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SURVIVING FAMILY ROAD TRIPS
TRAVELOCITY HELPS YOU COPE WITH
HECTIC FAMILY CAR RIDES
Car travel and kids aren't always a great combination. However, making it
through a car trip with your children doesn't have to be all stress and
no play. It just requires a little planning, some creative thinking and
loads of patience. Travelocity.com can offer a few tips on how to make a
road trip go as smooth as possible.
Before You Go
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| • | Make sure each child's car seat is correctly installed and that the straps are properly buckled.
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| • | Time your departure. If you are driving at night, the kids will sleep in the car. However, if you leave mid-afternoon, you will have some restless bodies when you arrive at your destination in the evening. |
| • | Lower your stress level by staying off the roads during rush hours. |
| • | Estimate how long the trip will take before you leave, but remember to be flexible and allow for lots of bathroom breaks, meals and playtime stops. |
Pack Smart
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| • | Bring any prescription medications, as well as a basic first aid kit to deal with minor illnesses. Ask your pediatrician about over-the-counter motion sickness medication if you will be traveling on winding roads.
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| • | Pack snacks. Food and drinks brought on board will help avoid unnecessary "I'm hungry" stops. Bring juice and water in a cooler, along with plenty of travel-ready snacks like nuts, pretzels, cheese sticks, fruit, or fruit roll-ups in resealable plastic bags.
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| • | Pack a treat bag with coloring books, small toys (your kids will appreciate the chance to choose their favorites), books, stickers, paper, markers, pencils, and electronic games or portable tape players for older kids.
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| • | Remember to include some plastic or paper bags for trash, and bring wipes and paper towels to clean up the inevitable spill.
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| • | Whether or not you are spending the night at your destination, bring a spare change of clothes for each child in case of spills or late-to-the-bathroom accidents. |
On the Road
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| • | Whether at a roadside rest stop or a park in a small town, allow the kids to expend some pent-up energy. The longer the trip, the more steam needs to be blown off. Your kids, and your sanity, will thank you for it. |
| • | Two words: Road Games. Alphabet, Simon Says, Counting Cows (or cars or cornstalks), 20 Questions, I Spy, and License Plate Pick are just a few of the car games you can play with your kids. |
| • | Show the kids where you are going and tell them what they are driving past. Get a scrapbook or buy a postcard and let them write all about it. Besides being educational, a written record is something they will keep and share with friends and classmates. |
| • | Get wired. The combination travel TV/VCR is ideal for those long trips, but books on tape or favorite music CDs will do the trick as well. This is a great way to entertain the kids when you are all game-played out. |
Travel Tip - Family Road Trips