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Keeping Kids Entertained on Long Journeys

Travelling with Kids

Published 7 November 2016

 

Visiting relatives is a great way to spend the holidays, particularly if you don’t get to see them that often. But if you know you have a long journey ahead of you, keeping the kids entertained can be quite a daunting prospect.

However, thanks to all the many gadgets and gizmos available for entertainment these days, you really have nothing to worry about. Here we will help you to think of some of the best ways you can avoid, or even just delay the inevitable “are we there yet?

DVD player

A portable DVD is a great way for your children to watch their favourite cartoons or films on a long journey.

Make sure it is fully charged before you leave, you have plenty of DVD’s to choose from, and there are earphones at hand so there is no distraction to the driver or other passengers.

Tablets

You can get almost any game on a tablet, and you also have the option of downloading books for your children to read.

Whether they want to read a book, watch a film or play a game, it can all be done with a tablet. Not only this, but you also have the option of buying an iPad mount so that it can be placed on the back of the headrest, allowing for even more comfortable viewing.

If you are mounting on the headrest, make sure headphone leads are nice and long so the kids are able to sit comfortably and fingers crossed could fall asleep.

 

MP3 Players

Listening to music is a great way to pass the time on a long journey, but you may not all want to listen to the same thing – especially your kids’ music.

So an MP3 player is a great way for everyone to listen to their music without disturbing the other passengers. You can also use an MP3 player to listen to audio books, which is a great alternative to having to fill the car with a big pile of books.

The most important thing with all the gismos above when keeping kids entertain on long journeys is REMEMBER a Car CHARGER or POWER PACK on the journey.  You never know just how long your journey is going to take due to heavy traffic, bad weather and other unforeseen circumstances.

The last thing you want is a dead battery half way!

Keeping kids entertained the old fashioned way!

Activity books

Drawing, colouring and puzzle books are such a great way to help the time pass quickly for kids.

Travel games

The kids may not quite believe it, but it is possible to have fun playing a game that doesn’t involve a gadget. Games like Battleship and Connect Four, and even Chess can come in small travel sizes, making them extra convenient to stow away in the car.

Word games

They may not be as popular as they once were, but when the batteries have run out of the gadgets or the children have had more than enough screen time, why not give a word game a go? From I-Spy to word association, there are loads of fun games the children can play, or even make up themselves, that will help to pass the time.

Should your electrical plans for keeping the kids entertained on long journeys begin to fail for whatever reason then the above ideas although old fashioned will still keep the entertainment going.

Don’t forget the snacks
If you are travelling a long way with children, then snacks are very important. You don’t have to always opt for junk food though, consider some nutritious foods like raisins and bananas that take a bit of time eat and also keep the children feeling fuller for longer.

When you consider the things that you can buy for your children, there is no need for them to be bored on a journey. This means that you can relax and look forward to reaching your destination, without having to worry about how you’re going to be able to avoid tantrums on the way.

 


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