Road trips can be tough no matter who you’re traveling with, but add in a few children and ‘tough’ just doesn’t begin to cover it. Even if you’re a mom with the patience and zen of Ghandi, a road trip with fussy, uncomfortable children will probably still get to you. But, with a few tips we can help make your travels a little less stressful. Now we can’t promise a smooth ride 100 percent of the way, but these tips can help better the process and make for a more comfortable transition into your real vacation once you’ve reached your destination.
Night Driving:
Night driving sounds great at first: the kids are asleep, you can listen to your music and get at least half way there before they wake up. This tips is really dependent on the age of your kids. If they are infants or toddlers, night driving may not be the best idea if the have a hard time going to sleep or getting comfortable. For babies, it could go either way. Some babies sleep better in a moving car that at home and some don’t. This tip works best if you have school-aged kids. Make sure to leave a little bit before their bed time to keep them on their regular sleeping schedule and ensure that they’ll be off in dreamland once you’re well into your trip.
Don’t Forget the Change:
When planning a trip, you always consider your budget and how much you’ll be spending ahead of time. One thing that often gets left off the list is the money you need for the toll roads that you’ll pass through along the way. The toll price is different at each one and can range anywhere between 50 cents and $4. Bring a baggie with $20 – $30 in quarters and single dollar bills to ensure that you’re covered and not taking money out of your food budget.
Pack Your Cooler:
While stopping at fast food places is great on occasion (a bathroom, play place AND food in the same place!? Amazing.) it’s often not the healthiest option for your family. Pack your own cooler with water, juice boxes, sandwiches, fruit and some of your kids’ favorite snacks for everyone to munch on while driving. Cheese cubes, turkey & cheese sandwiches, strawberries, yogurt, carrot sticks and plums/apples make great snacks that you and your kids will love. They are healthy and delicious and can serve as a quick meal to hold you over until you can make your next stop. Keep dry foods like baggies of goldfish or chips separate.
Mobile Cinema:
If your car doesn’t come equipped with a DVD player and screen consider buying (or borrowing!) a portable one for your trip. Bring along a few of your kids’ favorite movies for them to watch. You can even sing along to some of the songs from the one’s that you enjoy as well!
Driving Games:
Driving games have been a fun road trip past time for years. And now with new technology, there are even more fun games for you to choose from! Quizzology makes fun cds with quizzes that kids and adults can take part in. You can also go with the classic games like the license plate game, alphabet game and a road trip scavenger hunt. Coloring books and puzzle books work wonders as well.
Gas:
Gas is the number one concern on any road trip. To save gas, keep your windows up while driving on the highway to reduce the stress on your engine. Also, make sure that your gas gauge doesn’t fall below a quarter of a tank. When driving somewhere that you’re not familiar with, gas stations can be few and far between so keep an eye on your gauge and know when you need to fill up.
Bring Garbage Bags:
With eating, coloring and drinking all happening in one small space, a mess is sure to follow close behind. Make sure to bring a few trash bags for the car to keep the mess to a minimum.
Slip on/Slip Off:
When driving in the car for long periods of time, shoes will undoubtedly be discarded at some point. To make for quick runs to the restroom at rest stops, make sure your shoes are easy to take on and off. It’s annoying when you have to take the time to find your shoes and your socks and then help your kids find theirs before you can even get out of the car to use the bathroom. Make it easy on yourself and wear slip on shoes to avoid the problem.
Chose Sight-seeing Stops:
Take some time to pre-plan your road trip stops. When you know your route, have the kids help you research some fun places to stop, take pictures and stretch those cramped legs! They will get excited about the upcoming stops that they helped you find and it’s a great way to let them release some energy before piling back into the car.
Schedule Bathroom Breaks:
When you’re pre-planning and mapping out your road trip, take not of all the rest stops and gas stations that you will be able to stop at for a quick bathroom break. This also helps you know ahead of time how long you will have to wait until your next potty break.
Clean-up Crew:
Even with a garbage bag, messes are bound to happen. Kids can find the most creative ways to get sticky and dirty, so here is a way to be ready for those moments. Make sure that you bring wet wipes, a roll of paper towels and a towel per child and keep them in an easy to reach area in the car. These will come in handy for many messes, including dirty faces, greasy hands, spills and accidents.
Aside from all of these tips, always keep in mind the temperament of your children (and you!). If you know some things your kids wouldn’t go for, feel free to kick the idea and try out another! It’s all about what suits you family best.
Happy traveling!
Sources: Fridley Patch, Uptake, Traveling Mom, Kaboose
Photo: Emergen-C television ad
