Maybe you are a travel-loving parent who wants to introduce your child to the travel community at a young age. Maybe you are just out for the weekend and you decided to drive instead of fly to your destination. Having a long drive with children can be both fun and frustrating depending on what you do and what you carry. Here are a few tips on how to enjoy a long road trip with your kids.
Ensure their safety
The first thing to do before leaving is safely bucking each child on its car seat. If your child is 3 years or less, ensure they are seated on their properly set toddler car seat. Knowing your children are safe reduces the number of things you have to worry about during your trip. You should also put on the child-lock settings on the window buttons and door locks.
Have them entertained
Looking out of the window and enjoying the various scenery is going to be exciting for your children. However, after some time, they might get bored and result in their normal daily activities. This is where their entertainment comes in. you can have some of their toys with them, provided they are not choking hazards. Avoid balls and other objects they are used to throwing around because it might get distracting for you. If you have screens in your car, you can put on their favourite shows and let them watch.
Take bathroom breaks
Children are not like adults and they mostly need to use their bathroom as soon as they feel the urge to. Therefore, you can take bathroom breaks every 90 minutes to allow them to ease themselves for a more comfortable journey. Bathroom breaks also allows them to stretch their legs and break the monotony.
Engage them with stories
Having conversations with your children during a trip not only builds their excitement, but it also allows them to feel comfortable and safe. Some children do not do well with change, so hearing your voice during the long drive might help keep them calm.
Let them sleep
You should not get angry or disappointed when your children fall asleep during the trip. In fact, this might be a blessing for you because it will allow you to concentrate more on the road.
Do not over-feed them
Although you should not starve your children during a long trip, try and hold back the sugary snacks and drinks. Children can easily get stomach upsets and nausea from motion sickness or simply over-indulging. You can ensure they feed well during bathroom breaks and have them sip on water and maybe fresh juice until you arrive at your destination.
