Car
travel and kids aren't always a great combination. However, making
it through a car trip with your children doesn't have to be all
stress and no play. It just requires a little planning, some
creative thinking and loads of patience. CaribbeanLime Travel
Services USA offer a few tips on how to make a road trip go as
smooth as possible.
Try to stay as close
as possible to your normal routine in terms of meal times and
sleeping times, when making a six-hour car trip, it may be more
comfortable for you to leave first thing in the morning and drive
while you are fresh. This is the worst time to leave for a
two-year-old. Instead, spend the morning in active play and
preparation for the journey. At this age, most kids take one long
afternoon nap. If this is true of your child, plan on leaving just
after lunch (so that no one is hungry), which will probably be about
an hour before normal nap time.
Take advantage of
what your child normally uses to fall asleep. When your two-year-old
starts to get fussy, it's time to start the normal nap time routine,
even if it is a little early. This may include a tippy cup of juice,
cuddling a blanket, or holding a favorite toy. In order to take
advantage of this sleepy time, be sure everyone has used the
restroom before getting into the car (I know this sounds obvious,
but stopping a moving car is asking a child to wake up).
Provide a shaded spot
for your child's car seat. In advance, purchase excellent child
sunshades to cover the windows that might let the sun shine on your
child during the ride. If the sun is shining directly on a child, or
if a child is too hot or cold, he or she will not sleep nearly as
long.
About three hours
into your trip, your two-year-old will probably wake up refreshed
and ready to play. This is an excellent time to take a
park-and-potty break for the entire family. If possible, plan to
have time to let your toddler run! Bring along a ball and play
catch. Have a picnic. Whatever you do, don't stick your child in a
high chair at this point! The key is distraction, distraction! Bring
along lots of toys and plan on giving your toddler one each time the
previous one gets boring.
When toys no longer
seem to be helping, it’s time for an audio tape, try Raffi or
Sesame Street, and a variety of other kid-friendly tapes. When one
tape isn't doing it any more, change tapes. As much as possible, get
involved with your child and get your child involved with the
activities -- sing with the tapes, play with the toys, make funny
faces (this also helps keep the driver awake!) also don't forget fun
food. Crackers, fruit, and cheese all make nice car snacks.
No, we're not there yet! A great way to avoid
the inevitable question is to give kids a map, or, even
more fun, let them help create their own. You can trace the route
together and point out interesting landmarks so that they will have
a sense of where they are going.
You might also want to let them take their own travel pak, which
they can pack themselves. This will get them excited for the trip,
ensure that they have what they want with them, and save you the
trouble of carrying their things. A great place to go for these Kids and Parents bags
is eBags; and
Travel Tots; they have a variety of travel paks, which differ
depending on the age of your child and include fun things like
coloring books, stickers, hand-held games and puzzles. Their
Traveler
Series is designed for 3 to 5 year olds and the Explorer
Series is designed for 6-8 year olds, and both are very
reasonably priced. For older kids a walkman will prevent them from disrupting the rest
of the car. On a long trip, car games are a MUST! Here are some great
ones to try.
When renting, bring your own car seat with you. Car rental agencies
charge about $5 a day to rent a car seat and chances are it won't be
of as good quality as your own. Don't forget to dress the kids in
loose fitting, comfortable shoes and clothes and bring an extra
sweater with you!
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