Six tips to keep your children busy when travelling

It’s that time of the year when many of us depart to our various holiday destinations.

For those with children, this normally means quite a process, involving sticky seats, constant questioning as to when you will be arriving at your destination and the inevitable sibling in-car fight.

So what can you do to make this process as painless as possible?

We’ve come up with a few tips to help you this festive period.

• Offer them electronics– Whether it be your smartphone, Tablet or even a camera. The children will find something on one of these devices to keep themselves busy. A few child-friendly apps on your device would help too.

• Ensure that the children are dressed for the weather– If it’s chilly in the morning, make sure they’re warm; if it’s baking hot, make sure they have rear ventilation. Should your car not have rear airconditioning, small fans that plug into your 12V socket in the car can be purchased. The children are more likely to be less agitated if they are sitting in a cool climate.

• Watch what they eat– The sugary sweet stuff might be what they want and some time demand, but it could also cause irritability and restlessness so try to keep in-car snacks healthy and filling.  A child with a full stomach is more likely to take a nap as the body wants time to digest the food.

• Hydration– It is essential that everyone in the car is hydrated as even slight dehydration can lead to a headache, which leads to restless, irritable children.

• Play games– Games like, who can spot the most of a certain colour car or, “I Spy.” We don’t suggest punch buggy as this normally lead to tears.

• Audio books and videos– There are a number of audio books available for children. These can be downloaded from apps on your smartphone, while movies and videos can also be loaded onto these devices to keep the little ones busy.

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