Written by Roshaan Bouwer.
The Easter holidays are upon us and many families are gearing up to hit the long road. It’s a chance to enjoy some quality downtime and create memories you can look back on fondly. And while this sentiment is great, we have to be realistic about how nerve wracking travelling with younger kids can be. So before the tantrums and ‘Are we there yet’ nagging start, here are some tips to keep the kids entertained and happy … and you sane.
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Plan your route
Spontaneous road trips often turn out to be the most fun, however, with younger kids, it’s best to do some planning. You should map out places where you can stop and stretch the legs, visit the bathroom and grab a bite to eat. If there are interesting places along the route for the kids, add these to your itinerary too.
Be smart about your departure time
Opting to leave after lunch or in the early evening is a good idea as it’s more likely that the kids will fall asleep at some point, meaning peace will prevail in the car while they slumber. Do consider the safety of the route if thinking of driving at night.
Prep the kids about what they can expect
For older kids, you can inform them of any special car rules while on your journey. You can also
tell them where exactly you are going (this helps build excitement) how long the drive will be and when you’ll be making stops.
Get them to pack their own bags
Doing this makes them feel involved and keeps the excitement of the trip going. Tell them they can choose their favourite things to pack. You will need to guide younger kids and limit what they pack.
Make sure they are safe and comfortable
For younger kids, ensure that you have the proper car seats installed. It is also advisable to have a neck support pillow for their naps. Another item to consider is a travel tray – this is useful for playing and eating. Other things to pack are blankets, a first aid kit and any medication your child is taking, loads of wet wipes and a small portable potty for the littles.
Keep everyone’s tummy happy
What would a road trip be without yummy snacks? The key is to take snacks that are easy to eat and packed in individual lunch boxes or wrapping – this avoids mess and makes it easier for kids to grab. Offer a mix of sweet and savoury items such as snack bars, crackers, muffins, fruit, trail mix, pretzels and hard-boiled eggs. And don’t forget to pack lots of water, juice or milk.
Play car games
To keep older kids busy, suggest that you play a classic car game. Popular options are ‘I Spy’ (where one person spots something and gives a clue for others to try to guess what it is), ’20 Questions’ (someone thinks of a place, person or thing, and the rest ask yes/no questions to guess what it is within a limit of 20 questions or ‘Guess the Song’ (someone sings or hums a few lines of a song, and the others try to guess the title).
Bring along entertainment
Be sure to have enough engaging age-appropriate toys, books and activities for in between snacking and once the kids are over the car games. Some ideas to consider for younger kids are sensory and fidget toys, busy board books, reusable stickers, and wipe and erase books. For older kids, audiobooks, drawing pads and magnetic building blocks are good options. These can be stored in a back-of-the-seat organiser and see-through zipper pouches to keep things neat and easily accessible. While limiting screen time is important, take along a tablet loaded with their favourite shows or movies for when you’ve run out of ideas.
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Feature Image: Unsplash / Alan Pope
