Keep your little ones occupied for hours on end in the car with these amazing road trip activities for kids!
Long drives with kids can often mean tears, screaming, shouting and a lack of sleep – and that’s not even talking about the kids! From “are we there yet?” to “I need the loo,” and of course the “I spy with my little eye,” it’s no wonder you feel like you need a holiday before yours has even begun!
But fear not – we are here to ensure your kids are thoroughly entertained so that you can make it through your holiday road trip with your sanity intact.
Read also: Road trip prep: How to deal with a flat tyre this festive season
Fun Road Trip Activities for Kids
1. A backseat at the movies
One of the best tricks yet is to turn your back seat into a movie house by letting each kid take turns to watch a movie. Pack some popcorn and juice and hand them an iPad or laptop – if you’re worried about the battery lasting, newer cars generally have charging ports in the middle console for USB cables, or you can rely on a power bank until that dies too.
2. Storytime
Audiobooks are a great way to keep your child focused and might even help them sleep in the car. Your local bookstore might even have a range of CDs that come with a book for pictures. There are all sorts of books, from short stories to longer ones. This is also great for you to listen to while you drive or just download some and put them on your phone for your kid to listen to with headphones.
3. A treasure chest of wonders
Give your child a treasure chest filled with crayons, books, little toys and even some snacks and treats. This can keep them busy whilst they find out what’s inside and play with new treats! This doesn’t have to be expensive. A great trick is to shop around at your closest Crazy Store and see what you can find in there! You will be surprised how cheap some toys are!
4. There’s an app for that!
There are a number of awesome and cool apps that your kids will love! Download some of these for your child to enjoy while you’re on the road. From educational games to even Disney apps – in fact, the Disney Now app comes most recommended by moms, which has a range of games for all ages and includes puzzles and trivia.
Top tip: Have a look at this list of 10 educational games for kids.
5. Road trip bingo!
On very long car trips, music, apps, and movies don’t always last. So, to mix it up, try the classic game of road trip bingo. You can turn common sights such as potholes (we do live in Sout Africa after all), aeroplanes, road signs, yellow cars, or traffic police into points. The person who gets the most points wins! There are some free templates you can download online to play this game!
6. Photo diaries
Instead of using a phone or tablet, why not get your kids to focus on what is happening outside. Encourage your child to make a photo diary – taking pictures of your trip and documenting moments. You can draw up a list of things they need to photograph such as dad eating ice cream or someone herding animals or clouds shaped like animals.
You can take this one step further and have these printed and stuck into a crafts book and let your child tell the story of their road trip. This also makes for a great gift for grandparents. You can finish it off with stickers and decorations when you get to your destination.
Discover: Deck the halls with beams and cameras: home security over the festive season
7. Healthy snacks
One of the biggest mistakes parents make is giving their child sweets and other unhealthy snacks from fuel stations along the way. This just results in your sugar-crazed child having more energy in the car! Make sure you pack some healthy sandwiches, fruits, and snacks for the car.
Car insurance for peace of mind
Now that you have your kids sorted for the road, make sure your car is too. The thing is, you never know what might happen on a road trip and you shouldn’t have to deal with unnecessary expenses in damage from an accident or even theft.
Make sure you have car insurance that lets you choose how much cover you want at the price you can afford, and who gets you and your life (like Oneplan Car Insurance).
Don’t believe us? Check it out for yourself by getting a quick & easy quote online. Hint – you don’t have to go for vehicle inspections if you go with us.
Your Insurance Family,
Oneplan
