Car Travel With Kids Guide

This car travel with kids guide will make those road trips with your kids more enjoyable. Car travel can be an adventure with the right preparation and planning. Giving kids choices for car travel will help make the entire experience a good one. Whether you're going on a cross-country trip or an hour drive, this car travel with kids guide and make everyone happy, including yourself.

To car travel with kids, you will need:

• Drinks
• Snacks
• Maps for everyone
• Paper and crayons or pens
• Car bingo
• Favorite games and toys
• Music DVDs
• Book DVDs

1. Plan out the trip with kids. When you include kids in the planning and preparation of anything, they are more likely to make it their own. Ask for their advice and opinions. For very young children, this may be harder, but even three and four year olds will let you know what they like to do and see. Incorporate at least one idea from each child in the trip. Get out the map and show kids the route you'll be taking.
2. Know each child. Find out if there is an attraction along your car travel route that a child would enjoy seeing. Reference the map and search the Internet for ideas. Making the trip enjoyable with at least one stop each day will help alleviate the boredom of sitting in the car.
3. Take plenty of water and healthy snacks. Car travel is not the place for a lot of junk food. A little is fine but it doesn't sit well when everyone is so inactive, so take along water to drink and snacks like raisins, carrot sticks, healthy snack bars, and other healthy favorites.
4. Play car bingo. Car bingo cards can keep kids looking out the window for a barn, a horse, a tree, and other items that are seen along highways. Be sure to get one for each child. Let the child who gets a bingo first choose the next music or book to listen to.
5. Take along toys and games that keep their interest. Be sure to bring a favorite blanket or stuffed animals for younger kids. Ask older kids what they want to have with them in the car. Car travel can be enjoyable if everyone is occupied and happy.
6. Map the route. Have older children help you map your trip. Let them write down the names of each town and city you travel through. Show them mile markers on highways and explain what they mean. Ask them to look out for road signs that tell how far it is till the next city or town.
7. Listen to music or books on CD, DVD, or tape. Get age appropriate music that kids enjoy. Listen to the CD after they kids have been good for half an hour or 50 miles or another milestone. Consider bringing individual players for children to listen to what they each enjoy.