Traveling With Kids

You've picked out a destination that it seems everyone in the family will enjoy. You've planned the trip - how long you'll be gone, where to stay, what to see while you're there and maybe some neat places to check out on the way to your intended destination. If you didn't plan on ways to keep the kids occupied, as in not bored to tears, literally, the trip is going to be very, very long. As with anything in life, planning is the key to success.

Remember that a child's world can be pretty small by adult standards. Two hours can seem like an eternity and anything outside the car is of little interest to young children. Watching the trees go by or the traffic on an interstate highway isn't going to cut it for very long. There just aren't enough cows, horses, and giraffes to look at.

Take a few minutes to consider your child's personality as well as his age. Does he play well alone? Or does he require some interaction? Will he sleep during a lot of the drive? Is this really a good thing, or does it mean he will be fully charged when you're trying to get some needed rest at night. Do you want him on a “sugar high” from snacking on junk food the whole trip, or even worse, with an upset tummy?

So what are your options? Take a look at what interests your child at home. Obviously, simulating the swing set in the backyard may be a little out of reach, but what does he do when he's indoors? Really young children can generally play with the same toys they would play with at home. You know, all that brightly colored plastic you pick up every day and still manage to trip over when you get up at night.

Tips for Keeping Kids Occupied on Road Trips
On the road, drivers must deal with constant traffic concerns, including glaring sunlight, blinding rain, traffic jams, street signs and other drivers. But one distraction you might not have thought about is your kids.

Here are a few ways to keep the kids occupied when you travel with them:

1. Books and children's magazines - Time passes quickly when children are engrossed in a story. Take this opportunity to teach your children the importance of reading. If your kids can't read in the car, try books on tape or compact discs.

2. Crafts - Have the kids put together scrapbooks with items from the trip. Pack instant cameras, glue sticks, markers and construction paper to get them started. Some children will play with crayons and paper as long as the paper doesn't run out. If your child's not a budding artist what about video games? These are great for the more energetic kids. You know, the ones who think silence is some form of torture created by adults to make their lives as miserable as possible.

3. Puzzles, board games and cards - At first these activities might seem unfit for road trips, but many newer versions are designed for travel. These games either come in compact cases or with magnetic boards to keep pieces from being lost in the vehicle.

4. On-screen entertainment - Increasing numbers of consumers are purchasing vehicles with liquid crystal display TV screens for passenger viewing. Today, not only can your kids play video games and watch DVDs in the car, they can catch their favorite television shows as well.

The TracVision A5, created by Rhode Island-based KVH Industries, lets you watch live television while on the road. This in-motion satellite television system has a low-profile antenna that mounts to the roof of the car and a compact satellite receiver stored in the trunk.

Compatible with DirecTV service, it provides hundreds of channels of satellite television and music. It's also designed to be part of a versatile entertainment system that can include DVD players, VCRs, video game systems and digital video recorders. With today's portable DVD players, even if you don't have this nifty feature already built into the family vehicle, these children can watch their favorite videos and forget that they will soon be visiting Yellowstone, Disney World or Uncle Bob.