How to keep kids entertained on the journey to Cornwall
Travelling with children can be one of the less desirable parts of a holiday, as despite your excitement, it can often be hard to keep little ones entertained for the duration of the journey. Whether you’re simply heading from another part of Cornwall, or are covering more than 200 miles to reach your family-friendly caravan park in Cornwall, these suggestions should help keep any whinging or tantrums at bay.
Portable DVD player/iPad
While you may not want to use this option as soon as you begin your journey, it can be a great entertainment source, and should keep your children amused as if they were sat in front of the TV at home.
Bring a selection of films and allow them to choose which one they would like to watch, although if you have more than one child you may wish to hold a vote to minimise the possibility of arguments. TV series’ are also a great option, as you can have breaks between episodes, and mix watching the iPad with other ideas from this list.
Traditional car games
You may be familiar with these from when you were younger, but simple games such as I Spy or 20 Questions can be great time fillers, which your children are bound to enjoy. The RAC have some great suggestions for alternative car games you can try when on a long journey, which are sure to be lots of fun.
Sing-a-longs
If your child has a favourite CD, make sure to play this during the journey, while encouraging them to sing along. It will create a great atmosphere in the car, and will mean you all associate happy memories of your holiday with a selection of their favourite songs. However, if you forget to bring any music along, very young children will be just as content with singing their favourite nursery rhymes.
Books/audio-books
Many parents find that sitting in the backseats with younger children can help to keep them occupied, especially when reading a book, providing you don’t suffer with car sickness. Your voice will be soothing to hear, and an interesting story will be sure to grab their attention. Audio books are also another fantastic option, as they can either entertain your children, or help send them to sleep. Both of which I’m sure you’ll agree are appealing outcomes on a long journey!
Toys
You’ll have to think outside the box with this one, as space in the car will be limited, but it is always helpful to have a few of their favourite toys to hand. Maybe this is a comforting teddy bear, or a pack of Top Trumps, but this will give them something to focus on, should you be busy navigating in the front seat.
Snacks
Your children will be bound to get hungry during the journey, and fate dictates this is most likely to happen when you are nowhere near your organised lunch stop. For this reason it’s important that you are prepared, so make sure to have some easy-to-eat food to hand. Snacks such as raisins or chocolate buttons are recommended; they take longer to eat and don’t all have to be eaten in one go.
Rest breaks
If possible, you should make regular stops for an opportunity to stretch the legs, go to the toilet, and fill up on any food. As an added incentive you could suggest that there will be a spending money reward, so they remain well-behaved in order to earn a packet of crisps, or a go on a 50p ride for example. Also, if you do your research, you may be able to stop at a town rather than service station, and find a play area for your children to use up some of their energy.
Image Credit: 50144889@N08 (flickr.com)
This content was written by Alex Jones. Please feel free to visit my Google+ Profile to read more stories.
