Want to start the family holiday on a good note with the kids? Make sure there is plenty of entertainment in the car on the way to Gardermoen with these five tips!
Children are not always the easiest audience to entertain — but they often play a decisive role in how the holiday gets started, especially when the start involves a car journey. Kids can go in the blink of an eye from looking adorable and sitting quietly and patiently in the back seat, to making the wildest demands for ice cream, chocolate and countless toilet breaks — not to mention the eternal and all-consuming question of whether we are “there yet.”
Familiar with the mysterious massaging effect car seats seem to have on your back? Perhaps those restless little legs creating that sensation can be calmed down if the entertainment in the car is top-notch? Here are five tips for a more entertaining car journey for the kids on the way to the airport — so the holiday can begin with smiles all round and a healthy dose of inner calm.
Tablets and phones do not always work
Many people turn to films and games on tablets and phones. Some even go as far as installing screens on the back of the front seats, and for many this works brilliantly — but there are also those who find that this tactic can backfire. When the little one starts turning green in the face and mumbling “mum, I feel a bit sick” — then it is time to put the screens away for a while. And what on earth do you do then?
Fortunately, if the screens have to take a back seat, there is a wealth of good old-fashioned car entertainment for the little ones! Often the adults can join in the games and get the atmosphere going, but there are also solutions that can allow parents and grandparents to drive in peace while the children sit quietly and absorbed in the back.
1. Put on an audiobook or favourite music
Stories! Few things get the imagination going like a well-told tale. There are many audiobooks on the market — and it is easy to find something suited to different interests and age groups. As mentioned, screens can be like a match to dry tinder for children who get car sick, but an audiobook gives the kids the chance to watch the road while their little minds run wild.
If audiobooks are not their thing, you can create the perfect playlist together with the children. When favourite songs come one after another, there is rarely time to nag about how far there is left to go. Music also tends to make time pass much faster — not just for children but for adults too. Sing along and have fun! Before you know it, you will be watching planes landing on runways all around you.
2. Car bingo with prizes
In the old days, you could keep children entertained by “counting red cars” or teaching them number plates. In today’s fast-paced digital society, children need a lot more stimulation to stay engaged. A slightly more elaborate car bingo can be easier to get them interested in — especially if a reward or two is on offer. Download examples online and print out sheets. Give the children a washable marker or a pencil and let the bingo begin. The idea is to tick off various objects that can be spotted along Norwegian roads.
Prizes can come in the form of something nice to eat or drink — or perhaps the chance to choose the next song in the car?
3. The guessing game
Children love a challenge, and if there are several in the back seat and the challenge can become competitive — the car journey can be a winner! Set clear rules to avoid arguments, and let the children guess what they think will appear along the road. What colour will the next car to drive past be? Will you go through a tunnel or under a bridge? Will the next petrol station appear on the left or the right?
Decide whether you want to give the kids points for every correct answer — and perhaps a prize for the winner — or whether you would rather give a small prize for each correct answer. Prizes that come thick and fast could be grapes, marbles or something else small that does not encourage car sickness (it is probably wise to exclude chocolate from this particular competition).
4. Rest stops and breaks
Driving gets boring quickly for children both big and small. The distance does not need to be very long before someone loses interest, becomes restless or grumpy. By starting the car journey with promises of fun breaks along the way, you will have given the children something to look forward to. Just think — soon you might stop by a lake, where they can splash their hands and paddle a little! Or perhaps the petrol station is the halfway goal, where the kids can have an ice cream or a hot dog and stretch their legs.
Feel free to surprise the children. Start the trip with a secret stopping point, for example. Let them know that if they behave nicely, you will stop the car in X number of minutes and all go out together to do something fun. The journey can become much more exciting for children if something surprising awaits them on the way.
5. Have proper conversations with the kids
Children often really want to be the centre of attention — especially around parents or grandparents. Use the car journey for proper conversations with the little ones. Let the chat flow freely about this and that. Ask good questions and you might get some surprising answers. What do the children want to be when they grow up? What do they dream about when they sleep? What are they most looking forward to on the holiday? Which superhero do they like best? If they had superpowers, which ones would they choose?
Sit down with your partner and put together a list of good questions — and suddenly you may discover a whole new side of your son or daughter on the way to Gardermoen. Just think — a simple car journey can turn out to be a safe space for precious memories and experiences with the children.
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