Real Clever Moms

Are we there yet??! Road trips with kids are definitely one of life’s most interesting experiences. If you plant to travel by road this summer with a car full of kids or even one, these tips will help you keep them entertained and keep your sanity in the process.

Make Comfort a Priority – Making your kids comfortable should be on top of your checklist for road travel. Take along travel blankets and pillows. If the weather is hot, place a shade on the windows to avoid the bright sunlight. If it’s cold out, make sure your kids have plenty of layers on and don’t forget their favorite blanket, stuffed animal or teddy bear.

Pack Their Favorites – Let each child pack a little back pack with their favorite toys, books and snacks. It’s exciting for them to pack their own special bag and it’s easier for you to have their favorite things close at hand. This also helps you avoid their wanting to bring along their whole room. The rule is: if it fits in their bags, they can bring it; if it doesn’t, then it has to stay home.

Make Plenty of Stops - If you are going to drive for several hours, remember that children don’t have the same level of patience as adults, so make sure you take plenty of rest breaks along the way. You can stop at rest stations, but also consider playgrounds or parks where you can all stretch as well as fast food restaurants that have a separate play area for the kids. Once you’re finished stretching, grab a few healthy snacks and make sure everyone has gone to the bathroom before leaving.

Invest in Travel Games – There are a range of classic board games such as Monopoly in smaller versions made specifically for travel. Cards are also another great travel game and of course hand-held electronic games. Make sure you have one for each child to avoid arguments. These will keep them amused for hours, and may even induce them to sleep. Apart from games, you can take along art supplies like coloring pencils, coloring books, drawing sheets, crayons, and markers to draw and paint the different scenes along the way. You can even ask them to write and describe each scenery or make up a story or poem.

Listen to Their Favorite Songs – Get a pack of several CDs and, let each kid take turns playing their favorite songs. Who knows? They (or you!) may even enjoy singing along. If you have a special CD of lullabies that you use at night, be sure to pack that. It may be the only thing that calms a fussy baby or toddler at naptime.

For the Really Long Trip – Portable DVD players, or a DVD player installed in the car will take a bite out of your budget, but it may well be worth the investment. Be sure to take along a stash of movies that won’t have you pulling your hair out. Veggie Tales DVDs are fun for adults as well as kids.