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Avoiding the Hazards of Driving With Kids

Travelling with babies or children can be a nightmare. Here are some tips for parents on keeping children entertained and out of mischief and babies happy and quiet on long journeys.

1) Pack a bag for baby

Make sure that you take everything you need to keep your baby happy, comfortable and quiet. Dummies, comfort blankets, toys, baby milk or food, nappies, wet wipes and tissues plus a first aid kit of baby pharmaceuticals is a must for even short journeys.

2) Toys

For toddlers and older children, pack some of their more suitable toys for the journey, or buy as few cheap ones. Keep control of the toy stash and ration them out over the course of the trip so your kids don't get bored with them straight away and so that the car, train carriage or airline seating row doesn't get cluttered with discarded toys.

3) Games and Activities

Portable video game consoles, DVD and MP3 players or the lower-tech travel chess and chequers may keep older kids absorbed for hours, but it's worth learning some good old-fashioned traditional games and activities like I-spy, peek-a-boo, songs, story-telling,

4) The three Rs

Why not use the hours of travel to expand your children's minds? Pack reading and colouring books to keep your kids busy and get them educated at the same time. If you are travelling by road, get the children counting how many animals they can see such as cows, sheep, dogs, horses, or how many of each coloured cars you pass, but keep the numbers low so as not to bore the children.

Follow these tips and hopefully you will pass a pleasant journey with no complaints, sulks, tantrums, fights or naughtiness from your little 'uns.

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