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It’s that time of year, with Christmas and the New Year and the never ending school holidays to contend with, many a family will pack up their car and set off on a road trip.

Many people visiting family and friends over the festive season and the rest looking for some summer fun, or simply an outlet for the kids to burn off some energy.

Either way, you will notice they highways are busy and the petrol stations are crowded.

So, what are the best tips for getting to your destination in a safe and happy state?

There a few things to consider when travelling by car with kids. First things first, meet all the necessities.

Plan your trip, do you need to stop along the way, if so what times best suit your kids needs. For instance, are you going to be travelling all day, if so stop around lunch time? Never try and keep going pushing it that little bit further, either way you will still need to stop and it is going to be far more beneficial for everyone to stop as planned.

Carry plenty of snacks in the car, including drinks. It’s important to keep the kids fluids up. Snacks will not only keep them from being hungry (when there are no shops around) but it will also act as a distraction, breaking up the trip.

Once you have considered and met all your kid’s needs, it’s time to think about entertainment. I mean it is a holiday isn’t it!

Why start your holiday only when you get to your destination?

There are all sorts of car games for kids, from bingo cards, to I spy, number plate games. And why not go to your local shops and buy some colouring and activity books, pack them together with a small pencil case and you have hours of entertainment.

There are also so many gadgets for kids too, such as portable DVD players, MP3 players and Nintendo DS. So regardless of what your kids prefer, movies, music, audio stories, or games, there is something here for everyone.