Mapping the Future

Find an old road map that you do not mind if the kids write on or print one from the internet. If you plan a road trip soon, you can use that as a destination for planning, or you may solicit input on a pretend destination. Have the kids map the route that you would follow to reach your destination. Have them calculate how many miles it is and determine how long it will take to get there. Did they remember to allow time for eating, rest breaks (overnights necessary?), and gas fill-ups? Would they like to stop and visit anything along the way? How will this affect arriving at their final destination? What types of things will you do once you arrive, and what do you have to pack to be prepared when you get there? Do you need anything to entertain you in the car? How much money is needed for gas, food, lodging while on the road? Is the time/money it takes to get there worth what you will do at the destination? What happens if things do not go according to plan? Can you plan and prepare for some problems?

To process this activity, ask these or similar questions:

• Was it fun to plan a trip?
• Did you realize all the things you need to think about when you take a trip by car?
• What do you do when something happens that you did not plan for?
• What kind of a journey could it have been if you did not prepare at all?
• How does the journey to the destination contribute to the overall enjoyment of the trip?
• Do all goals have to be planned out as detailed as this?
• Does planning a path to a goal help achieve it?
• Will you remember this travel exercise the next time you set a large goal?