Slug Bug--What Color?

One of Jessi's favorite games to play in the car is the slug bug game. She has played it since she could say the words "slug bug", which was even before she knew what a slug bug was. So at the beginning of her slug bugging career, it pretty much meant "I just saw a car, what color is it?" Eventually, she grew older and was able to differentiate a VW Bug from other cars and now can play the game "for real"--minus the hitting/punching/slugging element because I outlawed all violent car games long before she was born.

So we've been playing this game for several years, and I'll bet we play it EVERY time we ride anywhere in the car. And at this point, the game is more than a little stale. So, when I hear the words "slug bug--what color", it triggers a Pavlovian dog-esque response from me of "redorangeyellowgreenbluepurplesilverblackwhite" which stops as soon as I've guessed the right one.

A few days ago, we were out running errands when Jessi shouted "Slug bug--what color" for what well may have been bazillionth time. And after I'd guessed (term used loosley, of course) the right color, Jessi wanted to know why they are called "Slug Bugs". I explained how they look like beetles and beetles are bugs and slug rhymes with bug, etc, etc. Then I added that after the person guesses the color incorrectly, they get punched/hit/slugged--hence the name "Slug Bug"--TADA!

Well, it didn't take long for Jessi to inform me that hitting was really mean and WE just guess until someone gets it right. Then, in her 5 year old wisdom, she shared the best idea ever. She said: "Mom, do you know what else rhymes with bug? Hug! We could just say 'hug bug--what color' and then when you get the color right, you get a hug!" Smart girl.