You’re pulling out of the driveway when the 6-year-old in the backseat asks the question for the first time (more than 300 such queries will follow). Are we there yet?
For parents, the most challenging part of vacation planning is not booking the hotel, developing an itinerary or choosing a route; it’s devising a successful strategy to keep the kids entertained and engaged during those long stretches in the car.
Try these tactics:
1. First, and perhaps most important, allow plenty of time for frequent breaks. Stop often (once every 90 minutes, at a minimum, more is better) to get out of the car, move around a bit, get some fresh air, use the restroom. You’ll keep both body and brain refreshed.
Before leaving, administer a child-sized dose of over-the-
counter motion sickness medication if necessary. Chewable, fruit-flavored tablets are available at most retail pharmacies.
2. Give each child his own small duffle filled with his own stuff; books, coloring books, crayons, puzzle books, markers, handheld games (sound turned off, if possible), action figures. Asking kids to share willingly and cheerfully is an iffy proposition, even at home. It becomes infinitely more difficult in the cramped confines of a car, when boredom and irritability set in.
3. Consider equipping children with their own CD player, with headphones. If you have the equipment, burn a CD for each kid with her favorite tunes. Label it “Emma’s Summer Mix ’05” (you get the idea).
Later, listening to this CD will bring back fond memories of the trip.
4. A portable DVD player will provide at least two hours of entertainment, and, if the player is equipped with headphones, at least two hours of quiet for the parents. These players are reasonably priced and operate on rechargeable batteries or via the “cigarette lighter” outlet in the car. It is impractical to supply each kid with his own portable DVD player, so rent a handful of kid flicks before the trip and determine the order in which they will be viewed.
Allowing the kids to choose which one to see first while on the road will lead only to arguments.
5. Bring pillows. This makes napping a more comfortable option.
6. Stock up on small snacks: Seedless grapes (pre-washed and stemmed), dry cereal, sugarless gum, Fruit Roll-Ups, Life Savers (if kids are old enough for hard candy).
These will mitigate the munchies between meals. Small (lunchbox-size) bottles of water are a critical part of this tactic. “I’m thirsty” can be as undermining as “When are we going to be there?”
Intersperse techie activities, such as handheld games, CDs, and DVDs, with good old-fashioned travel games, such as 20 questions, travel bingo and license plate bingo.
6. Engage the kids in the trip experience with maps and atlases. Give older children their own travel atlas or road map and encourage them to follow your progress to your destination. This frequently stimulates questions about geography and history – good opportunities for learning and discussion.
