No matter if it is a car ride to Grandma’s and Grandpa’s or a long road trip across state lines, it can be daunting traveling with young children! Between potty breaks and keeping young ones happy and fed, it can be tiring for any parent. As challenging as they might be, road trips are also a great opportunity to have a lot of fun! Curious on how to keep the fun alive when stuck in a car? Here are just a few ways to bust the road trip blues:
Sing Along: Make a playlist of songs to sing to in the car
Music is greatly enjoyed by all ages. Genre preferences vary between every person in every family, but there are just those songs that the whole family knows every lyric to. And with a playlist filled with songs just like this, 30 minutes could go by and you wouldn’t even know it with the entire family laughing and singing loudly!
Before hitting the road, take time to put together a playlist of songs that you think your family will enjoy together. It could be a mixture of songs that they already know and enjoy with a couple of similar songs that they don’t yet know. This will keep them engaged and will provide familiarity when on the road, yet keep them listening as there is new music they haven’t heard before!
Be sure to pick age-appropriate material, but the world is your oyster! Personalize that playlist to your own family’s interests and we are sure it won’t go unappreciated.
Road Trip Games
Games are a great to have around for many reasons, but especially when on the road! One fun option is Road Trip Bingo – printable versions are on Pinterest. Road trip bingo is like “I Spy” but instead, when a child sees an item, they will mark it off of their bingo card. Laminating the cards and allowing them to scribble a mark with dry erase markers is cheap and reusable! Make sure to pick bingo templates with items that you will likely see on your road trip.
Another game to play is the License Plate Check List game. This game involves trying to find all 50 states on license plates. Again, laminate a check list so you can reuse it for future trips.
Audiobooks
Yes, there are audiobooks for adult books – but did you know that there are audiobooks for children’s books, as well? Classic children’s books like Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss or Winnie-the-Pooh. Books like The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, Matilda, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, and much more are all available as audiobooks. Instead of risking car sickness while reading from page to page, enjoy a story for all ages of the family!
Coloring Books & Headphones and Portable DVD player
One timeless option is to provide crayons and coloring books while on a road trip with your young ones. Find coloring books that are unique, offer stories, or are of their favorite characters! Even better, let them pick out the books that stand out to them.
Movies are always a great thing to bring along on road trips, and every child has their favorite movies in circulation. Bring a variety to choose from as you never know when you might need to switch things up.
Sensory Lap Tray Idea – Cookie Sheet and Fun Magnets
Using a baking sheet and magnets and any decorations on the tray that you won’t (and won’t be messy in the car) you can create a sensory lap tray that will create hours of endless fun. You can also add small magnets to the bottom of things you want to stick to the tray like toy cars or small figurines. They can move around the objects in different patterns and movements, telling stories to themselves as they play. Sensory trays can be made in any way with any materials, but the magnetic component will really help in keeping this activity mess-free and less of a hassle when on the road. It will also be easy to move and pack away when not in use.
Road trips are sometimes difficult with small children, but they aren’t impossible! There are many ways to keep little ones entertained while on the road! Whether it’s bringing along their favorite toys, singing to their favorite songs, or settling down for a good movie, there are endless possibilities to explore! No matter how long of a drive your family is taking this holiday season, there are always opportunities to create lasting memories together as a family.