10 Tips when traveling by car with Children

With the rising costs of airfares and the increasing time4. Do consider a portable DVD player, this makes 5 or
it takes to get through security at the airports; more6 hour a day seem like 2 hours. It also cuts a lot of the
and more families are deciding to travel by car for theirunnecessary stops as the kids are involved in the
vacation. Most of us with young children are returningmovie playing.
to the days we grew up in where we traveled most5. To avoid the difficulty of hauling in a suitcase for
places by car with our parents.every person into a hotel for the 1 night stops. Pack a
We started asking other friends for how they make3 day bag into which each person contributes 3 days
the trip go easier and how they beat the "Are weworth of clothes. This way you take one suitcase of
there yets?", here's ten tips to help your car vacationclothes in every three days.
go a lot easier:6. Do pack a lightweight table cloth for outdoor lunch
1. Decide do your kids do better in the early morning orstops along the way.
evening hours for traveling? Which ever it is plan your7. Be sure to take the digital camera you'll create
travel to match, for this us our kids don't travel well inlifetime memories
the morning they do much better if we leave after8. Do get postcards from every major destination
2:00pm and travel into the evening.along the way
2. Stock your car with favorite pre-bagged snacks for9. All kids are different but in general don't drive as far
everyone, even parents, a cooler with lots of wateras the adults can go in one day, try to keep car travel
and favorite drinks, colored pencils, crayons, a fewto a 6 to 8 hour range of time.
coloring books, sticker books, travel games, and a10. Don't fill the inside of the car to the brim causing
travel journal for older kidsless space for the kids, instead consider a car topper
3. Take along Gameboys & games, personal CDfor safe keeping of your belongings.
cassette players (even for little kids), and you can getHave a great family vacation.
books on tape from the library.