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Long driving holidays with your kids in the car can be a draining and aggravating experience. It can just as easily be dangerous as accidents can happen with the added distraction of the bickering, whining and general confinement of all concerned.
Not the first choice if a bonding experience was the goal of the holiday. But even so, with some planning and firm communication, there are always ways of keeping your kids busy and distracted.
Pulling over for a rest every two hours is really important for children as well as for the driver. Break a long journey into bearable lengths. Plan these driving breaks before you leave so you can stop at places where there is a chance for the kids to run around, let off some energy and allow them to be more settled when you hit the road again. Have a ball or frisbee with you or some way to make it fun.
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Let them know they need to use the restrooms as there are not unlimited opportunities on the drive.
Have sick bags, water, light snacks and lots of drawing materials and sketch books available (portable electronic games are good but run out of charge eventually). For those who can afford it the in-car DVD player provides some longer term distraction.
Dont allow them artificial colours, flavour enhancers etc before or during travel as even the least little sensitive metabolism will fire up after these.
If you will be driving at night, bring along their favourite pillow and teddy.
If you are planning some driving holidays with kids, remember, varying some in-car games can avoid boredom or arguing, just keep them going for shorter periods and vary them. Eye Spy can be too hard for the smaller ones, although is good for a short period with kids who are old enough. 'Category' games can be good (ie, name an animal then next person names an animal starting with the last letter of the last animal etc, change categories). Magnetic board games can be good for some ages.
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Reading in the car can give many children and adults car sickness.
If your budget is on the skimpy side and the cost of your holiday was taking you to the limit already, stick to the basics and develop their minds.
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