they will experience on a trip is a great way to build excitement and get a sense of what matters most to them . Include sites and attractions your child may have found while researching the destination .
• Packing List : Create a packing list with your child so that they can help pack their own bags . Have your child consult their schedule as they create the checklist . Prompt your child with questions such as : “ How many days will we be gone ? What activities will you need to pack for ? What did you learn about the weather forecast ?”
• Get-the-House Ready Checklist : Have your kid help you brainstorm things the family will need to do before leaving , such as clean out the fridge , take out trash , water the plants , stop the mail , pack snacks , load the car , etc . Encourage your child to look at their schedule to determine what needs to be done and when before the trip . For example , Molly and her family have a fridge feast to clean out their refrigerator a few days before they leave so that they don ’ t return to find spoiled food . As your child creates this list , they may find something to do that becomes a tradition for your family before you travel !
For more information on the Molly of Denali show , visit pbskids . org .
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