What's a good way to keep kids occupied on long car or plane trips? All advice

1. 83

   Marcy Goodfleischposted 8 years ago

   What's a good way to keep kids occupied on long car or plane trips?  All advice appreciated!
   
   Calling all parents!  How do you keep your kids from getting bored, cranky or otherwise making the miles miserable when you travel?

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2. 73

   Kathleen Cochranposted 8 years ago

   Get them a new book, game or toy and don't give it to them until you leave on the trip. Also explain the rules of travel (age appropriate) right before you start so they know what is expected of them,  Then enforce them.  (No, you can't kick the seat in front of you or be loud.)

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3. 84

   gmwilliamsposted 8 years ago

   
   
   It all depends upon the child in question.   Only children for the most part are self-contained & no problem.  They can keep themselves entertained w/books or other cerebral hobbies.  Parents of only children have NO PROBLEM keeping their children occupied as their children know how to entertain themselves & DO SO WELL.
   
   It is parents w/multiple children who have problems keeping their children occupied on long car or plane trips.  Children w/siblings aren't masters of self-containment.  They don't know how to keep themselves occupied w/books nor cerebral activities.  They must always be out & about so to speak.  These are the children who get bored easily because they aren't comfortable being alone.  They must always have others at their side.   Parents w/multiple children-bring toys & games to keep your multiple children occupied.

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4. 83

   KsenijaZposted 8 years ago

   For long car trips I prepare good food and good music and for the little one (16 months) we have 2 sound books that she loves (they are constantly in the car). And I prepare myself The best is if we start the trip really early (4 am), so we put them in a car seat while they sleep Then we sing, talk, they sleep again, ... I never give them phones or tablets. We make stops so we can stretch our legs. For the plane trip (we went only once altogether) I bought a new sticker book (my older - 4 - loves stickers) and I gave it to her when we sat on the plane. At the airport, all was fine because there were a lot of interesting things. We had a bit of trouble with the little one so mostly she was either eating food we brought or nursing. Well yes, most of the time she was on me

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5. 61

   fpherj48posted 8 years ago

   Marcy.....Oh how I adore kids.  It's been many many years since my own darlings were little and traveled with Mom. Of course, since my "grandchildren"...all 13 of them, are flawless, perfect Angels who can do no wrong~~ever, I need to go way back & try to remember my solution to keeping my own boys occupied on long car trips.
   As I recall Marcy, I used a good strong duct tape and some clothes line.  Worked well.  Except a few times I forgot to bring the tape and clothes line along, so I used Plan B, which was driving them out to the beautiful countryside with miles and miles of grape vineyards, fresh air & the beauty of nature.....letting them out of the car and encouraging them to go on a healthy 50 mile trek of adventure & experimentation in the great outdoors. 
   After the first couple of times, it took them only 2 days to get back home.
   I was always creative like that.

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6. 71

   LoisRyan13903posted 8 years ago

   I remember playing the alphabet game, starting from A looking for the letters on signs.  A bit of a challenge is the word on the sigh had to start with the letter.

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7. 85

   bravewarriorposted 8 years ago

   When my brother and I were little, my parents would have us play "Doodle's Game". Doodle was a nickname for one of my uncles. The rules are easy. Whoever can stay quiet the longest gets a quarter upon arrival to the destination. In the 1960s, a quarter was quite a lot to a little kid. It would work for a while anyway. :-)

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8. 71

   skellieposted 8 years ago

   When I was a kid we use to pick the colour of a car we liked and as cars drove past us on the road, we counted them.
   My sister would pick orange and I would pick blue, whoever had the largest count by the time we got to our destination, received a few dollars from mum to go shopping with
   
   It worked like a treat - good luck

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