It’s something that every parent knows but still never wants to face: kids and car journeys don’t always make the best combination. However, with some forward planning you can lessen the pain of travelling with small people – and even make it fun.
Dr Amanda Gummer, a child psychologist and author of Play: Fun Ways to Help Your Child Develop in the First Five Years, has some suggestions.
“Kids love animals, so spotting them through the window is a good way to while away the time, and it’s good for developing observational skills. You may see many farm animals grazing or wildlife – cows, sheep, goats, chickens, rabbits or, maybe deer if you’re in a rural area.
“Another way to keep little ones entertained is a quiz. Create your own questions and adapt to the age of the children playing, but ensure your children will be able to answer them. This will boost their confidence and help develop their language and communication skills.”
You could also consider the nifty VTech InnoTab 3S (RRP £44.99). This battery-powered tablet is designed especially for children and is packed full of games and apps. There are also games you can play inspired by the other vehicles on the road – number plate names is a fun one. Gummer explains: “Players compete to be the first to spell out their name by using the letters from car registration plates. Take a look at the letters in the plates and if a letter matches one in your name write it down, and continue until you have spelt out your name.”
Memory games are also good fun. Dr Gummer recommends the supermarket game. “It’s a classic, but a really good one. You start by saying: ‘When I went to the supermarket I bought ...’. This is when the first person would choose something you buy from the supermarket beginning with ‘A’ i.e. apples. The second person then says: ‘When I went to the supermarket I bought some apples and some …’, the second person would then choose something beginning with ‘b’ (i.e. bacon), the third person would then say: ‘When I went to the supermarket I bought some apples, some bacon and some …’ and would choose an item beginning with ‘c’. The game continues until someone can’t remember all the items bought or cannot think of the next letter.”
Another one for keeping kids stimulated is the Road Signs Game. “This is great for younger children to recognise colours by playing and spotting all the different coloured road signs. There are a few variations for playing. You can pick one coloured road sign and see who can spot three or five first. Or write a list of road signs for the children to look out for, like motorway, or red triangle warning signs.
“Lorry spotting is a good one too. The winner is the first to reach the target – say 10 lorries. Bonus points can be awarded if you can see the name of the cab. Or choose a brand of supermarket to spot, and compete to see who can get the most.”
If you do one thing...
It’s a good idea to pack some toys as well. Dr Gummer recommends the Tech-Too Smooth Touch Smartphone. This interactive device is manageable for little hands and offers a “discovery” mode as well as four fun games to help preschoolers learn colours, numbers, animal names and sounds. When the child leaves the phone idle for a few seconds, it will automatically call them back! The incoming call icon flashes, just like a real phone. Requires 2 x AAA batteries.
