One of the best parts of summer is travel. It’s time to pack up the family and get out of Dodge. But keeping the kids occupied isn’t easy. Would it help if you brought along their favorite TV shows? 

You could do this a number of ways. The simplest is to bring a portable DVD player. But maybe you don’t have one. They aren’t cheap. And it’s another thing to cram into your luggage.

Plus, there are much better ways to make their shows portable. They can watch them on a computer or MP3 player. They can even watch them on a phone. Plus, you’re probably already planning to take these devices with you.

You can watch many TV shows online for free. All you need is a computer and an Internet connection. You’ll probably find Wi-Fi in your hotel room. Or, with a cellular broadband card, they can watch from nearly anywhere.

A number of sites offer up free TV shows. I’ve got half a dozen in this tip. You could also download the easy-to-use Hulu Desktop.  

You’ll find shows from Disney and Nickelodeon. You’ll also find classic family-friendly sitcoms. Several sites also have full-length movies. But you shouldn’t let your kids use these sites unsupervised. They sites don’t contain pornography. But you’ll find shows meant for an older audience.