Having an extended trip with children could be fun. Or it could be awful! Being in a car for a long period, kids are prone to boredom and anxiety. This could be a recipe for disaster!
If you want to keep your driving to be relaxed and satisfying, bring some things to entertain your children and keep them occupied. Here are some helpful tips to keep your children entertained on long trips.
Let your kids do creative activities
Keep in your mind that kids are creative individuals. Bring them some artistic stuff to keep them occupied by drawing and making other creative things.
Making art will help to prevent your kids from quickly get bored. Pack in a bag; crayons, whiteboards, papers, colored-pencils, markers, etc. You can also give them an activity book and stickers that don’t need any pens or markers.
There are tons of activity ideas on Pinterest. If you have some time, you can create those yourselves. Or if you are trying to save some money, you can go to a Dollar store near you for some good deals.
Give your kids fun toys or pieces of stuff to play with
Kids are kids. They will love to play wherever and whenever. By bringing them, some car-friendly toys can keep them busy in the back seat of the car.
Fill a box with legos, little figurines, card games and dolls. You can utilize an unused shoe box to pack them, so your kids can also draw something on the surface of the box, or put stickers to make it looks more fun.
Stop at nice places for picture-taking
Let your kids have some photography activities by using a kid-friendly camera. Children have tendencies to easily get fascinated by any object, especially if they see it for the first time. So, picture-taking is perfect to catch your children’s attention and keep them busy.
You can give them an instant film camera so they can take any pictures from inside and outside the car then they able to see the result right away and put them in their notebook, decorate it stickers or anything else.
Set snack-time
Nothing satisfied a child on the verge of boredom during lengthy car trip more than a quality snack. Children will be happier when they have a satisfied stomach. Consider preparing a homemade healthy munchies for your children, because munching on unhealthy snacks during car trip can reduce your kid’s energy level and make your kid feels tired and drained once you arrive on your destination.
Play music and sing-alongs
Music always can entertain everyone, including children. Choose a fun and sing-alongs playlists during your lengthy drive. Make sure that your children love the music.
Make use of stopovers
Driving for long hours can be tiring, as well as for the kid as a passenger. Kids get bored quickly, that’s why during a long drive, making numerous stopovers can be worthwhile. Making stops can help you and your kids to stretch your body after sitting for a long time.
Electronic gadgets and games
While some parents are not allowing their kids to spend too much time on electronic gadgets, it could be helpful to keep your children occupied during a long car trip. Letting your children use an electronic device for entertainment purposes can help to keep them having a good time during travel.
Have a conversation
Keeping your children away from boredom and make them entertained while travel doesn’t always have to use toys, gadget, or anything else. Let your children stare out and have a look outside the window while having a conversation about the surroundings and what they see can also be engaging as well as keep them active.
You can engage in story-telling inside the car. Start telling a story and let each member of the family take turns in continuing the story by adding details. It’s fun and it engages the imagination of your kids.
So, don’t panic if next time you have to drive for a long distance and wonder what to do to keep your children entertained so, they will not make you crazy. Remember to plan your time before you travel with your children. Also, you don’t need to spend a lot of cash, just with a little creativity and inclusion, you will have an enjoyable drive, as well as quality time with your kids.