by Lori Straus

Sometimes, those long family road trips that are meant to be fun family time can turn into squabble fests as impatience takes over and the kids become restless in the back seat. We can certainly empathize with kids: at some point in time, they’ve seen enough trees and fields. A movie would hit the spot, wouldn’t it? But most cars don’t come with built-in, rear-seat entertainment systems that would save everyone’s sanity. We’ll look at different rear-seat entertainment options that can punctuate those long drives with fun for the kids and a break for the adults.

Mount a Tablet

Using a tablet is by far the easiest option. But watch how your kids are watching: Although it might be tempting to just ask the kids to hold their tablets on their laps, the unnatural position of their necks can lead to headaches. Instead, mount their tablets on the front-seat headrests. This lets the kids sit back and enjoy their entertainment while sitting in a position that’s healthy for their posture.

We recommend refraining from building something yourself: you need to mount the tablets in such a way that they’ll be secure in an accident. You’ll find numerous tablet mounts on the market, so do your research to find something that fits your vehicle but is also safe.

Buy a Headrest With a Built-in Monitor

This works if your headrest isn’t part of your car’s safety features, i.e., it doesn’t automatically adjust itself in an accident. Most vehicles right now don’t have that feature. But if yours does, move on to the next idea.

Your children may find operating a built-in monitor easier than a tablet’s touchscreen from their car seat. Check that the built-in monitor has ports for the devices you need to plug into it. Check for a DVD slot if you need one, too.

Sound System for Rear-Seat Entertainment

Since the point of occupying the children is so you and your front-seat companion can enjoy some adult conversation, remember to have appropriate headphones for the children. Pay special attention to the noise level the headphones allow. Depending on your vehicle, interior noise may interfere with the sound coming through your children’s headphones. So buy headphones appropriate for their age and with some cushioning around the ear to reduce unwanted noise. Earbuds, no matter how cool they appear, might encourage your children to turn up the volume.

Data Concerns

If you plan to stream videos while on the road, ensure your data plan is adequate. Movies can eat up data in a matter of moments, and kids won’t warn you about the message your cellular provider just sent you about data usage.

Also contact your cellular provider about in-car wi-fi. Bell, for example, offers plug-in connectivity for most vehicles built in 1997 or later. You can connect up to five devices in the car to Bell’s network.

Pack Your Bags and Head Out!

Whatever rear-seat entertainment solution you choose, make sure it doesn’t distract you from driving. Otherwise, return it and get something else. But on the day of departure, download a few road trip movies for backup, throw your bags in the trunk, and off you go! A rear-seat entertainment system can be a lifesaver for everyone in the vehicle: the kids have something to hold their interest, and you’re spared a hundred repetitions of “are we there yet?” Just be sure to do your research to find products that are safe, won’t distract you while you’re driving, and will be easy for your kids to use.