Kids in the Car

Travelling with kids can be a challenge, and often after a holiday Mom could do with another one. However these days there are plenty of ways to keep the kiddies entertained that don’t include never-ending songs about wheels and buses or an unfixable hole in a bucket.

When planning entertainment for the road, it’s important to remember that children lose interest very quickly, so it’s wise not give away all your trade secrets in one go. For instance, instead of one big bag of toys, surprise them with a new trinket at every town. It’s also a good idea to reserve travel toys only for travelling, giving the little ones something to get extra excited about when they hear “road trip”.

• Build up a collection of brain teasers to keep active little minds puzzled and intrigued.
• Make the actual journey part of the fun and games by working out a quiz for them to fill out along the way, for instance how many sign posts between Town A and Town B.
• Coloured pens and paint can get messy, so rather opt for chalk and black boards.
• New toys, no matter how small, are always better than old ones in the mind of a child. Fill a bag with a number of cheap and simple toys and allow each child to draw one at every stop.
• Invest in magnetic board games for the road and stow them in the glove compartment.
• Audio books are excellent entertainment if your children are all within the same age range.
• Older kids might enjoy car games like I Spy or the number plate game.
• Invent a reward system for good behaviour, e.g. losing a gold star whenever naughty behaviour occurs. However it’s important to work out a system that rewards everyone who shows good behaviour and not just number one.
• Keep things organised by hanging a shoe rack on the back of the car seat or giving each child his or her decorated shoebox in which to keep their goodies.
• Avoid packing sugary snacks and fizzy drinks that might make them hyperactive or cause motion sickness. Instead opt for healthier alternatives like pretzels, home-made iced tea, raisins, cheese crackers and dried fruit.

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