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Game tips for car trips

To help make the time spent on the road as enjoyable as possible for everyone involved, check out these car game ideas. They're all tried and tested by iVillage parents

Spot the city

'Write down the cities between your home and your destination. Let the kids check off each city as you pass it. It helps them see how close they are getting.'

Themed toy bags

'On a journey we took last summer I made goody bags for my son. I just took brown lunch bags and had themes for them. I went around the house and got all his favourite toys together and then the a music tape and book and, of course, some kind of snack. That way, we also saved money and he LOVED it.'

Rest-stop exercise

'Try to factor in some time to stop and smell the roses. You can use the Internet to look for things to do along your route that fit both your time and money budgets. Be sure to take a football, tennis ball, etc, for a bit of rest-stop exercise.'

Gift activities

'We have always wrapped small gifts and given them to our five-year-old daughter throughout the journey. I found gifts that are an activity were the best. There are great paper dolls out there. Etch-a-sketch is also a good activity.'

EA Flips

'We recently discovered EA Flips, a book range created for the Nintendo DS. They're a perfect way to keep my nine-year-old occupied on a long journey because they combine the contemporary technology that kids are naturally drawn to with great reading material. Some of the classics are available, including Enid Blyton's Enchanted Wood stories. We didn't hear a peep out of him for well over an hour!'

This post is sponsored by Hyundai Genuine Parts. For more information please visit their website here

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