Good Parenting

Going on a vacation with the kids?

There will be times when kids are likely to get restless, sitting around, waiting for the activities to begin, waiting for the rest of the people to arrive, the transit time, waiting for the transport to arrive or in a queue and so forth.

If they are exhausted and there are chairs for them to sit in, they could catch forty winks. But you can’t expect kids to sit quietly all the time. Bored kids get restless and might even get up to mischief. Even older kids can get irritable.

Here are some things you could bring along in your hand luggage for your family vacation.

1. Coloring books and color pencils
This would appeal more to the little ones. For quiet moments in the hotel room, if they get restless, they could always color pictures. You could get small books or print out coloring pages and fold them up so they would fit neatly into your hand luggage.

2. Small sketch books with unlined pages and charcoal pencils.
This would appeal more to the older kids and teens who have an artistic streak. The could sketch their new surroundings and the people around them. Especially great for a vacation.

3. Books
Novels and paperbacks appeal to the older kids and teens while story books (small ones please) would appeal to the younger kids. You could read stories to the kids during long waiting times or the slower moments when they get restless.

4. UNO
This is an old favourite. That pack of cards fits into the handbag easily. And it gives the entire family hours of fun.

5. Travel games
These are miniatures of regular sized board games and game sets. Get a selection of travel games to bring along with you whenever you travel to give the entire family hours of fun during those otherwise boring times.

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This entry was posted on Friday, May 9th, 2008 at 10:05 am and is filed under Good Parenting.