Entertaining Children on a Journey
Children's Games and Activities for a Long Car Journey
Jan 27, 2009
Entertaining children of any age on a medium or long distance journey can be a difficult task but a few simple strategies will keep kids happy and amused for the entire journey.
Memory Box with Photographs
Adults take photographs as mementos of holidays and even the journey to the destination, and there is no reason that children should not record the travel experience to show to their friends in school.
Buy a disposable camera, notebooks and coloured pens so that the kids can take photographs of things of interest to them and of the places you stop. This, along with a journey diary, will form the basis of a "memory" box.
Favourite Toys and Cuddly Animals
Have your child pack a backpack with favourite toys, games and pastimes. If they have a favourite cuddly toy animal, this must be taken along as it will give reassurance and comfort on long journeys and during stressful times.
Travel Food
The same applies to food and snacks. Allow your child to choose some favourite healthy snacks; then buy mini packs or make individual packs yourself. Each of your off-spring will then be able to choose her own snack without the need to open a large pack.
Mini bottles of water with bigger bottles of top up water are useful. As a special reward, they may have pure fruit juices, again in individual bottles. Nuts, currents or raisins, and favourite fruits will keep mouths quiet and hunger at bay without being unhealthy.
Music on the Go
With the CD player on random, record music. This way the tunes will not be in a predictable order, and they can be played on a personal cassette player. Take along tapes of their favourite stories and tales. This way they can listen to the doings of "Efalump the elephant" without driving you to distraction. Don’t under-estimate the value of reading. Buy some new books. Books with a favourite or loved character are good buys.
A Route Map or a Strip Map
Laminate a route map, or have your darling make a strip map with various towns, landmarks and features marked. As these come and go, the little one will indicate this on his map with a coloured pen or a sticker.
Take along a large serving tray or two. These can be used as craft tables or for playing card or board games and for jig-saw puzzles.
Surprise Them with Games and Activities
Keep puzzles and games secret, and every half an hour or every fifty miles or so, give them a new game or puzzle. This will keep their interest going and will act as a reward for good behaviour. These new things will also be useful at your ultimate destination.
Bribery
Finally, buy rolls of low value coins from a bank, and every time they ask "Are we there yet?", take a coin from the roll. Children don’t like having money taken from them, so this little trick may be worth the few pennies or cents or Eurocents spent on a few rolls of five or ten p/c coins.
By using the strategies above the journey for you and your children will be as pleasant as is possible and one that may live in their memories for a long time.
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