Long Journey Activities for Kids: Travelling the Mombasa Road

For many Kenyan families, the Mombasa road is part of life. Children travel up-country and down to the coast for holidays, funerals, weddings and visits to grandparents. Whether you go by car, bus or train, the journey is long, and children's patience is often shorter.

With a little planning, travel time can become reading, colouring and puzzle time instead.

Pack a Travel Activity Bag

Give each child a small bag of their own. Having their own things makes them feel grown-up and cuts down on squabbles. Inside, pack:

• A colouring book suited to their age
• A word search book for older children
• Coloured pencils rather than loose crayons, which roll under seats and melt in the heat
• A pencil case or zip bag to keep everything together
• A firm surface, such as a clipboard or hardback book, to lean on

Add a snack and a bottle of water, and you have a bag that will carry them a good way along the road.

Save Something New

Children lose interest in familiar things quickly. Keep one new book hidden until the journey begins, or better still, until the halfway point. A fresh colouring book brought out after a stop can buy a whole new stretch of quiet.

Colouring on the Move

Colouring works well on smooth stretches of road and on the train. A few tips help:

1. Choose bigger pictures for bumpy roads. Fine detail is frustrating when the vehicle shakes.
2. Use pencils, not markers. They are less messy and safer on seats and clothes.
3. Set a challenge. Ask children to colour an animal they spot from the window, perhaps one seen near Tsavo.

Word Searches for Older Travellers

Word searches are perfect for school-age children. They need only a pencil, they can be done alone and they hold attention well. Turn them into a family game: whoever finds the most words before the next town chooses the next snack.

eBooks for Light Packing

If you are travelling light, eBooks are a handy option. A phone or tablet can hold several books without adding weight to your bag. Before you set off:

• Download the eBook in advance, as mobile signal can be patchy on parts of the route.
• Charge your device fully and bring a power bank if you have one.
• Check the product page so you know how to open your eBook on your device.
• Agree on reading time limits so screen time stays balanced with other activities.

Reading aloud from an eBook is a lovely way for a parent or older sibling to entertain the whole family.

Know When to Stop

Some children feel unwell if they look down at a page for long while travelling. If a child complains of feeling sick, put the books away, open a window if you can and encourage them to look out at the horizon. Games like "I spy" or counting lorries can take over for a while.

Don't Forget the Grown-Ups

If someone else is driving, a word search or adult colouring book is a pleasant way for adults to pass the hours too. It is also good company when waiting at a bus stage or station.

Ready for the Road

A well-packed activity bag turns a long journey into time well spent. Before your next trip to the coast or up-country, browse our colouring books, word searches and eBooks and get each traveller's bag ready.