We’re going on a ROAD TRIP!! But with kids. Yes this can seem both equally fun and daunting but with a few road trip experiences in the books, I’ve learned that the right prep can make your drive so much more enjoyable. I’ll be honest, the first road trip I went on with my kids had me pulling my hair out and questioning all life decisions. Throwing in an iPad and and a few snacks just didn’t cut it. But that experience has gotten me to now where I can honestly say I enjoy traveling with them. In this post I’ll be sharing my top 10 tips for a successful road trip with kids! For reference, my oldest son is almost 4 and my twin girls are 2 and a half. With that, let’s get ready to hit the road and get into the road trip tips!
1 - Snacks, snacks and more snacks
“Snack please mama!” “I wanna snack please!” “Snack! Mama snack!” I know all us mamas can relate to the endless snack requests! When packing snacks for a road trip, I make sure to bring all of their favorites and LOTS of them. In addition to their favorites, it’s helpful to bring a few snacks and treats that are new and exciting for them as well. I picked up push pop suckers this go around and they were a hit! My kids also love the occasional cake pop from Starbucks, the stop that is a win win for everyone. Ps. mamas, don’t forget snacks for you!
2 - Entertainment specific for each kid
Learning from previous road trips, I knew I needed to get more organized with entertainment for the kids. The ultimate name of the game for getting through the long drives is distraction, distraction, distraction. When packing activities you want to make sure you are bringing things that are actually going to hold their attention so I brought the things that hold their attentions most at home. Brock is super into hot wheels, anything Ryan’s World and maps. Jordyn is all about coloring and flash cards. Jadyn loves her baby dolls, her princess Little People and has been really into magnets. Other great busy toys that I packed for each of them included poppers, mini projector flashlights, books, and magic marker activity books. And of course, can’t forget the tablets! We have the Amazon Fire Kids tablets and love them! One tip we’ve learned for road trips specifically is to download each of their favorite movies and games before leaving so that they will at least have those options available to them when we are out of cell service and off of wifi.
To keep their activities organized and in arms, I hung these organizers on each of the seats in front of them. This allowed me to keep all their specific toys and activities organized in the pockets in front of each of them instead of all over the car. Having an activities bag or basket for each kid would work great as well and could be stored right under their feet.
*affiliate links for everything pictured can be found here.
3 - Surprises for tough moments
This one is huge. On any road trip there are going to be tough moments. Nothing snaps my kids out of their whinny, crying moods faster then the word “surprise!” Knowing that, I kept a few things hidden up front to bring out in those not so fun moments. Basically the surprise toys at Target were my BFFs.
4 - Car diaper changing station
If you are in the diaper stage with your kids, it is so convenient to have a station in your car to hold all the supplies and change diapers. I used the same organizer as the toys for the diaper supplies and used the empty seat as our designated spot to change diapers. You can’t always count on a rest stop to have a clean bathroom or a changing table so this was the perfect set up. If you are out of the diaper stage, bringing a small travel potty for the kids to go in at stops is also helpful if you want to avoid taking your kids into random public restrooms.
5 - Car trash can
I put a car trash next to the messiest passsengers (aka the twins). This helped me to keep the back cleaned up and organized so I always had a clear path to the kids. It also made it super easy at stops to know all the trash was already in one spot and we could just dump it and be on our way.
6 - Clear path to the back
I have learned this one the hard way on past road trips but it is so important to try to keep the isle clear so you can easily get to the kids if you need to. It’s so hard to get them what they need while your trying to jump over snacks bags, suitcases, etc. I also find it helpful to leave a seat in the back open as well, so you have the option to sit back with the kids if needed. Since my kids are in car seats we utilize the space under their feet to put any extra bags and that usually allows us to have the aisle and an extra seat open.
7 - Plan out your pit stops and make extra stops when needed
It’s important to have a general idea where you are going to stop for food and bathroom breaks ahead of time. Ideally the stops should align with the kids naps and eating schedule give or take an hour or so. If the kids are sleeping and you know there will be more food/bathroom options ahead, you can drive as far as you can get without having to stop. If there aren’t more options ahead then you’ll know you have to unfortunately wake them up.
We use to try to make it all the way with the least amount of stops as possible and would drive through the cries just trying to get there as fast as we could. We’ve learned that even just a quick 5 minute stop letting them run around to get some energy out can make ALL THE DIFFERENCE. You want to stop enough to give them a change of scenery and to stretch their legs but you also want to get there (like that day lol). So if the distractions, activities and surprises aren’t cutting it, make a stop!
8 - Special music playlist
Another “distraction” that really works for us is having their favorite songs ready to go when needed. There are a few songs that I know they love and will help snap them out of a potential tantrum moment. I have those songs on a playlist ready to go and like the surprises, I keep this specific playlist in my back pocket for when we really need it; usually the last hour of the trip.
9 - Pack a bag for each destination
I think the worst part about traveling with kids is the amount of luggage you end up needing to bring. Literally everything but the kitchen sink. This can make quick over night stops seem not worth it if you have to unload the entire car each time. With that said, we decided to pack for each destination separately and it made it so much easier this time. We had a Napa bag, an Oregon bag, our camping bags and our Tahoe bags. We planned outfits ahead of time for the entire family so we knew we only needed the one bag for each stop plus the bathroom stuff. It made loading and unloading from destination to destination so much easier.
10 - Make it memorable
Road trips can be hard, yes, but they can also be fun and memorable! Playing car games like I spy and bingo or stopping at the same ice cream shop can make for some fun family traditions and something the kids will look forward to if you do the same trip again! So go with the punches and make the best out of the quality time you get with your family in such a unique environment. Make the pit stops, take the scenic route, snap too many pictures, and just do your best to make it enjoyable for all!
And that sums up my top 10 tips for a successful road trip with kids. Any I missed? I would love it if your shared it below in the comments! As always.. thanks so much for reading!
