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 Traveling with the family can be an adventure, especially on those vacation-length trips.
"Are we there yet??" … "But, I've REALLY gotta go NOW!!" …… "Maaaah-umm! He's hogging the whole seat!"… "But I had it first!"… "No fair! She got to pick the restaurant LAST time!"…" My tummy doesn't feel so good."
Let’s face it; a road trip with your kids can be enough to make you need a vacation from your vacation!
Whether you're packing the troops into a compact car or a full-sized RV, there never seems to be enough room for family members to peacefully co-exist in close proximity to one another for extended periods of time. But, with few pre-planned activities, some creative packing and a little bit of organization, you can eliminate some of the stress associated with the family car trip.
Pre-Planning Activities to Entertain the Kids
Mapping out the stops on the trip before departure and planning in-car activities can be almost as important as selecting your travel destination. It sounds silly to mention, but it really is important to consider what vehicle you’ll be driving, the ages of the children you’ll be taking and how long you (and they) will be in the car. Getting the kids involved in the pre-planning will get them excited about the trip. Have older children go to the library or research your destination on the internet to plan activities upon arrival. If you are a member of AAA, obtain an extra TripTik® or make a map of your route so that your “junior navigators” can help out in the car. Select comfortable travel attire for everyone and discuss what types of snacks to bring. And plan for a lot more travel time than if you were traveling alone. Plan on making at least a brief stop every 2 hours.
Resist the urge to over-pack. Even though 12 hours in the car with your children can make even the coolest of parents loose their patience, traveling in a jam-packed car with every Barbie and Lego in your house will only exacerbate the problem. Ask toddlers and younger kids to select one or two special small toys for the ride. Consider how much room they will have and make sure your car is packed neatly and safely. Ideally, each child should have a small backpack or activity desk for the trip.
Road-trip activities can run the gamut from the old (and free!) standbys of License Plate Bingo, Counting Cows, Sing-a-longs, Geography and I Spy to bringing along high-end DVD players, Gameboys and laptops. Many internet sites have free activities you can download or print out for the trip. The $1 stores, craft stores or party stores often have cheap coloring books, word searches and small hand-held games. Older kids can select their games, CD's, DVD's and books before the trip.
Road Entertainment for Babies: - Rattles and music makers (Warning: these have the tendency to entertain baby, but get on everyone ELSE's nerves. Decide in advance whether you'd like to hear the computerized strain of "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star" ad nauseam or not.)
- Soft blocks
- Fabric or plastic-paged books
- Miniature photo album
- Pacifiers and teething toys
- Stuffed toy
Travel Toys for Toddlers and Pre-Schoolers:- Board and pop-up books
- Finger puppets
- Small plastic toys (dinosaurs, soldiers, zoo animals…age appropriate, watch for choking hazards)
- Coloring books, crayons, small spiral bound notebooks, stickers
- Costume jewelry
- Felt boards
- Travel-size drawing toys (Etch-A-Sketch, Magna-Doodle, etc.)
- 1-2 Barbie dolls or action figures
- DVD's, CD's or VHS tapes if applicable
Diversions for Your Younger Kids:- Miniature toy cars
- Coloring books, crayons (avoid markers), stickers, word find books
- Temporary tattoos
- Stick-on playsets (color forms or felt boards)
- Hand-held video games
- Real books
- Comic books
- Travel-size games (avoid games with lots of small pieces)
- Pads and pencils for Hangman or Tic-Tac-Toe
- CD's, DVD's or VHS tapes if applicable
Take-Alongs for Teens and 'Tweens:- Real books
- Playing cards
- Personal music player (Discman or MP3 player) and headphones
- Magazines
- Crossword puzzles
- Hand-held video games
- Books on tape
- Travel-size games (Chess, Sorry, MasterMind) and zipper baggies for the pieces
- CD's, DVD's, Video Games or VHS tapes if applicable
Creative Packing
"Everything but the Kitchen Sink" and "The Excess Express" are two popular, but inefficient philosophies when it comes to packing. Packing everything and buying more when you get there is always tempting, but remember that you've got to get it all back home again! Pack as lightly as possible; you'll likely want to shop for souvenirs when you get there. If you roll your clothing or pack it flat, you can maximize space in your suitcase. Share suitcase space whenever you can and, if possible, pack younger children's bags together.
When packing clothing, consider the weather at your destination and include at least one change of clothes for the opposite kind of weather. At the beach, it can be cold in the evenings and storms could always pop up. If you're vacationing at a ski resort, you’ll still want a few short-sleeved options for layering in the lodge. You do not need two changes of clothing per day, even for the younger kids who get messy more often. Your teenage daughter does not need a different swimsuit for every day you're at the beach.
Plan ahead what you will eat on the road. Pack nutritious snacks and plenty to drink for your car ride even if you plan to stop for food, too. Many different portable coolers are available to fit any size vehicle. Seatback and armrest-style coolers are great for easy access and can also provide a barrier between kids to prevent quarreling.
Good Options for On-the-Go Snacking:- Drinkable or tube-packaged yogurt
- Cereal bars or granola bars
- Fruit (fresh, individually canned or dried)
- Carrot and celery sticks
- Small bags of chips or pretzels
- Packaged cheese or peanut butter crackers
- String cheese
- Small bags of Goldfish or Cheerios for toddlers
- Juice boxes
- Bottled water
If you do plan on stopping to eat, fast food restaurants with play areas give kids an opportunity to expend some of their excess energy. If you make stops in Rest Areas, bringing along a ball, bubbles or jump rope, let the kids run around for 10-15 minutes after eating and make sure they use the restroom before getting back in the vehicle.
Special Circumstances
When traveling with infants, pack a few extra bottles or their set-ups (measured amount of formula and bottled water) and have a means to warm them if necessary. Have a plenty of spare diapers, wipes, sealable bags for disposal and a comfortable area to change them. If a toddler or young child is toilet training, pack a spare outfit, flushable wipes and plastic bags. Consider having them wear training pants during the trip or purchasing a portable potty. Use every opportunity you stop to have them "try." Know that accidents will happen and take them in stride.
If the kids have a tendency to become motion sick, there a few medications available to prevent this, most of which have to be taken ahead of time. If they have never tried them before, the day of your vacation is not the day to start in case of an allergic reaction. If you are traveling in mountainous areas, special earplugs called Earplanes help minimize a child's discomfort caused by pressure and altitude changes. It is best to be prepared and try to prevent motion sickness by keeping a full tummy and having them drink plenty of liquids. Fresh air can help and having them focus on a point on the horizon facing forward – not the trees or clouds going by the side windows – is also helpful. If your children become motion sick, reading or concentrating on a puzzle or video game can make it worse. Pack a plastic container with a lid, a change of clothing, some wet wipes and hand sanitizer and place it within the child's reach in the car. This can lessen the mess should the nausea overcome them.
Safety
Safety is always a priority. When packing your vehicle, don't jam-pack it to the ceiling. Allow the driver proper clearance to see out the back window. Have as few articles as possible "loose" in the vehicle. In the event of an accident or sudden braking, these articles can fly forward and injure someone. If you have a considerable amount of luggage that cannot be safely secured in the trunk or cargo area of your vehicle, you may want to consider a car-top carrier. Many can double as luggage or be conveniently stored in a closet or under the bed in your hotel room.
Have a current photo and fingerprints of each child and go over safety guidelines such as a buddy-system for public areas, knowing their full name, parent's name and mobile phone number if separated and who they should approach if they are lost (uniformed Law Enforcement Officers, Store Clerks, etc). Distance Monitors are available to help you keep tabs on your younger children in crowded areas. There's nothing like a game of hide and seek in a busy store to give a parent heart palpitations.
Pack a small first aid kit for the interior of your vehicle. Include any current medications, fun-themed bandages, anti-septic wipes, antibiotic ointment, waterless hand sanitizer, tweezers, over-the counter headache and stomach ache relief, allergy medicines and inhalers.
If your children will be traveling in an area of the vehicle that receives direct sunlight, apply sunscreen, put them in hats and sunglasses or use tinted film. Many parents forget that sunburn can occur in a vehicle too!
 Last Minute Thoughts
Enlist the help of older children and spouse when packing gear and loading the car. Put each child's backpack or travel-fun bag within their reach or on the floor in front of them.
Protect your vehicle's interior from spills and "accidents" using a seat cover or liner under every car seat or booster. Have plastic bags, litter bins and wipes available for speedy clean ups and make an effort to dispose of any accumulated trash whenever you stop.
If possible, try to leave late at night or in the wee hours of the morning. This avoids traffic congestion and the added strain of traveling in the heat of the day. And hopefully, the kids will sleep in the car! The only caveat to this approach is many vacation destinations will not let you check in until later in the afternoon. To promote the sleeping idea, bring along a favorite pillow and blanket or invest in a seatbelt cover, travel set or fun themed neck pillow.
Oh, and bring along snacks, music, books and comfort items for the adults. Don't forget it's your vacation too!
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