You can make a few preparations to ensure that the trip will be without too much distraction. Here are a few ideas to keep you on the road to safety as you take the long drive to relaxation.

Adjust your Leaving Time

Rather than leaving during the day, think about adjusting your sleeping pattern so that you, the driver or passenger, are awake for an overnight drive.

Driving overnight, or at least in the early hours of the morning, means that your family is more likely to spend a more significant portion of your journey asleep.

Teach your Kids to Read a Map

Avoid those pesky “are we there yet?’ questions by handing over the road map to the kids. Encourage them to look and figure out themselves just how much further you have to go.

Talk them through looking at the key and judging the distance using finger widths as measuring tools and translating them into time.

Take Frequent Stops

It may seem counter-productive to take frequent breaks from the actual driving portion, but letting your high-energy-balls-of-fury get out and run around should keep them calm when you get back to your journey.

Plan out some sites to see, or even just hit some parks along the way and let the kids run around. Twenty to thirty minutes of playtime can turn into a few hours of peace for your concentration on the road.

Break Out Snacks

The type of food you eat along your journey will make a difference in everyone’s mood and behavior while in the car. Think about packing some healthy, yet neat, snacks that everybody can snack on in the car.

Avoid stopping in the drive-thru or the road-side diner as these foods will tend to be high in fat and salt that bring the mood down as you sit in the car. Bring some nuts, dried fruit, even some homemade sandwiches are great alternatives.

There are many great ways to ensure you can keep your concentration on the road and avoid having the craziest backseat on this side of the Mississippi. Take these tips, utilize them, and use them to fit your family and their interests. Ensure that the journey is just as memorable as the destination itself, and it will be a vacation your family will remember forever.

The post Summer Vacation Travel: How to stay safe on the road and keep the kids occupied appeared first on Quick Med Care.

There’s only so much TV and gaming you can do, but thankfully, there are many activities out there to keep little (and not-so-little) minds happy and occupied. Keep in mind that all these activities require little to no prep and use props that most of us have around the house.

Forts

If you have a couch, some cushions, and some blankets, well, you have a fort. Your new homestead can be anything: a campsite, a medieval fortress, or a secret society. If you opt for a secret society, come up with signature handshakes or your language. More props to you if you can include the family dog in this adventure.

Snacks & Shapes

There’s a good chance that one of your staples (along with water and toilet paper) is white bread or any bread. And if you have cookie cutters, you can cut out shapes into snazzy designs, and even put together some scrumptious P&J sandwiches. Just remind the little ones to wash their hands before they get started.

Shaving Cream Art

This activity is great if you have little ones who are under the age of five. Please encourage them to make their favorite animal, person, or thing. Also, shaving cream is excellent for finger painting and letter recognition. Begin to spell out simple words, and the first person to guess the word gets the point. The winner receives a trophy made from construction paper or grandpa’s bowling trophy from the ’70s.

Old Halloween Costumes

Have your kids model their Halloween costumes from years gone by. Think of it as “spooky dress up.” Have them model their “new looks” and take pics of them to have a relic of the time you spent together as a family. If you have leftover candy (or anything for that matter), practice your trick-or-treating for next year by having your kids knock at many doors around the house.

Freeze Dance

Pump up the bass and get your kids dancing. Feel free to join in or lounge on the sidelines on the couch. Play the music for a few seconds and then pause it, which indicates that everyone should stop moving. Dance, pause, repeat until the kids are good and tired, and are ready to return to their forts for a nap.

There are so many activities that you can do to keep your family busy and make memories while in the process. What’s most important is that you’re safe and sound in your home’s comfort, spending time with those who mean the most to you.

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