Have you ever noticed how bored kids can put a downer on your whole vacation? It starts in the car on the way to the airport or the hotel. They’re tired because they were up early, and they’re bored because they’re strapped into their car seat. Soon they start kicking the back of your seat, whingeing, and fighting amongst themselves. By the time you’ve finished that first leg of the journey, you’re exhausted! So how can you keep the whole family engaged and excited from the moment you lock the front door?
Assignments
Give the kids useful and responsible duties while you’re away. Trust them with a big part of the adventure. Perhaps they will become a chief photographer? Or maybe they need to select the souvenirs at each stop?
Entertainment
Kindles are brilliant for kids and grown-ups that love to read. The trouble is, lots of us get car sick when we’re not looking out the window. Fortunately, most of your favorite reads are now available as audiobooks. If you’re keen to do everything as a family, pick a title you can play on the car audio system for everyone to enjoy. Lots of family-friendly celebrities have been producing audiobooks so you can enjoy your favorite voices while you drive.
Of course, if your kids like movies, you might prefer a car video screen for them to use. Most movies are about an hour and a half. It’s still a good idea to take plenty of stops even if the kids are engrossed in a film. Stretching the legs and getting active will help them sleep better and aid digestion. It might also stop them from kicking the back of your seat!
Itchy Feet
Once you have arrived at your hotel, chances are your kids are excited about pools, play centers and other facilities on offer. Mealtimes in the restaurant can be quite tedious for them when all that is just around the corner! To keep kids engaged at mealtimes, give them some simple challenges to complete. Adding up the cost of the meal, working out the tip, or simply pronouncing some of the dish names can work.
Finding Activities
Some kids manage to exhaust all of the activities from the brochure within just a day of staying there. Always pack alternative activities to cover rainy days, grumpy days, and shy days! The more structured the activity, the better. For example, coloring is great. It can be even better if you work together to draw a picture of something from your holiday. And if it has a purpose, kids are more likely to stick with it. The picture might be posted to Grandma with a message about enjoying the vacation.
Extending your choice of boredom buster and connecting it to the vacation means you can spend even more quality time together. You’ll all enjoy a much wider range of activities that are special to that break. What do you do with your kids when they’re restless on vacation?