Recently I was asked to try out and review these new products by Rand McNally called Boredom Breakers.  They are Rand McNally’s answer to how to keep kids entertained during a long (or short) road trip.  As you may have seen, Last month we took a trip up to Northern Nevada that took us about 4 hours one way to drive.  When I found out about this product to review we were planning on making that trip again in the near future.  However that trip was changed to taking a trip to Cheyenne, Wy.  This trip will be a 12 hour drive.  Even my teenagers, who have always been really great on long trips, will need something to do!  These Boredom Breakers will be a life saver…. for them more than me.

From Rand McNally:

Boredom Breakers!

Tell stories, solve mysteries, play car games, sing classic tunes, discover new things about your family… and do it together as the miles melt away.

Rand McNally, the venerable American company that has been helping families find their way for more than a century, just introduced a series of innovative games and activities to keep kids entertained and families connected in the car.  The Boredom Breakers™ line is a refreshing alternative to portable DVD players and handheld video games many families use to pass time on long road trips or while shuffling around town. The products are designed to bring families together, encouraging conversation, laughter and fun making the miles fly by for moms and kids on the go.

Rand McNally developed the five games based on extensive parent research.  Moms across the country were clear about what they like – creative activities that make kids laugh and allow family members to learn more about one another – and what they don’t like – games with a lot of little pieces.

With that, Boredom Breakers were born!  The five activities are sold separately at Rand McNally and Amazon.com.   Tell stories, solve mysteries, play car games, sing classic pop tunes, discover new things about each other…and do it together as the hours quickly pass.

» Story Starters :  Packed with 72 minutes of funny stories, mysteries and games, this interactive CD will be an instant road trip hit.  Story Starters combines the best of classic radio-style drama and audio effects to get families telling stories together.  Hearing is truly believing!

» Car Karaoke Mom can sing lead and kids are back-up vocals.  Just pop in the CD with 12 classic rock, pop, and kid favorite songs.  Includes everything needed to be a rockstar: an inflatable microphone, rating cards, and three lyric books.  Choose from favorites like “Build Me Up Buttercup” or “Twist and Shout,” to see who’s got the pipes in the family.  Earplugs not included!

» Travel Card Games features three great games to pass time and start conversations.  Includes a slim storage box to easily stow in the backseat pocket.

» Magnet Message Makers is a mess-free way to get the kids and the car ready for the road .  It includes two reusable and removable magnets that will not harm your vehicle and five sheets of removable stickers for decorating the magnets.  “Florida or Bust!” “

» Car Game Countdown Car games are fun, but they are even more outrageous when you’re trying to beat the clock.  Car Game Countdown includes a car-shaped digital timer with electronic sound and laminated dual-sided game cards featuring 18 games on a clip ring.

What I Recieved:

Rand McNally & RoleMommy asked me and several other moms to take a look at these new games and to let you know what we think about them.  This is the first of my posts regarding these products.  I’ll be posting at least one video, maybe more depending on how much fun we actually have on the trip with these games.  I was allowed to pick a couple of the games from the five listed above.  The two that I decided I wanted to try out are the Car Karaoke & Car Game Countdown.  I picked those two for several reasons.

• 1. Both my boys are teenagers so I wanted to make sure there were games that wouldn’t be too young for them
• 2. There are going to be 3 adults in the car that will also want to have fun
• 3. I love singing
• 4. A large variety of games to play

These two games fit the bill nicely.  What I plan on doing is videoing our trip and how much fun (or how little fun if that turns out to be the case) we  have playing these games.   We’re not leaving until Sept. 4th and coming back on Sept 7th, so you’ll have to wait a little while to see what happens and how we all feel about the games.  Until then, here are a few things that I’ve seen about these products so far.

Car Karaoke

This is exactly what it sounds like, Karaoke in the car.  Inside the box you’ll find a CD of 12 different songs, an inflatable microphone, 3 song lyric books, and performance rating cards going ranging from “Please Stop” to “Super Star” (all pictured in the slideshow above).  Play the songs with or without vocals while the rest of the passengers rate your performance using the cards.

12 Songs included: *not sung by original artists

• 1. I’m A Believer
• 2. Twist & Shout
• 3. Stand By Me
• 4. Respect
• 5. Take Me Home Country Roads
• 6. Build Me Up Buttercup
• 7. America The Beautiful
• 8. The Ants Go Marching
• 9. Camptown Races
• 10. She’ll Be Comin’ ‘Round the Mountain
• 11. Yankee Doodle
• 12. I’ve Been Workin’ On The Railroad

Car Game Countdown

This is a set of 18 different games that can be played in the car on a long road trip.  Most of the games I have heard of and even played before, but there are some new ones in the set as well.  Add to the games a timer and it puts a whole new dimension to the games that we’ve all played.  The timer is in the shape of a car with luggage on top and the cards with the games on them are all hooked together by a convenient plastic carabiner for easy carrying.

Games on the Cards:

• License Plate Bingo
• Memory
• Motor Mouth
• Name That Tune
• I See, I Say
• Alphabet Hot Potato
• And 12 more

Each of the games comes with directions on how to play and some of them have variations to the game play so you can change things around.  You can also adapt the games according to how old the kids are that are playing the games.   I know I can’t wait to try these out on our trip!