ROME – With the first loosening of the restrictions imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, the mobility of Italian motorists is also restarting. According to a recent survey by parclick.it, a leading company in Europe in online parking booking, four out of ten Italians had long ago expressed their intention to return to travel as soon as the regional borders were reopened. According to the study, six out of ten of these trips within the country are made with the family, by car, and often means traveling with the children for many hours, which is sometimes not easy at all considering that the little ones had to remain at home. long locked up at home due to the health emergency. Furthermore, we must not forget that if on the one hand it is good to entertain children in the car, on the other hand it is important to avoid distractions to those who sit behind the wheel.
So, to find the best way not to make children too bored while traveling by car without putting safety at risk, Parclick’s experts interviewed numerous parents to find out which are the most effective techniques they put into practice while traveling by car. the little ones so that they don’t get bored and it seems that six out of ten families feel that singing songs together is the best method.
“It seems that Italians are more and more inclined to take a break and enjoy a few days of vacation, preferably leaving by car and with the family. But it is not always easy to entertain children for many hours in a small space; so, we wanted to ask Italians what their favorite ways are to entertain their children while traveling, thinking that their answers might inspire other parents. Furthermore, when we conducted the survey we found that many families are worried about having contact with other users, cashiers or control staff when they want to park the car and we at Parclick are working precisely for this, so that our app allows you to connect to car parks and get in and out without any physical contact with other people, paying through your mobile phone “. Below are the systems devised by parents so that a trip with children does not turn into a tour de force.
- Singing songs
It is a traditional method that most Italian families rely on (60.9%). A way for parents and children to play together to pretend to be a TV or talent show star. Among the favorites of younger Italian children are songs like “Baby Shark” or “The old farm”. In any case, it would be good to sing politely, not out loud, avoiding turning the car into a karaoke or a nightclub where it is impossible to talk or pay attention to driving.
- Speak
In the hectic daily life it is not easy to find the time to talk to your children. The commitments, the pace of work and school, meal times, homework, sports and hours spent in front of the TV leave little time for everything else. Taking advantage of trips to chat with children is a good opportunity, preferred by 42% of respondents. Not only can it be fun for children, but also educational for parents; a way to get to know them better and deepen some aspects of their character, thoughts and concerns with which we are often not confronted.
- Play with toys
There are many games and toys that can be used during a trip, some stimulate the imagination or skill, for example puzzles, as long as you have a smooth surface, such as tables that can be placed behind the seats, or if you have a have one in which the pieces are magnets. For the little ones, even a simple soft toy or a doll can help them spend a lot of time in peace. This option is chosen by 40.6% of the Italians consulted by Parclick.
- Watching movies or series
Thanks to tablets or mobile phones, children can watch movies, cartoons while adults can chat with each other, enjoy the scenery or take a nap. Just give him a pair of headphones. An excellent solution for almost one in three respondents, 31.2%.
- Telling stories
The old trick of telling a story always works, everyone knows and remembers those of their childhood but it can be even more fun to invent new ones and make the children themselves protagonists. An interesting idea could be that each child starts a story and another between parents or siblings and sisters, if there are any, continue it. In addition to distracting children, it encourages their imagination. This idea is approved by 23.4% of the respondents. Reading a story may also be an option, but care should be taken if you suffer from motion sickness.
- Let them play with the consoles
While it is becoming more and more common for families to take advantage of the many possibilities offered by children’s consoles to entertain them, it is certainly not the most recommended option in general, not even when traveling. Perhaps this is why it is the choice declared by only 17.2% of Italians. In any case it should be a playful proposal limited to a short period since, among other things, staring at a screen at such a short distance for a long time and in motion can give rise to problems of dizziness and in some cases nausea. Parents should then choose which games to play for their children, preferably those of skill and have precise rules on the time for which they are allowed to use them.
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