Technology tips for children on long drives

Children have short attention spans and can become restless easily, and driving on long journeys can sometimes take its toll on their behaviour. You should always try to make sure your kids are entertained, especially if you expect them to remain complacent for long stretches where nothing very interesting is happening outside - in today's world with gadgets and technology at your fingertips, it's easier than ever to keep young passengers occupied, allowing parents to concentrate on the road.



Music soothes the savage beast and can have a calming effect on kids too, so keeping your child's favourite musical choices close at hand can help while away the hours. Alternatively, a more upbeat playlist can get the whole family singing along, making the journey part of the pleasure and getting started early on holidays or short breaks.



If your child has entered the antisocial age of personal stereos they will be adept at providing their own soundtrack, but if not there are many great albums available for family road trips. You could even consider investing in audiobooks, or downloading them in mp3 form just like you would music - if your child is a fan of Harry Potter or another book series, buying unabridged recordings can be a very effective way to fill up the hours. Whether your kids want to read along or just sit back and listen, you can guarantee that all other noise will be kept to a minimum as they get engrossed in the story.

You can even take things one step further when kitting out your family vehicle with an in-car entertainment system, which can be done quite easily by an electrician or technician when you take in your car for other services, such as car window replacements. Sometimes there's nothing quite like a DVD of their favourite film to keep children entertained, or picking up where they left off on their latest video game, and with screens installed on the headrests your own view from the front of the car won't be obstructed.



Even if you don't fancy converting your car into a mobile entertainment system, hand-held games are still a popular choice, with systems like the Nintendo DS and PSP being modern equivalents of the 1990s Game Boy. If you or your children have smartphones, these devices are also ideal for providing quick and easy entertainment. You can also download apps for your phone that combine fun with education, so your kids could learn a thing or two when playing enjoyable games.