10 Activities To Keep Your Kids Busy On The Road

When a family is planning a long trip, deciding how to keep the kids busy is an important part of making the trip just as fun as the vacation itself. After all, the age-old “Are we there yet?” gets frustrating very quickly, and frayed tempers lead to fights, which lead to tense vacations. Keeping your kids happy and engaged will make every part of your vacation more fun. These ten activities will help you brainstorm vacation ride ideas.

10. Play On Tablets

Even if you usually keep a tight rein on your kids’ electronics use, a long road trip is a good time to relax your rules. Kids love to play games on their tablets, phones, or handhelds. Many modern cars have multiple USB ports, so keeping everyone’s devices charged is simple. If your car doesn’t have a WiFi hotspot, it’s a good idea to download fresh games and videos before you leave home, to save on data charges.

9. Audiobooks

If your children get carsick, it may seem like reading in the car is impossible, but with audiobooks becoming more and more popular, that may not be the case. Choose something the whole family will enjoy if you want to listen through the vehicle’s stereo system, or let the kids choose something from your library’s Overdrive system and download it to their individual device and give them headphones on the way. Kids may enjoy non-fiction books on topics that would typically be too hard for them to read about.

8. Car-Friendly Crafts

While some crafts just don’t work in cars, activities like knitting and crocheting work very well in cars. Make sure to spend some time teaching crafts before the trip, or choose projects that kids are already familiar with; trying to teach from the front seat won’t be fun for anyone. If kids are already familiar with their craft, then this can pair very well with an audiobook, which will keep both minds and hands busy.

7. Watch A Movie

If your vehicle has the ability to play DVD for the kids, this can be a great way to spend some time on the road. Much like using their tablets on the go, this may not be how you want to keep the kids occupied throughout the entire trip, but when people are tired and frustrated, this can buy parents enough peace to make it to the next rest stop. Make sure to either have kids agree on what they’re going to watch, or agree on a turn schedule, to keep arguing to a minimum.

6. Car Safe Coloring

Coloring, painting, and art projects can feel less than ideal in the car, where a dropped marker can mean stained upholstery. A long car trip can be a great time to buy a few of the branded mess-free art supply kids, even if parents tend to stay away from them over all. Remember: vacations are a time to bend the rules a little bit and focus on having a great time.

5. Favorite Music

Most families have rules about who controls the radio. When on a long car trip, it can be a good idea to let everyone take a turn choosing their favorite music. Sometimes this means a few rounds of your favorite car-trip songs, and sometimes this means buying a few extra songs to add to the playlist so everyone has something to sing along to. Choosing bouncy music that encourages kids to move in their seats can help everyone stay happy.

4. Have Snacks

Hungry kids are cranky kids. One key to having a successful road trip – for kids and for adults – is to stay well-fed. Pack favorite snacks at home, and again, consider allowing some things which are normally not preferred snacks. Stopping to eat can also be a great way to break up the trip, but remember: kids who are going from quietly sitting in a car to quietly sitting in a nice restaurant might struggle with appropriate behavior.

3. Make A Car Trip Scrapbook

Depending on how far you’re going, having kids work together to create a scrapbook of the trip can be a great way to keep them busy and document their adventure. One person could take pictures, another could correct memorabilia, a third could write a narrative of exciting things that happened on the journey. When you get home, you can work together to create a completed scrapbook to remind your family of your vacation.

2. Encourage Physical Play At Rest Stops

Toys like Frisbees, soccer balls, baseballs, and bubbles are great ways to get your kids moving when you do pull over to rest and stretch your legs. Otherwise, they’re likely to get to the rest stop and not know what to do with their bodies after sitting. Giving them a clear reason to run around will make the next leg of the car trip much more pleasant for everyone. Encourage them to use the facilities even if they think they don’t need them.

1. Take Your Time

The key to a successful road trip with kids in the car is not to rush. Trying to make one long push isn’t easy for anyone, but kids have a difficult time with staying still for so long; it’s just not what they’re designed for. Plan for extra time on your trip to explore interesting attractions, or give your kids achanceto check out something that interests them. The more you can engage them on the trip, the happier they will be.