Magnetic Puppet Board

Bean has never really liked sitting in the car, or on planes, or in Drs offices, etc for a long time. She doesn't like being held or buckled down, she likes to run free and she doesn't have a ton of patience when she can't. We don't have a DVD player in the car, we don't have an iPad, and she doesn't have a LeapPad to play with. Sometimes I wish we did have those things, but sometimes I'm glad we don't. When I was little we took a lot of road trips, and we moved across the country 4 times before I was in the 3rd grade and I don't remember disliking long car rides, in fact I remember liking them. I could read, color, make friendship bracelets, etc. We played I Spy, we called out different states on the license plates we passed, and we made up stories one line at a time taking turns back and forth. Technology is great and all, but I'd like to have Bean be able to behave properly - and maybe even enjoy herself - in a long car or plane ride without relying on it.

I was inspired by Kelle Hampton's road trip preparations and excitement and decided to try to copy-cat her Magnet Dolls and Storyboard. I feel like a full sized cookie sheet is a bit large for everyday travel, so I decided to use my toaster oven's smaller cookie sheet. I just printed some family (and her one toddler-friend) pictures and some of her favorite TV characters on my home printer, but if you really want to get fancy you could get 'real' pictures printed at Walgreens (or wherever) and use those for your Magnet-Puppets, or you may consider laminating them. I did neither, and I still think they're pretty stinkin' cute.

 This is the brand of magnetic sheets I bought. $2.50 a sheet. 

 Family board.

TV characters board.

I really like how they turned out, and I really hope Bean-Girl likes playing with them on our next trip. :o)

(I also got some magnetic letters and numbers at the dollar store to use on the cookie sheet!)