There’s this love-hate relationship that people have with road trips. On the one hand, they can be pretty fun. There’s something special about eating petrol station junk food and drive-thru orders while singing songs from your favourite playlist. But at the same time, there’s something atrocious about it, too, like getting stuck in traffic, the fear of potential car trouble, the potential of being behind schedule, and, of course, still getting lost even though we live in a time of GPS tracking. 

With that in mind, you’re then going to want to throw in the mix of having your kids in the back seat. Some kids truly enjoy the feeling of having the window rolled down as they get to the views passing by. But for the most part, kids would rather enjoy the outdoors, run, and play, not being cooped up inside. 

So, with that in mind, how can you get your kids excited about road trips? These are, after all, extended car rides that can last for hours upon hours, and it’s usually for several days at a time. While sure, kids often lack patience, you can still get them hyped up and get your little ones to embrace this adventure during the holiday. So here’s everything you need to know!

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Involve Them in the Planning Process

Depending on their age and their understanding, why not allow them to be involved in the process? While sure, they may not be able to choose things like the car that can be driven during the road trip, like a utility wagon, you can at least let them have a say in the location, the food stops, the quick little roadside stops along the way or even the accommodation. Just let them pick out something. Honestly, just allowing them to have a say in the itinerary can build anticipation and make the trip feel like an adventure they helped create.

Create a Road Trip Playlist Together

Chances are, you know for a fact that if the songs are nothing but geared towards one person, or literally no one at all, then there’s just going to be a bad time. You can’t just have songs that only you like, and you can’t just have songs that only your kids like. So there needs to be this balance that all parties can enjoy. So, be sure together to just compile a playlist of your family’s favorite songs, including everyone’s top picks. 

You’re going to want to encourage your kids to suggest their favourite tunes and make the journey more enjoyable by singing along together. You can also introduce them to classic road trip songs, turning the drive into a musical adventure (not all kids love this, but you can try).  But if they would rather have their earbuds in and just listen to their own music, then just allow that because the end goal is to make sure they’re enjoying themselves and not feeling miserable in the slightest. 

Incorporate Tech Wisely

Alright, so above, it was mentioned to allow them to listen to their own music with their earbuds if they wanted to. Well, even when it comes to this, there needs to be a balancing act. So it is essential to encourage non-screen activities, but at the same time, it’s okay to have some in moderation.  It’s really about setting screen limits. Maybe in the car ride itself, they can use their devices, but once out of the car, it’s off-limits; that could possibly work.