Memorial Day weekend marks the beginning of the summertime travel season. Summer road trips can sometimes be a little nerve racking, especially if you have small children. However, a little advance planning can help take the anxiety out of summer travel and also make “getting there” a little more fun.
A good way to engage your child in the planning process is to trace your travel route on a map. This will allow your child to become familiar with the details of the trip and make them more comfortable with the new sites and people they encounter.
Adding travel activity planning to your vacation preparations can help prevent boredom on trips to and from your destination. Pre-trip planning can include a countdown calendar, packing together, and a discussion with your child about various modes of transportation.
Here are some additional tips on keeping the entire family entertained to make traveling a little less hectic:
On Your Way There
Read a favorite book. Traveling is the perfect time to read a favorite book with your children. As much as I love reading, I'm not advocating reading and driving! Instead each passenger can take turns reading a page or chapter of the book to make the miles go by faster. Another option is to listen to books on CD.
Fill a small tote with travel surprises. Pack stickers, a deck of cards, a pack of crayons, coloring activity books, sunglasses, snacks, bottled water, interactive sensory books and a disposable camera.
Stop as often as you can at rest stops to stretch and allow children to use the restroom.
While You’re There
Pace yourself. Don’t try to do too much in a day. Tired children are not happy or easily entertained.
Discuss where you have been and what you’ve done. At the end of each day, talk about the places you’ve visited and discuss your plans for the next day.
Perhaps the most significant thing to remember is to enjoy the process. A summer vacation can make a lasting impression on a child. A creative way to capture this special time is to save items from the vacation – ticket stubs, postcards and brochures – and use them to make a scrapbook with your child so you will have fond memories for years to come.
