No matter how old your children are, long car journeys are always a challenge for parents – the logistical nightmare of packing, journey planning, worrying about traffic holdups and keeping sane with over excited or fretful children on board is the stuff of nightmares!
We’ve compiled a handy checklist to try and cater for the likely demands you might encounter and to entertain the youngest members of the family, who are probably the most demanding……
- Buy Laura Collacott’s excellent guide book to non motorway pit stops ‘The Extra Mile Guide’ and plan your journey accordingly, remembering that the current advice is that toddlers do not spend longer than 2 hours at a time in their car seat.
- If there are 2 adults in your party, plan for one of them to sit alongside the toddler in the back to entertain them and hand out snacks.
- Pack a bucket and towel in easy reach in case of car sickness.
- Audio books of stories and children’s songs are really helpful, especially if you join in.
- You can buy travel trays loaded with toys and games or these really handy car back seat organisers to load with their own toys and games or spotting books and cards like these
- Pack plenty of their favourite snacks and treats to take their minds off being bored (especially if you’re stuck in a traffic jam) and sippy cups to avoid spills.
- Try to plan journeys around their normal nap times and avoid rush hour congestion hot spots wherever possible. Most map apps have a feature detailing where any traffic holds ups are on your route ahead so you can try and avoid them.
- If the journey is a really long one, plan for an overnight stop en route and split the journey – less stressful for everyone!
- Investigate places to call into en route which would allow the children to run about. There are lists of service stations with play areas or maybe stop at an attraction for a couple of hours to break the journey.
- Let them sit in your phone with toddler headphones so they can watch some pre downloaded children’s cartoons or films.
- Plan a longer stop at popular attractions like Crealey Theme Park and Resort just over the border in Devon or Trethorne Leisure Park, both are around 1 hour from Bosinver so the ideal pit stop for toddlers (and adults) who need to escape the car for some fresh air and freedom!
At the end of your journey we will be here to welcome you to your holiday cottage, with its very own toy box, delicious locally baked cake and acres for the children to rush around letting off steam…and relax.
We have a little bit of last minute availability over the next couple months, choose the best cottage for your family here. We hope to see you soon.
