Survival guide: road trips with kids

Get a paper map

Get the kids involved and track where you're going with felt pens. Pre-mark the map with where you will be stopping to help break the trip up for those with little patience (a.k.a. the kids), and it might start teaching them some geography too. 

Entertainment factor

Bring a backpack full of in-car entertainment but hide away a toy or two to bring out when things get desperate. 

Get old-school

Don't underestimate old-fashioned games like car cricket (remember a pen and notebook), word games, 20 questions, and eye-spy. You can Google 'road trip games' for plenty of new ideas. 

Let off some steam

Try to stop somewhere the kids can get a good run-around and bring a ball in case there's a good patch of grass. They'll be more likely to behave on the next leg of the trip and might even get some sleep. 

Pack wisely

Have a bag onhand with all the essentials: a cuddly soft toy (that doubles as a pillow), snacks, a change of clothes, jumper, towels and wet wipes. 

Make sure your car can make it

There's nothing worse than getting halfway through a journey only to blow a tyre, overheat or have other mechanical problems. Before you leave fill up the tank, check the tyre pressure (and spare tyre), and ensure all fluids (coolant, oil and water) are full or at good levels. Perhaps consider joining a roadside assistance scheme. 

Is your insurance up to date?

Before you take to the road, make sure your car insurance is up to date. You may also want to consider purchasing a hire car cover, offered by MAS. For a small additional premium you can make sure that, if the unfortunate does happen, you can hire a replacement car to ensure your holiday continues as planned.