10 Tips to Enjoy a Road Trip With Kids
My husband’s family lives in Canada, so we are well-acquainted with the undertaking of a long road trip with kids. With small children in tow, an estimated 18-hour trip can easily stretch into 26 hours on the road one way. If it isn’t little bladders or tummies demanding frequent pit stops, it is a temper erupting due to being restrained or a little mind bored of counting clouds in the sky.
We have set guidelines to avoid dependence on screens until absolutely necessary. We all know that once they come out, there is no going back… even with toddlers. Rather than an endless stream of movies or video games from the onset of an excursion, we attempt to keep the kids engaged for most of the trip. Yes, that means more work on our part, especially in the younger years.
Yet, our hope is to condition them into being flexible and easy travel companions for the future. So, until the sun sets or we are only a few hours from our final destination, we don’t encourage the use of screens. (This article may contain affiliate links. Meaning at no additional cost to you, Grit and Grace Life may receive a small compensation if you purchase items through the links below.)
Here Are 10 Tips to Enjoy a Road Trip with Kids
1. Audio Books.
You can find classic stories like The Wizard of OZ, Peter Pan, or Charlotte’s Web that can entertain all ages. You can purchase copies outright, borrow from the local library, or download them from sites such as audible.com.
2. Actual Books.
Take a collection of new or old favorite stories to read aloud to the kids yourself.
3. Dollar Store Grab Bag.
Pack a little surprise bag for each child and fill it with dollar-store toys. Let them pick one new item per hour. You can have as many items as there are hours on your trip. The luster of dollar store trinkets can wear off quickly (if they don’t break first)! The consolation is that you haven’t invested a lot of money and may very well provide a bit of peace for yourself between toy discoveries. You can either let the kids pick out the toys for themselves in preparation or make it a complete surprise. My sister-in-law swears by this strategy, having used it many times when visiting from Toronto with three kids under the age of six.
4. Travel Scavenger Hunt For Kids Card Game.
We love this game! (Meant for kids seven and older.) Each player takes five cards and tries to locate various roadside objects. Players may have to find a stop sign, a pickup truck, a license plate with a certain letter, or a person wearing glasses, etc. In addition, it encourages kids to use all their senses by listening for sounds, feeling for bumps, and sniffing for scents.
5. Tell Me A Story Creative Cards.
This set of 36 cards features intriguing illustrations for children and adults to use their own imaginations as they develop their story-telling skills. Choose from a variety of themes. This is an ideal game for pre-readers as young as three. And if the littles aren’t old enough to actively participate, they can enjoy listening to everyone else!
6. Pack a ball.
We try to hit rest stops with a bit more green space along the way. While family members take turns using the restroom, those waiting can play a quick pick-up game. As the kids have gotten older, we have swapped the bouncy ball with a soccer ball. This works out some of that pent-up energy, no matter the age. Bubbles also work great for little ones!
7. Bring a lap-sized travel bin of legos or bristle blocks.
A variety of creations can easily make the hours go by. Legos and bristle blocks are great options.
8. Prepare time-consuming snacks.
It has taken me years of motherhood to figure this out! Packing a Ziploc bag of small finger foods such as Cheerios or trail mix takes longer for small children to eat, buying me at least an extra 10 minutes.
9. Stop at a state park along the way for a quick nature walk or picnic.
This can be spontaneous or plotted out in advance.
10. Employ a road trip planning app.
Use Roadtrippers.com to organize interesting or necessary stops ahead of time, allowing the kids something to anticipate as you break the long trip into smaller-sized segments.
I hope some of these tips for road trips with kids are new and fresh for you to try. If you have any of your own to share, please feel free to comment below!
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Maybe you already have a holiday road trip planned, or you definitely want to get away but are still weighing your options. We recommend listening to this podcast episode, where Darlene and Julie chat about their dream vacation spots: Vacation Ideas: Why We Want to See These Unique Places Now – 042
