Sunday, September 23, 2012

6 Favorite Travel Entertainments for Kids in Cars





Often times, going on vacation with the family will involve long rides in the car. However, packing up your kids and taking off across the country for hours or even days can make everyone go a little crazy if you are not prepared with adequate entertainment to keep the busy.
Many parents cringe at the thought of being cooped up for long periods of time with screaming, whining, crying kids who are constantly asking if you are there yet and complaining about boredom. Yet, a number of activities exist that will keep the kids occupied and ensure you still have all of your hair intact when you arrive at your destination.
11.   Play Games. I Spy, 20 Questions and The License Plate game are a few old favorites that kids today will still enjoy playing on long road trips. Some commercial travel games for kids are also available that do not include small pieces that can be lost or stuck between the seats.
22.   Take Advantage of Available Technology. Many family vehicles today are equipped with built-in entertainment centers. However, if yours is not, you can invest in a portable DVD player that can keep kids entertained for hours. These affordable players use the car's outlet for power and they can be easily mounted on the headrest for backseat viewing. Tablets and smartphones can also be downloaded with games and videos that your children will enjoy. Handheld gaming devices are also great tools for keeping the kids busy for a while. All of these devices feature headphone jacks, so they can watch or play to their heart's content and you can enjoy the peaceful ride.
33.   Give Them A Few Responsibilities. Kids love to help and road trips are no exception. Let them be trash masters with a bag near their seat to everyone can pass the trash to them during the ride, and then let them toss the full bags in the trash can when you stop at gas stations, rest areas or arrive at your destination. Drink keeper is a great job as well. Just set the cooler near their seat and let them pass out beverages when everyone is thirsty.
44.   Make Time For Roadside Attractions. Regardless of age, kids require frequent stops for food, bathroom breaks and leg stretching. Couple these tasks with roadside attractions to get more bang for your buck. Kids get the breaks that they need and distraction from the trip. In addition, they will wear themselves out from excitement and nap for the next few hours of your journey.
15.   Sing-alongs. All kids love music, so incorporate it into your trip with family sing-alongs. Let each child choose a song for everyone to sing, use the scan feature on the radio or pre-loaded iPod to sing along to random songs that everyone enjoys or let your kids take turns singing their favorite tunes for you.
26.   Audiobooks. Reading books in the car can lead to serious motion sickness, but everyone will enjoy passing the time with audiobooks. A number of kid-friendly audiobooks are available at local libraries or downloadable online.
Remember to bring all the necessary supplies like tissues and snacks and leave yourself plenty of time to get to your destination and you will be ready for a stress free family trip.
As a side-note, always remember before you set off to make sure that your auto insurance policy is up-to-date and up to covering your travel needs.  Long road trips can mean out-of-the-ordinary experiences that may not be covered by your current policy. For more tips before you set out, check out the articles archive at Remember to bring all the necessary supplies like tissues and snacks and leave yourself plenty of time to get to your destination and you will be ready for a stress free family trip.
As a side-note, always remember before you set off to make sure that your auto insurance policy is up-to-date and up to covering your travel needs.  Long road trips can mean out-of-the-ordinary experiences that may not be covered by your current policy. For more tips before you set out, check out the articles archive at 
Remember to bring all the necessary supplies like tissues and snacks and leave yourself plenty of time to get to your destination and you will be ready for a stress free family trip.
As a side-note, always remember before you set off to make sure that your auto insurance policy is up-to-date and up to covering your travel needs. Long road trips can mean out-of-the-ordinary experiences that may not be covered by your current policy. For more tips before you set out, check out the articles archive at buyautoinsurance.com.



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