This post was first published in July, 2010.
We are heading away for a few days, in search of warmer pastures and I thought I would take the opportunity to share this simple, travel-handy Peekaboo Game which I quickly whipped up to help keep Immy busy whilst we are travelling.
I don’t know about you but I am always keeping bits and pieces which might come in handy one day, like the large, clear plastic bags which blankets and quilts usually come packaged in. And it just so happens, that that particular thick, clear plastic was perfect for this project.
I made a square plastic pocket, stitched around the edges, and filled it with coloured rice (though you could easily used coloured sand or even small beads or sequins) and a collection of peekaboo treasures…
Our treasures include novelty buttons and beads, fabric patches, painted wooden shapes, foam shapes, large sequins, a rock, shell and a small shoe or two. Vary your treasures according to the age of your child, the smaller treasures are the trickiest to find (in fact, adult friends have struggled to find that tiny silver butterfly you can see in the top left).
Then I cut two squares of felt, 1/2cm larger than the plastic pocket and I cut a large viewing circle from one of these pieces. I sandwiched the plastic pocket between the two felt pieces and using a couple of rounds of zig zag stitch around the outside, machined it all together.
- Be sure to photograph your treasures before you sew them into the bag. Print out the photo and laminate it and then have your child cross off each item as they find it with a whiteboard marker.
- Ask your child to find something according to a specified criteria – a colour, shape, function, type of item, a beginning sound. Start out with a clue like, “Can you find something blue?” or “Can you find an insect?” or “Can you find something that you might wear on your body?” or “Can you find something beginning with t?”
- Set your child the challenge of finding a certain number of similar items, for example, “Can you find five yellow things?”
If you are looking for more inspiration and practical ideas for travelling with kids as we head into school holidays and summer vacation time, be sure to check out my Road Tripping & Family Travel board on Pinterest.
Christie Burnett is a teacher, presenter, writer and the mother of two. She created Childhood 101 as a place for teachers and parents to access engaging, high quality learning ideas.
Have a fab trip!