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Keeping Kids Entertained On Summer Road Trips

8 min read
If you’re planning to hit the open road with the family this summer, you’re not alone! Most Americans are—and the vast majority of them are traveling by car1. So, how do you keep your kids engaged and entertained while you travel? We have some ideas.
A happy family of four riding in the car with two kids in the back seat watching a tablet.

From the "License Plate Game" to "I Spy," those classic, old-school travel games for kids can still be fun. But if your family is all about keeping it digital, we have plenty of road trip ideas for kids that can still be interactive, tighten the family bond, and ward-off boredom during long hours on the road. Here are some of our favorite devices, gadgets and apps that can keep everyone happy as you set out on your adventure. Let’s start with the basics and go from there:

Wi-Fi hotspot

Connectivity is the glue that holds it all together. After all, your digital devices are only as good as your signal. With that in mind, here are two of our top picks:

JEXtream® RG2100 5G Mobile Hotspot. Wi-Fi can be notoriously unreliable, especially on the road and in places like campgrounds, parks, and RV sites. This compact device delivers:

  • Connectivity for up to 20 devices (phones, laptops, TVs, gaming devices and more.)
  • Wi-Fi 6 Dual Band 2.4GHz and 5GHz technology for the fastest internet available.
  • A Power-Bank feature that allows charging to external devices.
  • A rechargeable 5,000mAh battery.

Our next pick is a hotspot with extras that are perfect for those long road trips:

SyncUP DRIVE®. Not only does this travel companion turn your (compatible) vehicle into a hotspot for up to five Wi-Fi-capable devices—it also helps keep you informed and safer on the road. Just plug the on-board diagnostics reader into the OBD-11 port of your vehicle, download the SyncUP DRIVE app, and soon you’ll be able to:

  • Keep your driving in check. See your behavior on the road, including speed, hard braking, hard accelerating, seatbelt use, and beyond.
  • Monitor your vehicle’s health. Get maintenance reminders, trip history, disturbances (e.g., potential break-ins, tow alerts), and so much more.
  • Save on gas. View gas prices from nearby gas stations so you can keep your travel budget in check.
  • Get 24/7 roadside assistance. It’s available through a national partner for tows, lockouts, running out of fuel, spare tire changes, battery jump starts, and more for extra peace of mind.
  • Use it with your teen after your trip. Have a new driver? After your journey, plug it into their car and use it as a tracker to get real-time map views, not to mention all the benefits above.

Reliable tracking device

A family road trip just isn’t a family road trip without ample stops for bathroom breaks, roadside attractions and food. It’s times like this that things tend to get left behind, from backpacks to purses and beyond. That’s where a good tracker comes in handy. Here’s our personal fave:

SyncUP TRACKER. We love this tracker for plenty of reasons, including:

  • No reliance on Bluetooth. Because distance is not an issue, there's no need for the tracker to be in a specific range or near a smartphone to work. The tracker uses LTE and GPS to find it—even if it’s hundreds of miles away.
  • The handy monitoring app. Available on both Google Play and the App Store, it lets you see your lost item in near-real time (or the last-known location) at a glance.
  • The durability factor. It’s IP67 water & dust resistant.
  • Long-lasting battery. The rechargeable battery can stay powered-up for up-to seven days.

Now that you have your connectivity covered and can easily track down any important items left behind during your road trip—it’s time for the fun stuff.

Big-screen tablet for those long stretches of highway

While older teens are usually pretty happy streaming content on their own phones—they definitely don’t want to share with their younger siblings. That’s where a budget-friendly tablet comes in handy. (Added bonus: They can use it for homework and other stuff once you get back home!) Let’s start with our two favorite Android tablets:

TCL TAB 8 LE. Boasting a big, immersive screen that’s large enough for more than one kid to enjoy at a time, this tablet will keep them occupied during the more uneventful portions of your journey. Here are just a few of the features we like:

  • Travels easy. It’s lightweight and has an ultra-compact design.
  • 8-inch HD display w/amplified dual speakers. They can take family-friendly content along for the ride, including movies, videos, cartoons and more—all playing out on a big, colorful display that features Eye Comfort Mode so it’s easy on their eyes.
  • Long-lasting battery. The 4,080mAh battery will have them covered most of the day.
Two children in the backseat of a car watching a tablet.

Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 5G. There may be no tablet that's better on the go than the Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 5G, featuring:

  • Slim, light and durable design. This table weighs-in at just over 17 ounces.
  • Bright and engaging 11-inch display. All their content comes to life in big, bold color.
  • Plenty of extras. Boasting quad speakers, two on-board cameras, an upgraded chipset and a long-lasting battery, your kids will love playing games and watching all their favorite content on those longer portions of your journey.

For the Apple families out there, this is our favorite go-to tablet for travel:

iPad 10th Gen. Add a 1st-gen Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard Folio to the mix—and your kids will have plenty of things to do on a long car ride! Thanks to iPad’s 10.9-inch Liquid Retina Display with True Tone and the crisp, loud stereo speakers, they stay fully engaged. Here are a few other features they’ll love:

  • Vacation-friendly camera capabilities. The 12MP ultra-wide front camera with Center Stage lets kids easily create fun travel videos, while the rear camera helps them capture sharp, bright images, and even experience immersive augmented reality (AR) apps.
  • Cool accessories. If you decide to pair the iPad with an Apple Pencil, your kids can create their own works of art—literally in the backseat! The Magic Keyboard Folio is a nice accessory, too, since it features an incredible typing experience, plus a detachable magnetic keyboard and back panel that protects the device from rough-and-tumble kids’ play.

Earbuds

Now that we’ve covered some devices and car activities for kids, how about the grown-ups? With loud children and dueling content happening in the same place at the same time, these noise-cancelling travel accessories are really a must have. Let’s start with something for the Android families:

Samsung Galaxy Buds FE. Galaxy Buds FE have a super-comfy, ear-friendly design that stay securely in place. And for you Samsung fans out there, they connect perfectly with your other Galaxy devices. Here are some other features:

  • Active noise cancellation. Now you can hear what you want and tune out all the rest.
  • Amazing sound. Experience your favorite music flawlessly through your Galaxy Buds, as well as crystal-clear audio over the phone.
  • SmartThings Find feature. Get a notification if you leave an earbud behind. It also works for your Galaxy phone, tablet, watch, and more!

For Apple lovers who want a budget-friendly solution to take along, these are for you:

AirPods with Charging Case (2nd Gen). If you don’t have AirPods yet, these 2nd-gens should do the trick. They give you a crisp, clear and wireless headphone experience for your iPhone, Apple Watch, iPad or Mac. Here are a few more perks:

  • Easy setup. Just pull them out of the case and they’re ready to use after an initial one-tap setup. After that, they’re automatically on and always connected when you need them.
  • Intuitive features. AirPods sense when they’re in your ears and pause when you take them out, so you can keep tabs on everything happening around you.
  • Long-lasting listening. You’ll get about five hours of listening time (or three hours of talk time) on just one charge. As for quick charge? Pop them in their case for 15 minutes and get 3 hours of listening time or 2 hours of talk time.

Before we wrap it up, here are a few other practical accessories that are welcome additions to any road trip:

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Source:

  1. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/survey-us-consumer-travel-to-surge-in-2024-302059767.html