We’ve assembled our top 5 tips for a road trip with kids. Read on for inspiration.
Eat while you drive
One of our family favourites is to eat meals and snacks while we are driving. Not only does it help to fill in some of the time spent on the road, but it also leaves those much-needed rest breaks free for playtime! We love Bento Boxes and insulated lunch bags (our favourites are Bbox and Montii Co)
Plan spots for stretching the legs!
We all know kids reach their limit in the car. So we always plan rest stops into our long trips for the inevitable toilet stop and much-needed run outside. Whether it’s a quick stop at the tourist information, a play on the local playground or investigating a fantastic museum, art gallery or walking trail, include these steps in your planning. Adding them allows you to plan your departure and arrival at camp or accommodation for the night.
Give yourself time
Many of us are guilty of rushing from one thing to the next. If you have little ones on the road, make sure you build in some extra time as things often take a little longer with the kids along for the ride. Make sure you consider the additional toilet stop, the 5 minutes longer at the playground, or the extra pack-up time when planning your next getaway!
Activities!
There is I Spy and Car Cricket, but we all know that sometimes there are periods of a long drive with no cars and little change in scenery! So, colouring, drawing, reading, or iPads are ideal for some downtime on long stretches and will allow you to get some km under your belt. We also love some great kid’s podcasts and audiobooks that lead to fantastic discussions, especially with the older kiddos. Remember, phone reception can be patchy, so download them before you go!
Take turns!
This one is for your parents! We all know driving can be tiring, but so can passenger duty when you are organising snacks, solving technical issues, picking up dropped crayons and breaking up the inevitable arguments. So change things up by taking turns driving for different stretches – a change is as good as a holiday….or so we’ve heard.
Got more tips for road trip with kids? Let us know in the comments below.
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