Entertain the kids on the road

Jasmine France, Senior Associate Editor June 29, 2007

Summer has arrived, and you know what that means: the kids are out of school. Yes, the highly anticipated/dreaded summer vacation is upon us. For many, this is the time to pack the family into the car and hit the open road. Whether you're going to Disneyland or grandma's house, you don't want to head out on any long road trip without some entertainment for the youngsters. To that end, we've rounded up a smattering of gizmos to keep the "Are we there yet"s to a minimum.

Any hip parent knows that gaming is where it's at, and while we're big fans of board games, handheld video game consoles are much more vehicle-friendly. The Sony PSP tops the list with an awesome wide-screen display and its ability to play music and videos as well. If you're looking for something more budget-friendly, the Kingston K-PEX fits the bill--it's mainly a PVP, but moonlights as a gaming device. Then there's the Nintendo DS Lite, which focuses solely on the games.

If you're not so keen on junior thumbing away for hours on end, consider some more music-centric gadgets. At the higher end, we recommend the Microsoft Zune, which is durable, supremely easy to use, and does double duty as a video player. Or for music alone, try the Creative Zen Stone--at $40, it's plenty easy on the wallet, and the array of shiny colors should suit any youth. Finally, make sure the driver isn't distracted (or annoyed) by the sounds from games and videos--plug in a set of headphones, such as V-Moda's Remix M-class, which are sure to please with a cool, metallic design and good sound quality. For the younger set, check out Califone headphones, which are designed specifically for children's sensitive ears.

More Resources

Living with Technology: High-tech road trip