Hitting the open road with your kids? Take some time to plan ways to keep them content and comfortable along the way
Families love road trips. Before you go, make a plan: In addition to basic research on routes and destinations, traveling with your kids requires a few extra considerations to help avoid those “I’m bored!” meltdowns on the freeway.
Fortunately, it only takes a little bit of prep to help smooth out road trip wrinkles ahead of time.
Leave with plenty of extra time
It’s virtually impossible to take a road trip without some sort of delay popping up, like unexpected construction or bad weather. By leaving plenty of time for your journey, you won’t be stressed about rushing to reach your destination. So when the kids spot something interesting out of the car window or you just need to take a breather, you’ll know you have time to stop.
Take regular breaks
One of the easiest ways to fight boredom is by pulling over for breaks. Maybe it’s to see a quirky roadside attraction or an educational stop like a president’s birthplace. Or perhaps you need to quickly find a rest stop for the kids. Either way, Google Built-in integration can help guide you to Google maps to quickly find your destination safely with Voice Assistant.
Bring car-friendly snacks
“Hangry” — a blend of being hungry and angry — is real, and it affects children just as much as adults. Fend it off by packing snacks that won’t make too much of a mess in the car. Think about things like trail mix, pre-cut fruits and veggies, juice boxes and granola bars. Avoid messier items like yogurt, chips and cookies
Bring games and activities
Make sure your kids have something to read, coloring books, word puzzles or similar activities to keep them occupied. If you have an OnStar Wi-Fi plan
Employ them as navigators
Learning doesn’t have to stop because you’re on the road. Have the kids follow your trip route on a map to identify landmarks and see if they can figure out how much distance is left. In other words, have them answer “Are we there yet?”
Have lunch in the park
If you’re planning a lunch stop along the way, find a park or playground and take a picnic. For starters, you’ll save money and guarantee everyone has a healthy, nutritious lunch. But more important, running around outside might tire out the kids enough that they’ll fall asleep in the car, giving you some peace and quiet for a few miles.
Teach your kids how to use OnStar
Most likely, if you need assistance from OnStar, you can take care of pushing the blue OnStar button
or red Emergency button.
