What Color Shirt Is Mommy (or Daddy, or Somebody Else) Wearing

A simple guessing game to help you get home in one piece

ADDED May 11, 2008

When returning from an outing, kids can get bored and grumpy during the ride home. The last couple minutes can be the worst, when they start to recognize that they’re close, but not there yet.

One quick and easy activity I do with my kids in this situation is to guess what color shirt their Mom is wearing. (Of course, it would work for anyone whom they will see at the destination: Dad, Grandma, a younger sibling, etc.)

Everybody takes a turn guessing the color. Then we fill the time with “talking up” the choices: “Mommy really does like red, so that was a good guess of yours,” or “I think Mommy looks pretty in brown, so I think I’m right—it’s going to be brown!” Kids seem to respond well to this color commentary, and start to offer their own analyses.

(You’ll find that this pastime works well even when you actually know the exact color of the person’s shirt.)

Another benefit to this activity is that when we arrive home, my kids are dying to see their Mom, and what color shirt she’s wearing. The reunion is even more fun and exciting—and their Mom likes to hear the guesses (and that she’s being talked about.)

Keep them guessing, and keep them on their toes.