by Jeana McKinley

Created on: November 08, 2008   Last Updated: November 21, 2008

There is nothing better than hitting the open interstate for family road trips. Sometimes, this can prove to be a daunting task with children in tow. There are many games and activities you can use to fascinate children in the back seat for some peaceful driving time.
Fun Filled Games
One of the favorite picks of children are games. Games are one of the best things to occupy children because there is such a variety of them to play. There are portable, paper, hand held games and the all so classic "I Spy". There is a large number of companies that make miniature board games. So now, all the great board games they play at home can occupy them in the car on the road. Another option is good ole paper games. Remember, the games that were popular even long ago like Tic-Tac-Toe, crosswords and Hangman. There is also hand held games to consider. Hand held games are usually the miniature versions of game consoles that you can buy with many different compatible cartridges that have games on them. This is especially great when traveling with only one child. So you have a good number of games that your child can play that don't require two players. One of the biggest hits of "on the road games" is the all time classic "I Spy" games. Having children try to guess what object each other is thinking about is enjoyable for everyone. There are also variations of this game like the "I Spy" license plate game. In this game you name the states of license plates you see and try to find all the US states to win. This is great when passing through military towns and interstate traveling. All of these games will give hours of fun while helping occupy children.

Entertaining Quiet times
Sometimes there are moments when you want a little more silence in the atmosphere while traveling. For those who are blessed with a DVD player in the vehicle, use it! Children love to watch movies and cartoon shows. So pop in that new animated movie or their favorite kids cartoon show. This will keep any number of children occupied for long periods of time. Also if you can, plug in the head phones. Doing so will keep children happy and everything else quiet for stress free driving. Portable DVD players and laptops can get the job done too. Movies often make it feel like a shorter trip for children so there is a lack of the popular "Are we there yet" scenario happening. Lastly, there are books and magazines to utilize in the back seat. Carry along books for children that love to read. Also magazines are great for older children that aren't as big fans of reading. There is even a large number of story and puzzle magazines, like "Highlight's" available for smaller children.

Bringing along these items can keep children happy and quiet so you can enjoy distraction free driving. The best part of all of this is that most of these entertainment techniques are educational for children. The next time you buckle up for a long trip on the road, don't forget all of the fun items you need to entertain your little back seat passengers. Use these strategies to make your next trip enjoyable for everyone.

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