Anybody that has kids knows that travelling with preschoolers can get a little rowdy. A lot of parents, myself included, often wish that we had just stayed home. Fear not weary traveling parents. There is hope. With a little bit of planning and forethought you can make your road trip something everyone will look forward to.
When children get bored they get cranky and hard to deal with. The night before the trip ask each child to choose three to five of their favorite toys to take in the car with them. If you make the children a part of the planning process then they are more likely to choose something that they will enjoy.
Parents should also choose something for the kids and bring it out as a surprise when the time is right. Bringing out something that they're not expecting will break the monotony of travel. Coloring books and crayons, books, pocket games, window markers and play clay will help keep your child occupied.
When the toys and games from home lose their ability to entertain, turn to fun and interesting road games.
You could try counting games such as counting the number of blue cars or see who can spot the most number of out of state travelers by their license plates. Spotting specific letters, such as who can spot the letter "C" the most times may have more appeal to the older kids. Try the round robin style of telling stories. One person starts the story with a sentence and passes it on. The next person continues the story, and then passes to the next.
You always know that when you're in the middle of nowhere a child will complain that they are hungry. Everyone knows that kids who are hungry are the ones most difficult to deal with. Always be prepared with a cooler full of fun easy to eat snacks. Keep it healthy with fruit, peanut butter, sticks of vegetables such as carrots and celery.
Cut some sandwiches into fun shapes. Soft drinks and other sugary beverages should be avoided as these will just make the children hyper and restless. Sitting in a car gives them no way to burn all that excess energy off. Pouches and juice boxes are likewise a poor choice. Children can't help themselves with these things and will always experiment with a good squeeze just to see what happens. If everyone is covered in sticky juice the trip can become a sour journey indeed.
Road trips with your preschooler can be a fun chance to learn about and with each other. Make your next trip one that you will enjoy remembering with fun activities and healthy food.
