The summer brings travel for many families. I have three children ranging in age from 15 months to nine years. We live 15 miles from the nearest grocery store, 25 miles from church, and 15 miles from the nearest town of any size. For us, any trip begins with the hope that we will have minimal arguing, screaming, or asking "how much longer." And yet, last summer, my crew and I traveled to Washington, D.C. for a week and had a wonderful time. Even the twelve hours we drove in one day to get there was a pleasure because we planned for it. In this column I have provided some suggestions for you if you travel with young children.
First, videotapes are fun and are also great time fillers. We bought a TV/VCR for the van a year or two ago and have never regretted it. Our kids can watch videos while we travel and they love it. You can find 9" TV/VCR combinations for around $300 at discount electronics stores. Most of our relatives live in other states so we take the TV on all our long trips.
If you don't want to spend much money, audiotapes are also fun. Walmart, Target, and other discount stores have lots of tapes for children from which to choose. I get tired of some of the tapes we have, but my children enjoy them and it helps them pass the time on both long and short trips. You can also find books on tape for purchase or check them out at the local libraries
Second, plan for reasonable travel days. Dads are genetically programmed to get in the car and never stop until we "get there." The distance between home and our destination is an inconvenience to be overcome. Try planning your vacation travel so you stop more frequently. For example, we have relatives in Indiana. Chattanooga has a wonderful aquarium. Nashville has a number of fun places for families. Spending a night in one of these cities breaks up our long drive and gives our children something to look forward to. Teach your children to enjoy the journey as much as the destination.
Third, take low calorie snacks. Sugar snacks may be fun, but sugar is the fuel that runs our bodies. When a child eats a candy bar, the sugar is very quickly metabolized into the system making him fidgety and anxious. I know this sounds crazy, but take carrot sticks, apples, oranges, or bananas. Even if they complain, they will eat it simply for something to do.
Fourth, learn some road games. You can find books of games to play in the car at the bookstore or the library. I even saw some travel game books in the grocery store the other day. Many games don't require reading, paper, or any boards or pieces. Some games require the players to be observant of their surroundings while others may help practice reading. My favorite car games require one to use her imagination or tell stories.
Fifth, if your children are seven or older (children younger than six or seven will have trouble understanding the concept of a map), teach them to read a map. You can find maps for children in the library or at the bookstore. Let them keep track of where you are in the trip on their own maps. They will learn a necessary skill and they won't have to ask you how much longer the trip will take.
Sixth, plan quiet time. Set aside thirty minutes or an hour of the trip as quiet time. After a meal and a bathroom break is a good time. Let your children read quietly, sleep, or do some other quiet activity. No radios or videos allowed. This will give the driver, the passenger, and the children a nice break.
Your children will be most aggravating when they are bored. Anticipate their boredom and plan for it before you leave the house. This will save you many minutes of frustration in your vehicle.
