June 18th, 2012 
Summer is here and family vacations are in full swimg. Whether it is just a day trip to the beach, a road trip, or a flight to a far off land children are always in need of entertainment. Summer is the perfect time to go to the bookstore or library and have your children stock up on some great books. There are some wonderful vacation and summer themed books that educate children on the places that they are going to visit and the things that they may experience. What better way to experience a vacation to the fullest than by having your very own “tour guide.”
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Miroslav Sasek has an amazing series of travel books for children. This is Paris and This is New York are among many of Sasek’s books that can get your children excited about their upcoming vacation. It gives them a great idea of what to expect with beautiful illustrations and great descriptions.
The airport can be a tricky place with kids. Having a book that explains the process of arriving at an airport to the plane taking off can help ease a lot of anxiety for children. Airport by Byron Barton and A Day at the Airport by Richard Scarry help children understand how an airport works.
If you have toddlers or even infants they might be entertained with more music and sound books. My son loves his Sesame Street: Elmo’s Rockin’ Road Trip book. It comes with a digital music player and he has a blast singing the songs while we are driving.
Activity books also help pass time for your children. The Everything Kids’ Travel Activity Book is a great book filled with puzzles, activities, and games. Your family can participate in the activities together.
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Audiobooks are great for all ages, but can be especially pleasing to teens and parents benefit from the entertainment too! When we take road trips we always stop at the Library to pick up some of our favorite audiobooks. You can find a great selection of audiobooks on AudibleKids.com. We love listening to classics like, The Hobbit, The Magician’s Nephew. Actress, singer, songwriter, director, mother extraordinaire Bethany Joy Lenz recommends cleaning to Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events in her Little Things Mean A Lot article. I would follow her recommendation and also recommend using it for your next road trip!
Sometimes it’s easy to let your kids turn on their iPod, iPad, and even the DVD player in the car. Try to make an effort this summer to encourage them to dive into some great educational and entertaining books. There is always something new to learn when you are visiting a new place, help your children be prepared by getting them some of these great travel books. Happy travels!
