How to entertain kids on the road

If you've decided to save money on airfare and baggage handling fees this summer for the chance to take a road trip with your family, the key to a successful adventure is to be prepared for anything that might come your way. Enter Beth Feldman, creator of RoleMommy.com, a leading blog for working moms.

From traffic jams to backseat bickering to an incessant chorus of "Are we there yet?" she has some tried-and-true tips to keep kids of varying ages entertained from the moment they pile into the car until you reach your final destination.

And for all trips, remember to bring bags of fruit, nonperishable snacks and water.

Short road trips Bring an iPhone or iPod Touch. They make perfect companions to keep a child entertained throughout the journey. Simply visit the App Store and download games and digital books right in the palm of your hand.

Keep a sketch pad in the car. And don't forget washable crayons. There's nothing like a doodling contest among back-seat passengers to pass the time away.

Play Traffic Jam 21. Feldman's favorite pastime during a short road trip is this fun game. When you're stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, select a car for each child, who then adds up the numbers on the license plate. If the sum is less than 16, you can pick another car and add more numbers. The closest person to 21 wins.

Medium road trips Get a Nintendo DSi XL. Feldman suggests bringing along this handheld game system. It offers a built-in game called "Flip Notes," in which your child can draw several pictures, record his or her voice and create an animated short. It also doubles as a digital camera.

Play the license plate state game. Before you leave home, make note of the places you're traveling to and write down the state bird, flower and flag. Then, as you pass cars on the road, challenge your kids to remember each item and call them out. For younger kids, have them call out the name of a state or city from the first letter of the license plate.

Long road trips Try to drive at night or during naptimes. If you are tackling the trip during the day, make sure to take frequent rest stops to break up the trip.

Bring your kids' favorite movies and TV shows on DVD. Watch them on a portable DVD player.

Bring along favorite games. Before you leave, give each of your children a bag that they can fill with favorite games. They can put up to 10 items in their bag, but they are allowed to swap during the trip as long as no arguments break out. One rule: no games with tiny pieces, which means Legos are off limits.