Taking a car trip with kids in tow is not always the most pleasant experience. It seems kids ask are we there yet at least a thousand times on any drive lasting 3 hours or longer. Thankfully, there are a few tricks that can keep kids occupied and create a better overall driving experience, and they are as follows.
Invest in an entertainment system: Years ago, a trip to the beach involved hours and hours of riding in a car bored to tears. No DVD entertainment systems were available back then. However, today’s technology has advanced to a point that everyone can acquire an entertainment system for their car. They are available for purchase at almost all electronic stores and big box stores. Parents can procure a new system for their car before the trip ensuring a pleasant drive for all involved. To make the entertainment system even more effective, save it for trips only. In other words, during day-to-day driving, keep it off, but when its road trip time, enjoy. This one step will make it seem an even greater treat and keep kid’s attention longer.
Bring along food: Another crucial item to have on hand to keep kids happy while on a car trip is food. It is vitally important for the sanity of all in the car that there are adequate snacks and drinks for the duration of the trip. Keep snacks simple so even small kids can handle them without making a huge mess. Great suggestions for possible trip snacks are Cheese-its, crackers, Goldfish, fruit snacks or popcorn. Pair the snacks with either bottled water or juice boxes and the kids are set.
Bring along comfort items: Most children have items that make them feel secure and happy. Bringing their special stuffed animal or toy from home along on the drive is a wise idea. Furthermore, it can help them feel more secure once they arrive at the destination. Just remember to repack it when leaving for home.
Creating travel games: Even though kids today have all the advantages of video games and DVD systems to fight their boredom, they will still become bored after many hours in the car in all likelihood. Therefore, it is a wise parent who prepares ahead of time and comes up with a few good road games. If kids are old enough to read license plates, consider playing the old classic tag game to see who spies plates representing all the states.
Make frequent stops: It is unrealistic to assume that kids can endure more than 5 hours of driving at a time without a break, especially if travelling in a relatively small car like the Suzuki Mighty Boy. Parents should plan ahead for stops knowing that kids need to get out of their seats, stretch their legs and have a potty break ever so often. If parents plan ahead for these delays, they will not throw them off schedule. Furthermore, researching ahead of time for prime stop locations is wise to avoid the panic of needing to find a bathroom in the middle of nowhere.
Traveling with kids does not have to be burdensome. In fact, if parents prepare ahead of time with the tips listed above, it can be downright pleasant.
