As summer approaches, my family gets geared up for road trips. We live in Texas – if you want to drive anywhere, you are more than likely talking about taking a multi-hour journey *cue the groaning of small humans*. As a parent, I am constantly on the lookout for ways to entertain my children that do NOT involve screens.
Does that mean that we do not allow tablets on road trips? Am I crazy? No. I am totally fine with the kids watching a few downloaded shows or playing some games while we drive. What I am not onboard with is having them zone out for hours with their tablets. I don’t know about other kids, but long hours on their tablets inevitably puts my daughters in a bad mood. I see a huge increase in tantrums, button pushing, and rolling of eyes following long periods of time staring at screens.
I know some families that love playing games together on road trips. That’s not quite my jam. I can only handle a few rounds of “I Spy” before I want to die a little on the inside. And as neither of my children are great readers yet, it’s hard to play any road sign games.
What are we left with? I’m all about music but my kids will only tolerate so much of my “mom” music, and I feel the same way about the various Disney playlists. One thing that my daughters and I have surprisingly agreed on are podcasts. There are so many options out there, but below are just a few of our favorites! Check them out on your favorite listening platform on your next family trip.
- The Arthur Podcast
- The Radio Adventures of Dr. Floyd
- Tumble Science Podcast for Kids
- Pinkalicious & Peterrific
- Disney Magic of Storytelling
- Stories Podcast