Disclosure: This was a sponsored post with Hilton Homewood Suites and the HWS/H2 Dads Team campaign. All opinions are my own. #DadTime #TravelMANager
“Are we there yet?” These are not the most pleasant words to hear when you’re hauling your kids on a road trip. There is fun to be had and adventure everywhere, this is true! However, there are those long, inevitable stretches of road that may be filled with a whole lot of nothing, and that’s usually when they start fighting among themselves or complaining of boredom.
In the old days, we had crayons and paper, books, and maybe some headphones and a cassette player. Today, there are far more options for both the adults and the kids. Check out these favorites!
123 Color – The Talking Coloring Book for Ages 3 to 6
Yes! You read that right, this coloring book talks! Coming on an iOS platform, this app lets kids color by touch and then enjoy the animated finale. The coloring app is very encouraging as your child goes along, so no frustration! Plus, there are over 200 choices so there’s something for even the pickiest kid.
They can even choose maps, helping them learn about geography along the route. So forget losing crayons in the car seats, this neat app for iPhone or iPad is one of the most popular app choices for kids.
Minecraft: Pocket Edition – An All-Time Favorite
Why would anyone dream of hitting the highway without downloading this app that enthralls kids age 5-12 with ease. They will be able to mine for gold, and build their own entire kingdom all while interacting with and avoiding zombies and other characters. At its heart, this is a building game, so it caters to all types of play. Bonus is that there’s no internet connection required, and who knows what they’ll have created by the time you reach your destination!
Kid Weather – Give Them Something to Watch For
Perfect for ages 6-12, Kid Weather features records, trivia and weather facts in a fun and interactive way. Kids can search around for various cities, nearby or far, and see a little avatar dressed in appropriate clothing for that place. They can give mom and dad the weather reports for their destination, which helps everyone be prepared.
Play Places – Great for Kids and Adults
This app is perfect for US road trips and helps the family plan where they’ll stop. Everyone knows that stops that have play places are much better! They let the kids get their energy out, the parents relax and stretch and everyone get a bite to eat. There are even spots labeled as perfect for a memorable family picnic.
In all, there are over 6,000 stops listed on the app, which works on android and is set up to be easy for kids to use. So if parents don’t mind them navigating the stops, this is a fun app that will hold their attention.
Waze – An Absolute Must Have for Road Trips
Do not leave the house without installing this amazing app! It has all the information you could dream of for your entire trip from gas prices along the route to speed traps and of course offering several route variations for the smoothest, safest and most successful trip ever. You can’t go wrong with real-time traffic updates.
Hilton HHonors – Rack up Points When You Stay
The Hilton HHonors app makes traveling easier to any of our 4,100+ hotels and resorts. Speedy booking and hotel receipts at any of our 4,100+ hotels and book free stays with your Hilton HHonors Points.
Along the Way – Plan Some Fun
Along the way will give the adults the best restaurants, parks, shops and other amusement on route to your destination. Avoid taking chances with random exits and make sure both kids and adults enjoy themselves from start to finish.
Praise the electronic gods because you’re about to have the most peaceful and enjoyable road trip ever when you utilize these apps!
Traveling with kids can be fun and sometimes it can get nerve-wracking. Focus on seeing the sights and spending this time away with your family making great memories. Being organized at the start will help you enjoy the journey and the destination with as little hassle as possible.
For more tips, advice, stories, and other great content from some terrific travelMANagers on planning and booking travel, visit the TravelMANager site.