Are you going on holiday with small children? The car journey can end in a drama. But with some preparation, your whole family will enjoy it.
It is a given: children get bored during a car holiday. How do you keep it fun? With these tips, courtesy of Ouders van Nu, the next long drive should go a lot better.
1. Make your car holiday with children mysterious
Children like surprises. Mystery is also super attractive! So keep a lot of secrets: from the contents of the bag with food and drinks or the rest areas along the way to the number of hours you (still) have to drive. Let them guess at everything. For example, give them a children’s road map and let them find out for themselves where they are at that moment. Then time flies by quickly!
2. Prevent motion sickness
A car holiday with children can be tough if they suffer from motion sickness. Let your children look outside and make sure you don’t accelerate or slow down abruptly. Corners should also be taken gradually. Then the kids are less likely to get car sick. Always take some bags (paper or plastic) with you just in case. Does your child get nauseous easily? Then he better not read during the car ride.
3. Toys on the go
Handy is a toy bag that you hang on the back of the front seat. This way your children can easily reach their toys. They can also easily store it again and the car remains tidy. You can buy some new things as a surprise. You then give it to them at different times during the ride. Electronic entertainment such as a tablet, portable DVD player, MP3 player or audio CD is also always popular.
4. Better cold than hot
Most cars have air conditioning. Sunshades keep the sun out and the car extra cool. You have them with all kinds of nice prints. Also, place a light-colored towel over the car seat. This way the seat feels cooler and the towel absorbs sweat. The towel also ensures that a dark colored seat does not heat up too much when the car is parked.
5. Stop frequently
Children should be able to move freely. Therefore, stop regularly, so that they can lose their energy and stretch their legs. Many parking lots along highways have a children’s playground. In addition, you prevent that an extra bathroom break is needed at a time when there is just no parking space in the area.
Let your children look outside and make sure you don’t accelerate or slow down abruptly. Corners should also be taken gradually
6. Fun games in the car
Travel versions of many board games are for sale. Pawns are not always handy, you can find them everywhere in the car months later if you are unlucky. Games such as ‘I see, I see, what you don’t see’, ‘I’m going on a trip and I’m taking with me’, ‘Who am I’ or travel bingo are also fun. For that you make or download a map in advance with things you can encounter along the way. Every time your child spots something on his card, he can cross it off. If he has bingo, he will receive a treat or a small surprise.
7. Practice language
Practice with each other the basics of the language of the holiday country you are on your way to. Then they can immediately get their own bread.
8. Bottle feeding? Thermos!
You can prepare formula at home and store it in a cool box, but the heat can spoil the milk quickly. It is more convenient to take a thermos of boiled hot water with you. On the way, dilute it with mineral water and mix it with the powdered milk. Bottle warmers for the car are also handy. You connect them to the cigarette lighter and they heat bottles and jars to the ideal temperature.
Try to remain calm when the clatter erupts. ©Getty Images
9. Drive at night
On a car holiday with children, it is sometimes more convenient to drive at night, because the children then sleep well. You then drive all the necessary kilometers in peace. On arrival the children are better rested. It is also a lot less warm in the car at night. Moreover, it is much quieter on the road at night, so you will arrive at your destination sooner. You are probably tired after such a night drive. When you have arrived, you need to take it easy. So a siesta or a good book by the pool are on the program.
Especially at the end of the car ride, the real boredom (read: the glands) can erupt in the back seat. Then try to stay as calm as possible, so that the atmosphere has not dropped below zero upon arrival. For example, put on a listening CD for the necessary distraction.
11. Turn your own phone into a hotspot
If your children are big enough for a mobile phone or iPad, but they don’t have their own mobile data yet, you can use your own phone as a hotspot. When you connect the children’s phone to your phone via Bluetooth, they can play online games or text or Snapchat with other children. Please note: if you have unlimited data in the Netherlands, it is not always valid abroad.
12. Listen to the ANWB holiday podcast
‘Fancy a holiday with Annika’ is an adventurous, informative and fun fiction podcast from the ANWB, for children aged 7 to 12 years. Experience the funniest, wildest and most exciting adventures with Annika and her family. Find the podcast in your podcast app (like Apple Podcasts) or on Spotify. Or look here for even more fun on-the-go games that require next to nothing.
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2023-07-22 18:15:15
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