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Tips and Ideas for Surviving Road Trips With Kids

We’ve taken many road trips with our four kids, including a cross-country trip when we moved from Washington to Georgia.

When I think about what has worked for our road trips with kids, a few things come to mind.

1. Individual Zipper Pouches for Snacks and Toys

Reusable zipper pouches for snacks and toys.

We use these zipper pouches for everything. They are amazing little bags that keep the kids’ snacks, toys, and entertainment organized.

You can find them on Amazon, and they come in different colors and have labels. This way, you can easily identify whose pouch belongs to whom.

No more searching for snacks or toys in a messy bag – everything is neat and easy to find! My older kids pack their own, and its up to them to have them handy.

This eliminates the need for the driver to have to be rummaging around, handing back all the requested snacks and whatnot!

2. Garbage Bags for a Clean(ish) Ride

Everyone gets a garbage bag.

The amount of garbage that comes with traveling from the west coast to the east coast with four little kids and two vehicles is alarming!

To cut down on mess, we attach garbage bags to the headrests of multiple seats in the car.

They were easy for the kids to reach, and we could unclip them to at gas stations to quickly empty them. It’s a small trick that made a big difference.

3. Waterproof Bag for Swimsuits

Use waterproof bags for swimsuits.

If you’re stopping in hotels or campgrounds as you’re driving, you won’t always have time to dry out swim suits before leaving. Bringing a waterproof bag is a big help.

With a waterproof bag, simply put the wet swimsuits inside without worrying about them getting everything else wet.

4. Audiobooks for Entertainment

We love audiobooks! Audiobooks are a fantastic way to keep the kids and adults entertained during the long car rides.

We download a bunch of audiobooks before trips and listened to them while on the road. I choose stories I would enjoy listening to as much as the kids.

I wrote a post with our favorites, if you’re looking for some recommendations!

5. Screens for Fun

Sometimes you need a screen.

When we took our cross-country trip, we chose not to limit screen time too much. We felt everyones sanity was more important and we’d worry about that later.

Our kids used their tablets often, although we did take long breaks.

We like the Kid’s Kindle option from Amazon that comes with the durable case. They’re well protected against falls!

We let the kids download movies and games when we have Wifi so they’d have fresh content. It keeps them entertained and frankly, make the journey more enjoyable for everyone!

For our toddler, we got a special holder that attaches to the headrest in front of him.

This way, he can see the screen without touching it. It was really secure, we’ve used it a few times since our big road trip and I’ve been impressed with it.

6. Rest Stops for Fun and Stretching

Let our the wiggles often.

We make a lot of stops! Even when no one needs to use the restroom, we’ll still pull over at rest stops to stretch our legs.

One rest area we stopped at on our cross-country trip had a playground, which was perfect!

Our toddler enjoyed crawling around on it, and he wasn’t so fussy when we strapped him back into the carseat. We knew we couldn’t be in a rush.

Be as active as possible when you do stop to get our the wiggles!

Be as active as possible when you stop!

7. Early Mornings and Late Nights

A sleeping toddler is a quiet toddler.

When we can, we try to get up early or drive late. When the kids are sleeping, especially the youngest, it makes the journey much smoother.

We recline the seats as much as we could and give the kids plenty of blankets and pillows.

8. Pack Wisely

In those same zipper pouches, I pack a small first aid kit with band-aids, antiseptic wipes, and any necessary medications.

I put it in an easy-to-get-to spot. We have had some minor scrapes during trips, and not having to dig around for supplies was a time-saver.

9. Use Walkie Talkies if Caravaning

This is pretty specific, but if you’re traveling with another vehicle, get long-range walkie-talkies. We used walkie talkies to chat between cars when we moved out east, and the kids loved it!

When we lost service in Yellowstone, we were still able to exclaim to each other about all the wildlife and vistas, followed by lots of “over!” “Roger that!”

Just remember to charge them overnight– we came back to the cars a few mornings with dead batteries!

10. Enjoy the adventure!

Have fun!

Lastly- try to enjoy the journey. You’re making unforgettable memories with your kids.

My biggest takeaway with traveling with kids, for so many days, was how important it is to have patience, be flexible, and treasure the quality time.

To Sum Up…

We all (who can remember) look back on all our various road trips with really fond memories.

Things can feel pretty organized because we take the time to pack smartly.

We listen to stories, watch shows, play games, and are fairly comfortable.

We don’t rush, and we stay entertained.

If you’re planning road trips with kids with your family- we wish you the best! Safe travels and please, take lots of pictures.

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