How to Have Happy Kids When Traveling

Warm weather usually means road-trip time! People often head out to visit family and/or vacation which can mean long periods in the car. When you have little ones, traveling in the car (or train or plane…) for long periods can be quite the challenge. Since I just came back from a long trip, here are five things we did with Andrew to keep the “are we there yet” cries at bay:

1. Make it educational. Before leaving for the trip, I did a little geography lesson with Andrew. He is fascinated with maps so I showed him the route we were going to take. We let him keep the map on his lap as we were driving and he had a blast “giving us directions!” We also talked about the differences between towns, cities, states and countries (a concept he is confused about).

Although we obviously didn’t do our regular homeschooling, I read him some books and we practiced numbers and various math concepts.

2. Make it fun. Whenever we go on a trip, I make up a child’s travel bag. We put in a few of Andrew’s favorite toys and a few special toys that are set aside just for trips. The bag is kept right next to his booster seat so he can have access to his things at all times.

We also played games like “I Spy” and finding certain colored cars, and other word games. We also let Andrew make up his own “games” that we played.

3. Make it quiet. It’s good to keep children occupied, but don’t feel like you have to keep them entertained the whole time, either. Designate a certain period of time for quiet time. Andrew is past the napping stage, but he almost always falls asleep when we are traveling.

If you have a regular nap or quiet time instituted at home, enforcing a quiet time shouldn’t be too difficult. If you don’t do regular quiet times (and I highly recommend that you do!), you can still encourage your children to read quietly or close their eyes for a spell.

4. Make it conversational. Don’t forget to take some time to just talk with your little ones. Andrew is only five, but we have such fun talking together! You’ll be be astonished at what you will discover about your children, even young ones!

What should you talk about? Talk about what you are going to do during your visit/vacation. Ask questions. Listen to your little ones. Get to know who they are and what they like. Talk about books you’ve read movies you’ve watched together. Let your little one control the direction of the conversation!

5. Make regular stops. Sure we all want to get to our destination as quickly and safely as possible. However, if you integrate rest stops as part of your journey, it will give the kids time to expend some energy and stretch. And, it’s good for you, too!

Why not plan a picnic at a rest stop or at a park or at a tourist destination along the journey? By bringing your own meals you save money by not paying ridiculously high prices and it’s a lot healthier, too! Of course, don’t forget to add a special treat or snack!

Now it’s your turn! What tips work for you that keep the little ones happy and content during long trips? Share them in the comments so we can all benefit from your ideas!