How to Bring Kindness With You on the Road
In May, many families are preparing for summer travel, mapping out routes, planning fun excursions and dreaming about time together as a family. What if, in addition to making plans for travel, we made plans for kindness as well? There is space for kindness to strangers and one another, generosity towards others, patience at stressful moments, and connection through new experiences. This summer, let’s make kindness part of the plan.
With gratitude,
—MiaLisa Millares, Executive Director
Mindfulness Quote. Read a mindfulness book, and share a gratitude or mindfulness quote each day with your family. Reflect together on all of the good things in your life.
Car Window Poetry. Use your time away to share some sweet poetry with a stranger. Check out this blog to learn how to create your own car window poetry.
Nature Scavenger Hunt. Spend time in nature to reconnect with the outdoors. Take along this scavenger hunt to complete on an afternoon outside!
Yoga Together. Gather your family together to practice family yoga, either inside or outside, and enjoy the calming effect of the asanas. Take time to teach kids the breathwork, which is a great life skill.
Quick Acts of Kindness. Use these everyday ideas to spread some quick acts of kindness.
CONVERSATIONS
Here are some great family road trip conversation starters.
This I Believe.
What gives you hope?
Finish this sentence: Our world needs people who...
What simple thing makes you happy?
Does traveling make you appreciate anything about your home town or home state more than you did before? What and why?
Share Your Stories
Did your parents volunteer? When did you first volunteer?
Talk about something that was important to your parents.
Talk about a family vacation from your childhood.
How was your childhood similar to childhood today? How was it different?
Just for Fun
If you were an animal, what kind of animal would you be and why?
If they made a movie about your family, what would it be called? How would you write that story?
If you started a new family business, what would it be? What role would you each play?
You suddenly won the lottery! What do you do next?
Making Plans
If you had $10 and had to give it away, what would you do with it?
What should our next volunteer project be? Who should we help?
Should we volunteer even if we don't want to? Why or why not?
Where should we go on our next family road trip, and what can we do to make it even better?
Road Trip Conversation Starters PDF
READ
Set a family reading time for each day during travel, or to wind down at night. Here is a list of amazing books for read alouds that the whole family can enjoy.
INSPIRATION
“Travelling in the company of those we love is home in motion.” —Leigh Hunt