Traveling with Little Ones

by Sher, February 12, 2004

Tip 1: 

Start the road trip early! Get the children up, dressed and in

Tip 2: 

Once they are awake, fed and antsy...stop at a rest stop. RUN!!!!!!! Get them out, chase them around, play tag or have them run a race from you to the tree, back to the picnic table, over to Dad, etc.  Do Jumping Jacks and get them tired with 15 to 20 minutes of activities. 

Tip 3: 

Back in the van we have a quiet prize.  Whoever is the quietest gets the prize.  Explain to the older children that prize will be age based... in other words you are not expecting the same silence from the 2 year old as you are from the 8 year old.  But they will have to find something quiet to do.  Read a book, play a lap game, color, etc.

Tip 4: 

Play a school game from the car schooling site.  I love their ideas. Find the Alphabet in order off signs and cars along the way. Or how many different tags can you find?  Can you get all the states? 

Tip 5: 

Don't eat any other meals in the van...only breakfast. Have lunch or dinner meals where the children can play while you all rest. Picnic at the rest stop, McDonald's, etc.  I let my children run for about 10 minutes than have them eat and let them run again for another 10 to 30 minutes.

Tip 6: 

NAP!  Everyone must sleep or be silent so others can nap for 1 to 2 hours. 

Tip 7: 

Listen to a book on tape -- Adventures in Odyssey, Sugar Creek Gang, or any other story/adventure tapes. Listen to silly kids songs...  Music soothes the spirits.

Tip 8: 

I never have traveled with the convenience of a VCR/TV.  So use that wonderful thing if you have one!  It would be a good idea to get a new tape that you all have wanted to see along with all the old favorites. [A laptop with a CD/DVD player works too, if you are going to invest money...consider that option, which has multiple uses beyond watching in the car.] 

Tip 9: 

Pack a bag for each child filled with new or new-to-them quiet toys. New crayons/colored pencils, new drawing pad/coloring books, new etch-a-sketch, new card game (even if it is a new pack of Uno that everyone already loves), and a special gift they have wanted for a while...new hair bow or lip gloss, new match box car, new action figure, something they would like. DO NOT let them know what is in their bag before the trip. Let them give you a few favorite things from home to add to the bag. Now add a favorite snack to each bag. Pop tarts, donuts, moon pies, something you don't normally buy but they like.  Keep a stash up front or in back so that you can refill their bags each day or a couple times each day.

Tip 10: 

If you are going to pack in two or more hotels along the way, pack accordingly. The first night you'll want to pull out one bag with everyone's stuff in it. The second night if you can keep it in the same bag GREAT. But if not have it all in a second bag and the morning after your first hotel night you have transferred your toiletries into the second bag...these are packed in the van to be easily reached. So you are only unloading the whole van at the end of the trip.

Tip 11: 

The way back home will be LONGER! So use all the same ideas but add a few more prizes. The kids will be more tired.  If you could have the quiet game last 1 to 2 hours on the trip there, on the trip home it will only last 30 minutes to 1 hour! Remember, everyone is tired, so stop more often and let them have free play.

Tip 12: 

Hotels with a (indoor if traveling when cold) pool are more expensive but give you a place to burn energy! So splurge and let them swim. OR find a hotel near an activity you enjoy! Tip for toddlers: Have a different child sit near him...that child needs to play with him, picking up his dropped toys, making him laugh or playing peek-a-boo.

Sher is happily married to Bill.  They have 7 dear children and 2 wonderful grandsons.  Please check out their family businesses:

• Ask me about homeschooling using the Bible.
• Affordable pregnancy & ovulation tests http://www.tcfb.com/fruitfulvine
• My husband's coffee business http://mrbeanhead.com