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Traveling with kids is seldom a breeze, but it truly can be if you plan and make arrangements to keep the children occupied with travel-friendly activities and fun things to do.  Your kids won’t mind the trek and you’ll enjoy the journey so much more when the kids are keeping busy and staying well-behaved.  The following three ideas will make your travel plans go more smoothly when the kids are in tow.

Download Videos 

Going on a long flight or a cross-country car trip?  Videos can engage children in meaningful ways.  If you’ve got long trip ahead of you, a tablet and a few well-chosen videos will make for some smooth sailing.  Educational videos can occupy your kids’ attention by imparting important skills in a fun format.  You can download or convert videos when you visit this website which is probably one you’ll want to bookmark; it will come in handy for all your future trips!  When choosing a video, consider your children’s hobbies.  You may find some fascinating tutorials about building tree houses, collecting fossils, or learning to play guitar.

Toys 

When taking a long trip, a special toy to go with your child might be ideal for keeping them occupied.  The ideal travel toy is small, portable, and not likely to be discarded after ten minutes!  Sites like Amazon have collections of toys that are ideal for airplane trips.  Consider toy alternatives, too, like modeling clay or a portable art kit with plenty of paper, crayons, and markers for creating art on the go.  You know your child so be sure to choose a toy that will keep them entertained for a long time.

Games 

Handheld games can be a great way to keep little travelers busy with something fun to do.  While games they can play on a tablet are great, you might also want to find some learning games.  If you are traveling outside of the country, try to find a game about international landmarks or one that features a topic pertaining to your destination.  You can enrich your child’s game play by incorporating a learning element into the experience.  On the other hand, old-fashioned games can be fun too.  All you need is a small chalk board and a couple kids.  Kids can enjoy some friendly competition by trying to spot the most state license plates while you drive.

Traveling with children can be a great way to make a family memory.  While these three methods are most popularly used, you might also consider playing a book on cd that the whole family can enjoy together like one of the Harry Potter books by author J.K. Rowling.  Because reading in the car is not for everyone, listening to books can be a pleasant alternative!  The trick is to be prepared with plenty of things to hold your child’s attention that prevent them from acting up or becoming cranky as they are toted two and fro.  You’ll be glad that you thought to bring those helpful travel companions–and your kids will too!

Author: Dexter Bell is an experienced traveller. He often blogs about family and travel so that others can have pleasant journeys as well.