TRAVEL WITH KIDS
 Making Travel
with Kids Fun!
By Kelly Land, © 2006-2008, All rights reserved.
Every time I go on a vacation
or travel with my kids somewhere that's supposed to be "fun"
and relaxing.....well....I end up MORE tired after the trip
than before we ever left for the trip.
My husband and I spend the entire car ride trying to keep
our 4-year-old daughter and 10-year old son from fighting
over anything and everything. It's the Bill Cosby
classic....."She's touching me, stop touching me, he's
touching me, I said stop touching me" bit. "It's mine, this
is mine, he has mine, she has mine...." It goes on and on.
We aren't stupid parents. We TRY to be prepared.
Our car has a DVD player, and still with this fabulous
modern day luxury, travel with our kids is painful. I
decided this year, there was going to be NO more! After all,
we had long travel time with kids scheduled this summer! It
was going to take fifteen hours to drive to Disney in
Orlando. And because it was taking every bit of our tax
return check, plus some to make this happen -- I would NOT
be denied peaceful travel with my kids!
I started researching.
Travel with Kids Made Easy....
Sounds easy. But I had been in the trenches too long. I
would not be swayed by some silly "I see something you don't
see" game. No way...I needed REAL true and tested travel
with kids ammunition.
First lets start with the DVD player. Granted, mine is built
right into the SUV we drive -- yet, it seems my kids can't
agree on what to watch or they've SEEN everything. This time
I made sure to pick up movies they hadn't seen, and that
would appeal to both a boy and girl and a older child and
younger child. I made more thoughtful choices and picked
both cartoon-y type shows and shows that weren't animated. I
also picked something for my oldest to watch alone if the
little one fell asleep. With a headset--the tuckered one can
sleep, while the other one is entertained.
If your vehicle doesn't have a DVD player, you can find
decent ones for a deal at discount stores. Best Buy, Target
and Kmart all have portable DVD players relatively
inexpensive for travel with kids.
OK...my next fabulous find is a little thing called a "Pixtar".
My 4 year old loves this thing. It entertains her for long
periods of time. You can pick up different cartridges so
that you have a couple of different options and games for
it. It's not an expensive toy. I picked it up at Target for
less than $30. You might even find one cheaper on eBay if
the shipping doesn't kill you.
Here's another fun thing I found for my older child and for
my husband and I to all play. I found this really cute book
called, The Way Cool License Plate Book. (see below) Great
plates to decipher, a little history and games. My son is 10
and thoroughly enjoyed this one, so did we.
Of course, you can pick up many books with Travel with Kids
games and activities. The best one in my opinion is the
5-star rated one that we used on our trip. It's called,
Kid's Travel Fun Book. You can see it below as well.
Neither of these books is expensive and worth every penny.
I picked up travel bingo too. This was kind of fun for all
of us, and both kids could do it. The boards are made with
things you'd see on the road. A speed limit sign, or a cow
or maybe even a police car are on the board made of
cardboard with little red sliding windows over each picture.
I picked these up at a yard sale for $1 !
Of course having snacks on hand that aren't "too" sugar-y or
filled with caffeine is a good way to go as well.
Comfortable things from home like blankets and pillows from
their own beds can make kids feel "less" out of sorts and
fussy. Little ones might have a stuffed animal or doll that
is special to them and is soothing when there is change or
the regular routine isn't in place.
Just remember that if you get agitated and complain, your
kids will pick up on your vibes when traveling. (Or any
other time for that matter). They rely on mom and dad to
keep things going and to make them feel safe.
Cellphones, car tune up, mapped out routes and sandwiches
can go a long way for making a trip more bearable. Being
prepared for the worst case scenario may seem silly, but
you'll be thankful if that radiator does decide to act up or
you a sidelined by a flat tire.
Once you get to your destination take time to rest and
give your kids time to "settle in", use the bathroom and
unwind. Give yourselves and your kids at least that wedge of
time after traveling to acclimate yourselves to your new
surroundings for the stay.
Most of all, try and stick to regular meal times and bed
times. I cannot emphasize this enough. There is nothing
worse than a tired, hungry kid away from their home. You are
ASKING for a meltdown form your child, it isn't their fault.
Disney was a smash. NO glitches except for my little one
needing several potty breaks on the road. We planned each
day and even squeezed in a day to just chill by the pool. We
brought lots of sunscreen so no one was burned and because
we stayed a week (the only way to do Disney without killing
yourself!), we didn't have to try to cram it all in one day.
It was worth the time and energy to save for the trip and to
prepare in all ways.
Travel with kids doesn't have to be a nightmare. Keeping
them occupied, giving them a few comforts of home, snacks
and a feeling of being safe can go a long way.
Good luck on your next road trip with the kids!
Copyright 2005 - 2008. All rights reserved. Any reproduction of this article in whole
or in part without written or verbal permission is strictly prohibited.
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