Long car trips can be one of the most stressful things you ever undertake as a family. The only way to get through them is to plan ahead, be prepared, and keep your sense of humor. The following activities may help.

It's great if kids will read but many get headaches or feel sick if they read in the car. Story tapes or CDs are a great alternative.

Drawing is a good activity but crayons and paper will get dropped on the floor or lost down the back of the car seat. Etch-a-sketch type toys are a fantastic alternative. Kids can draw, erase their drawing and start again, as many times as they want.

Board games that come in mini travel versions (often magnetic) can be useful but avoid anything with dice (you've got the on the floor/down the back of the seat problem again).

Card games are excellent. My kids love top trumps(available from www.toptrumps.com). It's one of the few games they play really well in the back of the car together. It comes in lots of different versions and some are even quite educational.

Sticker and activity books (especially with removable, reusable stickers) are always popular.

Observation games work for kids of all ages. How many dogs/cows/red trucks/wild moose (depending on where your road trip takes you)can you spot?

Games that involve the whole family help relieve driver/navigator boredom as well. Try alphabet games such as how many countries/animals/foods can you name beginning with successive letters of the alphabet. Memory games of the "I went to the shops and I bought...(each person recites the list and adds an item )" type work well too.

Singing helps pass the time. It can be anything form "Old McDonald" to your favorite pop songs.

I'm not usually a fan of electronic games but if it keeps the kids happy or stops an older one tormenting a younger one it could be worth considering them.

I've never resorted to a portable DVD player either, but friends who have tried it reported calm nerves and undamaged ear drums at the end of a ten hour drive with six year old twins so it could be worth it.

Other tips for long journeys include:

Keep snacks and drinks easily accessible, along with comfort toys, blankets and pacifiers if you're traveling with young children.

Take regular breaks. Keep a ball or Frisbee to hand to give kids (and adults) ten minutes of physical activity to break the journey.

Plan more carefully with kids on board. The stress of finding something to eat in a small town on a Sunday evening or an empty motel room at ten pm in a town that's hosting a huge conference are quadrupled with tired whiny kids in the back.

Remember as kids get older these journeys do get easier. It won't be long before you're driving half way across the country to cousin Mabel's wedding with teenagers who barely grunt at you, no matter how hard you try to engage them in conversation.

Learn more about this author, Karen Banes.
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