Entertaining an 8 year old on a 10+ hour car journey?

[MerMerGrey]

DH, DSD (8) and I are hopefully still getting our Summer holiday this year. However according to maps it's a 9.5 hour journey without stops so by the time we factor in stopping for food, toilet breaks, stretch legs etc we are looking at 10/11+ hours. Last time DH and I did a similar journey years ago without DSD it took 10 hours, was tough going and wasn't as far as this journey. I'm really worried about how DSD will cope.

Any suggestions on how to entertain her on the journey?

Audiobooks
Books
iPad and headphones, new apps, download a movie.
Good pillow thing for neck.
Step for her feet if they hang.

Fairly sure most 8 year olds would happily play minecraft for that long without coming up for air

Download episodes of favourite programmes from Netflix as well as other PP suggestions. I would ignore the amount of screen time on a jour ey and do whatever gets you through it. Don't forget an incar charger.

Thanks @Snigletted. Sorry if this is an obvious question but how do I download a movie? Her tablet is a kindle fire for kids - don't know if that makes a difference as to whether I can download movies or not.

We have to driven to our mobile home in the south of France for years, the kids have done it a couple of times a year so are well used to the journey.

We used to have in car dvd players but as theyve got older they now take their chrome books, download a loaf of stuff from iplayer and a couple of movies and games that work without wifi.

We really limit breaks, try and take food to avoid the horrific queues in the service stations and stop only for the toilet / changing driver.

Lollipops or other non messy snacks that take a long time to eat work we to while away the time

Let her be bored for some of it - you never know what she might come up with as a way of entertaining herself

Plan to play I spy, car cricket and 20 questions. Would you rather is also a good one eg would you rather be able to fly or be able to turn invisible.

Think of ways to break it up - just watching movies all the time gets boring

When you do stop for breaks try and go to a park and really run around/be active

we used to have to do this a few times a year when I was a child. I got travel sick so frankly it was just horrible from my point of view as the only entertainment then really was reading which I obviously couldn't do.

Headphones with MP3 player or something for audio books/music or watching films on a tablet is probably the way to go now.

Very intrigued where you are going? might be worth taking packed lunches. still need to stop to eat but it does save an enormous amount of time on breaks

She can read and play ‘I spy’

@nonicknameseemsavailable

we used to have to do this a few times a year when I was a child. I got travel sick so frankly it was just horrible from my point of view as the only entertainment then really was reading which I obviously couldn't do.

Headphones with MP3 player or something for audio books/music or watching films on a tablet is probably the way to go now.

Very intrigued where you are going? might be worth taking packed lunches. still need to stop to eat but it does save an enormous amount of time on breaks

We're going to the Scottish Highlands - hopefully anyway! We have about 6 weeks until we go so fingers crossed!

Also we are so lucky she doesn't get travel sick. I do sadly but thankfully she doesn't and mine isn't so horrendous I'm actually sick, I normally just feel very nauseous.

Car numberplate games like you have to make words from the letters on the numberplate on the car in front. And the letters have to be in the same order as numberplate

So WC13 KED = wicked

Or alphabet games where you have to name things alphabetically in a specific category or like Mrs McInty went to the shop and brought x,y & z

We've driven long distances with our two DDs. Our 'essentials'.

The car sickness kit. This includes 2 changes of clothes, baby wipes, cleaning wipes, bottles of water.

Tablets and long charging cables. You can download films etc onto a Kindle fire, but will need a decent memory card. Headphones as well.

Colouring/puzzle books plus pens. Notepad

New magazine.

Eye spy books, (on a car journey or on the motorway).

With one child, I would plan to spend time in the back playing games. With two they play together. Plan your stops- you will need at least two.

I’ve done this many times with DD. As others have said download things, kids iPlayer is your friend here if you don’t have Netflix or Amazon prime. Just install the app and download whatever you think he’d like.

Apart from screens here is what we do. DD has a plastic storage box in the back of the car next to her which we fill with things to do. So puzzle books, sticker books, comics, a pad of drawing paper and a big pencil case full of colouring pens. She also has a lap tray so she can write and draw comfortably which also useful for snacks.

Scottish Highlands are beautiful. You will have a lovely time.

DD gets car sick if she is reading or playing on a tablet.

We manage with audiobooks, either we all hear them or she has them on her phone with headphones.

We also use the iPad as a DVD player, attached to the front head rest.

We also look if there is anything interesting on route, castle, museum etc. It adds to the journey and we prefer to do an overnight stop but it definitely breaks up the trip and we all enjoy it more.