How to Entertain Children During a Long Drive

When traveling in the car with children, you should be prepared for those long stretches when they can become restless. Follow these steps to keep them entertained.

Instructions

1. Play music that the child likes to hear and can sing to. Songs and tunes that they are familiar with can take their mind off what is bothering them. Start playing the music before they become inconsolable.

2. Bring colorful toys that make noise. These are always children's favorites. New toys can keep a child's interest for an extended time and old favorites can console a child so they can relax and possibly nap.

3. Sing some songs that the children can sing along with. Assign parts and sing them as a chorus. This leads to a lot of fun and some crazy tunes, not to mention a lot of laughter. Encourage them to make up songs and share them. This can entertain them for hours while they are trying to rhyme words in a tune.

4. Play games in the car. Finding the letters of the alphabet in license plates is an old favorite. Whole ountries have been crossed trying to get through to the letter Z. I Spy is another old favorite that can take a child's mind off the time that they are sitting under their seat belts.

5. Read aloud or listen to a childrens' book on tape. This is a great way to get kids to follow along while you or the tape is reading. Pick an adventure or a fairy story that has some excitement in it. You might be surprised how quiet the car gets while everyone is listening to the tape.

6. Turn that TV set on and push play on the DVD player. Sometimes kids just want to zone. All the letters have been found and no one wants to spy anything anymore. Don't feel like you have failed entertaining your child, feel relived that the TV is there to pinch hit for you.