” When will we arrive ? The irritating question that children ask their parents at least ten times per (long) car journey. Not to mention the tears, the cries, the arguments after a few hours on the road, which can transform the passenger compartment of the car into a branch of hell.
But this stress is partly avoidable, provided you plan for them multiple activities capable of making time slip away at full speed. And avoiding leaving them for hours staring at a screen. Romain, father of 4 children aged 4 to 16, puts comfort first: “As we have a fairly large vehicle, we ask them to settle down with their favorite duvets and pillows (and of course the comforters) to organize a mega funny bedroom at the back. It works quite well the first two hours, ”he explains, responding to our call for witnesses.
Books, thinking or creative games
Sometimes it’s the oldest recipes that work. Like bringing books, like Emilie for her 7-year-old daughter. “We make him choose his books before departure. She fills a small backpack. Of course, that’s not always enough. We let her get bored. And she ends up inventing stories: we hear her whispering in secret, while up front we discuss and remake the world. It’s nice ! “.
Planning board games that take time is also a good strategy, as Céline testifies: “I bought Perplexus (spheres containing a marble that you have to move through a maze) for my children, who are 8 and 10 years. These balls have several levels of difficulty, they can also be exchanged during the journey. Guaranteed occupancy hours. I also gave them a notebook of mandalas with colored pencils. Emilie never forgets her daughter’s magic painting: “She has fun drawing pictures or writing short sentences”. Creative games are indeed a good solution on the road, according to Charlotte Ducharme, coach and author specializing in parenting: “For the little ones, the stickers are highly recommended. They can be told to stick them on their clothes or the car seat. It keeps them busy for a while.”
“We’re playing ‘guess what I’m thinking'”
It is well known, music softens morals, even in the car. So Pauline, mother of a 3-year-old girl, uses and abuses it: “We play songs for children, nursery rhymes or just music that she likes. “We sing songs”, also says Laetitia. Podcasts aren’t just loved by adults, they can save kids’ commutes too. As Alexandra, mother of daughters aged 4 and 6, confides: “The journeys were sometimes long but since we have been listening to audio stories, it keeps them busy. We discover it together and then it allows us to discuss different subjects, values…”. For children between 3 and 8 years old, there is another magical object, according to Charlotte Ducharme. : “The story box like the Lunni, which allows you to listen to several in a row”.
Car journeys are also an opportunity to share convivial moments. And to invent games, as Charlotte Ducharme suggests: “You give a word and you have to find a song in which it is used. Another game: “In my suitcase, I took away”. Each traveler cites an object and the next player must repeat the list without making a mistake. It works on memorization. Céline is also a fan of games on the road: “I play the small baccalaureate with my daughters in the oral exam. They like it a lot and depending on the first names chosen, it can quickly go crazy! ” Shéra, who has 3 children aged 7, 5 and 4, also relies on collective games: “I invent visual games for them like “yellow!” : whoever sees a yellow car on the road first wins a point. And we play guessing games. Lydia makes her guess an object in the passenger compartment. As for Emilie, she tests telepathy with her children: “We play ‘Guess what I’m thinking'”.
Start discussions…
The trip can also be a time to have discussions with your children. “We can launch debates: ‘What would you change at home’, ‘tell me your favorite film’, ‘what is your best family memory?’ It can give rise to very moving moments or to die of laughter, ”says Charlotte Ducharme. And with teenagers who are sometimes quiet, it’s an opportunity to take a step towards them: “We can get them to talk about their favorite video game or ask them to let us listen to their music of the moment”, continues the author. . Or how to transform the constraint of travel into an opportunity…