We recently came back from Sydney and Canberra for a family holiday. Drove up from Melbourne all the way to Sydney and on the way back we stopped over in Canberra for a night. Travelling with children, in a car can either be a horrifying experience or a good one, it all depends on the “equipment” you bring along on these long trips. For us, we know what keeps them at bay – FOOD! Yes, food! So we stocked up on snacks for them while driving up and down. They also each brought along the toys, games and writing materials they could easily use. Their favourite music CD was also a bonus. Now, this can be pretty annoying if listened to repeatedly, so make sure you strike a deal with them to have YOUR turn in the choice of music too! Lastly, a DVD player or even your lap top with their favourite DVD. This is excellent when they do become bored towards the middle part of the trip.
So, what are your tips on surviving the school holidays? Share with us, be it on travelling, while home or even outdoors and go into the chance to win a gift voucher worth $70 for your child! Either share with us under the comments section below or email us at contact@justuskids.com.au with the subject heading “Competition”.
My tip is to keep some games and toys that are otherwise not used through the year specifically for them times in holidays when kids are bored.
I also had a bag full of games just for the car. Plus a complusory ‘sleep’ time after lunch to give everyone a break.
Keep the sugar foods and sugar drinks to a minimium – just water for drinking to keep the energy levels real and not hyper. If you’re travelling in a van, give each child their individual bag of snacks, rather than turning back and forth all the time.
Short breaks at a park, where children can run and climb are much better than an McDonalds.