Friday, June 22, 2012

Tips For Families With Children Traveling By Car

By Victor Hood


A trip abroad is always a brilliant idea for a family getaway, but if you have the children in tow and are required to rent a car from the airport en route to your holiday destination, it is your responsibility to make sure they have a smashing time and not try to smash the windows to escape a dodgy ride. You and your better half will ostensibly enjoy yourself more if your children are also having a great time on their end.

PLAN YOUR TRIP You would want to offer your children a light snack or a drink of juice or pop before they get in the car, if they are prone to car sickness. Take advantage of the time you have to wait for your luggage or at the car hire counter in the airport to avoid unnecessary delays.

When it comes to finding out the best way to get to your destination from the airport, your best options would either to find the route from the Internet or purchase a roadmap if you don't already have one. Work out how often you would need a break and plan plenty of stops when driving for a long time. Give yourself a long and hearty break of 20 minutes per two hours, because if you try to drive non-stop, you are risking accidents or car trouble. Check the corresponding motorway exits for convenient stops where your children can get out of the car and run around a while.

These stops may or may not include playgrounds optimised for your children's safety. Take some time to relax and stretch your legs yourself. Your journey will take a bit longer but it will be a relaxed start of your holiday.

AMUSEMENT You want your kids to stay entertained, so their favourite toys would be nice to carry along in your hand luggage. Let your little boy pretend he's a pint-sized Wayne Rooney or your little girl pretend she's Kate Middleton's stylist - that favourite football or princess doll of your child's could really come in handy!

Music is also a great way to keep your children occupied in the car. Rental cars normally come equipped with a radio, but it is not guaranteed by all car hire services that the vehicles have a CD player, or even a cassette player. Do not leave this to chance - you want to come prepared with all your children's favourite sounds for their enjoyment purposes.

If you are looking for an alternative way to keep the kids busy, you can try colouring books or any other colourful form of juvenile reading material. If reading for the children will not make you carsick, then it's a good idea to take time out to read them a story which could possibly help make the long journey seem much shorter.

Those with some extra quid can definitely opt for a portable DVD player. Having a portable DVD player is money well spent, as it keeps children sufficiently occupied not only in the rental car, but also at the airport. You will also want to have these handy for the holidays, either during the sweltering afternoon heat or in the event of a torrential downpour.




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