Let's face it, if children were to pick their favorite ways to travel, trains would likely come in last. They ride along,
staring at the same sibling across the car for the length of the trip. Kids can only stare out the windows at passing
telephone poles for so long before they get bored. Forethought and planning are a necessity, in order to help mom and dad
keep their sanity to the end of the line.
Infants are fascinated with new things and places, so they often handle traveling surprisingly well. Toddlers and
preschoolers require a bit more thought.
When planning the trip, keep the kids in mind. While adults and older children might be able to handle a twelve hour
layover without flinching, younger children will get tired of sitting in the same place for so long. If a layover is
absolutely necessary, try to plan some kind of distraction, like a trip to a local park. Keep in mind that after being
cooped up in a train car all day, they will likely have a lot of energy to burn off, so parks and playgrounds will probably
work better than museums or theaters.
With most young children, the best time for the boring part of the trip-the actual traveling-is during the night or
naptime. The rhythm of the train and the boredom will combine to put most children right to sleep.
If nighttime travel isn't an option, then be sure to bring along things to entertain and occupy the kids. When selecting
these items, gather a variety, rather than one or two favorites, because even a favorite book can get boring after the
sixth reading.
Even the most boring of train rides doesn't have to be a disaster. With careful planning ahead of time, most children will
enjoy the "quality time" spent with their parents along the way.
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