children in a car

With school holidays comes the possibility of road trips. These days can be some of the best you’ve ever had, and even some of the worst. When children spend long stints in the car they can quickly become bored and grizzly, leaving the adults in the car frustrated and irritated.

There is hope, however. When you are travelling in your car, it’s essential to keep things calm, interesting and as comfortable as possible for all involved. Some careful planning and the will to make it work are good ingredients for having a happier road trip than ever before, especially if you select a reliable car hire company.

Timing is everything

You may well have noticed that there are other times in the day that your children are happier in the car than others. Some children take much better to morning travel as this tends to be when they are in their best moods. However, if your child is not a morning person, then afternoon trips may be more their style.

The key is to consider when travel best suits them; after all, they are the ones who will make or break your good mood on the trip. Younger children often drift off to sleep in the car so you might like to plan you driving around their nap or sleep times. Bear in mind though that driving through the night is not necessarily a safe option as you will need sleep too.

Entertainment is a must

This is an age where children are very adept with technology and the chances are that you have some gadgets on hand to entertain them during the day. The Nintendo DS, iPod, iPad and any of the battery operated learning and entertaining pads such as Leap Frog are your friends in the car. Ensure you have batteries charged for the iPod and iPad with all the games loaded and ready to entertain. Car chargers if possible should be on hand and also some batteries to replace in the toys that can’t be charged.

Car DVD players are not expensive to pick up and always come with a charger to use in the car for the really long trips. Be wise and pack DVDs or USBs. Also pack some ear phones if you think their movies might drive you mad.

Travel well

Some children, and adults, suffer from car sickness. It’s quite an unpleasant ailment to have but there are ways to prevent it. There are medications available for severe cases but if possible try to stick to a natural approach. Peppermints and even salt and vinegar chips have been known to settle a queasy tummy. Nevertheless, it’s wise to keep sick bags handy just in case.

Sometimes reading in the car can bring on sickness; if this happens to your children, encourage them to keep their eyes directly ahead on the road to stave off that awful feeling. They should also get plenty of fresh air. Snacks and water are a must too so you’re not listening to the tune of ‘I’m hungry’ constantly.