Tips for Sanity when Traveling With Your Children

January 8th, 2008 categories: Keep Your Kids Busy

Whether you are traveling to your new home in Ridgefield, or just taking a family vacation, keeping your kids happy and busy is the key to keeping yourselves happy and sane in the car, bus or plane with them. Use these tips to keep from short circuiting throughout the trip:

The Goody Bag

Buy some inexpensive toys before your trip. (No lead please) Introduce them at key moments of boredom (use your instincts) to your children as surprises as the trip unfolds . A new plaything adds fun and excitement to a tedious journey. Duct tape is cheaper, but you’ll find this method much safer, and your kids will enjoy it more.

The Travel Documentary

Provide your children with disposable cameras and have them make a record of the trip. If they are up for it, have them keep a travel journal record of all the interesting places you visit and adventures they have.

Allow them to save one or two mementos, a ticket stub or coaster to put in a scrapbook when you return home.

The Staples: Old Faithful Travel Items

Many of the most popular board games have travel versions. Get a few different games for the trip. Simple is good, but try to get some that are somewhat intricate to learn. This will take time in addition to playing.

If you do not have a travel DVD player, get one for the trip. They are not very expensive these days and will provide hours of entertainment for the kids. Hand-held video games do the trick as well, but make sure they turn the sound down so you don’t go crazy!

Since they can’t move around a lot, let them exercise their minds with activity books filled with puzzles, crosswords, and word games. Trivia cards can also be hours of fun and not too noisy.

Rest-Stop Jumping Jacks

Bring along some sports equipment, balls, tennis rackets. Turn a traditional fast food break, into an opportunity to get some exercise. Find a park, school or ball field recreation areas, or a Mickey D’s with a playground to play a little catch or let the kids blow off some steam.

Story Time or Sing-Along

Make sure you pack some books turn the ride into a read aloud session. Set some goals, and reward the children for their efforts. Join in the reading when they get too tired and entertain them with a story full of cool characters and funny voices. Sing-along audio CDs and musicals soundtracks can provide hours of fun!

Map The Trip

Make sure you bring a map that covers your entire journey. Have the kids follow along and pinpoint all of the fun stops along the way. Have them learn about the places you visit; museums, landmarks and historical sights. The trip will be more interesting for them and quieter for you when they are more focused.

These are just some creative ways to make the trip more enjoyable for the children and will make your time with them “quality time”. Be prepared, and you will be much more relaxed, and your kids will thank you for it in the end.

Please post your own ideas or experiences with any of these tips. Happy traveling!