Even the shortest of road trips with your children may turn into a long and exhausting experience.

Here are a few suggestions which you may want to consider when travelling with your children.

1. Above all else the safety of your children is priority number one. Check that they are buckled in properly and if they are in an appropriate child seat that it is not positioned near any or your vehicle's airbags.
2. Make sure your children are comfortable in the car. Check that they are not too warm or too cold and they aren't exposed to direct sunlight. Make sure there is a good and constant circulation of fresh air and that they are dressed comfortably.
3. Some children suffer from motion sickness. Young children may not be able to express this. Look out for signs like crying and restlessness. Consult a doctor to find out about possible medication for this.
4. It's a good idea to plan for some breaks along the way. Stop at a roadside café or petrol station and let your children out the car to run around and let off some steam away from danger and traffic. Even better would be to joining in with them, it'll help you to stay alert.
5. Your children will want to know how long this trip will take so keep them informed. The last thing you're going to want to hear is “Are we there yet?” Tell them exactly how long it'll take, even better would be to buy them a watch.
6. Teach your children to read a map and show them the route that you'll be taking on your trip. Indicate on the map where you'll be starting and finishing and let them be the ‘navigator'. If your child is too young to read a map then get them to look out for landmarks along the way.
7. Set aside a few soft toys or a blanket that your children rarely get to play with. This will keep them busy during your trip. You may want to get them an mp3 to listen to music or audio books.
8. If your child is older you may want to consider some travel games or activities. You could get your child to look out for particular license plates, vehicle types, trees, buildings etc to keep them stimulated. Treat this like a treasure hunt with a special prize for the winner. Remember not to go on for too long as they'll lose interest if you do.

We hope that these tips will make your journey that much more enjoyable.