Are you planning to go on a road trip in the near future? In your single days, this meant a spur of the moment decision to hop in the car and head off to somewhere different. Singing away loudly as you drove away from your cares, hair blowing in the breeze and with no stress to be seen. Well, enough of that romantic vision! Traveling with a family, especially one that contains younger children, can be a whole new experience. If you want to ensure that your first family road trip is indeed a positive, bonding experience, here are a few helpful hints to get you on your way.
There are a multitude of word games that can be played with your children while the drive is taking place. Not only are these fun, but they can be educational and assist your children with their memory and recognition abilities. Some of the more well-known ones include “The Grocery Game”, where each member of the family has to recite an item that can be purchased at the grocery store using the next letter of the alphabet. Alternatively, how about a guessing game involving “Who Am I”. Describe a famous historical or well-known person that your children will know and get them to guess who you are describing. Assign points to all games with the opportunity to win a small prize at the end of each traveling day.
If your planned road trip means that overnight accommodation is in order, don’t just automatically consider what hotels stretch along your intended route. If possible, consider whether a night or two can be spent camping in a tent. The children will love the opportunity to rough it outdoors and you can take the opportunity to teach them a few things about nature while you are there.
It can get very warm in the back of a car when you are traveling during the summer period, so consider purchasing a refillable water bottle with a mist spray feature. Your younger children can use it to spray each other when they get an answer wrong during a word or number game, and your older children will appreciate the opportunity to spritz their face to keep the temperature down.
Remember that children are little, they have not yet developed the patience skills of an adult and they bore easily. While babies may sleep a lot during a car trip, toddlers and older children will not. It’s important to plan to make regular stops along your journey, even if it is just at a rest area, to give your kids a chance to run around and stretch their legs. Aim for a 5 minute break at least every two to three hours to stop any back seat fighting from developing.
The memories that can be gained from taking a road trip with your children will last forever, both for them and you. All you need to do is put a little forward planning into your adventure and you will all be anticipating making this an annual experience going into the future.