Tips for Winter Driving

Driving in wintry conditions can be stressful and tricky. Drivers have to contend with black ice, for example, which is hard to spot and can cause skidding. The sun sitting low in the sky and its rays reflecting off the snow can also dazzle drivers and don’t forget car radiators can freeze during a cold snap.

Before driving in snow or icy conditions, consider if the journey is absolutely necessary, especially when children are involved. If you need to drive then take care and remember to slow down. Keep your insurance company’s breakdown assistance number handy in case you need to call.

#1. Plan Your Route

Plan your route carefully so you can avoid minor roads. You are better sticking to the main roads which are safer and more likely to be gritted.

#2. Avoid Bulky Winter Clothes

Although you want to wrap your little ones up to keep them warm, don’t strap your child into a car seat with a bulky coat as it can affect the ability of your car seat to do its job. A bulky coat can compress in a crash and create a loose car seat harness, putting your child at greater risk of injury in the unlikely event of a crash.

To keep your child warm, you can place a blanket (or even the coat) over the tightened car seat belt.

#5. Clear Snow Off The Roof of Your Car

Before hopping in your vehicle, clear the snow off your roof. If you don’t, the built-up snow could easily slide down while driving and block your view. Also, if you leave snow on your roof and it freezes overnight it’s more difficult to get off the next day.

#6. Use Dipped Headlights

When driving in snow or fog make sure to use your dipped headlights. It will ensure your visibility is not reduced and you are seen by other road users.

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#9. Turn Slowly

When turning corners approach the corner very slowly and turn the wheel as slowly and gently as possible. Rapid turning may cause the vehicle to skid.

#10. Brake Gradually

Allow considerable extra distance when stopping and slow down gradually. Do not brake suddenly as this will cause the vehicle to slide.

#11. More Distance

The “2 second rule” that you may remember from learning to drive is the distance you should ideally keep from the car in front of you under normal road conditions.

However in icy weather, this should be tripled, so 6 seconds.

#12. If You Skid, Don’t Brake

Tips for winter driving will always include this one, do not brake if you skid. If you do, this may prolong the skid. If you find your car skidding, take your foot off the accelerator and wait for the skid to stop.

If you begin to spin, steer the car in the direction the rear of your car is sliding. Don’t overcorrect, or you’ll need to turn in the opposite direction.

Stay safe when driving!

A big thanks to Carzone for providing these tips.

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Car journeys with kids can sometimes be a bit stressful, so it’s good to have something that you can produce half way through to distract and occupy them. We’ve created a free car journey puzzles sheet that’s perfect for solving this problem!

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Free Car Games for Kids Sheet

We have compiled this fun free sheet with puzzles and games on it that your child can play as you travel along.

They will need a pen or pencil to play. Simply print off our sheet and take it along with something to lean on.

Download your free Car Games for Kids free Car Games for Kids sheet to play word games, the box game, i spy and more!

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Have your say! Do you have any other favourite car games for kids that you like to play when travelling? Tell us in the comments below.

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Travelling with kids means being prepared, or else your journey will turn into, quite frankly, a hellish one. Here are some of my tips based on my experience, hope they help make your car travel with kids a smooth ride!

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Tips For Happy Car Travel With Kids

#1.  First things First – Be Prepared for the Worst

No matter what ages the kids, there is nothing worse than not having what you need if a child is sick or unwell when on the road.

Always pack a change of clothes, nappies, some antiseptic wipes, a couple of rubbish bags and a basic first aid kit with paracetamol, ibuprofen etc.

I also tend to put a washcloth stored in a re-sealable plastic bag for each person with a quartered lemon for extra zing and freshness.

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#2. For Babies and Younger Kids

Install a child view mirror so you can keep an eye on them. Don’t forget the sunshades on the rear and side windows so the sun won’t irritate them on the road.

#3. Comfort for Little Ones

With car seats make sure the appropriate head supports are in place for when they are napping.

I also discovered a trick of tying different baby toys to pieces of string onto the car seats so that toys could be easily retrieved when inevitably flung out several times during the journey!

#4. Comfort for Older Kids

Cushions, neck supports and seat belt adjusters make car journeys more comfortable and safer for children too big for car seats.

I encourage my kids to take their pillow and favourite blankie with them on long journeys as a familiar comfort.

#5. Be Organised

Hang one of those back seat seat organisers on the driver or passenger seat and fill with toys, games and drinks that the kids can easily access.

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#6. Entertainment

Audio books and music CDs will help to keep the kids happy and content. I find these particularly good if you have children of a similar age and can ensure you enjoy something as a family while you drive.

#7. Entertainment for Older Kids

Handheld consoles like the Nintendo DS, DVD players and tablet computers are an easy way of keeping children happy on car journeys, as they can watch their favourite shows or play games as you travel.

Just remember to pack several sets of headphones if you have more than one child, otherwise you could find the car gets quite noisy.

We have a splitter that we use for when 2 children want to share the same device, e.g. listen to the same music device, you can plug 2 headphones into it.

#8. Car Games

Play lots of fun car games. Examples of good easy games are:

• I-spy (with very flexible rules)
• Who can spot a red/blue/green car/combine harvester, tractor etc.
• Count the bridges
• Can you get any other passengers to wave back?

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#9. Take Regular Stops

Stop every two hours to take a break. Apart from avoiding driver fatigue, it’s inevitable that everyone gets restless after a while.

This allows everyone to stretch their legs and get some fresh air. It also breaks the journey.

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#10. Pack Some Healthy Snacks

There’s something about long car journeys that tends to make everyone feel slightly peckish, so pack some healthy snacks that you know your kids love.

If you’ll be travelling over a meal time, why not prepare a picnic and find a grassy spot to stop and enjoy a fun lunch before continuing your journey?

You have reached your destination! Do you have any other ideas on how to survive a long car journey? Why not share some of your tips now in the comments below.

The post Top 10 Tips for Happy Car Travel with Kids appeared first on MyKidsTime.

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A long car journey can mean a lot is needed to amuse the kids. If your child gets car-sick easily and can’t read, then some of these games might help pass some of the time.

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Fun Games for Car Journeys

#1. I Spy

I Spy is the classic car game. Take it in turns to guess what the other person spies.

For a variation for younger kids, instead of “I Spy something beginning with T” try the colour version “I spy something coloured red”.

“The only thing with I Spy is you have to be quick or you could be gone past it. My kids love it.”

#2. Blow at the Traffic Lights

Get them to blow at the red traffic lights to turn them green, great for driving around the city.

#3. Car Years

All in car choose a year and then start counting the cars that correspond with your year and see who wins.

“Great way to kill an hour or two.”

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#4. Car Colours

Everyone in the car chooses a colour and then start counting the cars that correspond with your colour and see who wins within a specified time limit, e.g. 15 minutes.

#5. Call out the Cars

Take turns in calling out the year or make of cars.

“My little 5 year old loves playing this.”

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#6. Car Snooker

You have to spot the cars in the same order as you pot the balls for snooker:

• Yellow
• Green
• Brown
• Blue
• Pink
• Black

“The pink can take a looooong time”

#7. Car Alphabet

Try to spot words on road signs in order of the alphabet as you travel. (You can skip tricky letters such as Q or X or Z)

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#8. Little Timmy

“We play a game called ‘Little Timmy thought it was a good idea when’……usually ends up in bouts of laughter……or if we are really stuck then we think up ‘Mad Titles for a book'”

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#9. The Minister’s Cat

An old Victorian game where you have to think of adjectives to describe the Minister’s Cat in alphabetical order, e.g. start with “The minister’s cat is an adorable cat”. The next person says e.g. “The minister’s cat is an adorable cat and a bouncy cat” and so on.

#10. I Went to the Shops

Memory game where each person adds to the shopping list. First person says e.g. “I went to the shops and bought a pint of milk”.  Second person says “I went to the shops and bought a pint of milk and some butter” and so on.

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#11. Watch the Moon

At night time watch the moon – show the kids how it changes from one side of car to other as you change roads or road direction.

“At nighttime our kids love watching the moon follow us home.” 

#12. Sing Songs

Try singing a few round songs like Frere Jacques or 3 Blind Mice.  10 Green Bottles Hanging on the Wall or 10 Fat Sausages Sizzling In the Pan is another family favourite.

Or there are the classics like “Somewhere over the Rainbow” or “My Favourite Things” from The Sound of Music.

“One starts a song and they all join in when you call their name, we have a special car song they all love.”

“We like to sing along to nursery rhymes and songs with the younger ones.”

#13. Fortunately/Unfortunately

Start a story and then everyone has a turn where they have to add to the story starting their sentence with “fortunately” or “unfortunately” depending on the turn. “The stories can get really good.”

#14. Scissors, Paper, Stone

This is a game for 2 people, on the count of 3 each person shows their hand in the shape of either scissors (snipping fingers), paper (flat hand) or stone (fist).

Scissors beats paper as they cut paper, paper beats stone as paper can wrap the stone up and stone beats scissors as the stone can blunt the scissors.

#15. Magnadoodle or Aquadoodle

Mini magnadoodles or aquadoodles are handy for the car, and good fun.

“Magnadoodles are the best to entertain even my 19 month old loves it”

#16. Invest in a Chalk Mat

Mum Sarah says, “I bought a chalk mat which rolls up with a little pocket with a piece of chalk & sponge inside.”

#17. Portable DVD Player or Tablet

A portable DVD player or tablet is great for passing time on long journeys. If you have more than 1 child, you can buy a small splitter which will allow them both to plug in headphones and watch the same movie together.

“We download a few of our child’s favourite movies before we leave the house so she can watch them while we travel.”

#18. Listen to a Story

Bring along some story CDs or download some audio books or podcasts for your phone to listen through the sound system.

“Read along books are great with the CDs, my Lil fella can’t read yet but he loves Disney stories and looking at the pictures. Nursery Rhyme CDs are good too.”

#19. Lucky Dip

Wrap small items e.g. pencils, notebooks, eraser, hair clip, stickers in tissue paper and every hour the kids get to unwrap a present.

#20. Guess Who

Take it in turns to think of a person and the others have to guess who it is asking only questions that can be answered Yes or No.

#21. Geography Game

First person starts with a geographic place name and the next person has to think of a place name that starts with the last letter of the previous place.

So e.g. BlackrocK – KilbeggaN – NicE – EdinburgH.  See how far round the world you can get!

#22. Twenty Questions

First person thinks of something that’s either Animal, Vegetable or Mineral and the others have 20 questions to guess what it is. Questions must only have a Yes or No answer.

#23. Alice the Camel

You recite a verse: “Alice the camel had ten humps, Alice the camel had ten humps, Alice the camel had ten humps, so ride Alice ride.” Repeat the verse until you reach the number zero.

“It is best fun when it is sung really fast!”

#24. Follow the Journey

Give your child the road atlas and have them trace your journey on the map as you go.

Or use your smartphone and Google Maps and have them follow the blue circle as you go.

#25. Name the Theme Tune

Take it in turns to hum a famous theme tune or sing it in a different style. The first person to guess the answer wins.

#26. Guess the Number

Take it in turns to think of a number between 1 and 1,000, keeping it to yourself. The others then take it in turns to guess at what the number is. Each time they are wrong you reply “higher” or “lower” until the correct number is guessed.

#27. Animal Spotting

Give the children a list of animals to watch out for, eg a cow, a horse, a sheep, a bird on a wire. The first person to see the entire set wins the game.

#28. Draw a Map of the Journey

Have each child draw their own version of the map of the journey as you go on a piece of paper, marking the key things you see on the way.

#29. Make up Limericks

Have a go at making up limericks, a limerick has five lines; the first, second, and fifth rhyme with each other, and the third and fourth rhyme with each other.

#30. Create a Group Story

First person starts the story e.g. “Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess” or something more unusual like “Cassie the Camel was miserable”. Each person in the car adds a line and the story builds and builds. Once you reach your destination the kids could write out and illustrate the story.

Have your say! Have you got a favourite activity or games for car journeys that the kids enjoy? Share it with us in the comments below.

The post 30 Fun Games for Car Journeys with Kids appeared first on MyKidsTime.

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#1. Planning is Key

Before you get asked the dreaded question, know what the answer will be!

• If you don’t have a sat nav, consider printing out your route in advance. Most route finders will give you an estimated journey time, so you are armed with that knowledge before setting off.
• Decide on the best time to leave, sometimes you can plan your trip around nap or bedtime. By changing the kids into pj’s before you head off, they can then be easily popped, sleeping, into their beds at your destination.
• Decide before you leave who is driving. If you are not the driver, don’t backseat drive. You know who you are!
• Do some research before you head off and know where would be the best places to take a break.

#2. Packing is a Close Second

What you pack for use inside the car can be as important as what you pack in the bags in the boot.

• For younger children have a selection of toys that can be clipped to their car seat so that you don’t spend the whole journey picking up toys that have dropped.
• Pack some suitable snacks and drinks for everyone.
• Ensure you have a packet of wet wipes in the car.
• Even if your children are toilet trained, a portable potty can be a very useful addition. And can come in useful if anyone suffers from travel sickness.
• Have a change of clothes handy, just in case.
• Ensure any special teddies or blankets are inside the car (and not packed in the boot) before you set off, particularly if you might want the kids to snooze en route.
• Make sure you have a first aid kit and a torch to hand.

#3. Audio CD’s or Podcasts

My children love to read, but not everyone can read in the car. When we go on longer journeys I have a stash of Audio CD’s that they love to listen to. My girls both love Horrid Henry and anything by David Walliams.

You will be surprised how well they work on children of all ages, and soon puts an end to bickering and boredom.

Pre-recorded podcasts can also work well. Radiolab is a radio show and podcast weaving stories and science into sound and music-rich documentaries. Other recommended podcasts for older kids include AstronomyCast or Stuff you should know.

Alternatively, subscribe to Audible.co.uk or Audible.com which allows you to download books for a monthly subscription. There’s a free trial available and you can cancel subscription at any time. The app is available on Android and iOS.

If you are feeling brave, get the children to create a playlist for the car journey, and let them do some sing-a-longs.

#4. Puzzle Books, Sheets & Colouring Pages

Print off a variety of games such as our Car Journey Puzzles Sheet or colouring pages and pop into a folder for the journey.

Sudoku, Crosswords or simple puzzle books can also be great for car journeys.

Sticker books are perfect to keep younger members of the family amused on long car journeys. Especially if they have re-usable stickers.

#5. Car Journey Games

There are classics like I-Spy, although you have to be patient with children when they have spotted something beginning with ‘C” 20 minutes ago and are shocked when nobody can guess what it is. When my girls were younger we used to play with colours so I spy with my little eye something green etc.

Other good car journey games include:

• Licence Plate – See how many cars you can spot from the same year or the same state, first to reach 10 is the winner.
• Car Colour Game – Good for children too young to play the licence plate game. Everyone picks a colour and they have to spot cars in this colour, first to reach 10 is the winner. My advice would be to go for more unusual colours or the game will be over very quickly!
• As a twist on this game why not spot cars makes so VW, BMW, Lexus, Ford etc.
• Can you get anyone to wave back car game.
• Count the number of……bridges, road signs,  etc. along the way.

#6. Tall Tales

• A good way to pass the time is to get everyone to tell a story, or try out a tongue twister or riddle.
• Or get one person to say the first line and everyone has to add a line and see where the story takes you!
• Or play Who am I? One person is on and they can be an animal, object, person, place etc and everyone gets to ask them questions to try and guess who or what they are. Or you can give them clues and they all get to guess each time you give them a clue.

#7. Car Journey Toys

Pack some suitable car toys to keep children amused on longer car trips.

• Mini or magnetic board games such as chess, Connect 4, Othello or Guess Who? work well.
• For younger children, toys that can be clipped to a car seat are good, thus avoiding you having to turn around and retrieve dropped toys regularly!
• Colouring games which work with water filled pens can be fun for the car, as once they dry, you can start all over again. So crank the heat up!
• Rubix Cube, or similar puzzles, are perfect for passing the time on a long car journey.
• Pack a tray for each person and then can play paper folding games or cards.
• Loom bands are great for cars – fill a plastic container with loom bands for each child.
• Lego – Fill a child’s lunchbox with lego pieces and affix a small board to the lid for their creations.
• Knitting can also help pass the time and keep everyone calm and relaxed.

#8. Refreshment Stop

Break up the car journey with a stop for refreshments and a run around for the children.

If you are traveling by day, consider packing or buying a picnic and stopping at a picnic spot near a play area, preferably with toilets. Or you could come off a main road and visit a smaller town to have a toilet break and some refreshments.

For night time driving, stopping at a 24 hour services facility is probably the best option.

Be sure to plan stops into your car journey and add 30 to 50 minutes onto your travel time for each stop. This is really important, not just for the children, but to ensure you don’t get too tired either.

Consider adding a ‘safety spot’ sticker to your car for each child. They put their hand on it while you are loading and unloading the car. Ensuring nobody wanders off.

#9. Read

Pack books for children who can read in the car. The car journey could be used as study time for older children. Although you may get some protests for that suggestion!

#10. Technology

Many newer cars have built in technology including DVD players and USB points. If your car doesn’t, and you make regular car journeys with the family onboard, it may be worth investing in a portable DVD player, or a Wi-Fi dongle, to allow the children to watch a movie on the trip.

If your children are lucky enough to own their own player or device to listen to music, play games or watch a movie or video, make sure to pack headphones for each one. If children wish to watch or listen to the same thing you could purchase a headphone splitter which allows you to run multiple headphones off the same device. Ours have been invaluable!

#11. Bribery

As a last resort I see no shame in bribery.

It could be that you offer a reward to children if they can go the whole journey without saying “I’m Bored” or asking ‘Are we there yet?” or without arguing with their siblings, or you!

The reward could be a fun activity while away from home or a small treat per hour they get through. Or that they can use their devices for the last hour of the journey.

Safety Tips for Family Travel in the Car

Keeping your kids entertained is one thing but safety is paramount.

For Mom’s and Dad’s:

1. Make sure your vehicle is in full working order: Check dashboard lights, oil, water, lights, break lights tyres.
2. Wear your own seat belt – set a good example
3. It’s easy to speed up on the open road so keep an eye on that speedometer
4. Leave plenty of time for your journey. Don’t rush – you’ll probably just be racing to the next set of traffic lights anyway!
5. Don’t drive while tired – plan long journeys to include rest breaks
6. Have an emergency kit for the car and a first aid kit, just in case
7. Never leave your child unattended in the car, even for just a minute.
8. Should you need to pull over in a hurry, remember to do so in a safe place, use your hazards where necessary and remember you cannot stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway
9. It goes without saying but never, ever drink and drive. Even a single drink can impair your judgement

For the kids:

1. Make sure your child is in a suitable child car seat or seat belt. For infants under 1 they should face the rear when travelling. Make sure you follow the owner’s manual instructions on car seats and booster seats.
2. Ensure the child seat is securely fitted – check every journey.
3. Have the child locks on the car doors activated
4. Be careful with the toys and snacks you give children and in particular small children. Avoid choking hazards.

Over to you! Have we missed anything? Add your tips to the comments box below.

The post 11 Proven Car Journey Tips to Avoid the Dreaded “Are We There Yet”? appeared first on MyKidsTime.

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If you are planning a long road trip then having some games to play along the way will help alleviate the constant refrain of “Are we there yet?” or “I’m bored”.

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Car Ride Games for Kids aged 8-12 years

#1. Car Alphabet

The classic amongst all car games for kids! Try to spot words on road signs in the order of the alphabet as you travel.

(You can skip tricky letters such as Q or X or Z).

“I used to play this with my parents all the time on car journeys. Luckily there was a Dairy Queen on our most usual route!”

#2. The Minister’s Cat

An old Victorian game where you have to think of adjectives to describe the Minister’s Cat in alphabetical order, e.g. start with “The minister’s cat is an adorable cat”.  The next person says e.g. “The minister’s cat is an adorable cat and a bouncy cat” and so on.

#3. Car Colours

All in car choose a colour and then start counting the cars that correspond with your colour and see who wins.

#4. Car Snooker

You have to spot the cars in the same order as you pot the balls for snooker:

• yellow
• green
• brown
• blue
• pink
• black.

“The pink can take a looooong time”

#5. Sing Songs

Try singing a few round songs like Frere Jacques or 3 Blind Mice.

10 Fat Sausages Sizzling In the Pan or the more familiar 10 Green Bottles Hanging on the Wall are other family favourites.

We also enjoy singing classics like “Somewhere over the Rainbow” from the Wizard of Oz or “My Favourite Things” from The Sound of Music.

“One starts a song and they all join in when you call their name, we have a special car song they all love”

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#6. I Went To The Shops

Memory game where each person adds to the shopping list. First person says e.g. “I went to the shops and bought a pint of milk”.  Second person says “I went to the shops and bought a pint of milk and some butter” and so on.

Download our free Car Games

Download and print out our free Car Journey Games sheet, perfect for occupying kids in the car.

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#7. Fortunately/Unfortunately

Start a story and then everyone has a turn where they have to add to the story starting their sentence with “fortunately” or “unfortunately” depending on the turn.

“The stories can get really convoluted!”

#8. Scissors, Paper, Stone

Game for 2 people, on the count of 3 each person shows their hand in the shape of either scissors (snipping fingers), paper (flat hand) or stone (fist).

Scissors beats paper as they cut paper, paper beats stone as paper can wrap the stone up and stone beats scissors as the stone can blunt the scissors.

#9. Listen to a Podcast

Radiolab is a radio show and podcast weaving stories and science into sound and music-rich documentaries. Other recommended podcasts for older kids include AstronomyCast or Stuff you should know.

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#10. I Spy

The spy picks an object and gives a clue to the rest by saying “I Spy with My Little Eye Something Beginning with (letter)”.

The rest of the travellers take it in turns to guess what the other person spies.

“The only thing with I Spy is you have to be quick or you could be gone past it. My kids love it”

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#11. Car Years

Everyone in the car chooses a year and then starts counting the cars that correspond with your year and see who wins. “Great way to kill an hour or two”

#12. Guess Who (Botticelli)

Take it in turns to think of a person and the others have to guess who it is asking only questions that can be answered Yes or No.

“We always start by asking Do we know this person personally?”

#13. Twenty Questions

First person thinks of something that’s either Animal, Vegetable or Mineral and the others have 20 questions to guess what it is. Questions must only have a Yes or No answer.

#14. Follow the Journey

Give your child the road atlas and have them trace your journey on the map as you go.

Or use your smartphone and Google Maps and have them follow the blue circle as you go.

#15. Alice the Camel

You recite a verse: “Alice the camel had ten humps, Alice the camel had ten humps, Alice the camel had ten humps, so ride Alice ride.” Repeat the verse until you reach the number zero.

“It is best fun when it is sung really fast!”

#16. Geography Game

First person starts with a geographic place name and the next person has to think of a place name that starts with the last letter of the previous place.  So e.g. BlackrocK – KilbeggaN – NicE – EdinburgH.  See how far round the world you can get!

#17. Name the Theme Tune

Take it in turns to hum a famous theme tune or sing it in a different style. The first person to guess the answer wins.

#18. Make Up Limericks

Have a go at making up limericks, a limerick has five lines; the first, second, and fifth rhyme with each other, and the third and fourth rhyme with each other.

Here’s one by Edward Lear:

There was an Old Man with a beard
Who said, ‘It is just as I feared!
Two Owls and a Hen,
Four Larks and a Wren,
Have all built their nests in my beard!’

#19. Make up Haikus about the Journey

A Haiku should have seventeen syllables, in three lines of five, seven, and five. This is not as easy as it sounds. Learn more about haikus here.

#20. Animal Spotting

Give the children a list of animals to watch out for, eg a cow, a horse, a sheep, a bird on a wire. The first person to see the entire set wins the game.

#21. Draw a Map of the Journey

Have each child draw their own version of the map of the journey as you go on a piece of paper, marking the key things you see on the way.

#22. Guess the Number

Take it in turns to think of a number between 1 and 1,000, keeping it to yourself. The others then take it in turns to guess at what the number is. Each time they are wrong you reply “higher” or “lower” until the correct number is guessed.

#23. Create a Group Story

First person starts the story e.g. “Once upon a time there was a beautiful princess” or something more unusual like “Cassie the Camel was miserable”.  Each person in the car adds a line and the story builds and builds. Once you reach your destination the kids could write out and illustrate the story.

#24. Alphabet Animals

Each player takes it in turns to name an animal as you go through the alphabet. E.g. Anteater, Bear, Cow, etc.

You can also play Alphabet place names, Alphabet food & drink, Alphabet girls names and Alphabet boys names. And if you have paper and pencil you can play Stop the Bus, which is a similar game.

#25. Radio Guessing Game

Hit the “scan” button on your radio until it stops on a song and everyone tries to guess the artist, the first person to guess wins. You could also do this with shuffle on your phone music or iPod.

#26. Tongue Twisters

Choose someone you all know then start with a phrase that uses on the first letter of their name. E.g. Peter picks peppers. Take it in turns to add P words with as few connectors as possible to make a super tongue twister.

Or have a go at some of the classics like She Sells Seashells on the Seashore or Unique New York.

You May Also Enjoy 20 Popular Tongue Twisters for Kids

#27. Quick Add Up

Call out the numbers on a registration plate and see who can add up the numbers the quickest. For example 10-D-11000 everyone has to add 1+0+1+1=3.

#28. Spelling Bee

Each person in the car takes turns spelling a word. If they spell the word correctly, they remain in the game. If they spell the word incorrectly, they’re eliminated. Keep spelling until you are left with the champion.

#29. Where in the World am I?

One person picks a place to hide (in their imagination!) and then the rest have to can guess where in the world you are with questions that can be answered Yes or No.

#30. Two Truths and a Lie

Each person shares three statements, one of which is false and two of which are true. Everyone else has to guess which is the lie.

You May Also Enjoy Top 10 tips for Happy Car Travel with Kids

Have your say! Have you got a favourite car ride games or activities that your tweens enjoy on journeys? Share it with us in the comments below.

The post 30 of the Most Entertaining Car Ride Games for Kids aged 8-12 years appeared first on MyKidsTime.

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What Causes Motion Sickness?

“Motion sickness is usually associated with travelling in a car, ship, plane or train. However, you can also get it on fairground rides and while watching or playing fast-paced films or computer games.

Motion sickness is thought to occur when there’s a conflict between what your eyes see and what your inner ears, which help with balance, sense.

Your brain holds details about where you are and how you’re moving. It constantly updates this with information from your eyes and vestibular system. The vestibular system is a network of nerves, channels and fluids in your inner ear, which gives your brain a sense of motion and balance.

If there’s a mismatch of information between these two systems, your brain can’t update your current status and the resulting confusion will lead to symptoms of motion sickness, such as nausea and vomiting. For example, you can get motion sickness when travelling by car because your eyes tell your brain that you’re travelling at more than 30 miles an hour, but your vestibular system tells your brain that you’re sitting still”
– Excerpt from NHS.co.uk

My Experience

When I was a child we always went to Saundersfoot for our family summer holidays, and I was guaranteed to be sick on the journey from Brecon (in Wales). I used to hate the journey so much it would put a cloud over the holiday for me. I remember having to sit on newspaper as that was supposed to help. It didn’t!

Since those days I’m fine in a car but please don’t put me on a ferry! I’m pleased to say there are more remedies for motion sickness available these days, and there are also still some “old wives tales” that do seem to work. I’ve listed some below:

Practical Tips to Ease Motion Sickness

#1. Apple Slices

Use one of their 5 a day – apple – to help the journey go without any sick stops. Whether this is mind over matter, it has been reported that it works.

Just have some chopped up apple for your child to nibble on during the journey, and the pectin in the apple should help neutralise the acid in the stomach.

#2. Ginger

Another natural remedy is Ginger and is historically well known to help with sickness, even dating back to ancient Chinese. It can come in many forms:

• ginger biscuits or ginger snaps to nibble on
• fizzy or flat ginger beer or ginger ale to drink
• ginger candy sweets to suck on
• ginger pills to take (check if ok for kids first)
• raw ginger root to suck on

#3. Puma Method

This is something I heard of via a friend and I intend to try it next time I have to get on a ferry. It’s a method designed by Dr Puma who has 36 years of experience in the aerospace industry. It’s a range of exercises so may not be suitable for toddlers, however worth trying for older kids that suffer from motion sickness.

#4. Wristbands and Bracelets

Acupressure points can be effective for preventing and relieving motion sickness. The easiest points to locate and use are the P6 points (also called the Nei Kuan points), which are located on the inner wrist.

Motion sickness wristbands and bracelets use this acupressure principle – the small stud on the bracelet applies constant pressure to the P6 point on your wrist. Some travel bands aren’t suitable for children, so do check with your pharmacist before you buy – Sea-band is one such brand that is suitable for kids and adults.

Sea-band available from Amazon.co.uk & Amazon.com

#5. Focus on a fixed point

Your brain is telling your body to be sick because of the movement so if you can take the mind off the movement it should start believing you are staying still, so no need to be sick. Focus on a fixed point inside the vehicle and stay focussed on it. This has worked for me on the sea.

DVD players in the backs of headrests in cars should have the same effect, helping your child to focus on something inside the car. But avoid looking having them look down at something, as that can cause motion sickness.

#6. Travel sickness tablets

There are many over the counter tablets that can be bought for motion sickness. Some may not be suitable for children so do check with your pharmacist before you buy. The following brands are okay for children aged 5 or 6 upwards:

• Stugeron
• Joy-Rides
• Bimuno Travelaid Pastilles
• ORS Oral Salts
• Boots Motion Sickness Tablets

#7. Antihistamines

Although normally used for allergies Antihistamines can also control nausea and vomiting. They are available in all chemists but again it is best to check with the pharmacist which ones are best for motion sickness and for children to use. If the sickness is severe perhaps your doctor can prescribe suitable medication too.

#8. Things to consider

• Reading is well known for causing car sickness so avoid books, and any other activity that requires looking down.
• Try to ensure no heavy foods are eaten before or during the trip – watch what is eaten if you stop at a services.
• Avoid travelling backwards, always face direction of travel.
• Make sure there is plenty of fresh air, and point vents towards child.
• Carry sick bags, and a change of clothes, for you and the children, just in case.

I hope some of the above are useful to you and your child who suffers from motion sickness. Thankfully it’s something that most kids grow out of, but it can put quite a dampener on journeys until then.

You may also like Top Tips for Travelling with Kids & check out our Travel Section for lots more information.

Over to you! Please let us know in the comments below if any of the above have helped or if you have any more remedies to add to the list.

The post 8 Practical and Simple Tips to Ease Motion Sickness in Kids appeared first on MyKidsTime.

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From messy back seats to keeping the kids amused, we’re always on the lookout for good ideas for parents. Here are 15 incredibly useful parenting hacks for the car, hopefully helping you keep your car and kids happy!

You May Also Enjoy Top 10 Tips for Happy Car with Kids

Parenting Hacks for the Car

#1. Muffin Cases for Cup Holders

Guff.com has a great tip – use silicone muffin cases for your cup holders for kids crumbs and wrappers. It saves having to clean them out, just lift out the muffin cases now and again and empty them out.

Image: Guff.com

#2. Tissue Boxes Tip

Use a 2nd empty tissue box as an instant tissue trash can, like Meckmom suggests.

Image: www.meckmom.com

#3. Use Tubs for Activities

This is a great idea from Modernparentsmessykids.com to put activities into tubs, e.g. small notepad and crayons.

Image: Modernparentsmessykids.com

#4. Shoe Caddy Organizer

A shoe caddy helps keep items organised and you can hang it off the seat in front.

Image: Marthastewart.com

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#5. Print off some games and colouring sheets

Print off a variety of games such as our free Car Journey Puzzles Sheet and some colouring pages and pop into a folder for the journey.

You May Also Enjoy 30 Fun Games for Car Journeys 

#6. Plastic Magazine Rack to Hold Bits

Use a plastic magazine holder belted in for kids to keep their clutter in.

#7. Safety Sticker

Put a “safety spot” sticker on your car to ensure an older child doesn’t wander off while you load or unload the car. You can find stickers like this on Parkingpalmagnet.com.

Image: Parkingpalmagnet.com

#8. Use an Cleaning Organiser For Meals in the Car

Buy a cleaning caddy to hold all the meals you get enroute, pop the drinks and sides on one side of the organiser and the main on the other.

#9. Frozen Sponge as an Ice Pack

This is actually a top lunch box tip, from Kidsactivitiesblog.com, use a frozen sponge as an ice pack in clingfilm for your food as you journey, it won’t drip as it melts. Genius!

Image: Kidsactivitiesblog.com

#10. Lego + Lunchbox = Fun on the Go

Love this idea from Ifonlytheywouldnap.net for on the go building of LEGO. They have stuck a LEGO square onto the top of the tin that holds the pieces.

Image: Ifonlytheywouldnap.net

#11. Use a Rubber Band as a Phone Holder

Use a rubber band to hold your phone by threading it through your air conditioning vent.

Image: Reddit user juririm via Imgur

#12. Put Dice in a Plastic Box

You can play board games on the journey and keep your dice safe by putting them in a small tupperware box.

Image found on Pinterest

#13. Take a Screenshot of Directions

Take a screenshot of directions and the route while you still have wifi access.

Image found on Pinterest

#14. Protector for Seat Belt Buckle

This is a top tip from Frugal-freebies.com to prevent accidental unbuckling of your child’s car seat.

Image: Frugal-freebies.com

#15. Fill water bottles and freeze overnight

Fill some empty water bottles and freeze the night before your journey. Make sure you leave 1/4 of the bottle empty as the ice will expand. The ice will slowly melt as you travel keeping your water cool.

Have your say! Do you have any other good tips or hacks for the car? Share them with us in the comments below.

The post 15 Incredibly Useful Parenting Hacks for the Car appeared first on MyKidsTime.

#1. Holiday Sticker Book (Usborne)

The Holiday Sticker Book (Usborne Sticker Books) is a great book to take on car (or plane) journeys as it has loads of different summer themed pages and hundreds of stickers guaranteed to keep little fingers and minds busy for a while.

It includes such tropical scenes as a watery visit to Sea World, Snorkeling on a coral reef, and on safari and a log cabin camp

“I like the beach page the best with the crab stickers” – Ellie, age 5

#2. Block by Block Creative Building Game

The Block by Block Creative Building Game builds on players’ architectural skills as they combine seven puzzle pieces to construct up to 60 three-dimensional structures depicted on various challenge cards.

Block by Block helps players sharpen their visual perception and spatial thinking skills.  Comes with a handy travel bag

Oisín (10) says “It’s fun, difficult, and sometimes the answers come to you at a completely random time“.

Available from Amazon.co.uk

Download our free fun Car Puzzles Sheet!

#3. Hasbro Travel Connect 4

Hasbro Travel Connect 4 is a mini travel version of the classic game. Take it in turns to drop your coloured counters into the grid, trying to get four in a row. Block your opponent’s moves where you can.

First to get four in a row, horizontally, vertically or diagonally, wins the game. The counters are easily stored in the self-contained unit.

Available from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

You might also enjoy our 30 fun games for car journeys.

#4. Eric Carle Animal Flash Cards

Beautiful Eric Carle Animal flash cards, featuring artist and author Eric Carle’s (of ‘Hungry Caterpillar’ fame) familiar animal illustrations, serve as a lovely introduction to the ABCs.

Printed on thick, sturdy board, they are perfect for small hands to hold (and make gorgeous room decorations too.)

Maria says, “These are great for keeping your toddler amused in the car.”

#5. Go Fishing – Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere Game

The Go Fishing – Take ‘N’ Play Anywhere Game is magnetic. Use the magnetic fishing poles to search for your color fish!

For 2 to 4 players, ages 4 and up.

Includes 16 Magnetic Fish, 4 Magnetic Fishing Poles, Spinner, Magnetic Game Board, Rules.

Available from Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com.

Do you have a great travel tip for keeping kids amused on long journeys? Share it with us in the comments below

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The post 5 Fun Ideas for Car Games for Kids appeared first on MyKidsTime.