Long road trips are every parent’s nightmare – but, believe it or not, they can be enjoyable for the whole family! Don’t worry if you’ve exhausted games like I-Spy and spot the yellow car, there are plenty of other ways you can keep your kids happy during a long car journey.

Follow these top tips to help your journey, wherever you’re going, feel more like minutes than hours.

Sun shades at the ready

First things first, you’ll need to bring sun shades to stop your children from getting too hot and being agitated by the sun. After all, a hot journey is certainly not a comfortable one! This simple trick guarantees a much more peaceful back seat.

If you have young children, it’s extra important to equip your car with sun shades. Even if you have air conditioning, the cool air might not reach the car seats in the back!

Make a playlist

Make a playlist and be sure to include songs the whole family love. Let the kids pick a handful of their own favourites, that way there will be no fighting over which song is next! The anticipation of waiting for their songs will help to keep the kids quiet and the hours will fly by a lot quicker. Sing-a-long is optional!

Bring along some toys

Toys are the ultimate distraction – and kids love them! Pick up some of their favourite toys that are easy to carry and you’re on to a winner. If you have young children, opt for their favourite dolls, teddies or figures. For older children, you might want to bring along some puzzles (like a magic cube), colouring books or even a good book to read.

Looking to treat your kids to some new toys for your long journey? You don’t have to invest in expensive gadgets that will set you back hundreds, take a look at these cheap toys for kids for a little inspiration!

Don’t forget the snacks

It’s important to keep your kids healthy, but the occasional treat won’t do them any harm. Pack some of their favourite sweet treats or chocolate to keep them happy – at least for a little while! If you prefer, you could pack some healthy snacks such as fruit or seeds. If you’re going to be in the car for a long time, you might even want to pack a more substantial packed lunch to keep the whole family happy.

Take a break

It’s time to stretch those legs! Kids and adults alike can get restless on a long journey, so if you are travelling a long way it’s a good idea to take breaks often (every few hours or so). This will help your children to release any energy they have built up in the car (and you can have a much needed stretch!)

Watch a film or TV show

You don’t have to have a top-of-the-range car equipped with built-in screens to benefit from this one! Bringing along a tablet or a phone to watch a film on is the ultimate way to keep the kids entertained for hours. Unlike in-car games and snacks, films will last a lot longer. Peppa Pig at the ready.

How do you keep your kids happy on long car journeys? Let us know in the comments below!

Subscriptions are a big deal in our lives – subscription TV, beauty boxes, even digital magazines.  But would you subscribe to a car rather than owning your own vehicle?  Motor giant Ford is betting that people will along with several other big-name automotive producers and are looking into offer subscription-based cars.

How the idea works

People still want to have a car but what they don’t want is the commitment – the cost of running, the cost of parts if there’s a breakdown, (at wWw.BestPartStore.co.uk, for example,) all the other expenses of being a car owner.  The idea behind a car subscription is that everything is bundled into one monthly price – the warranty, maintenance and roadside assistance as well as the vehicle itself.

There are already examples out there – Book by Cadillac offers a monthly price of $1800 so customers can swap and change their vehicle as they want.  And for those with a bigger budget, you can choose any of the 22 models of Porsche on their Passport scheme for $3000 a month.

Ford are targeting a different audience – millennials and customers who work with a budget.  Their packages start from $400 a month depending on the vehicle and other options that you choose.  You can select the mileage plan like you would select a contract for your smartphone and unused miles can roll over from one month to another.  There’s no contract and you can just give seven days’ notice to stop altogether – obviously and return the vehicle.

Ford Canvas

The scheme is called Ford Canvas and is currently based on the idea of Fair, a vehicle subscription company out of Santa Monica, California.  Run by Scott Painter and backed by BMW another others, the company recently set up a deal with Uber’s Xchange to become the exclusive supplier for US drivers who need to access a car for more than 30 days.

Canvas is still in its infancy with just 600 customers around the San Francisco and Los Angeles area so far.  But that’s the way Ford planned it, having bought a start-up called Breeze in 2016 and focusing on supplying vehicles to Uber and Lyft drivers.

Building on success

Ford intends to take this early success and offer it to a wider audience in 2018 with more customer needs to be catered for.  Month to month subscriptions is the start with greater customization coming along with the ability to cater for customers who want to use the product for the longer term at better deal prices.