You are packed and your RV is on the launch-pad and ready to roll.
You've booked the reservation and you're excited to experience the new travel destination you read so much about in the travel directory.
Your ready for the open road.
Hold on a minute - what about the kids.
Unless you raised an robot you know they can't sit still for hours on end.
So what do you do to keep the kids occupied while you tool down the road.
What follows are some hard-learned, and not so hard-learned, rules of the road on traveling with kids.
First some basic travel planning will go a very long way in making the drive time much less stressful: 1.
Learn about your travel route as much as possible.
Look through the route in a road atlas if you have one.
A GPS is also a great travel companion.
Program the destination address in prior to departure.
Make sure you have the right address.
The GPS is only good enough as the information you provide it.
2.
Plug-in your trip destination in Google Maps or another online mapping service.
Print it out and have it with you.
It is useful as a last resort.
3.
Buy the book the next exit.
It gives you exit services info for every exit on the major US Interstates.
So now let's look at keeping the kids occupied: 1.
First the obvious.
Have an on-board DVD player for the kids to watch movies.
Most vehicles have them built-in these days but if you don't have one, buy a portable DVD player with a cigarette lighter adaptor.
And have a selection of movies on hand so each kid has his/her favorite available.
2.
If you are open to this, let them use video games.
You can possibly buy one of the educational systems like LeapFrog 3.
Organize craft projects for the kids to do on the road.
This can be done safely by having a small portable table for each kid (there are a number of them available.
Do a Google search for "kids travel table.
").
4.
Other ideas are to read to your children to pass time in the car.
The adult passenger (usually mom) can read a favorite book to the children.
5.
Organize road games with the kids.
"I spy" is a favorite one of ours.
Another one is "who can spot the most out of state license plates.
" 6.
Potty breaks are an important part of travel.
Beside potty breaks kids need to get up and move around during long trips.
We usually try to stop every two-to-four hours for a potty and stretch break.
You've booked the reservation and you're excited to experience the new travel destination you read so much about in the travel directory.
Your ready for the open road.
Hold on a minute - what about the kids.
Unless you raised an robot you know they can't sit still for hours on end.
So what do you do to keep the kids occupied while you tool down the road.
What follows are some hard-learned, and not so hard-learned, rules of the road on traveling with kids.
First some basic travel planning will go a very long way in making the drive time much less stressful: 1.
Learn about your travel route as much as possible.
Look through the route in a road atlas if you have one.
A GPS is also a great travel companion.
Program the destination address in prior to departure.
Make sure you have the right address.
The GPS is only good enough as the information you provide it.
2.
Plug-in your trip destination in Google Maps or another online mapping service.
Print it out and have it with you.
It is useful as a last resort.
3.
Buy the book the next exit.
It gives you exit services info for every exit on the major US Interstates.
So now let's look at keeping the kids occupied: 1.
First the obvious.
Have an on-board DVD player for the kids to watch movies.
Most vehicles have them built-in these days but if you don't have one, buy a portable DVD player with a cigarette lighter adaptor.
And have a selection of movies on hand so each kid has his/her favorite available.
2.
If you are open to this, let them use video games.
You can possibly buy one of the educational systems like LeapFrog 3.
Organize craft projects for the kids to do on the road.
This can be done safely by having a small portable table for each kid (there are a number of them available.
Do a Google search for "kids travel table.
").
4.
Other ideas are to read to your children to pass time in the car.
The adult passenger (usually mom) can read a favorite book to the children.
5.
Organize road games with the kids.
"I spy" is a favorite one of ours.
Another one is "who can spot the most out of state license plates.
" 6.
Potty breaks are an important part of travel.
Beside potty breaks kids need to get up and move around during long trips.
We usually try to stop every two-to-four hours for a potty and stretch break.