Road Trip with The Kids – Beating Boredom on the Journey

By Martin Hardie

Summer is slowly bringing into focus and many people are thinking about holidays for the family. Although some may be jetting off to sunnier climes, many might choose another year of staycationing where you’re more likely to get more for your money!

Packing the car and strapping the kids into the family trickster doesn’t have to be a hell of “are we there yet” as long as you keep the kids entertained on the way!

IT Garage Services looks at some of the boredom-busting ways you can keep the whole family entertained whilst you whisk them away to your holiday destination

Screen Time is a Fine Time

Yes, screen time can be viewed as a dirty word in normal life. But, when it comes to keeping the kids occupied for a couple of hours, this can be the exception. You can whack on a favourite movie on a tablet or phone and that will keep them entertained for a good couple of hours, avoiding the moans of boredom from the backseats. Add some headphones and you’ve got the perfect recipe for some peace and quiet whilst the adults enjoy the scenery on your road trip, and you might even get to keep charge of the road trip playlist!

If you’re feeling guilty about screen time, you could always load up some e-books on an e-reader or tablet. Or even download some educational games or puzzles to keep the little ones’ brains ticking as you zoom through the countryside.

Arm Yourself with Snacks

We all know that nothing entertains more than a favourite snack or sweet treat! Alongside “are we there yet”, the “I’m hungry” demand is up there with the most annoying utterances. Use snacks to break up the journey, as a reward for good behaviour on the journey! Chewy sweets are good for the older kids as it will keep those mouths busier for longer, leaving you to enjoy the scenery on your car journey. Top tip – take as much as you can for the return leg!

Road Trip Games

A nice family game can make those hours in the car fly by for everyone. Favourites include Eye Spy (it’s unlikely I need to spell out the rules to this classic), Car Colours – where everyone picks a car colour and whenever they spot that colour of car they get a point, and Car Bingo – where you make up a list of stuff that can be spotted along your route and whoever sees the landmarks or animals etc first gets a point!

There is no end to the number of games that can be played along the way, you could even download game apps to a phone or play name that tune with a Spotify playlist, there’s plenty to play with!

Toys for the Win

Pack the car with all the toys you can – favourites and brand-new ones alike! Handheld computer games, apps, books and magazines for the older ones, then some more traditional ‘play’ toys for the younger ones to keep them entertained. You could even tie in the scheduled bathroom and stretching breaks with a kick around with a football or a go on their scooter in a brand new place for them. If you give the kids something to look forward to, they will be much more likely to enjoy the journey as much as the destination!

Get your Car Road Trip worthy

Before heading off on your road trip, why not have your local Inverness garage look at the car. This may save you many a headache when you’re on the road!

Take your vehicle to the best garage services in Inverness – IT Garage Services! It’s your one-stop-shop for car repair in Inverness providing services like: