Making travelling with children easier

Oh YES! I would love to hear everyone's ideas as well since we'll be travelling in our van 600 miles one way to Mississippi!

 

Duct tape works on everything

[ August 19, 2001: Message edited by: SaggyWoman ]

 

Try to make the travel a part of the vacation instead of just the necessary beginning and ending. Show them on a map beforehand your route and look up a little history and sights along the way. We always look at roadside historical markers.

Stop every so often (every two or so hours if you can)for them to get out and stretch.
Pack non-messy snacks like fruit roll-ups.
Pack a bag or two of toys and books. Read aloud to the whole group. Stop at parks along the way and let them swing and slide.
You can look up locations of parks on the internet,along with driving directions.
Older kids, of course, will often be happy with Gameboys and portable CD players.
If you can, stay in a motel with a pool and have fun.
Of course, this takes a fair amount longer than just getting in and driving, but you will all be happier.

Karen

 

When I was in 5th grade (wow, that seems like a long time ago) my brother was in second grade and my sister was 2. My mom decided to take us to Nebraska to visit our Great Aunt. This is a two day drive from where we live. (I appreciate my mom's bravery more now) She had a box of presents in the trunk. Every few hours, if we had behaved, we got a present. If we didn't behave, we didn't get a present. These weren't big things. It was like a coloring book, or new crayons. The other thing was that Mama had a wooden spoon that she would use on whichever child was acting up (and in one instance, a totally innocent 5th grader )

 

Leave at 3am. That way they will sleep for the first 4 or 5 hours.