Family Road Trips: Build a Masking Tape Wall to Prevent Backseat Boredom

Are we there yet? The problem with the backseat is that it's just so boring back there, and you can only play so many games of "I Spy" before somebody gets antsy. After that, well, all sorts of shenanigans happen.

This little project has all the hallmarks of a fabulous kid project. It lets them make a bit of a mess, gets them working toward a common goal, and cleans up easy-peasy.

Find more tried-and-tested family vacation tips at WeJustGotBack.com

Step 1: Materials

You will need:
*  two or more bored kids in the backseat
* one roll of masking tape for each kid

Comments

[gogreen67]

I love the idea! But, how do you keep them from "taping up" each other?

[WeJustGotBack]

Heh. Taping up each other is half the fun!

[baba87]

Thanks I was a bit worried about having road trip with kids. Im not a mom yet but I plan on being one very soon after I get married in July 2012. My fiance will like this idea. :) Thanks!!!

[Kiteman]

Don't worry, by the time your kids are old enough to squabble in the back of the car, nobody will be able to afford the fuel to run cars at all...

[imatoymaker]

By then they might have finally come up with a usable Mr Fusion.....and flying cars ;-)

[ca5taneda]

Very creative idea. This might even work with my teenagers, I will have to try it on my next road trip.

[ve2vfd]

What a great idea! Simple, cheap, keeps the kids busy... what more could one want?

[Vyger]

I used to make them sit on their hands. Four hundred miles of that cured the problem. Then all you have to do is threaten and you get fast compliance.

[bigmark]

Love the photo shop backgrounds....lol
too bad i have 3 kids & car.....

[darknessfalls]

the barrier does not look very sturdy, looks like it would unstick after about 15 minutes...

[WeJustGotBack]

This wall didn't become unstuck on its own; it had to be torn down. If you use a few diagonal supports and many horizontal strips, the wall can stay up for as long as you want it to (barring too much sibling roughness, naturally).

[SPGWhistler]

I appreciate your photoshop skillz!

[WeJustGotBack]

Thank you! We shot the photos in a driveway, so we thought we'd use some creative license to inject that road trip feelin'. :-)

[ijibang]

a real waste of useful resources actually ....

[Magic9000]

I agree with shantinath1000, this is a great idea because it allows them to make a wall but still feel free. When I was little my mother would put pillows up as a wall in the car and it wasn't fun and it didn't keep us occupied like this would of.

[shantinath1000]

Not true! you are using the tape to create an activity, a barrier between to two and something to keep the kids occupied. I can't think of a better use. just think of this as part of a conceptual art piece!

[vincent7520]

Holly F*** S*** !!!…
Why didn't I think of it before ????
I feel like we've lost billions of QUIET miles instead of the every 30 miles drama we did experience each summer …
Now it's a little be late to implement this project.
Maybe the grandchildren when they come ?… Yes ! But when ?…
I only have to pass the word among my younger friends for whom this will still be most welcome !…
Thank you !…

[canida]

Fun! I bet giving each kid different-colored masking tape would make it more fun, and turn it into a bit of an art project. ;)