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Related Reading
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•
The
Penny Whistle Traveling with Kids Book: Whether by Boat, Train,
Car, or Plane - How to Take the Best Trip Ever with Kids of
All Ages
• Traveling
with kids: 101 tips for a great trip
• Old
Fashioned Children's Games: Over 200 Outdoors, Car Trip, Song,
Card and Party Activities
• 101
Activities for Kids in Tight Spaces: At the Doctor's Office,
on Car, Train, and Plane Trips, Home Sick in Bed
• Travelmates:
Fun Games Kids Can Play in the Car or on the Go-No Materials
Needed
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Kids
+ Car + Long Trip = Insanity!
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Just as planning a trip can be exciting, it can also be a
dreaded thing. If you have kids, then you know why. That one
annoying and dreaded question can cramp any happy camper's
mood. You know the question — "Are we there yet?"
Sometimes it's disguised as "How much farther do we have
to go?" Either way, when repeated constantly, family
bonding suffers.
So, how then can you salvage the fun in family trips? Here's
a list of helpful strategies to follow when taking a long
car ride with the kids.
• Music is a Must Everyone has different tastes
in music, and while agreement may be easy at the start of
a trip, it soon fades out. Instead of having to settle for
"silent car rides," make sure to pack for the occasion
with personal
CD players. This way the kids can listen to the CDs they
want, while parents groove to their own tunes.
• Food Frenzy Eating in the car may be a "no-no"
for some parents, but when the trip is long and kids are involved,
it's almost impossible to abide by that rule. So, make sure
to stock a cooler full of light snacks in spill-proof containers.
And if your kids don't share well, pack treats in identical
single servings or pick up Lunchables.
• Loving Literature Bring readable props, even
if your kids aren't old enough to read or don't like reading.
Many kids will eventually realize that flipping through a
book full of pictures or a magazine full of pop stars is more
interesting than staring out at a highway. Sometimes photo
albums can keep kids occupied too. Or check out Amazon.com's
selection of audio
books for kids
• Game Greats We're obviously not talking board
games here. Little pieces all over the car won't help the
situation much. However, clever and simple games can make
for time-consuming fun. And don't forget handheld video games
such as Game
Boy Advance.
Written by Anna Marie Neri
Questions or comments about this story?
E-mail
us!
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Keep the Peace Tip
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Before a trip, go to your local dollar store, and pick up
a bunch of small toys. Make sure, if you have more than one
child, to buy the same of everything. Then, go home and prepare
several goodie bags. The number of bags should correspond
to the number of hours the trip takes. Let the kids know on
the day of the trip that for each hour they behave, a small
treat bag will be awarded to them. Watch how obedient they
quickly become!
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On the Web
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Car
Travel Games for Big Kids
Car Travel Games for Toddlers
Car Travel Activities for Babies
Making Memories: Creating a Travel Journal for Kids
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Name
Your Game
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Try
these games to make long car rides with the kids seem shorter.
• Young kids may enjoy coloring books. Make sure to pack
only a few crayons (not markers), so a whole pack of 24 or
more isn't lying all over the floor.
• Older kids may enjoy crossword puzzles or word finds.
You can usually find these at local grocery stores.
• Highlights
for Children magazine often has plenty of hidden image
puzzles. Also, "Where's
Waldo? " books can keep kids searching for Waldo
for a long, quiet time.
• Connect the Dots and Tic Tac Toe make great car games.
Prepare a sheet for Tic Tac Toe ahead of time, or invest in
a Connect the Dots book.
• Verbal games like "I'm Going on a Picnic"
can keep kids busy thinking of alphabetical foods to "take
on a picnic" instead of fighting or whining.
• Less effective, but fun road games also include pointing
out different license plates or specific car models. Keep
a notepad handy to mark who saw how many of each and fairly
determine a winner at the end of a trip.
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