Are you hitting the road with your family these school holidays? Is the thought of hearing the question ‘are we there yet?’ a thousand times already making you want to change your mind? I feel your pain. Travelling with the kids can be a challenge. Need few travel tips to help make the trip fun for you and the kids? Then don’t go away…
Travel tips for fun road trips
Include the kids when making your travel plans
Have a family meeting before the trip and get the kids excited about their holiday. Make them feel like participants, and not just passengers. Tell them about all the fun stops you’ll be making a long the way and give them options on what toys and snacks to pack for the trip. A paper map of your route is also a great way to get the kids excited and involved. Mark your stops on the map and get the kids to trace the route as you go. The little ones can even make a fun art project out of it and it will make a great keepsake of a special family trip.
Pack smart
I have learned how to pack light over the years. Especially now that we are 3. Now I pack clothing that can be mixed and matched and travel-size toiletries. Non-essentials stay home. Top tip: always pack the pillows, a blanket and your child’s favourite stuffed toy in last – a proper nap for your kid will do everyone good ;)
Snacks
My favourite part of any road trip. I agree that it’s not a good idea to give your child their weight in Smarties or Oreos, but come on, it is a holiday! Pack the carrot sticks and biltong, but surprising your child with their favourite treat will score you brownie points. And it may stop a meltdown or two as well.
Entertainment
The wrath of a bored child is a close second to that of a woman scorned. I am all for electronic entertainment, but make sure to also pack a few small toys, coloured pencils and books. Games are a great way to beat boredom. Games like Eye Spy and Car Caraoke can be fun for everyone.
Hasbro Gaming’s Grab & Go games are fantastic. They are great to play in the car and at your destination. We bought Hungry Hippo, Guess Who? and Battleship last year on our Toy Kingdom shopping spree and they are super fun. Guess Who? is Cara’s favourite. We still need Monopoly, Clue and Connect 4 and then we’ll have them all. They also make for great gifts. Cara’s cousins know ;) Grab & Go games is are available at Toys R Us, ToyZone, Hamleys, Lilliputs, Takealot.com and other major retailers.
Safety first. Always!
Taking long trips on the road always make me a little nervous. Especially when the roads are very busy. Yes, Easter Weekend, I’m looking at you! We took a trip last year and I was in a total panic. Luckily Recaro SA came to my rescue.
Cara loves her Recaro Monza Nova car seat and she understands why, even though she’s 7, she still needs to be strapped in very time we get in the car. Please parents, always, ALWAYS, strap your kids in. If you need more info on car seat safety, head on over to #CarseatFullstop.
Please be safe these holidays!
Any travel tips for me? Please share!
xoxo