Travelling in a Car with Kids

Travelling with kids to any destination by any mode of
transportation is not an easy feat, but with preparation, a
sense of humour, and plenty of bribe material, it can be done. A
driving holiday is as ideal a choice as any when you have
children to entertain. They have easy access to all their stuff,
you can have as many loos stops as you please, and you can
choose when and where to travel.

Every parent is looking for optimum flexibility, which is
guaranteed with a hire car. You can travel in safety and in
style, with pick up and drop off points in central and
convenient locations. The goal is to spend time together, travel
to amazing places and have fun at the same time, which is
possible even with a lot of kids.

There are a number of points that will help you maximize your
family driving holiday:

1) Firstly, keep it simple. Factor in enough time each day to
ensure that children have ample rest and relaxation. If your
itinerary is so jam packed with trips here there and everywhere
you won't enjoy yourselves. There will be plenty of great photos
but you will all be exhausted and cranky. It's better not to
visit as many attractions and save some time for relaxation and
chilling out with the kids. Children do not have as much
patience as most adults, and trudging from one place to another
every hour of the day can stretch the family to breaking point.

2) Pack well. If you are prepared, you will enjoy yourself more
on your holiday. Plan, write lists, stock up and always pack an
extra amount of clothes and food supplies in case of
emergencies. Its great to travel light, but another bag does not
take up a lot of room, and that spare tracksuit or muesli bar
may come in handy.

All children get the munchies, so a few extra treats for those
long drives will instantly help the trip become more enjoyable.
Don't pack them in the middle of your largest suitcase furthest
away from you, rather have them easily accessible at the front.
Your handy bag should always include sunscreen, hats, insect
repellent, small first aid kit, bottle of water and a washcloth.
And of course the treats.

Don't forget the favourite travel games, perfect for children
who are bored and have had enough of endless scenery. The old
fashioned notepaper and pencils will always come in handy, and
for teenagers you may have to give in and allow some extra
technology. Another great idea is for the older kids to have
their own camera and travel diary to record their own holiday
moments.

Your children may never fight for their space in the back seat,
but for most of us who endure this generational curse, some
simple masking tape will ensure that boundaries have been set in
place. Simply stick in a straight line to mark out each child's
'territory' and they should keep their fingers and toes to
themselves.

3) Remember who's in charge. This point seems obvious enough,
but it's amazing how the rules can bend when one small child is
screaming loudly in the back seat sending another into a small
frenzy resulting in instant travelling chaos. The solution would
seem to be to pull over (again) and sort the kids out, but if
you are only half and hour from your destination, you have tried
everything and their needs have been met, sometimes it is better
to just keep pressing on and put up with the high noise levels.
The good news is that it will soon be over.

You will also be requested time and again (from the back seat)
to stop at a lookout or pull over at another service station.
It's ok to stop for a stretch and a run, but if you stop every
time they get bored you will never get to where you are going.
They will have a great holiday, but you will be frustrated and
behind schedule. The simplest rule is, stick to your schedule
with adequate stops, and remember that you don't have to see
everything that everyone in the family wants to see. Your kids
will soon realise that it's as much your holiday as it is
there's, and will sit back to enjoy the rest of the trip.

The aim of a family holiday is to create lasting memories and
relax at the same time. To do this well you need to plan a
simple itinerary that includes all the main attractions and
places you want to see, pack carefully and stay in control. You
will find with some strategic planning that your holiday will be
all you could imagine. You will have time to enjoy adventures
together in plenty of fantastic places, and have such a great
time you will be soon be planning to do it all again next year.



About the author:
Jenny Brewer is a travel agent whose passion is writing. After
spending her leisure time writing time writing childrens
stories, she now enjoys writing about travel destinations. For
more of her articles visit Car Hire
Australia