Family Road Trip | Kids Travel Blog

Alex Toys Car Valet - great for drawing in the car

We all love a road trip. But let’s face it, children can be a nightmare in the back seat, causing all sorts of distraction to your driving, it is a wonder car insurance premiums don’t rise with your first born!

With the right prior planning, even the most energetic offspring can be entertained on a long car journey. Here are a few simple and time-tested ways to keep your kids entertained so that you can concentrate on your safe driving.

1. Car activities and games for kids are a real winner in the car for their enjoyment and for your sanity. Great activities and games for the car include colouring in, i-spy, first one to see, counting games, car bingo, rhyming games and make up a song games. Download some car games that are great fun and sure to keep kids entertained!

2. Another great activity for kids from 2 years in the car is a sticker book – you will not have to worry about toys rolling onto the floor and they will love spending time finding where the stickers go. Buy a new one for a long car trip.

3. Car organisers are also good in the car to hold the kids toys, drinks and snacks

High Road Kids Car Organiser

4. Also try the Car Valet or Desk to Go from Alex Toys – your kids will be able to easily draw, colour in and do activities whilst travelling

Adore A View Mirror

5. If travelling with babies, the Adore A View Mirror is an excellent toy, as you will easily be able to see baby when they are rear facing but they can also see themselves – which is always great entertainment for them!

6. Music is also good entertainment in the car. There are some great CDs for kids featuring nursery rhymes and other kids songs as well as classical music toned for little ears. It’s amazing sometimes the difference it makes to your child’s behaviour by changing the music in the car from your favourite FM station to putting on a classical CD…kids can calm down very quickly.

7. Audio CDs books – a fun way for the kids to read, listen and follow a story

8. If you have older kids, give them a map so they can see where they are going and they can follow the way and look out for the next city or town.

9. They could also write down things they have seen, new foods they have eaten, the weather etc from their trip in a travel diary.

10. A portable DVD or CD/MP3/iPod player is also great entertainment for older children.

Blog us your favourite tools or tips to keep kids entertained in the car

Harry all smiles on our road trip

Our latest holiday with the kids (5 and 3), was a road trip through NSW.

We went to Coonabarabran to see the big telescope in the Wurumbungles, visited Dubbo Zoo, visited The Dish outside Parkes, saw the sites of the POW Cowra breakout, drove on Mount Panorama, plucked the strings on the big guitar at Tamworth, sang with the Tenterfield saddler and tried some wine in Stanthorpe – all in 6 nights. Harry (3) asked every day “new holiday today, Mummy?”, and he was right. The round trip was 2,460km.

Telescope near Narrabri

Here are some top tips for long car trips with kids. Some are obvious but good to note and others we’ve discovered on the journey.

1. Before you go, get the car serviced and check the tyres, including the spare

2. Pack an “in car bag” and a “boot bag” with snacks. Buy enough for the first few days so you don’t have to buy supplies straight away. It’s then easy to restock when your “in car” bag is empty. We used a cooler bag which was great to keep drinks cold! The kids love the juice boxes and juice buddies.

3. We gave the kids each a wallet and $20 for them to buy “special things” they found on the way. This worked really well. We used it as a reward as well so if they knew they were good in the car, they might be able to buy a treat with their money.

4. Get the kids excited before they go, let them know where you are going and ask them what they would like to do. Try and incorporate it into your trip.

5. Have the kids write a travel diary every day, it’s a great record of their trip.

6. Play games with the kids in the car. As we drove through rural areas, we saw lots of animals. We played a game of “Spot It, Call it and Write it down”. We had a list of animals and each time someone saw one, they called it and marked it down. We also did a list of road signs (highway number, kms signs, “i’ information symbol, kangaroo signs etc). Our 5 year old loved these games. He added things along the way which was great.

7. If the kids like colouring in, sticker and activity books – get some new ones for each child. They both loved doing these books in their car valets – they packed their books and textas inside and took them into the motel every night.

8. Stop every couple of hours for the kids to get out and stretch their legs. If you can combine this with a playground or park where you can kick the ball, the kids will love to burn some energy and they may well have a nap afterwards!!

9. We always timed petrol stops around meals stops. Find the nearest park or fast food restaurant with a playground. Get the kids out of the car, one of you can let them run around while the other one goes and fills up with petrol and gets something to eat. When you are ready to leave, organize something for the kids to eat when you get back in the car. This way they have had maximum time burning energy, and eating will amuse them for a while when they first get back into the car. With tired legs and a full belly they may even drift to sleep!

: Giraffe feeding at Dubbo Zoo

10. Take music and a portable DVD player and DVDs – this way they can watch them in the car as well as where you stay.

11. If you don’t have a GPS, get maps from RACQ/NRMA or equivalent in your state.

12. From RACQ/NRMA or equivalent, you can also get an Australian wide accommodation booklet which was a lifesaver as we could look at ahead at towns/cities to work out where is good to stay and phone up ahead of time to check availability.

13. Get a car rubbish bin – the car was tidy and it was great to empty it at the end of each day.

14. The kids had their car organiser in the middle of the car seats. We use it every day but it was great to hold their drink bottles and some toys and books they had in the car.

15. Make sure you to take your road side assistance and car insurance contact numbers. Also, make sure your road side assistance membership, rego and insurance are all up to date.

Please visit Haggus and Stookles E-store. We sell Car Accessories and other high quality products for your kids there. Visit now, you can find variety of products to choose from!

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