Road Trip With Kids

Almost all parents will tell you that even a ten-minute car journey can turn into mayhem when little humans are involved. I, for example, remember shortly after passing my test. I’m driving down the road with my youngest son (about 3 at the time) strapped into his seat in the back. He then takes his belt off as I’m moving! Luckily I was in a position to pull over and strap him back in. However, I lived I fear he would do it at a more difficult time. I’m glad to report he never actually did it again but you see what I mean. A road trip with the children can be mayhem and it can be worse if you’re travelling with a baby!

Get Your Road Trip Plan in Place

With Summer here and holidays coming thick and fast I am sharing a whole heap of tips and tricks to help both you and the kids survive any forthcoming road trips. So, if you have a long drive ahead of you check this out to help it go as stress-free as possible.

Games For Your Road Trip

Who remembers the days when you’d play a good old game of I spy as you trundle along to the beach? Or trying to get lorries to beep their horns on the motorway? They really were the good day, weren’t they?

For my kids and probably others now. Games like I spy and the likes are not as entertaining as they once were. With this in mind, I’ve put together a list of games you or the kids can enjoy as you make your road trips. Hopefully buying you a few minutes peace.

I Spy Bingo

An upgraded version of a classic mentioned above. All you need to do is draw, write or print off a list of objects, vehicles or even animals for the kids to spot. Once they do they can tick it off their list. Once they have ticked them all they can call Bingo. A little car sweet/treat as for the winner to keep them engaged. The best thing is you can print of lost of these with different items per list. This way if they want to pay again they can.

Red Car, Yellow Car

A simple but effective game. Each player chooses a colour that they will spot. You then count how many cars you spot in your chosen colour. For younger players, they can call a word when they do or do a funny move etc.

Banana, Apple, Blueberry

Similar to the game above but with a slightly different concept. Every time you spot a yellow car you call ‘Banana’. ‘Apple’ for red and so on with pretty much any colour you want. Double points for gold? You get where I’m going.

Spot the Alphabet – Road Trip Top Pick

A great game where you start from A through to Z. Spotting things from your journey for each letter as you go. So simple but should keep the little ones busy for a minute.

The ‘Are we there yet?’ Map

Such a great idea and saves all the dreaded ‘are we there yet?’. Make a rough map of your journey from your home to your destination. Add as many landmarks as you like. You can add snack and drink breaks. Toilet stops or anything you need or like. The kids can then tick this off as they go. Fully aware of how far is left on the journey and how close they are. Plus breaking the journey down into smaller chunks for them will make it feel less time.

Your Road Trip Sanity

The kids are sorted for games at least so now how are you meant to stay sane? You know they’re still going to bicker and you’ll want a hot or stiff beverage the whole time! Here are 5 top tips to help YOU survive the road trip.

Movies

If you’re able to I highly suggest a portable DVD player or laptop etc. Anything that can potentially buy you over an hour’s quiet time on a road trip is a WIN!!! Make sure it’s gotta good soundtrack and you’re double sorted really!

Plan to Potty on a Road Trip

With children on a road trip, it massively helps to plan bathroom breaks so both you and the children know when you’ll be able to use a bathroom. Even with doing that still be prepared for the ‘I really can’t hold it’ as well. Hopefully, with a good bathroom schedule, you won’t need lots of unscheduled stops.

Plan the Snacks

With toilet breaks in place, you will want to schedule your snack and juice stops too. This way you can minimise your unscheduled stops by having snack and drinks before bathroom breaks. Plus, as mentioned above, you can add them to the ‘Are we there yet?’ Map. This way you can also minimise the ‘I’m hungry and thirsty’ statements too! WINNING!

Spares and Repairs

Whether it’s spilt stuff, a toilet accident or car sickness. You should always pack an extra outfit for the kids. Add wet wipes to mop up any mess. Remember to bring a bag so you can tie up any grossness and get tidied away. These objects can become invaluable on a car trip.

Plan Your Route

So, the kids are going crazy and know you’re lost. Stressed and overwhelmed are an understatement. This is the reason you plan your route thoroughly. Adding a B plan route if you find you need an alternative. Again, this should help with less unexpected stops and get your road trip going smoothly from start to finish.

Road Trip Must Haves

Finally, we are discussing those must-have items to keep your road trip going smoothly. There is nothing worse than finding your missing something when on the go. So don’t forget a thing with this great list.

Backpack

Just to keep all of your road trip items in so you’re not having to search. Just grab and go which is perfect for on then go. Plus backpacks are, obviously, a little larger.

Colouring Book

Yes, just in case you find yourself with nothing to offer a bored child. Colouring as a quick option can save the day in some instances. Even if it’s a small pocket book sized one with a few colours. It’s great to have one handy on a road trip.

SHO Bottle

Perfect for both hot and cold drinks. Sho Bottles are your best friend on a car trip. Whether you can’t be without your cuppa close to hand (me) or need an ice cold drink for a hot road trip. Sho will keep both drinks hot it’s cold for a minimum of 12 hours. NO LIE!!! I have one and I love it and use it often.

Pack of Sweets

I mean……it’s just standard. Great as a little bribe for the kids. Or as a prize for your car games. A bag or two of sweets/treats for the road is a must-have essential. Like literally!!!

Charging Cable for Your Phone

One that you can use in your car. Safety first people and being able to make a call if you need really is essential. Say you break down and then realise you have no battery! Say someone is hurt and you can’t make a call. It’s just better to be safe than sorry. So, keeping a good charge on your phone is a good idea when away from home.

Are any of you off any road trips this summer my lovelies? Are you taking little humans with you? Well, if you are I hope you find some of the tips useful and your road trip is a complete success. Do you have any hilarious road trip anecdotes? Let me know everything in the comments below.

Lots of Love,

Tahnee xxx