How to keep the kids happy on a long-haul road trip
Christmas, Easter, school holidays and long weekend are all opportunities to get out of the house and take the kids on a good old-fashioned road trip. However, many children don’t appreciate the value of a good road trip, and tend to pepper the hours-long journey with pearlers such as “are we there yet” and “where are we even going?”.
With that in mind, Budget Car Rental Australia has come up with some tips and advice on how to make the road trip more pleasant for everyone, kids included.
1. Plan it out
Plan your road trip down to the minute. Once you think you’re done planning, plan some more. Key things to consider before embarking on your road trip is to time it around the kid’s sleeping patterns, schedule toilet breaks and rest periods for the family to stretch their legs and get some air. Make packing lists ahead of time to ensure nothing is forgotten and be sure to include an extra set of accessible clothes in case of any accidents during the trip.
2. Countdown
Create a fun and visual road-trip countdown and create some visual cards with the kids listing each city or town that you’ll pass on your route and pin them to a string to be displayed in the car. Every time you pass a city or town, remove the corresponding card, making it more and more exciting the closer you get to your destination.
3. Comfort is key
If your road trip is on the longer side, be sure to dress the kids in comfortable clothes. Leggings, tracksuits, or even pyjamas are perfect for a lengthy car ride. This way, the children can get more comfortable and even have a nap so they’re well-rested to get out and explore once you arrive at your destination.
4. Stock up on snacks
Nobody wants a ‘hangry’ toddler (or partner!), so make sure to stock up on snacks before heading off on the road. Pre-prepared, individual servings of fruits and veggies are always ideal, but it’s always great to also pack a sweet treat for the children to look forward to as a reward for being on their best behaviour.
5. Play games
For young children, create a game out of any significant sights or landmarks that will appear along your journey and give each child a scavenger hunt to complete. First one to spot every sight wins! Alternatively, pack each kids’ favourite games in a dedicated backpack and keep it with them in the car, that way they have everything they need at their fingertips.
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