Kids Car Travel Tips - Can we make car travel kid friendly?
Let's face it....most family vacations will include car travel. Maybe we can pass along a few kids car travel tips that will make things a little easier.....
Our family has taken many family vacations which include long car travel trips from the time our children were babies and all the way through their teen-age years. Each age group brings its own joys and trials..... The most important thing that we have found over the years is to have things with you already, so you do not have to stop and have those things within easy reach.... even when your kids are teen-agers.
Here are some kids car travel tips that we have used over the years to help make our family travel a little easier....
Car Travel with Baby
Car travel with babies is usually really easy going ...... while the babies are asleep. Luckily, small babies sleep a lot. Take advantage of that sleeping time to make tracks.
Some great tips to keep in mind while traveling with a baby....
- Remember that the trip will take longer than it used to take.... just relax.
- To help calm the baby when he is awake, consider having an older child or adult sit in the back seat with the baby.
- Plan time to stop and take breaks - let everyone get out of the car and stretch.
When our kids were babies, we would plan little "picnics" to feed the babies, and sit under a tree at a rest area for about 30 minutes. The babies would relax, and usually take a nap after the break.
Car Travel with Toddlers
This age group is a little more challenging.. especially if you are actively potty training. Remember, the same rules apply while traveling as they do at home when potty training.... visit the potty often. This can make the trip take longer, but it doesn't have to be stressful!
Toddlers will nap on long car trips, but when they wake up, they will need a break - a time to visit the rest room and do a little running! Keep that in mind.
Personally, I do not think it a bad idea to keep a portable DVD player in the car for watching favorite DVDs... I mean, the child can't get up and move around anyway.... and the DVDs might make the trip a little easier.
Car Travel with Older Kids
Older kids can usually keep themselves occupied for longer periods of time. This may be the first time that you can travel without many stops.
Keep the older kids engaged in conversation and these fun travel activities which include some fun games for everyone to play together. This age group is actually the best bet that you will have in engaging your children in conversation - take advantage of it... it does not last very long.
Our children like to pack their own backpacks with crayons, paper, and their special toys. Some of the things that I like to have on hand are:
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Our kids don't necessarily enjoy the planned group activities as much as they enjoy reading and playing individual games. Over the years, the handheld games have really worked to make life much easier for those of us who travel..... YAH!!! But, I do like to keep some game books or Free Kid Printable Activity Pages on hand....
Car Travel with Teenagers
Teenagers still like to talk sometimes, but mostly they have ear phones in their ears listening to music, or listening and watching movies on their iPhones or iPads.... it is really hard to compete with electronics!
Our best kids car travel tips for teenagers is to just love them and be available to listen if they ever start talking... and family vacation time is usually one of the best times to get them talking.
Please Share your comments, tips, and ideas...