With the UK weather finally starting to warm up, anticipation for the summer holidays is already rising. Taking a break during the sunnier months of the year is always a great chance for the family to bond, embark on exciting adventures and create lasting memories together.
Whether you’re planning on sticking with summer holidays in the UK or heading a little further afield, you’re probably going to have at least a bit of a journey to get there. Long car drives in particular are notorious for fraying tempers and boring the younger members of the family. That’s why we’ve put together four ideas for how to keep everyone in the car engaged and entertained on the journey:
- Bring travel-friendly games
One of the best ways to make a longer journey not feel like a long and boring exercise is to introduce some games. They’re a great way to kill time and make the miles feel like they’re passing by faster. These days you’ll find a fairly wide selection of travel-sized board games to choose from, as well as card games and magnetic puzzles that can be done on the go.
Or, you can always try classic car-ride activity ‘I Spy’ and encourage each member of the family to take turns picking and guessing. It’s a classic for a reason, but it may not be quite enough to get you through an entire journey by itself.
As long as you have a couple of options to choose from, you should be able to keep the kids entertained for a good while.
- Put on an audiobook or podcast
When it comes to an extended drive, listening to the radio can get quite old, especially when you find yourself having to change stations. As good as music is, it can be easy to start tuning it out after a while or getting tired of what you’re listening to. That’s where a good audiobook or podcast comes in.
Having a story or narrative to listen along to can keep you all engaged and reduce the likelihood of journey boredom setting in. Try and pick something that appeals to everyone in the family, whether that’s something fantastical, adventure-based, educational or comedic.
You might even have some interesting discussions along the way as a result of your listening!
- Download some interactive resources
Holidays are a good time to cut down on screentime, but on the journey to the holiday, it could be a useful tool to pass the time. Before you leave, download some family-friendly apps, games or educational content that your passengers can enjoy offline while you travel.
Just make sure that everyone has some headphones so that the car doesn’t end up full of clashing sounds or music! And bear in mind whether the kids will have to share a screen, as that might need a bit more careful planning to avoid any potential fallouts.
- Plan in pit stops
Anyone who’s driven a long distance knows that you need to have some pit stops along the way. As far as official advice goes, drivers should take a break for at least fifteen minutes after every two hours of driving.
As much as we all want to get to our destination sooner, try planning in some more substantial pit stops to properly break up the drive. Look out for interesting spots along your route – whether it’s landmarks, attractions, eateries or scenic places – and add them to your journey itinerary.
Taking proper breaks gives everyone a chance to stretch their legs, pick up something to eat and explore somewhere new. Even though it might mean arriving at your destination a little later, you’ll find that the journey itself feels less like a chore when you turn it into a mini road trip of its own.
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Making the long drive before arriving at your holiday destination less of a pain isn’t as hard as you might think. With the help of these ideas, you could find that your next pre-holiday journey goes a lot smoother and makes the whole experience at least a little less stressful!
