Road trips are all about bonding, but when you’ve got a screaming tot (or two, or three) in the backseat, it can be a downright nightmare. While most adults love the drive, for kids it’s the destination that counts. Finding a way of keeping your kids happy through the drive can be the very thing that keeps you from having a mental breakdown.

But really, you want to know how you’re going to combat the blood-curdling, and V.E.R.Y annoying shrieks that come with a child’s boredom, don’t you? We have a few ideas that take you back to the days when you were a kid yourself. Buckle up, we think you’re going to like these, and we know the kids will too.

Eye-Spy

Hands up who remembers this game? Eye spy, for those of you who don’t know, is a pretty easy to grasp game for kids of any age who can already communicate verbally and begin to understand concepts. You could play the game using colors, shapes or even numbers if you’d like to add a challenge to the game. What’s great is that the whole family can join in.

Pack in the good stuff

Books, paper games and quick stories all make for excellent boredom busters. Don’t forget to pack in a number of books, though. It’s a great idea to pack one informational book, an educational book, a recreational book and then a book for laughs, like a book of jokes.

Road trips are not just about driving

Get out, stretch your legs, and see what you can do to engage the kids. If that means playing a game of catch, then do so. Take a ball along and kick a ball for 10-15 minutes, to get the energy levels up, keep the little ones happy and entertained and stay fit and healthy while you’re on the road.

When you’re on the road for a while, it’s always a good idea to keep your cell-phone battery life to a full, in case of an emergency, or better yet, take with and emergency phone dedicated to just that and pre-program the necessary numbers onto it so that it makes for a no-fuss, no hassle experience should something happen.