Awesome Things To Do In The School Pick Up Line

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Get creative in the car with some awesome things to do in the school pick-up line. Maximize your time while you wait in the car and use that time to get some things done. This is a list of some awesome things to do while you wait in the school pick-up line or any other time. It’s a great time to relax and enjoy the silence (or not if you have a toddler with you), or a chance to be creative and productive. There are a lot of reasons we get “stuck” waiting in the car, so let’s make it a positive and productive time.

My pick-up wait time equals approximately 30 minutes. There is so much you can accomplish in this amount of time with the benefit of few distractions. Stay tuned for some creative things to do in the school pickup line.

List Of Awesome Things To Do In The School Pick Up Line

• Eat and Drink
• Read
• Tidy
• Crafts
• Game
• Office Stuff
• Movies
• Research

1. Food And Drink For The Road

This is the perfect opportunity to treat yourself. In the colder months make a hot coffee and top it with whipped cream and cinnamon. Make a steaming mug of your favorite tea to enjoy. In the warmer months try a cold lemonade or make an iced coffee drizzled with caramel. Whatever you choose, this is the perfect time to sit back and enjoy it.

For snacks, I like to fill a cup with goodies. Choose a cup that will conveniently fit in the cup holder and stuff it with some yummy treats. Make a mixture of nuts, chocolate, and raisins, or tortilla chips and a cheese stick. Fresh fruit like an apple is a perfect pick me up. Check out my post for a ton of healthy snack ideas. In the above picture, I was lucky to have my husband along for the ride so we had iced coffees and popcorn.

2. Do Some Reading

What a great opportunity to unplug and do some reading while you wait. This is an awesome thing to do in the school pickup line. Maybe you have a stack of magazines you’ve been meaning to catch up on. Or maybe you are into a really good book but can’t seem to find the time. Well, this is it.

I have enjoyed several mystery novels while sitting in the car sipping my coffee. Gardening and herb books are fun subjects to catch up on as well. Reading strengthens communication skills and boosts brain activity. It’s the perfect activity to do to reduce stress by taking your mind into another world.

3. Tidy Up

Take this opportunity to wipe down the dashboard and steering wheel. I always keep a package of baby wipes in the car for various reasons. Wipe out the cup holders or the side of the door. That center console gets pretty gross, wipe it down. Glass wipes are useful to wipe off all those smudges on the windshield and windows.

Keeping a small garbage bag in your vehicle is also a great idea. Pick up any wrappers or other trash that has been tossed around. In a matter of minutes, you can have a tidy car. Might as well have clean surroundings if you are going to be spending time in the car. Way less stressful.

4. Arts and Crafts

Maybe you like to draw or sketch. Bring your supplies with you, and make a to-go bag with paper and colored pencils. Beading might be your thing, bring it along and make some necklaces. Whatever your craft, take this time to enjoy it.

Or if you are like me, bring your crochet stuff. I have made countless hats, sweaters, scarves, animals, small gifts for my kid’s classmates and so many other items. It is to me, my favorite way to pass the time.

Ultimate Crochet Gifting Ideas

5. Gaming

If gaming is your thing then use this time to do some serious playing. If you have a Nintendo switch you can just bring it along. There are so many fun games. There are also so many games you can download to your phone or any other handheld device. Maybe it’s crosswords and word games you enjoy, great! Those stimulate your mind.

Or choose some good fantasy games to have some time to escape reality. Whatever you choose, take this time to just enjoy yourself. (I’m playing Zelda Breath of the Wild)

6. Office Stuff

Ok, sometimes you need to be productive. You’d be surprised how much you can get done in an uninterrupted half of an hour. Make some to-do lists, pay your bills online, check your calendar, and make a note of the week’s schedule.

Take this time to make or return phone calls. Check your voicemail (is this still a thing?) and see if there is anything pressing. Make appointments you’ve been putting off – doctor, dentist, therapist.

Make out your grocery shopping list and do meal planning for the week. A little time spent now can save you precious time in the evenings.

7. Movie Time

These days there are many ways to be able to watch a movie. I’m lucky to have a DVD player in my vehicle. We (the toddler and I) watch lots of Disney movies, Jurassic Park movies, and classic 80s movies.

We keep a booklet to hold all the movies behind one of the seats to hold our collection of DVDs. It is easy to grab and saves space. (Can you name this movie?)

If you don’t have a player, use a tablet or a phone. I bought a phone mount that makes this even easier. Sometimes I’ll get caught up on my favorite TV shows or Netflix dramas. Watching a movie or TV can be very relaxing.

8. Research

Sometimes I like to just mess around on my phone. This can be a great learning opportunity. Play around on Google Maps, and see how long it takes to travel from New York City to Los Angeles by bike. Zoom in on the 7 wonders of the world, the pyramids are pretty cool to view.

Maybe you are planning your next vacation. Take this time to research hotels and restaurants in the area where you are going. Read reviews and make some lists. Get the most out of your time away with a little fact-checking before traveling.

Wrapping Up Awesome Things To Do In The School Pick Up Line

There are plenty of times we get stuck waiting in the car. For a busy mom like myself, this time can be a blessing. I’m always go go go at home so being forced to sit for 30-40 minutes gives me time to relax. The number one thing from this list that I do every school run is having a fun beverage. It is something I look forward to every afternoon.

Another trick I have learned is how and where to display your student pick-up number. I used to clip it to my rearview mirror, but that was bulky and then I would lose it when I took it down. So I trimmed it down to fit the back side of the passenger’s visor and used two large rubber bands to secure it. Just flip it down to display and flip it up to store. Wish I learned that in year one. (I am currently in year 4 in the pick-up lane)

P.S. The movie is The Labyrinth

I hope you enjoyed this list of awesome things to do in the school pick-up line! It adds a lot of enjoyment to my life to use this time productively. Check out this list of awesome and inexpensive staycation ideas for the family.

Cheers,

Sarah

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