Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Any grownup who remembers childhood car trips or who travels with their kids today knows that children and long periods of down time are not a good combination.
Whether you’re traveling by car, train, bus or plane, kids don’t like being cooped up with nothing to do but stare out the window. Here are some tips to keep both adults and kids happy while on vacation.
Whether you’re traveling by car, train, bus or plane, kids don’t like being cooped up with nothing to do but stare out the window. Here are some tips to keep both adults and kids happy while on vacation.
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Kids love new toys, so stop by a discount store and stock up on crayons, puzzles or books. Books on tape are also a good way to pass the time, as are the kids’ favorite CDs. Just remember to pack headphones -- while children may love hearing “Old McDonald” 150 times, parents (or fellow travelers) may not.
Fire up a movie
More and more family vehicles, especially minivans, are coming equipped with DVD players, making it easy to keep children entertained for hours, especially if you’ve packed new movies for them to watch. If you’re traveling by train, bus or plane, consider investing in a portable DVD player, or bring along your laptop to act as a movie screen.
Netflix, an online DVD rental service, makes it easy to take a variety of movies with you. Choose from their selection of more than 15,000 titles (be sure to rent some for the adults, too). Netflix mails DVDs to members by first-class mail; you can keep the DVDs for as long as you want; there are never any due dates and no late fees. The number of DVDs you can have at any given time depends on your membership level; the most popular choice costs $19.95 per month and gives you access to unlimited DVDs, with three out at a time.
To make life easier, Netflix will ship your movies to your house before you leave on your trip, or they can ship to your destination, so you have a batch of new movies waiting for you when you You can also easily return your movies by simply putting the DVDs in the envelope provided by Netflix and dropping them in any US mailbox.
Travel at night
If you don’t mind driving through the wee hours, you can put the kids in their pajamas, buckle them up with their pillow and blanket and drive in peace and quiet as they sleep in the back seat.
Get out and stretch
If you’re traveling by car, stop often to let everyone stretch their legs and get some fresh air; you may arrive at your destination a little later, but at least you’ll all still be talking to one another. In the same vein, expecting kids to sit still in a restaurant after they’ve been confined to the back seat for hours isn’t realistic. Why not pack a picnic lunch and stop at a rest area where the kids can run around and let off some steam?
Keep everyone comfortable
If your child is prone to motion sickness, be sure to plan for that. Your family doctor can prescribe medication, or try one of the motion sickness bands that can be worn on the wrist. If you’re flying, pack chewing gum that your children can use to keep their ears from hurting on takeoff and landing.
Play Games
Check your library or bookstore for travel games. Think back to your childhood. If you’re driving, you can play the old favorite of spotting license plates from every state or finding every letter of the alphabet on roadside signs. If you are on an airplane, use the map provided in the seat pocket to name state capitals.
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