Young Readers

52 TRAVEL ACTIVITY KIT By Lynn Gordon Illustrated by Karen Johnson Chronicle Books $14.95, Ages 5-12

Travel games aren't limited to "I spy" anymore. Lynn Gordon's "52 Travel Activity Kit" - based on her "52 Deck" - may be the end to that infamous question: "Are we there yet?"

The travel kit includes six washable colored markers, a self-inking stamp, a ruler with four stencils, and more than 100 stickers. Everything is planes, trains, and automobiles - along with a few less orthodox modes of transportation, such as hot air balloons and flying saucers.

With illustrations by Karen Johnson, the irresistible briefcase holds activities intended to provide fun for children ages 5 to 12.

The heart of the kit is a spiral-bound booklet of 52 travel games to keep the kids drawing, searching, counting, and storytelling. Post Office and Mime Language are games structured for "when things get a little noisy." Shape Escape asks kids to draw all the geometric shapes they can think of and then look around to see how many objects match those shapes.

Tiny voyagers can also play Travel Bingo by drawing up their own grid of common sights and objects. By car, they might spot a tree, a stop sign, or a flagpole. By plane, a baby, peanuts (glazed or salted), a red hat, or a paperback book. (Most of the games here would work on a plane or in a car.)

There are also interesting writing and drawing ideas, along with activities that include the whole family. The kit brings together cows, road signs, maps, and stickers while encouraging imagination, communication, and problem-solving skills.

(c) Copyright 2000. The Christian Science Publishing Society