“Are we there yet?” An electric car holiday with children can be a challenge. But with good planning, and fun activities for your passengers in the back seat, you can avoid both range anxiety and impatient children. Here are our tips for the best road trip with your young ones.
- Plan your itinerary according to the charging stops
Plan your itinerary in advance and get to know where you can charge. This will spare you both time and unnecessary stress. To ensure full control, we recommend that you download a few apps with charging maps and route planners. There are many different apps to choose from, for both iPhones and Android mobiles. It’s also wise to download all the charging apps before you leave home. Register with a username and password and enter your payment card so the app is ready to use when you arrive at the charging point. Charging points are often less busy in the morning or evening hours. Be aware that there may be a queue at the charging stations, so have a Plan B. Always charge where you can, not necessarily when you need to.
- Include your children in the planning
Let your kids offer input about what they want to experience or where they want to stop. Maybe everyone can decide on one activity each? When children are prepared for what’s going to happen, it’s also easier for them to sit still for hours on end. Look at pictures of what you are going to experience together with your kids, and get excited about your upcoming road trip. One handy tip is to print out the itinerary in advance, so that you can show your young passengers where you are at all times and how far it is to your destination.
- Be physically active when you stop
Go for a walk, play or take a dip to give your kids an outlet for their energy. That way things will be calmer in the car when you continue your drive.
- Remember food and entertainment for those in the back seat
A good selection of food and beverages is important for keeping blood sugar up. Consider packing a surprise bag for your kids with toys, books, and drawing materials. This can keep them occupied for a long time. Otherwise, smart tablets are always a sure winner. Remember to bring charging cables and a power bank, and download movies, series, audiobooks and games in advance. For some inspiration, check out the list at the bottom of this article. Last but not least: Make your road trip as comfortable as possible. Let your kids bring along a favourite blanket, pillow or teddy bear.
- Be open to spontaneous stops
Have you spotted something exciting along the road? Stop and take a closer look. Breaks are worth their weight in gold! They break up the monotony after long stretches in the car. If you find a place you enjoy, don’t stress about moving on quickly. It would be a shame to leave a nice place just because you feel pressured to stick to your planned route.
- Make charging stops a fun experience
Try to plan so that there’s a charging station at every stop. That way, you can either enjoy a relaxing lunch, shop, or experience what the stop in question has to offer while your battery fills up. This is both time-saving and convenient. Such destination chargers can often be found at hotels, campsites, amusement parks, eateries, shopping centres, or popular hiking areas.
- Pack smart
When driving long distances, it’s important to pack your car in a smart way, in terms of both variety and safety. Avoid unnecessary luggage and loose objects and consider weight distribution; it’s best to place the heaviest items at the bottom. A low centre of gravity allows your car to retain its good handling, but a heavy car will also give you less range. Have the essentials – such as diapers, extra clothes, wipes and food – at your fingertips.
Fun car games for the whole family:
Guess who?
Think of a person (such as a celebrity or other family member), but don’t say who it is. Now the others must detective, asking the right “yes” or “no” questions to determine who you’re thinking of. For example: “Is the person a woman?”, “Does the person have glasses?” etc. Everyone takes turns asking questions, and the game keeps going until someone guesses correctly.
Car seat karaoke
For this game, you need a phone and a pair of headphones. The person with the headphones sings along to the music, and the others in the car guess what song they’re singing. To make the game more difficult, just hum the melody and don’t sing the lyrics.
My ship is loaded with…
Select a letter, and say “my ship is loaded with…” and then the name of a thing that begins with that letter. Take turns going around the car; no one can say the same thing twice.
Backseat bingo
Create backseat bingo boards with pictures for the youngest children and text for slightly older ones. Print them out in advance of the road trip. Do you see a cat, police car or bridge? Check your board and shout BINGO when you’ve spotted five things in a row.
The alphabet game
Take turns saying the names of cities or countries in alphabetical order. Whoever can’t think of one is “out”. For example: Amsterdam, Bergen, Calcutta, Dublin, etc.
