Road trips represent a unique opportunity for families to bond with one another, while travelling through beautiful scenery and stopping off at famous landmarks or locations along the way.
There’s been plenty of research to suggest that embracing this slower way of living while on holiday can produce some of our most cherished memories, as the stillness and isolation of remote paths fuels greater levels of presence, while nature is great for replenishing the mind and body and helping to reduce levels of stress.
However, while these benefits are legitimate, one group who may sometimes be less understanding or aware of them are your children. In many cases, taking your children on a 45-minute drive is enough to prompt boredom and arguments, never mind a whole road trip.
So, how do you ensure that your children stay entertained and engaged on a long road trip when they’re staying in a motorhome in remote locations and isolated from the constant stimulation that everyday lives tend to offer? All children are different, so you need to consider their individual needs, but here are our five best ways to keep children entertained while staying in a motorhome.
Allow technology in moderation
Nobody wants to end up doom scrolling on social media or watching pointless videos while we’re on holiday, but the truth is most of us do it. In a modern, digitally connected world, many of us use technology to tackle boredom, rather than to create any deep meaning in our personal lives, and it would be naïve to believe your children are any different in this sense.
While we’re not advocating for children to spend vast amounts of time using technology when they could be looking at natural landscapes, or developing tighter bonds with their families, allowing technology during moments of downtime may be helpful to ensure they’re engaged while you’re participating in activities together that are best observed without having eyes glued to a screen.
Technology can be a positive device for a child’s growth, learning and entertainment, if consumed correctly and to the right extent.
Pack plenty of activities
But let’s be honest, nobody wants to spend money to hire an impressive motor home, only for our children to be oblivious to the world around them as they stare at their personal screens. Another way to cure boredom during moments of downtime is to pack activities that they can either do individually, with their siblings, or with you.
Puzzles, quizzes, or games that you play together are sure to create long-lasting family memories and traditions, even if they can sometimes cause a couple of arguments along the way. You could even make your own activities for them to play on long drives, such as a list of landmarks that you drive past for them to spot and tick off along the way.
Involve your children in trip planning
This one may seem like an obvious way to prevent excessive boredom, but, surprisingly, it is often overlooked. While children often lack extensive knowledge of different historical landmarks or the best routes to take your motorhome through on a road trip, this doesn’t mean that they won’t have an opinion.
Share a list of options for your children to pick through when planning the trip and consider if there are any activities or tourist destinations along the way that might be linked with one of their hobbies or a project at school that they’re currently enjoying.
Plan interactive pit-stops
Most people don’t enjoy driving for hours on end without an opportunity to stretch their legs or interact with the outside world, and your children are only likely to feel this to a greater extent.
Plan fun pit-stops, such as parks, playgrounds, nature trails, or a café to give them the opportunity to have a break from being stuck in the motorhome on long drives. These types of stops often take you somewhere you wouldn’t otherwise have visited, so they can be well worth it for you, too.
Drives are always more comfortable in the best transport. We recommend hiring a luxury motorhome from ariescape.co.uk to get the most out of your upcoming road trip.
Encourage imagination and creativity
Boredom doesn’t have to be a bad thing; in fact, research suggests that some of the best personal revelations, creative inventions and pieces of art are produced through a relative level of boredom. If your children are bored, perhaps encourage them to participate in a creative hobby that they may not regularly take part in, such as painting, or encourage them to put on a talent show or play.
You never know; they may just enjoy doing it to the extent that it becomes something that they want to continue doing in the future.
Art is often inspired by scenery or a change of environment, so this is the best time to let your children embrace their inner creative energy.
