 | Keep your kids entertained on long journeysPosted by kath |
When my children were younger and we were travelling on a long journey, either by car or plane, my greatest worry was how to keep them occupied! Over the years I have tried a few different things, and the following are just a few ideas that I found worked.
I always have a supply of things that the children can `nibble on’, bearing in mind that these must be given in small supply at a time so that they last the whole journey and don’t run out 10 miles down the road! I take small containers of cut up fresh fruit, dried fruit, biscuits, or even sweets as a treat. Another important thing is to have plenty of drinks with you, preferably water or no sugar drinks then they don’t become `hyper.’ Always remember that giving the children a drink is best done when you know you are going to be able to stop for the loo within a short space of time!
I always buy something new for the children to do on a long journey, but I don’t tell the children until we are well on our way then it is a nice surprise for them.
For those who like puzzle books, I buy a new book and a new pencil; for the ones who like to colour/draw, I buy a new colouring book and crayons, these new crayola pencils with rubbers on the end are marvellous, they can rub out any mistakes they make without crying about it! I also have reading books with us so that those who can read will improve their reading skills, bearing in mind, the reading books should be ones that you know your child will enjoy.
There are also lots of travel games available now at good book shops and I have found having these in the car all the time is a great help, even on short journeys.
On a car journey we always stop about every 1½ hours to give the children (and the driver) a break, this can’t be done on a plane of course, but allowing the children a little time to stretch their legs is a good idea.
I hope some of my tips help you to have quieter journeys!
