How To Have Fun With Your Preschooler On A Road Trip
Preschoolers are naturally active. They can hardly stay seated at the dining table long enough to finish their meal. With that in mind, taking them on a road trip seems like the last thing that you would want to do. However, it is not really that difficult. Here are some suggestions on how you can take your preschooler on a road trip and still maintain your sanity.
Young children need mental stimulation to stay interested in something. They can only look out the window for so long. If the scenery does not change much, like when you are driving past miles of green pasture, their interest can quickly fade. When they get bored, they start to get cranky and will complain. To prevent that, take along new activity kits, enough for every couple of hours while you are on the road. The novelty of a new activity can easily cure the boredom of your little one. Be sure to pack something that does not have a lot of loose pieces, because if he drops them all, he will expect you to pick them up.
Children get hungry, and sometimes you may not be near a town where you can stop to get a bite to eat. Therefore, you should pack a good variety of healthy snacks in zippered pouches that you can dole out to your child whenever he gets hungry. Include things like pre-cut fruit, cheese, crackers or even mini sandwiches. Having snacks handy can save you time from going off your route to look for a place to eat.
Children like music. They especially like music that is fun to listen to. Even though you may like easy-listening music while you are driving, your young child may find it boring. To make it more enjoyable for your child, take along a number of children's CDs for some lively, age-appropriate music to which he can sing along. There will come a time during the road trip when he falls asleep. At those times, you can go back to your favorite driving music.
If your spouse is driving, you can sit next to your child in the back for part of the journey and read to him. Bring along books that you have never read to him before. If you can find books about traveling adventures and stories about the places that you are going to, that would be even better because it would make this road trip more meaningful to him.
When you plan your route, make a note of towns that you can stop at for some interesting sight-seeing. It will break up the monotony of a long drive, and it will give you and your child a chance to stretch your legs and move around. Buy an inexpensive souvenir, like a postcard, from each town that you stopped at, and let your child save it. Make it a game for him to collect postcards during his trip. It will make his road trip more memorable.
Road trips with your very young children do not have to be a burden. If you apply some the the suggestions in this article, you will find that your road trips can be quite enjoyable.
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