‘Tis the season for holiday road trips so today I’m sharing some of my favorite must haves for road trips with kids.
Road Trips With Kids – 6 Must Haves
I’m hungry…
No matter how long or short the ride, you know kids will want a drink or snack within 30 minutes of leaving home. Be sure to pack everything in spill-proof containers like Drink in the Box and Snack in the Box or prepare to spend some time with your trusty dustbuster. For snacks, squeezy pouches and individually wrapped snack bars are great options along with fresh fruit and non-crumbly snacks like nuts and cheese sticks.
Road trips with kids – be sure to bring entertainment for the whole gang.
I’m bored…
Do you hate hearing this as much as I do? Prepare for trips by bringing along age appropriate entertainment for kids (and grown ups too). For tiny tots, audible CDs like Curious George and soft toys are great. For small kids, hand held toys like this adorable Rubik’s Junior Bear are great options. For school age children, I recommend Mad Libs, Highlights Magazines or other activity books, large print books, tablets like the Amazon Fire Kids Edition Tablet which comes in its own kid-proof case and gaming devices like the Nintendo 3DS which will keep kids quietly entertained for hours! It is always fun to play family friendly games along the way so bring along some cards and travel friendly games to play in the back seat like Hangman and Twizmo! Words.
I made a mess…
Wipes and ziplocs are a parent’s best friends so bring lots and lots. Be sure to pack some extra outfits and if your kids get carsick, be sure they have a few bags or a sturdy container nearby.
Road trips with kids. The mifold Grab and Go will easily let you fit three kids along in the backseat.
I want my friends to come…
Road tripping with friends? I just tested out the new mifold Grab and Go Booster Seat and I was amazed how easy it was to use. Simply place it on the seat, adjust the sides according to the child’s size (age 4 to 12), slide the seatbelt strap thru the base and over the lap and secure the shoulder strap at the child’s shoulder. Sounds involved but it takes less than a minute. Best of all, it folds in half making it super easy to throw in a tote for taxi rides, carpools or traveling.
I have to go to the bathroom…
Even though my daughter has been potty trained for years, I still keep a 2-in-1 Potette Plus portable potty in my car (along with the insert bags and the aforementioned wipes). You never know how long it can be to the next rest stop so better safe than sorry.
Road trips with Kids – Be sure to bring along some favorite tunes.
I don’t like that song…
I’m not sure what’s more tolerable, listening to kids’ whining or kids’ music. I know my daughter is definitely happy when her favorite tunes are playing in the car so I highly recommend bringing along some kid-friendly music. For tots, this means Elmo (sorry!) and Laurie Berkner types. For older kids, you can’t go wrong with some Kidz Bop (33 albums can’t be wrong), Space Pop Girls or soundtracks to their favorite movies or shows.
I received some of these items for review purposes but all opinions are my own. This post contains some affiliate links. If you don’t want to miss a post, subscribe to Globetrotting Mommy for daily updates!
Good advice traveling with children. You’ll have to branch out to an article about traveling with grandma’s.
Similar needs but maybe not the snacking.
Love your advice.