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Welcome ...
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to our June Newsletter. I can't believe how quickly this year is going and its not long until the June school holidays. With this in mind, I have put together some helpful tips for car trips - useful things to take, tips for motion sickness and lots of fun things to take to pass the time with your kids.
We have also just arrived home on the weekend from a trip to the U.K with our two young boys. We survived the long flight to and from and I will be writing some tips on plane travel with kids over the next few newsletters! However, if you are flying sooner rather than later, please feel free to email me and we can chat about what worked for us. A couple of customers have already done this and have found it useful.
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Our ickle Brain Teaser has won an Award ...
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| We are proud to announce that one of our Brain Teasers - Cat and Mouse, has won "ITSA Group of Shops Best Games Toy of the Year 2008". We are thrilled that one of our best sellers has been recognised with such a great award! |
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Great ickle toys for the June Holidays ...
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Perfect for your ickle bubba ...
These Jungle Pull Alongs are perfect for your ickle bubbas to play with on the picnic blanket at a park whilst you are having a rest from driving. Or if your ickle ones prefer, they can stretch their chubby legs and take "Zebby" for a walk!
A steal at just $10.99.
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Great for your ickle Pre-schoolers ...
Bored of the same old game of “I spy” in the car? This super ickle Kids Car Activity pack will keep them entertained in the back seat without you having to hear those dreaded words “are we there yet?” Not only that, but when you reach your destination (be it holiday house, appointment or someone’s house) this activity pack will entertain them for hours on end! We have a Girl's Car Activity Pack and a Boy's Car Activity Pack to choose from.
Both priced at $21.99.
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Fun for your ickle Schoolies ...
Travel Guess Who is a classic face-finding game, which is great for playing in the car. Which mystery face has your opponent picked? Is it someone with a big nose? Someone with chubby cheeks like my ickle kids? Someone wearing a hat? Look carefully at all the faces – just one clever question can eliminate several characters at once! |
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June Holiday tips ... getting ready for your car journey
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1) Plan the car trip:
* during children's sleep/nap times - a great way to pass more time in the car!
* around traffic - keep in mind Friday night traffic, long weekend traffic etc
* search in advance for playgrounds to stop at, toilets, rest stops etc. Fast food restaurants with playgrounds are also a great option to stop at, as they have playgrounds, refreshments and toilets all in one (especially if its raining)!
2) Pack plenty of snacks and water bottles:
Great snacks to take with you that aren't too messy are:
* sultanas
* pieces of fruit
* pieces of cheese (stored in a cool bag)
* crackers/biscuits
* mini muffins
* muesli/fruit bars
* carrot and celery sticks
* little treats - chocolate, sweets, chips etc
I tend to pack special boxes of little nibblys for each child. They love having their own boxes of goodies and it keeps them quiet for quite some time!
Also, when we travel with our kids, I'm a bit more relaxed with my usual "not too much junk food" attitude. My thinking is, one day of eating this kind of food isn't going to harm them. I just make sure they don't have too much sugar ... so they don't get hyper!
3) Fun things to take with you in the car:
* Story and music cds
* Spot it Travel - a must to keep the kids out of mischief!
* Footballs (or tennis balls if you don't have the space), frisbees etc - to play in the parks when you have your rest stops
* Activity books and magic playscenes - a great way of passing some time. We have some great sticker books for boys and girls
* Hand held games - although I'm not a huge fan of this, it does entertain kids and you can limit the time they spend on it. There are also some educational alternatives - we have the Leap Frog Leapster which is great. I tend to bring this out when we've been in the car for longer than planned due to traffic from car accidents, bad weather etc
* Don't forget our great ickle activity packs - we do the work for you! We can also tailor the packs to your child's needs and make one up for you. Click here to email us your requirements, age of your children, what you need the packs for and we'll do the rest!
Another great tip - I tend to keep the activity packs up front with me. I find that if I give our kids the packs straight away, they will go through each activity too quickly. By keeping them with me, I can space each activity out a bit which enables them to spend more time on each one. A win-win solution!
4) Practical things to take:
* Wet wipes - great for little sticky fingers and mouths.
* Antibacterial gel - ideal to have when public loos don't have any soap (too often the case!)
* Towels - to mop up spillages or car sickness accidents.
* Plastic bags - to put the towels and rubbish in.
* Change of clothes handy - just incase! I tend to keep a little bag by the kids' feet, so I don't have to unpack the whole car to get to our suitcases at the bottom of the boot!
* First aid kit - for minor accidents.
* For a more comfortable journey - pack pillows and blankets.
* Depending on space - a travel table is really handy for kids to play games on, do some colouring etc.
5) Motion sickness
* Check with your doctor before your trip on which medication is best for your child. Most medications are required to be taken even before the journey begins.
* Watch out for early signs - are they a bit sweaty, pale, dizzy or feeling nauseous?
* Stop for some fresh air or if you can't do that, wind down the window.
* Rather than focusing on something inside the car, try playing "I spy" which will get them looking around outside. This will help them feel a bit better.
* Limit your child from reading books or playing their hand held games. Try listening to a story or music cd instead and encourage them to look outside whilst listening.
* Avoid putting children with motion sickness in the back of minivans or station wagons - they tend to feel this more in the rear seats.
* Dry crackers and easy to digest food will help settle their tummies. Also make sure there aren't any strong smelling food in the car! Also remember, that an empty tummy doesn't help motion sickness.
'Till next time ...
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If you are heading out for a car trip this June Holidays, have a brilliant time and drive safely. However, if you're staying around your home (like we are), enjoy taking it easy and not running around with all the kinder/school activities!
Cheers and happy travels,
Laine
www.icklekids.com.au
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