Over the River and Through the Woods – Holidays on the Road

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Over the River and Through the Woods – Holidays on the Road

November 25th, 2011 |

Author: Editors - in - Chief

The thought of a family road trip can make the strongest parent shake in their boots. Visions of screaming children cooped up in a car for hours on end are enough to make you want to cancel the trip before it begins. Happily, taking a holiday road trip doesn’t mean that you have to suffer. Here’s how to make your trip to Grandma’s house a comfortable and safe one:

Pack a Cooler

Kids can complain when their mouths are full but the reality is that most don’t. Pack a cooler full of healthy snacks, bottled water and juice boxes to hand out when the kids’ bellies start rumbling. If you’re heading towards a warm house and a large dinner, be sure to keep the snacks light. Carrot sticks, apple slices and other bite-sized fruits are great car foods.

Age Appropriate Games

If your kids have hand-held games, smart phones or Apple devices, bring them along. Games can keep children occupied for several hours. A new game can be an early Christmas present and will keep them content in the back seat for most of the journey. If your kids don’t have electronic devices to play with, make up some car games that the whole family can play. ‘I spy’ is an old stand-by and, although it’s corny, is fun to play.

Movies

If you’ve got a laptop or a portable DVD player, rent a few movies that the kids can watch. Be sure to pack headphones or ear buds so the sound of their movie doesn’t distract the driver.

Books

Before your trip, take your kids to the library and let them pick out a few books to read in the car. Do remember, though, that some children cannot read in a moving vehicle without getting a headache. If this is the case for your child, an audio book can work just as well.

Stop Frequently

Smaller children will need to stop and stretch more often than older kids but if you are driving for more than an hour or two, plan on stopping at least once every couple of hours. This will give everyone in the vehicle a chance to get out, move around and use the bathroom.

Pack Pillows

You’ll be surprised to find your children sleeping happily in the back seat if you bring along a pillow for each and a few blankets. The motion of the vehicle will lull just about any child to sleep, especially if they’re comfortable. If you’re kids fall asleep, try to stay on the road and wait longer for your next stop so you don’t wake them! They may just stay asleep for the entire trip.

Music

Allow your children to each bring a CD to play in the car. If you’ve got an iPod, download their favorite songs and give them control of the radio for 30 minutes at a time. Remember how terrible it was listening to your parents’ station in the car when you were young? It’s the same for your kids!

Maintenance

To ensure the safety of the entire family, make sure that your car is in proper working condition before you set off. No matter how well you entertain your children, it won’t make a difference if you all don’t arrive at your destination in one piece!

Taking a road trip with the family doesn’t have to turn into a disaster. Plan ahead and keep your children busy in the back seat. If you pack the car properly you can virtually guarantee a hassle free road trip this holiday season!

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