If you’re a family of travelers, you know just how much joy this activity brings to all of you. Road trips can be especially exciting and practical for families with kids because you can explore the world on your own schedule and make as many stops as you like. However, those long rides on the highway can drive kids nuts if they don’t have any entertainment. Check out these tips and you’ll have happy kids even during those long stretches of road.
Get a snack holder
As you know, kids can turn into little monsters when they are hungry, so make sure to keep them fed and happy during your road trip with practical snack holders. These will prevent spills of Cheetos all over your car and provide a bit of fun for kids. It’s not super easy to access snacks with these holders, so they will stay occupied as they try to dig out tasty treats with their chubby fingers as you navigate an especially boring part of the road.
Mount their iPads
You might have a strong screen-limiting rule at home, but let the kids enjoy their tips in the car and let them use their iPads as much as they want. If you have a car with a built-in screen in the back, you’re lucky. But if not, you can invest in an affordable iPad holder that goes on the front seat. Get a model that works on airplane seats too, because you’ll probably fly with your kids in the future. This way, kids can watch their favorite shows and cartoons until they fall asleep or while they wait for food or snacks.
Make a scrapbook of your trip
Making a scrapbook is a great way to keep the kids entertained and occupied, but also create memories and mementos you can cherish for life. Get an empty photo album or a notebook that will hold all your memories, and supply things like crayons, glue and even glitter (you’ll deep clean your car when you get home). Scissors are also a must, but make sure to get handy safety scissors that are easy for kids to handle. Collect photos, postcards, tickets, passes, plants and other small things, use scissors and glue to create a collage and do this every day during the car ride or on your stops. By the end, you’ll have a beautiful reminder of your trip!
Get them a camera
Kids love to look outside, but they can’t stay focused for too long unless they don’t know what they are looking at. To provide your older kids with some fun and exercise their focus, get them disposable cameras and make a list of things for them to shoot along the way.
Listen to music, books or podcasts
If you want to engage the whole family in entertainment, you can play some awesome music and create tiny car concerts. Buying audiobooks is also a great idea, especially before nap time. Podcasts are also entertaining for both kids and adults, so you can listen and learn as you ride.
Plan your stops well
If this is your first road trip with kids, you might need to change your itinerary habits to accommodate the little ones. Sometimes, it’s necessary to stay on track to make it to check in until 5 pm or catch the last ferry, but otherwise, you can incorporate a few interesting stops along the way. These will not only keep the kids entertained but also allow them to spend some energy and stay calm and comfy in the car.
Road trips are the best kids of family travel option, especially today. With these entertainment tricks up your sleeve, you’ll eliminate every bad aspect of road tripping with kids, have a smooth vacation and create many precious memories as a family.
