Car Entertainment Essentials: Top Picks to Make Long Road Trips Bearable

With summer not too far away, many will be planning to take a break from their respective careers and academics and organizing getaways and vacations both in the Philippines and different parts of the world. From backyard barbecue gatherings to beach parties, summer brings plenty of recreational activities to the table. For some families, relaxing road trips are automatic once the sun peeks out.

But we all know that road trips can be as stressful as they can be relaxing. Long drives can wear out even the most patient of drivers due to several reasons. Among these, bored passengers are the usual perpetrators. But some of the worst are crying and fighting kids. They are every parents’ worst nightmare.

On some occasions, in-car features aren’t just enough stave off their boredom, so if you’re preparing for this year’s road trip, you need to pack appropriately to keep them occupied. To help you out, consider three of our top car entertainment essentials to keep your summer road trip pleasant.

Gadgets

In this modern age, almost everyone is glued to their respective gadgets. There’s probably a higher chance of you stumbling over a rock than finding someone without a phone in their possession. We’re highly dependent on our gadgets for communication and entertainment, that’s why bringing gadgets is a must in every road trip.

Music Player

While anyone can enjoy good music, everyone undoubtedly has their own preference in it. Adults can usually settle for radio music, but what about the kids? For a long road trip, it’s wise to bring a separate music player like an iPod for your passengers who would want to listen to their own type of jam.

Portable DVD Player

Films are useful as well in keeping everyone entertained for hours. Although like music, passengers have their own preferences in what they want to watch, too. In this case, you should consider bringing a portable DVD player or a laptop.

E-Book Reader

On the other hand, some people prefer to just read in a corner. Bringing an E-book Reader like Kindle is a good choice to save space.

Handheld Gaming Consoles

For your kids, bringing tablets and handheld gaming consoles like Nintendo 3DS or PlayStation Vita is also a wise choice. Kids have a tendency to change interest, so watching movies may not be as effective in keeping them in line after a while. Gaming will no doubt keep your young’uns occupied for hours.

USB Car Chargers

Lastly, you should never forget your  USB car charger. Gadgets’ batteries these days don’t last very long, after all.

Toys

Aside from gadgets, you can also bring some toys, as they can also provide enough entertainment for your passengers.

Plushies, Stuffed Toys

For the youngest ones who aren’t old enough to handle gadgets, plushies, stuffed toys, and other soft toys should be brought to avoid any fussing and crying. After all, a key to avoid potential disasters is to keep the young ones comfortable.

More than that, these toys can also offer educational benefits for them. While babies benefit more on feeling these toys and the comfort they bring, older children with a more developed brain can exercise their skills on certain areas like memory, imagination, and emotion while on the ride.

Cards

For other passengers, you can bring some card games like Uno Cards or a just a plain, regular card deck to make the ride more enjoyable.

Musical Instruments

A musical instrument is definitely a must-have in long road trips. Music has long been a way in conveying thoughts, words, and emotions, so in making music together, not only are you keeping yourselves occupied, but you are also connecting with your loved ones. In traveling, it’s recommended to bring musical instruments that are small enough to fit in your car and consume a small amount of space.

The smallest instruments you can bring are those that can fit in your pocket like the harmonica and ocarina. On the other hand, among those usual instruments that can fit in your car can include the guitar, ukulele, or flute recorder.

That’s it! We’re sure that you have more to add to this list. However, these are some of the basic ones that you shouldn’t forget to bring so you can endure the road trip with your sanity intact. We wish you the best of luck for your coming road trip this year! You’ll need all the luck you can get, especially if you’re bringing kids with you.