I have to admit, one of the joys of an extended vacation is coming home to the pile of mail that’s accumulated. Sure, there are bound to be a few bills in there, but when you’re a book reviewer, your pile ends up looking like a precariously built tower of boxes and padded envelopes. Oh, the treasures within!

And the pile that recently greeted me upon my return from a four-week road trip around the Southwest did not disappoint. Well, this one thing kind of disappointed me – only because I sorely wished it had arrived BEFORE said four weeks on the road.

Games on the Go from Lonely Planet Kids is a darn near perfect accessory for road trips with little ones. This compact kit comes with 40 reusable dry-erase cards (and a pen) with activities designed to keep the wee ones occupied in the back seat (and not complaining about how booooored they are).

We have a “no screens” rule while in the car, and yes, that extends to long road trips. From our home just outside DC, we’ve driven to both Key West and the northern tip of Newfoundland – without screens involved at all. (Audiobooks work like a charm.)

So we’re always on the lookout for fun books and activities like this to throw into the road trip kit. Boredom Buster is another great title from Lonely Planet Kids that fits the same niche.

Games on the Go includes reliable games such as word searches and bingo cards AND more imaginative activities that require drawing, wordplay, and even a bit of journaling.

This may not occupy the kids for the duration of a 10-hour drive, but it’s sure to keep them busy and entertained on a shorter jaunt – or for a portion of a longer trip.

This one is already in our “bag of tricks” for the next road trip, which – yes, of course – I’m already planning.