Road tripping with children may seem a bit overwhelming, especially if you’ve never taken the leap. It can be done, however, with ease and enjoyment given the right tools and expectations. “Ease” and “enjoyment” may be strong words, but it can be done with success. Depending on your definition of “success”. Ok, it can be done. It is doable. Allegedly.
Read more: How to Prepare for a Road Trip
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Read ahead if you are planning a road trip with your kiddos anytime soon!
1. Clean + Restock.
Leading up to the trip, give your car a proper scrub-down. Remove everything you won’t be needing for your trip to maximize space for what you will need and vacuum the french fries and ponytail holders off of the floor. Stock the doors and compartments with some essential items, such as wet wipes, tissue, a bag for trash, and sunglasses for everyone.
2. Fun bag.
Children can help with this one. Give them a small bag of their own to load up with entertainment for the trip. Books, iPad, pen and notebook, earbuds, toys -whatever is age-appropriate for your children’s entertainment.
3. Snacks.
This one feels obvious, but I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy a forgotten snack bag in a moment of a child’s panicked hunger. (Except maybe for Rachel from third grade who pushed me off the monkey bars.) Whether you’re working with pretzel sticks and clementines or cereal puffs and ABC cookies, pack a small variety of old faithful along with a travel cup of water.
4. Fast food.
Right-off-the-interstate fast food may not be your first choice in every single other scenario of life, but it is the most convenient option when it comes to feeding a family of mouths mid-journey-to-wherever. If you are focused on the destination and willing to compromise on the journey, fast food can’t be beaten. Easy to find, predictable menu items, quick service, and bathrooms on the way out make for inarguable convenience.
5. Travel potty.
There is a magical, err cursed, window of time that exists between diaper days and big kid years that you do not want to overlook. Travel potties with little potty bags (can be purchased online) can be a lifesaver for the toddler who doesn’t know they need to use the bathroom until it is happening.
6. Pillow + Blanket.
A standard size pillow is how you’ll forget you’re resting against a door. A blanket is how you’ll forget you’re literally sitting upright. Fool yourself and your children with pillows and blankets.
7. Conversation games.
“I spy” is a great game to play in the car with young ones, but if you’re traveling with older children, consider playing “good, bad, funny” wherein everyone shares something good/bad/funny from their week.
8. Audio.
Music, audiobooks, and podcasts on rotation is a good way to change up the vibes, and there’s never a wrong time to exercise turn-taking skills with little ones.
9. Rest stop & Gas station.
If the weather is nice, it can really boost energy to walk around outside after a bathroom break at a rest stop. It’s like I always say, what a rest stop lacks in cigarettes and booze, they make up for in pamphlets! Check out these popular rest stops
10. Locked doors.
Bask in the glory of knowing your children are safely contained and harnessed. They can’t escape. Take a deep breath and consider a hydrating sheet mask.
What are your other tips for taking a road trip with children?
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Lots of snacks and coloring books for the win!
These are all great tips for the road and I remember how we had to make sure all our travel checklist was ticked off when my kids were little. Nowadays, people have cars with videos set up inside so kids can watch movies in the back seat… so cool. 🙂
these are such GREAT tips. Will deff keep these in mind when i have kids 🙂
These are awesome tips! Making kids feel comfortable and pre-occupied while on the road makes travel more easier for all.
We always had a fun bag too when my kids were little. I never thought about the potty though! This is a great list!
Great tips! Travel with kids is really cumbersome. These tips help every parent who wants to travel with their kids.
You have such amazing travel tips to share and these are really very helpful too. Keep exploring and sharing.
As a person who’s family has driven them from CT to FL, I can’t stress having stuff to do enough! Bring books, games, movies, and anything else you can think of to keep the kids entertained or it will be a LONG ride
We are planning our first road trip with the little guy this june! These are perfect! Gonna save this post for future reference
A fun bag is a must! Helps keep them entertained which makes for a more peaceful trip for everyone.
there is always something I forget. ugh! this is a great list. a pillow is a fantastic add!
I love these tips. I plan to take my kids out on epic road trips when they grow up a bit.
Ah I love this. My husband always says that once we have the kiddies then we can’t travel… I think that’s nonsense as long as you’re prepared 🙂
This is so helpful thank You so much. I will definitely share it with my sister, it will surely make her roadtrips easier with her kids ?
These are great tips for traveling with kids….and without! Whenever I do any traveling, I make a point to stop every 3 hours to get out, stretch, walk around for 5 minutes and grab a snack. It definitely does do so much to reenergize for that next stretch of driving. When we do have kids, I will be using some of these for our future road trips.
You’ve got it all covered! I’ll definitely be back here when I have kids!
When I travel a long period of time I would always have a bag of goodies and they would get to pick every hour from the bag. Little trinkets from the dollar store. It was something for them to look forward to!
Its a pretty informative read and lots to know.
This is so true! When I was a kid I brought a portable DVD player and snacks and I was good to go! haha