Cruising with Kids
The family vacation is something that's been passed down for generations. Sometimes it's a trip to see relatives in other states. Other times it's going to see Disney World or just the hotel in the next town over. One of the quintessential family vacations is the good old' fashion America road trip. Packing everyone up in the car and taking off to see the sights. However, much like any group of people in a confined space for a long period of time, you have to plan on boredom, illness or any other number of potentially issues. Especially if half of those people happen to be under the age 12. Thankfully, there a few things you can do to prepare for cruising with the kids.
One big advent is entertainment. Before it was books, it was maybe a Game boy or group sing alongs. Now, there are all kinds of technological wonders to keep the little ones happy. Their favorite DVD is a great way to pass the time from one town to the next. Another is the smartphone or tablet. While this may not be suitable for the very littlest, it would surprise you what simple apps you can put on a phone to entertain. Flappy bird is nice, as you only have to tap the screen for the bird to fly. Another favorite is Fruit Ninja, where you cut up pieces of fruit by swiping your finger across the screen. If your family isn't that high tech or you think it might be too soon for junior's first iPad, there are fun car games for the whole family. Words are a great game where you go around the car and each person says a word and the others follow suit. Mom starts with "Dogs." Then one of the kids goes and says "Dogs bark." and you keep going until you can't anymore. There are lots of other car games to play, license bingo and I spy are always crowd pleasers.
Something else to remember when traveling with smaller ones is a first aid kit. Kids love to get into things and you can't always stop by a drug store for band aids. Having a fully stocked travel first aid kit will be worth its weight in gold if something should go wrong.
Lastly, something to remember is food. You'll be stopping off along the way to refuel your car and yourself. Doing a little research into what food is available as you make your way to your destination will stop the kids from eating gas station hot dogs or fast food the entire trip there. You can also research some place that might be fun for them to try and is more suited to the younger diner.
Family vacations are often looked at fondly, as the time we have when children are that age is fleeting. Following the steps outlined above with help ensure that your vacations are more about family fun and memories than worrying about what will happen or what you could have done. Get out there and have fun!
One big advent is entertainment. Before it was books, it was maybe a Game boy or group sing alongs. Now, there are all kinds of technological wonders to keep the little ones happy. Their favorite DVD is a great way to pass the time from one town to the next. Another is the smartphone or tablet. While this may not be suitable for the very littlest, it would surprise you what simple apps you can put on a phone to entertain. Flappy bird is nice, as you only have to tap the screen for the bird to fly. Another favorite is Fruit Ninja, where you cut up pieces of fruit by swiping your finger across the screen. If your family isn't that high tech or you think it might be too soon for junior's first iPad, there are fun car games for the whole family. Words are a great game where you go around the car and each person says a word and the others follow suit. Mom starts with "Dogs." Then one of the kids goes and says "Dogs bark." and you keep going until you can't anymore. There are lots of other car games to play, license bingo and I spy are always crowd pleasers.
Something else to remember when traveling with smaller ones is a first aid kit. Kids love to get into things and you can't always stop by a drug store for band aids. Having a fully stocked travel first aid kit will be worth its weight in gold if something should go wrong.
Lastly, something to remember is food. You'll be stopping off along the way to refuel your car and yourself. Doing a little research into what food is available as you make your way to your destination will stop the kids from eating gas station hot dogs or fast food the entire trip there. You can also research some place that might be fun for them to try and is more suited to the younger diner.
Family vacations are often looked at fondly, as the time we have when children are that age is fleeting. Following the steps outlined above with help ensure that your vacations are more about family fun and memories than worrying about what will happen or what you could have done. Get out there and have fun!