Many adults may recall turning to guessing games or colouring books when they were children to keep themselves entertained on long car journeys – but new research suggests many parents are now spending significant sums on an array of gadgets to help prevent boredom kicking in.
Some (98%) of parents surveyed said they had bought items in the past year to help make travelling with their children easier, according to buy now, pay later provider Clearpay.
The research was released as many families prepare for summer holiday getaways.
It calculated that some parents could find themselves spending as much as £336 per child, based on the average amounts parents said they had spent on popular items such as children’s luggage, headphones, tablets and gaming devices, travel-friendly toys, books, snack packs, drinks bottles, travel pillows and cushions, chargers and tech accessories, downloadable content, activity books and colouring supplies, card games and child-friendly maps.
Clearpay said its own data points to a rise in purchases of items that could keep children entertained while travelling, with figures covering March 17 to June 17 showing a quarterly spending increase on items such as children’s ride-on suitcases, character headphones, travel snack boxes and water pen books.
Nearly a third (32%) of parents surveyed said their children actively ask for travel items and more than one in seven (15%) plan to make social media content featuring the items they have bought.
More than three-quarters (79%) of parents said buying children’s travel items had had an impact on their regular household spending.
Rich Bayer, UK country manager at Clearpay, said: “Anyone who’s travelled with children knows the value of keeping them happy en route – and parents are investing in everything from noise-cancelling headphones to snack packs to make the journey smoother.
“These items have become essential purchases for many parents before they head off on well-earned breaks. Holiday spending can add up, so setting a budget for the different elements of a trip can help ensure that you’re spending what you can afford.”
Clearpay commissioned OnePoll to survey 2,000 parents with a child aged under 18 across the UK in June.
