Making family car trips more fun
Long trips in the car with children can be a challenge - and that’s probably putting it nicely. Hours cooped up in a vehicle with the distant promise of something great at the end of it can be difficult for any child, and it's easy to see how tempers and patience can become frayed.
But that doesn’t necessarily need to be the case. With the right kind of trip planning and a little imagination on the part of the adults, long drives can turn from a gruelling slogfest to a genuinely enjoyable experience.
Here are some novel and fun ways to keep younger kids from going crazy on those long car trips.
1. A Travel Bag
Considering what we now know about attention spans and how their length continues to drop alarmingly, it’s a wonder any road trips are done without distractions. For a simple checklist of what to pack for family trips, check our holiday packing list.
That Pre-Trip Planning Moment
You’re packing the car for the bank holiday weekend, already anticipating the chorus of "Are we there yet?" from the back seat. Instead of just hoping for the best on the 3-hour drive, you try something new.
You’ve packed a surprise travel bag for each child with new colouring books and a few treats. You also have a simple map showing a fun pit stop after the first 100 kilometres, turning the dreaded drive into part of the adventure.
Save the surprise for the drive
One of the best is to put together a travel bag with new colouring books and crayons but don’t give it to them until they’re actually in the car and ready to go.
Fill the bag with variety
Of course, the more varied the contents of the bag the better, with stickers, puzzles, games and draw-your-own comic books all great additions. Consider including age-appropriate activities like fidget toys for restless hands, sticker by number books for creative play, or mess-free activities such as magnetic drawing boards that won't leave your car looking like an art studio.
2. Digital Camera
These days parents are forever taking pictures of their children but youngsters themselves rarely get in on the action. Of course, we’re not suggesting buying them all smartphones and setting up their own Instagram accounts.
Hand it down
But if you have an old digital camera you aren’t using, give it to the kids with their own memory cards to take photos along the way.
Make a scrapbook
This works particularly well if you can create an album or scrapbook with the photos after the holiday. Older children might also enjoy keeping a travel journal to document their trip alongside their photos. The child will then remember for next time and just like that, you’ve created a nice family travel routine.
3. Pit Stops
Even with plenty of time-filling activities, your child is likely to want to get out of the car whenever they can.
Pit Stops are vital on long trips and while it can be tempting to just barrel on through, for the sake of everybody’s sanity, a few stops here and there will make a big difference.
Plan regular short breaks
Tell them you will stop every 100 kilometres or so to buy them one (non-sugar) treat, which certainly makes the trip more interesting for them.
Pick fun places to stop
Alternatively, choose a few locations along the way that you think your children would be interested in. Smart stops at places with playgrounds or kid-friendly amenities - Maybe there’s a waterfall nearby or a llama farm, or maybe even one of the absurdly large roadside attractions that you seem to find more of in the United States.
Whatever it is, 20 minutes out of the car may not interrupt the schedule too much and will really help everybody. These breaks also provide fresh air and movement, which can help prevent motion sickness in younger passengers.
For more ideas on child-friendly stops and planning, see our family travel tips.
4. Make them a map
Children often get frustrated in the car because they are not included in the bigger picture. They don’t care what’s 4 hours away, they want to know where they are now, what’s nearby and where the next stop is.
Making your children a simple travel map that includes the route you’re planning to take.
Include pit stops
Including some of the proposed pit stops along the way will give them a sense of inclusion and control in the situation. Involving kids in the route like this helps them feel part of the trip rather than just passengers along for the ride.
5. Travel Games
Sometimes you just need a good old-fashioned classic to help pass the time.
Pocket-sized family games
Games like Snakes and Ladders, Guess Who, Connect Four, and bingo are all-time classics and can be bought in travel versions with magnetic boards.
Other options might be games that are designed specifically for road trips, such as a scavenger hunt, in which children have to keep a lookout for certain things on the road. For older children, consider logic games like Sudoku or travel-sized puzzle books.
Car-only games
Car games like I Spy, The Licence Plate Game, 21 questions and even bingo using sites along the way can also be a lot of fun for everyone in the car.
Interactive books with sound or touch features work wonderfully for toddlers and preschoolers.
6. Music & Audiobooks
Choosing the right music for a road trip can be a recipe for disaster. Hours and hours of Bob the Builder or other like-minded musicians will no doubt leave parents frothing at the mouth, but likewise, children don't want to hear music from the '60s for the entire trip.
Rotate the playlist control
For music, you can set up a rotation system where each person in the car can play what they want for 30 minutes.
Build a shared family playlist
Alternatively, create your own family playlist so that there is something for everybody.
Audiobooks have come back into fashion in recent years and are a great way to pass the time while sitting in a car.
Use headphones for quiet time
If there's something the whole family wants to listen to, then simply play it through the car speakers or give your children their own headphones so they can listen to whatever they want at their own pace. You can get audiobooks from Amazon.com, iTunes or your local library.
7. Screens
Using screens on a road trip is one tactic that isn't for everybody, but it also comes with advantages. Most people seem worried by the increasing amount of time children spend staring at a screen, but in a car, it is certainly a good option to keep everybody happy.
Treat app idea
If they have iPods or iPads, consider buying a "treat" app just for the trip – a game or other entertainment that will occupy them for hours. LCD writing tablets offer a reusable, screen-based option for drawing and doodling without the mess of paper and crayons.
Portable DVD option
A portable DVD with some of their favourite movies or TV shows is also going to be a sure-fire winner.
Staying Safe
Wherever you are heading as a family, you’ll no doubt have enough on your plate without worrying about what might go wrong. Keeping comfort items like neck pillows and ensuring proper car organisation with seat organisers can make the trip more pleasant for everyone.
Picking the right type of travel cover
Buying travel insurance online with 123.ie couldn't be easier and allows you to focus on your loved ones and not those horrible 'what ifs' we all tend to ask ourselves. We offer single-trip or annual cover, with the option to add winter sports cover.
Our travel insurance cover can include things like medical care, missed departure and connection, while also acting as a safety net in case of theft, lost baggage and when you need a passport or travel document replacement, depending on the cover you choose.
Give us a shout
Getting a quote is quick and easy through our website, but if you feel more comfortable talking it through with a real person or just have a few questions, feel free to get in touch with us .
