Family road trip tips
Heading out on a family road trip can be lots of fun. You’ll all be really excited about your adventure, and looking forward to spending lots of valuable time together. However, we know that the journey there can get a bit tense if younger minds start to get bored, and their sibling looks like a great target for relieving some of that boredom…
Take a look at our tips for a fun family road trip that will help keep the whole car entertained throughout the drive.
Tips for a fun family road trip
We’ve got lots of ideas to help you keep the kids entertained no matter how long your journey might be.
Pack entertainment bags
Before the journey, put together a bag with some of the children’s favourite things – with maybe one or two new treats thrown in. If they start to complain, encourage them to dig through the bag to find something new to entertain them.
It can include anything, but here are a few ideas to get you started: books, toys, stickers, puzzle games, fidget spinners, and a colouring pad and pencils. You might even want to get the kids involved with packing the bag so they can pick their favourites to bring with them.
Spread excitement about the destination
You want your kids to be excited about the trip. If they’re looking forward to the fun things they’ll get to do once you arrive, the journey won’t be so tricky.
Have plenty of snacks to hand
On long journeys, you and the kids will probably get a bit peckish. If you don’t want to rely on the food you can find at service stations, pack up a bag full of healthy snacks and treats. You can dish them out as and when they’re needed.
Listen to music
Have a sing along to some music and get the whole car involved. Playing all your favourite songs helps the journey whizz by and can be a great way for you all to bond.
Take a look at our ultimate road trip playlist for some inspiration.
Audio books
Audio books are absolutely fantastic. They’re a really easy way of keeping the whole car calm and relaxed throughout the drive.
Tell stories yourself
Children love to have their imaginations ignited, so why not tell them a story yourself to keep them entertained on the road. A great tip for making it even more engaging for them, is to swap out character names for the names of people in your family. You can give a whole new spin to fairy tale classics this way.
A fun game for families to make up stories together. Each person in the car will say one word at a time and together you’ll come up with a totally new, if a bit random, tale!
Put on a film
If your kids don’t suffer with travel sickness, you can download a film for them to watch on a tablet. Just make sure to get a head phone divider if they’re sharing to avoid squabbles.
Stay calm in the front seats
If adults in the front seats start to get a bit tense, the kids in the back will mirror that frustration which makes for a very long journey. We know it’s not always easy to remain calm behind the wheel, especially when the satnav breaks and you’re trying to follow a diversion. Pull over and have a break from the road while you calm down, rather than getting stressed behind the wheel.
Have a car first aid kit handy
You never know when you might have to patch up a boo-boo. Having a first aid kit in the car takes the stress out of the situation and helps you get grazes and headaches sorted in no time.
Play car games
There are lots of wonderful car games you can play. Ones that can be really effective need planning ahead of time, like car bingo or a travelling scavenger hunt. See who can be the first to spot 5 drivers wearing sunglasses, hats, dogs in the car… there are so many options.
You’re sure to have a fantastic time on your family road trip if you use these tips to help keep everyone in the car happy.
Need to hire a car for your next get away? We can help.