Grammy on the Go
By Karen Shadrach
Whether you’re traveling and taking your grandkids for a little vacation, or even going a bit of a distance to visit someone, it’s always a good idea to prepare before leaving so that you don’t have to hear those most repeated words, ”Are we almost there yet?” Maybe you’re just traveling along with the children’s parents; you will still need to provide some type of entertainment during your travel distance. It doesn’t matter the type of travel — by air, train or car — boredom will soon set in and make the trip difficult.
So, what can we do to make the journey go more smoothly, and ultimately, more enjoyable for the whole family?
Unless the grandkids have fallen asleep (never wake up a sleeping kid), plan to stop at least every two to three hours for a bathroom break and give them a chance to stretch their legs. Pack a ball or Frisbee and plan to stop at a place that has a playground or large area outdoors to run around and be active. Going on a long car trip? Make a special stop along the way to break the monotony, such as a petting farm or zoo.
Another thing to pack is easy to eat snack food, such as clementine oranges, apple slices or carrots. Pre-packed baggies of crackers or cookies are also welcomed. Pack water bottles and juice boxes for drinks. A plastic bag or two for trash bags always come in handy, as well as diaper wipes, which easily take care of messes of all types!
Travel games make the miles pass by more quickly. Many traditional board games come in a 
travel size. Colorforms and coloring books will also keep hands busy. You can bring along trays to fit over their car seats, which will provide both a desk top for them to work on, plus a crumb catcher / drink holder for snack time.
Something we have always done is to provide small gifts for them to open after traveling so many miles (depending on the length of your trip). Set your own mileage or hourly limit and let them know when that limit has been reached. “You will receive another gift after 200 more miles!” They love the anticipation and actually behave really well in the interim. Wrapping the gift makes it more special and exciting. Examples of gifts can be large suckers/candy bars, Hot Wheel cars, small dolls and magic ink books.
These days, almost all forms of transportation have the equipment to view movies. We usually only allow one per destination, as it is more important for them to view all their surroundings passing by. Reading signs, playing “I Spy” or alphabet games with license plates and street signs; also games of observation, such as counting cows, horses or trucks, engages them in the passing scenery while learning their numbers and phonics.
Trains are a great form of transportation to travel with the grandchildren. They can walk around while it is moving and explore the different cars. Amtrak can be taken from DC to Orlando for a trip to Disney World, saving you the long, congested drive on I-95. Sleep on the train overnight and arrive there in the morning with your own car. This will allow you to pack more things than flying, hopefully arrive more rested than driving, besides enjoying the adventure of the train trip and passing scenery!
If traveling by air, remember to pack snacks and small games/books in the kids’ carry-on backpack. Our grandkids love their iPads! They are a great investment for traveling kids. The actual plane trip is not an issue, but waiting around due to layovers is. Take a walk around the airport to stretch legs and grab a meal if there is enough time. Pack a small blanket and stuffed animal to help them take a nap. The pilots love showing the kids the cockpit and explaining the flight instruments.
Traveling with the grandkids is both a fun and educational experience. Relax and enjoy the ride!!
Photos by Karen Shadrach
