This summer many of us will be heading off on summer vacations. While some will choose to fly to their destination, many will be driving out of the city and heading to somewhere a little more relaxed and hidden away. If you are traveling with children, then the thought of a long car trip may be the stuff of nightmares. Trying to keep children entertained isn’t an easy job on a long journey, but these tips will help to make a long car trip more entertaining.
Airplanes will usually give flyers a choice of movies to watch for in-flight entertainment on a long flight. Each passenger gets their own monitor which is set into the headrest of the person in front and a set of earphones. You can easily replicate this in the back of your vehicle by installing a headrest monitor like the ones at
The benefit of a headrest monitor vs. an iPad or tablet is that they won’t run out of battery as they are powered by the car. You can also connect up different types of media like a DVD or a USB and plug-in headphones, so it won’t disturb anyone else. The other main benefit is that because it’s installed on or into the headrest, you don’t have to hold the screen like you would have to with an iPad or tablet.
If you are looking for something a little more traditional and non-digital, then breaking up your trip by stopping at several pre-planned spots along the way is a great idea. Sometimes it may require you taking a slightly different route that takes a bit longer but getting out the car will give you a break from driving and a chance for everyone to stretch their legs. Places like Cadillac Ranch are a great place to stop for free for an hour before continuing with your trip.
There are a number of games you could play that isn’t travel related like card games or board games if you’re traveling in an RV. There are though some more entertaining travel-related games you can try too including:
• License plate bingo – The aim is to spot a license plate from every state until someone gets a line and then until someone gets a full house. It should keep you going for a while!
• I Spy – A classic game that will always cause a bit of friendly competition between kids and adults alike. Look out the window, pick a letter, and get everyone in the car to guess what you’re looking at.
• Guess the time – When you’re getting close to your next stop or arriving at your destination, a simple game of guess the time is a great way to kill time and keep everyone quietly watching the clock. Just remember to hide the ETA on your GPS, so no-one can cheat!
These three simple tips will help to inject some fun into your road trip so that by the time you arrive, you’re excited to explore and not bored to death!