BORED children can be a nightmare on long car journeys. Keeping them happy is essential, not only for their sake, but also for the driver who needs to concentrate on the road.

Green Flag motoring assistance has the following advice which will help to make the miles fly by for those inquisitive little minds.

Keeping kids entertained is key to a hassle free trip. Pack toys and games to keep them amused for much of the journey.

It's nice to play games which involve all the family, some alternatives to “I-spy” include:

• The word game - make up silly three-word sentences using the initial letters from car registration numbers.

• The pub cricket game - taking turns to be the batsman, you score runs for every pub sign you see that involves legs, e.g: The Dog and Duck (six legs) equals six runs, The Kings Arms (two legs) equals two runs. When you come to a sign that has no legs, such as The White Rose, you're out and it's the next batsman's turn.

• The colours game - each pick a colour and see who can be the first to spot 20 cars of that colour.

Being inappropriately dressed for a journey can make children feel irritable. Children should be dressed comfortably. For a long journey, dress them in layers so they can keep cool or wrap up as needed.

Children can get sunburnt through open car windows and sunroofs, so make sure their arms and legs are covered with loose clothing. Attach shades to the car windows or apply a high factor sunscreen. A sun hat is also a good idea.

Take plenty of snacks and drinks on your journey. You can also make the journey part of the holiday, by stopping at areas of interest. On a long motorway trip this is better than pulling into a service area as it will give children the chance to have some fun every few hours.