Ways to keep your kids occupied on long road trips are an absolute must for any mother to know this summer! Whether you have an hour drive to Grandma’s house or a 6-hour drive to the lake, these tips will help your kids avoid boredom and help you keep your sanity! Some of these ideas are things I remember my own mother doing when my siblings and I were young! So keep on reading for a few ways to keep your kids occupied on long road trips.
One of the best ways to keep your kids occupied on long road trips is to make a surprise bag for them. Fill a small bag with treats and new toys. You can pick up some things from the dollar store and clearance aisles to make an affordable bag. Include things like Silly Putty, Post-It Notes, yo-yo’s, little flashlights, and other novelties that will occupy your child’s time. Give them this bag halfway through the trip when they start getting bored.
To eliminate multiple stops, pack several snack sacks! Choose items you don’t normally give your kids to keep their interest. Make sure it’s things they will like, and include a little bit of candy items too. Just don’t go too crazy on the sugar because you don’t want your kids bouncing off the walls!
You may find a portable DVD player to be your lifesaver on a road trip! Pack a variety of movies that your kid loves. Include some old favorites and a few new ones! And don’t forget the charger and a set of headphones so you won’t have to listen to Elmo on re-play all day in the car.
One thing that really works to keep your child’s attention span is to have separate toy kits. While packing up a toy bag for the backseat, separate each toy into separate little baggies. For example, Hotwheel cars in one bag, Barbies in one bag, Legos in one bag, and Mr. Potato Head in another bag. Rather than giving your kids their toys all at once, you can have something new to offer them as they get bored of whatever they’re playing with!
Kids can entertain themselves for hours with their own digital camera. They can take pictures, and make movies all day! Opt for an inexpensive model for younger kids so you don’t have to worry about a broken camera.
A couple of CD’s with some silly songs and stories are a good addition to your arsenal of activities for the road. You may want to limit the amount of time you play silly songs; otherwise you will be singing “The Wheels On The Bus” all day long! But kids love to listen to songs and stories and who knows, they may fall asleep while listening!
If your kids have a favorite game or two, pick up a mini version for them to play in the car. Card games like Go-fish or Uno, or even mini puzzles, can be lots of fun for kids in the car. Don’t forget good old-fashioned word searches and paper games for older kids or coloring books for younger tots.
Have you ever taken a road trip with kiddos in tow? What about plane rides? Any kind of trip that requires a child to sit still for long periods of time can be an even longer trip for mom, so that’s why these tips will come in handy for those summer vacations! In what ways do you entertain your children on the go?