Children and road trips don’t really mix well. When they do, it’s short-lived.
Fun road trip games and healthy road trip snacks help keep mom, dad, and the kids entertained.
Road Trip Checklist
This road trip checklist is perfect for adults and kids of any age. In addition to the games and snacks, don’t forget to pack:
- Ziplock bags
- Wet wipes
- First aid kit
- Sippy cups
- Extra clothes
- Trash bags
- Blanket
Now, let’s get to the information that will help you keep your sanity!
Road Trip Essentials when Traveling with Kids
Play fun road trip games
I remember doing this with my siblings when I was younger. Whether it be counting a number of certain colored cars, listening for buzz words on the radio, or playing word and number games – using your surroundings that are constantly moving is a sure way to stay entertained on a family road trip.
Stopping in northern Florida for a snack on our way to Savannah.
Road trip snacks
When you’re packing snacks, don’t pack anything with a lot of sugar. The last thing you need on a cross country road trip is hyperactive children fighting to get out of their car seats… or the car!
Also, be sure to pack things that aren’t too messy. You don’t want there to be a mess, then you don’t want to smell the mess.
For more road trip games, scroll down and check out the infographic at the bottom of this post.
How to plan a road trip
In two words: Around naptime. I get annoyed after I’ve been in a car for about an hour… and I’m an adult.
Whenever I’ve left about an hour before naptime, it’s been perfect. The kids aren’t bothered with being in the car at first, then when they are almost at that point of asking, “Are we there yet?” they are sound asleep!
This technique worked wonders on the way to and from Disney World!
After 12 hours at the Magic Kingdom, I needed to hold her head up.
If your family road trip lasts longer than a few hours, stopping to do something fun for a short time is a great way to break it up. You could stop to eat, play at a park, go shopping… whatever. Just getting out of the car, walking around, and seeing scenery other than the inside of your vehicle is a good thing.
Now, the infographic…
