License Plate Potpourri

Spending time in the car this weekend? This summer? Remember the old license plate games you used to play when you were young? Try them with your kids. Make up new ones … together!

Let’s see what I remember …

* Name the States — Count how many different state license plates you see. That was probably the key one when I was young. If we were in Pennsylvania, it was very cool for my brother and me to spot a license plate from Florida or Kentucky!

* Find the Letters — Pick a letter — like “R” for Ryan. How many R’s can you find in license plates? Count as you drive. Everyone takes turns selecting letters.

* Add Them! — For older than preschoolers, check out one license plate and see if the kids can add the numbers together. What is the highest number?

* Spell a Word — Do any of the combinations of letters on one license plate make a word, even a short one like A N D? Look at a few cars next to each other, especially if you’re stuck in traffic. Can you make longer words?

* 21 — I remember years ago my friend Helene Levin told me they used to play Black Jack while looking at license plates. Which one has a number combination that adds up to 21?

Your turn — make up your own license plate games. Try it with billboards, too.

Happy Traveling … hope this helps with those unavoidable traffic jams!