Road Trips with Kids
Let’s talk about road trips with children, shall we? I think it’s safe to say, as mothers with young ones, the concept of hitting the road for several hours with your restless kids can either be a sweet dream or a beautiful nightmare (yes, this is a Beyoncé reference) — but I’m here to tell you that is doesn’t have to be the latter!
I’ll admit it, the idea used to not sit well with me. “Are we there yet?” — those four little words would ring in my head whenever I thought about taking my kids on an extended trip (thanks to pop culture’s depiction of what the experience was like,) but recently, we’ve been taking road trips as a family more often and I can assure you that it can be an amazing, bonding experience.
As with most things in parenting, proper planning is the key. The reality is that it’s highly unlikely that you can just hop in your vehicle as a family and spontaneously take a road trip without several mishaps along the way. So, if you’re planning on hitting the open road this Fall with your kids, whether it’s to visit family or go on a vacation, I’ve put together some foolproof tips to make your road trip with kids as smooth as possible. Let’s hit the road!
Timing Is Everything
First things first, plan to leave about an hour before nap or bedtime depending on the length of the trip. Usually, kids can hold it together for about an hour in the car before crashing. Nobody wants a cranky, tired kid in the backseat!
Map out the safe rest stops on your route ahead of time. Look for places that have plenty of room for the kids to run, stretch, and let off some steam! Pro tip: playgrounds make great stopping points even if you have to drive a little further off to get to them — it’s worth it!
Equip The Vehicle
One of the greatest keys to road trip success is to make sure your vehicle is locked and loaded with the safest equipment, such as car seats, organizers, and first aid kits.
Some of my favorite car seats are by brands like Waby and Doona. For organizers, even though they may not be the most visually appealing, I highly recommend this one here — it’ll save you a lot of hassle!
Make sure you’ve got plenty of snacks ready to go in a cooler, like this one by YETI. A hungry kid is a cranky kid, which we do not want on the road.
Last but not least, sh*t happens on road trips, so it’s best to be prepared with a first aid kit. I absolutely love this one by JUDY. It includes all the essentials (and so much more) and comes in a sturdy, reliable, waterproof bag.
Dress Accordingly
It’s very important that everyone (including you, mama!) is dressed comfy for a long trip. I highly recommend PJ or a chic sweat look. Some of my favorites are Mate the Label (BRANDY20 for 20%) off for me, and Fin and Vince for the babies.
Oh, and don’t forget to bring a change of clothes for everyone that is easily accessible and not buried under all of your other luggage. Having to unpack the meticulously packed up trunk to get to diapers or fresh clothes can be an unnecessary frustration that is easily avoidable.
On the topic of trunk storage, I would also recommend leaving some room in the back of your vehicle just in case you need to do an emergency trunk change. It’s best to plan for every scenario!
Keep Them Entertained
Entertainment on a road trip is an absolute must! If you want to avoid singing “The Wheels on The Bus” for hours on end, make sure to give your kids the tools to keep themselves busy. Download plenty of movies and make sure you’ve got at least two chargers! Spotify has some really good options for music and also great noise machines if you need help getting little ones to bed.
For headphones, I highly recommend the JBL Tune 500s or (if you want to splurge) these ones by Puro Sound. Trust me, headphones are a must to safeguard everyone’s sanity! If you’re not into having your kids on screens or they are too young, another great form of entertainment is a car seat mobile like this one here.
If I can leave you with one last piece of advice, it would be to treat yourself to something special for the trip. At this point, you’ve spent days preparing for a seamless trip, and you know I’m all about making sure mama is taken care of too! I absolutely love this weekender by Mina Baie, which is a perfect piece of soft luggage for a road trip. It takes up less space and can double as a pillow in desperate situations, just saying!
So, what do you say — are you ready to take your kids on the road? Damn right you are! I believe in you! With the proper planning, entertainment, clothing, and equipment, you’ll be making memories with your family on the open road in no time.