There is something wonderfully exciting about packing the car for a family holiday. Bags disappear into the boot, snacks are packed, favourite pillows are squeezed into unlikely spaces and everyone climbs in with the promise of adventure ahead.

Then, somewhere between leaving home and reaching the first town, someone asks the question every parent knows far too well: “Are we there yet?”

Long car journeys can be challenging when you have children on board, particularly younger ones who have little concept of distance and even less patience with it. With a little planning, the journey can become part of the holiday rather than simply something to endure before the fun begins.

The secret is to have a selection of activities ready so that when one loses its appeal, there is another one waiting in the wings. You do not need to turn the car into a travelling entertainment centre, either. Some of the best road-trip games require nothing more than sharp eyes, imagination and a willingness to join in.

For younger children, a good old-fashioned spotting game can provide surprisingly long entertainment. Challenge them to find different-coloured cars, animals, windmills, bridges, tractors, unusual buildings or road signs. Older children can make it more competitive by keeping score. Whoever spots a particular item first gets the point, although parents may want to introduce a rule that prevents a frantic chorus of “I saw it first!” every few minutes.

The alphabet game is another classic. Start with A and look for something beginning with that letter, then move through the alphabet. Younger children can simply name things they can see, while older children can make it more difficult by using road signs, towns, businesses or licence plates. If you are travelling through the countryside, the changing scenery provides plenty of inspiration.

A holiday road trip is also the perfect opportunity to introduce a little storytelling. One person starts a story with a sentence such as, “Once upon a time, a family set off on a mysterious holiday…” and each person adds the next sentence. The story can become increasingly ridiculous as it moves around the car. Younger children often love this because there are no wrong answers, while older children can get surprisingly creative.

For families with several children, why not create a holiday playlist together before leaving home? Let each child choose a few favourite songs, then have a family sing-along. There may be some enthusiastic performances from the back seat and perhaps a few requests that mysteriously never make it onto the final playlist, but that is all part of the fun.

Audiobooks and podcasts are another excellent way to make the kilometres disappear. Choose something that the whole family will enjoy and listen to a chapter or two together. For younger children, stories with plenty of adventure and humour work particularly well. Older children may enjoy mysteries, fantasy stories or podcasts aimed at their age group.

Technology certainly has its place on a long journey. A tablet or phone loaded with downloaded movies, games, music or audiobooks can be a lifesaver, particularly when everyone is tired. The important thing is not to rely on screens as the only form of entertainment. Breaking up screen time with games, conversation, snacks and scenery gives children some variety and can make the journey feel less boring.

A small “travel box” for each child can be a great investment. Fill it with age-appropriate items such as colouring books, pencils, activity books, magnetic games, stickers, puzzles or a favourite toy. Keep some of the items hidden and bring them out only when boredom levels begin to rise.  For younger children, reusable sticker books, magnetic drawing boards and simple puzzles are particularly useful because they do not involve lots of loose pieces that can disappear under the seats. Older children might enjoy crossword puzzles, Sudoku, sketchbooks, journals or even a notebook in which they can record interesting things they see along the way.

Snacks can become entertainment too, within reason. Pack a selection of small snacks rather than one large packet and turn it into a little picnic at a safe stopping point. Do not underestimate the value of a break. Children are not designed to sit still for hours on end. Stopping regularly allows everyone to stretch their legs, use the bathroom, have something to eat and burn off a little excess energy. Even ten or fifteen minutes outside the car can make the next stretch of the journey considerably easier.

You can even make the stops part of the adventure. Look at the map and let the children help decide where you are going next. Ask them to look for interesting landmarks or keep a simple travel diary recording the places you pass through. Older children can take responsibility for checking the route or estimating how far remains, provided the driver handles the actual navigation.

For families heading towards a holiday destination such as OppiDam, there is another advantage to involving children in the journey: anticipation becomes part of the experience. Talk about what awaits them when you arrive. What will they do first? Will they race to the water, explore the resort, unpack the swimming things or simply collapse somewhere comfortable with a cold drink?

Perhaps the most important road-trip boredom buster, however, is accepting that children will get bored. They probably will. There may be arguments. Someone will lose something. Someone will need the toilet five minutes after the last stop. And eventually, someone will ask, “How much longer?”

Family road trips are rarely perfectly peaceful, but they can become some of the memories children remember years later. The silly games, terrible singing, shared snacks, funny roadside discoveries and stories that grew more outrageous with every kilometre can become just as much a part of the holiday as the destination itself.

So pack the snacks, charge the devices, prepare a few games and leave a little room for spontaneity. The best road trip is not necessarily the one where nobody says, “Are we there yet?” It is the one where, by the time you finally arrive, everyone has a story to tell about getting there.