Travelling with Kids 5 - 12 Years Feedback

Children will naturally take part in interesting experiences as you travel around, and they will remember them fondly long after they've left home.
You will forget some things that they'll remember. It's a great bonding experience.

One of the most successful diversionary tactics/games we have used was on the Cape York trip.

The kids were 11, 7 and 6 at the time. We had them count water crossings. We defined a water crossing as a place where water was flowing across the road and it was necessary to wet the wheels to proceed.

Can't remember the number now but at the time the kids were fired up and watching for the water. That meant that they saw so much more.

You are very right Kerrod. They remember heaps about all of our trips that the wife and I don't.

Electronic games, videos who needs them. You can do that at home, the point of a holiday or camping trip is to do new and different things.

Duncs
Duncs

As a kid we used to get those "spotto" cards from the BP servo. So on a trip to Alice a few years back we made some up before we left home. Kept the kids busy for, um, minutes. Till they started fighting and arguing again. I think me & mrs Louie ended up playing them, along with friends over the UHF. We had the cards so we got to cheat!

Three months ago I took the kids (5 and 8) on a trip to Cape York from Sydney on my own. They were allowed to watch DVD's and play their DS's on the way up to and back from Townsville (from Sydney), but after that they were stowed away. You know, they watched 2 DVD's on the way up, and didn't even bother with it on the way home. They didn't even ask for either of them after leaving Townsville. Now bear in mind there was just me and two kids, but we just talked all day about what we were seeing and doing. Not enough time to even thing about putting their heads down, too much to see and do.

I actually expected the kids to be terrible in the car, but they were amazing - yes, there were times when they drove me insane, but not too much! LOL

I say go for it, my kids are still talking about it 3 months on, and only today my 5 year old, asked again if we can do it again next year! Hell, I might even do it!! LOL

Jo