Doing things together as a family is always wonderful. Life is all about moments and enjoying what the present, and there aren’t many better people to share those moments with than your own flesh and blood. Heading on vacation, seeing an event, or just heading to somewhere new for the day are all great ways you can bond and create memories together.
Getting to and from these destinations can be a bit of a pain, though, right? Especially when you’ve got your little ones with you. Where you’re flying to another country, or you’re on a road trip in your family car, the journeys can be a little tedious. Kids’ brains are always on the move – they really struggle to sit still; they always have to be fiddling with something or moving around somewhat.
Keeping them still is a pretty difficult task at times, but it’s one that absolutely can be done. You just have to find something that will distract them for long enough! If you’re heading out somewhere and need a few pointers on how to settle the kids, then have a little look at some of these ideas:
Little Travel Games
They might seem like silly little things, but the most basic games often turn out to be the most fun. We’re not suggesting that you should sit and play ‘I spy’ throughout the entire trip, but a few goes every now and again can make the time pass a lot quicker.
Computer Games
This might not work if you’re in a cramped little car, but if you’re all on a train or a plane, then you might want to think about bringing your PC or tablet onboard. Computers can power all kinds of games; it’s just a case of knowing how to load them up. You can head onto an internet browser and find all kinds of little flash games. Or you could download Steam for Mac or windows, and look at some of the more developed and higher-quality video games out there.
Music
Everybody likes listening to music. Of course, there’s a time and a place to play it – you aren’t going to want to blast loud music when everyone’s tired, obviously. If everyone’s in the mood, though, then having a little sing-song in the car can be quite fun.
Food
Everyone needs to eat. Everyone gets a little peckish every now and again. The wise thing to do is to bring along some snacks for the whole family. It doesn’t matter whether you’re in the car, train, or plane, your stomach will probably let you when it needs to be fed.
Comfort
A large cause of unrest during travelling is due to the fact that they’re super uncomfortable with where they’re sat. It understandable – planes, buses, and cars all have pretty rough sitting and sleeping positions! People often look to occupy their minds when they’re physically uncomfortable because they need to take their mind off the strain. Do you best to deal with that forthcoming situation; bring extra pillows and blankets so that they can feel a little better about how they’re sat or led.
Therese has completed the ‘Advanced Child Car Seat Training Course’ at TRL (Transport Research Lab) and is a CPD accredited car seat expert. She blogs about in-car safety, car seats, tips, reviews, giveaways and advice. She’s a mum on a mission to change the law and raise awareness. She is also a breastfeeding advocate and gentle parenting promoter who loves cloth nappies, baby-wearing, BLW and co-sleeping/bed-sharing.