"Are we there yet?" "Mom, he's touching me!"
"Well, she's looking at me!" "Are we there YET?" "I've gotta go!"
"Aren't we at the lake yet?"
It's phrases like these that drive fear into a parent's heart, and
make you wonder why you ever thought taking a family vacation was
going to be "fun!"
So what is a parent to do? Traveling with kids doesn't have to be
a bad experience. Instead of deciding to leave the kids home for
the next "family" vacation, relax! You can make traveling with the
kids an enjoyable and stress-free experience by following these
simple tips:
1. When possible, travel at night and let the kids sleep. But be
cautious, because it's easy to get tired. If you find yourself
getting sleepy, roll down the windows, play music, or better yet,
find a safe place to pull over and take a 20 minute nap.
2. Plan your trip during the day with stops about every 90
minutes. By planning ahead, and using travel planning software,
online trip planning sites or travel associations, you can find --
and stop at -- kid-friendly places such as parks with playgrounds,
historic monuments or view areas where everyone can get out and
walk around for a few minutes. Giving the kids even a 15 minute
break will give them a chance to "get the wiggles out" and work
off some energy.
3. Bring along some sing-along music. Although your kids may groan
at first when you start singing, they'll soon join in, especially
if the songs are either well-known, absurd or "gross." Think of
your own childhood favorites, or camp songs. Singing can really
help to pass the time, and creates happy memories later on. To
help cut costs, you can even record your own CDs? If the kids
don't know the words, create sing-along books for everyone by
typing them in your Word processing program and printing them out.
4. Create a goodie-bag. Good ideas are travel toys and games,
bubbles, inexpensive art books and pencils, even the latest in
collectible cards or action figures. (To save money, look for
seasonal sales or buy something every payday.) To cut down on
arguments about sharing, you can set a time limit for playing with
each game, before everyone has to switch. Individual presents can
be wrapped or not, and given out at whatever schedule fits your
needs and your kids' boredom levels. You can even choose
particular games for particular stops, such as bubbles, Frisbees
or small balls, which will encourage running off energy.
5. Bring along individual "quiet time" activities. These could
include an art box (keep the supplies inside an inexpensive
plastic shoe box), postcards or writing paper, or even a journal
given to each child at the beginning of the trip. Encourage them
to write letters, or record their thoughts and feelings. You can
also bring along hand-held games, or inexpensive CD players and
earphones, so that everyone can listen to the music or books of
their choice. Depending on the space you've got and the length of
time you'll be gone, each child could have their own box or
backpack, to keep their things organized and accessible.
6. If your trip is going to include a lot of sightseeing, pack a
backpack with sweaters, hats, swimsuits (if in season), extra
socks and even towels, in case anyone gets wet -- accidentally or
on purpose. Keep the backpack in your trunk, so you can just grab
it and go. Most kids, if given the chance when near water, will
really enjoy getting wet, and it saves on the wear and tear of
your vehicle if you plan ahead. Also be sure to pack extra water
and travel snacks such as energy bars, nuts or travel mix. You can
add to your child's enjoyment if you also include things such as a
magnifying glass, binoculars, a disposable camera and their own
travel map.
7. Include a "kid's activity" at least once every day. This may be
something as simple as going for ice cream after visiting a
museum, or going to a water or amusement park. There are often
lots of great free or inexpensive activities in most places in the
States. To find them, you can check ahead of time with local
Chambers of Commerce, on city Websites, or with your travel agent.
To help keep the expenses down, don't forget to check for "two for
one" coupons, or discount tickets that are often available at
local fast food restaurants or in local papers. Also, many family
style restaurants offer a "kids eat free" night, which could be a
special treat.
8. Don't forget about the travel games you probably played as a
child. There is "Letter Bingo" where you look at road signs and
billboard ads to find the letters of the alphabet, or "License
Plate Alphabet" where you go through the alphabet in order. You
can also create easy bingo sheets that you print out with clip art
of common sites you'll see on your trip. Your kids will be more
inclined to play along if they know that your parents used to play
the exact games with you. (Grandparents are SO much cooler than
parents are...)
9. Let your kids help to navigate, narrate and create information
about your trip. There are so many great resources online these
days that can help you make your trip even better. Letting your
kids get involved helps to make it more enjoyable for them. For
example, let one child be the "trip navigator" each day. They have
the responsibility of looking at the map, and making sure that the
right exits are taken, or how much farther to each destination
point. (If you really want to get creative, the navigator could
wear a special hat or badge; the narrator could have a "press
badge" or carry a reporter's notebook, etc.) Older children can
create written entries into a journal or even in a Blog, talking
about the daily activities and sights. Another option is to bring
along an inexpensive tape recorder, and let each child record
their impressions of the different places you see or things you
do. Younger children can draw pictures, or use a disposable
camera.
10. Start collecting postcards. Postcards are inexpensive, and
your kids will enjoy getting to send them to their friends or
other family members. Postcards are also a great addition to your
family photo album after the trip. You can cut them up, or even
write about specific experiences on the backs of them, to help
everyone remember what you did and where you went.
11. Create a scrap book at the end of each trip, using the
postcards and pictures the kids took. Letting them help to
decorate and put the journal together is a fun after-the-trip
activity.
12. Above all, give yourself a break. There is no such thing as a
"perfect" family vacation. Inevitably there will be things
forgotten, things broken or other "unexpected" problems.
By planning ahead, and making every effort to get your kids
involved in the trip, and giving the things to do to keep them
occupied and interested, there will be less stress and everyone
will have a better time. Have a great trip!
Lake Norman is located off I77 exit 25 in
Huntersville, exit 28 in Cornelius, exit 30 in Davidson, exit 33
and exit 36 in Mooresville and Exit 42 in Troutman. Or you
can reach Lake Norman on the Denver side by traveling Hwy 16.
Once the kids see the waterfront,
they will forget the details of the trip. |
