No matter what sort of built-in entertainment you have access to in your RV, your kids are going to get bored sooner or later on long trips. Luckily, it’s not so hard to keep the kids entertained and enthused about the trip if you just make a few preparations in advance.

Plan Extra Stops

One of the easiest ways to keep kids from getting bored is to not give them the chance to get bored. Plan some extra stops along the way to each destination so that you’re checking out a fun roadside attraction or stopping for some sight seeing every few hours. You can make the kids a part of the planning stage. This replaces boredom with anticipation and restlessness with excitement.

Keep Sugar to a Minimum

The more sugar your kids are able to get, the more anxious and hyperactive they’re going to be between stops. You may want to stick to natural, low-sugar fruit juices over sodas, and healthy snacks rather than salty, sweet junk food. You may need a load of caffeine and sugar to stay alert while driving, but your children will likely be more easily entertained and less restless without the cola.

Load Up on Activities

A new video game for the Nintendo DS is a great way to keep kids entertained, but it can cost sixty dollars or so and the appeal may wear off. On the other hand, you can pick up dozens of coloring books, comics, sketch books and board games to keep them busy for days on end for about the same price. Don’t rely on one activity to keep the kids entertained for the whole journey, load them up with dozens of fun things to do so that they always have something else to play with when they lose interest in the previous activity.

Give Them a Job to Do

Ideas for jobs could be taking photos for the family album, keeping everyone’s water supply stocked up, looking out for gas stations, or even just switching out CDs on the stereo. Anything that gives your kids a sense of purpose can be a tremendous help.

Night Travel

When all else fails, doing the majority of your traveling at night when the kids are sleepy is a great way to keep them from getting restless, and beat daytime traffic while you’re at it.

Traveling with kids can be a joy, but it can also be a distraction, and a dangerous one at that. It’s hard to stay focused on driving when you’re trying to entertain little ones. Take the time to make sure that they stay entertained on the road, and you’ll have nothing but fond memories of every trip.