*Written in collaboration with MGIt's looking like lots of us are going to be enjoying some good old British staycations this summer, and for many people - that will mean some long car journeys ahead with little ones in tow.
We live in the South West but make regular trips up North to visit family which can often mean spending 6 or 7 hours in the car - this was much easier when we had babies who would sleep for the whole journey, but with 3 little ones under the age of 7 it is far trickier! But we've come up with some surefire tactics over the years to help these journeys run more smoothly.
With that in mind, I was asked by MG, makers of the family-friendly SUV vehicle, to share how I keep my kids happy and entertained in the car.
MG also asked me to interview my three little ones for their MG Mum versus Dad driving challenge video so be sure to take a look below to see what they had to say!
1) Let The Music Play!
Without doubt the most effective thing for keeping our kids entertained and happy on car journeys is music! We have a whole host of Disney CDs which we always pull out for long road trips and they work wonders - not only do the kids love to listen to their favourites, but they also love to play Name That Tune with them too - seeing who can name the song and the movie its from fastest, and keeping score of the points as they go.
It's something we do on every trip and it's a great way to pass the time! I've recently been reading about the family friendly and affordable MG SUVs which have Apple Play and and Android Audio ready to use if CDs aren't your thing, as well as bluetooth connection - SO handy!
2) Come Up With Some Car Friendly Games
It's always worth having a reserve of car-friendly games to play too - we like to rotate between old favourites such as I Spy and The Number Plate Game to ones we've made up ourselves, such as the kids favorite - The Humming Game! This one is very similar to Name That Tune except we all take it in turns to hum a song, while everyone tries to guess what it is - it may sound silly but it never fails to keep my kids busy and laughing in the car!
3) Don't Be Afraid To Use Devices!
I know that some people can be a little precious about the use of devices for children, but I am not one of those people - in my opinion, anything that keeps children quiet and keeps them from distracting the driver has to be a good thing and I am only too happy to allow them to use tablets or games devices if it means a calmer journey for everybody.
We invested in an in-car DVD player last summer which has been great, as it means they can watch a movie during our journeys - a fab way to keep them busy for a full 2 hours!
4) Car Friendly Colouring
We've used in-car lap trays for colouring on our long journeys for quite a while now, and they're a really good way for keeping little ones busy. This tends to be something that my youngest really enjoys doing, as he's not really interested in electronics just yet.
5) When All Else Fails - Snacks Can Save The Day!
I think it goes without saying that snacks are the ultimate must have on any car journey with kids! I always make sure we're well stocked with plenty of healthy options, as well as a few treats and lots of drinks too - we always stop at a supermarket on the way to avoid having to pay service station prices.
We also use seat organisers so that the children can access their own snacks, devices and books etc along the way.
I hope these suggestions are useful for any long car journeys you're taking this summer. I'd love you to share any tips you have for making family trips in the car run smoothly, be sure to share in the comments!
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