“Are we there yet?” “I have to go to the bathroom!” When will it be lunchtime?” “She’s touching me!” and many other comments like these are the bane of road trips for families everywhere. After all, there is something about being cooped up in a car that seems to bring out the worst. But what if rather than avoiding road trips, you found ways to make them more exciting and an enjoyable part of your vacation?

After all no matter how well behaved your kids might be, when they are “stuck” in a car for that commute along I-95, things can get dicey. To offset the questions and complaints, why not make a preemptive strike and have a plan in place to make the trip more pleasurable for all? Here are some ways to keep kids engaged and the trip more enjoyable:

• Bring some of their favorite CDs to sing along to, if you have karaoke versions these are great for not just singing the original words, but for encouraging the kids to make up their own lyrics or parodies.

• Check list- Have a list of items, locations, activities, etcetera that the kids can mark off once they see it. It could be a list of animals to see along the trip, types of cars, license plates from around the country, letters of the alphabet or anything else that will keep them watching the road and having fun.

• Memory games such as alphabet list where each person must add to the list using the next letter of the alphabet. Players take turns listing the previous words and then adding their own. For instance, A is apple, B is bell, C is car, D is dolphin, etc… To make it interesting pick a theme such as animals or a location and have each letter represent the category accordingly. For a beach trip you might use A for Atlantic Ocean, B for boogie board, C for coastline and so on.

• Snacks-pack some trail mix, crackers, fruit and drinks so that you can curb the kids “need “to stop at stores along the way. Not only will you save time, but money as well.

• Take advantage of rest areas and parks, especially if you have young children. Allowing the kids to get out and run off that excess energy by playing ball or Frisbee, not to mention get a potty break-will make the time on the road more bearable. Also, if you pack a picnic lunch you can dine al fresco and save money, too!

• For quieter activities, bring along a collection of reading material, word search or crossword puzzle books; if you have a portable DVD player have some of their favorites-as well as some they have not seen yet or in a long time. If you want to avoid the “television” bring along some audio books to listen to.

Road trips are a great way to re-connect with your family. By taking the time to plan ahead the time spent in your car traveling can be a great experience.

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