Road Trips with Kids Tips Taking a road trip can be enjoyable for everyone, especially when traveling from places like Mississauga to the crowded streets of Toronto. Making your die instant ride suitable with kids for long hours can be quite the task though. What follows is a book full of tactics, tools and wisdom so your family vacation can be as stress-free and fun from start to finish. Preparation through out-of-the-box activities — we have it all!
Prep: how to get the best out of yourself
- Kids are slow, so be sure to make stops along the way.
Plan your route and map the rest stops – at least a few of them kid friendly. Google to find research parks, play grounds, museums and rest stops on the way. It also helps for kids to have those breaks where they can walk around, expend energy and be in a different environment.
- Pack Strategically
What you pack and what you leave behind can make a world of difference so choose wisely. As a quick check list here you go:
- Pick healthy snacks, and not-messy ones for now – fruit slices (apples are great), nuts or granola bars as well as water.
- Comfort Items: Bring in blankets, pillows and so on to help make the room cozy.
- Make of entertainment supplies:
- Electronic gadgets
- Books
- Toys
- REMEMBER!!
- A first aid kit may contain band-aids, antiseptic wipes and other medicines you might need.
- In-Flight Games and Activities: To be Continued!
- Create a Travel Schedule
Set up a rough itinerary for travel, down to how long you will be driving at roughly what times and leaving loose blocks in the day where activities can fit. One tip for future trips is to share the schedule with your kids so they know where and when you will be stopping along the way.
- Involve Kids in Packing
Allow kids to get several of the gadgets, guides and games content that they will appreciate. This involvement makes them feel empowered and excited about the adventure.
Advanced In-Car Entertainment
- Digital Entertainment
Screen time can surely be a double edged sword so this is likely not for everyday all the same, but digital devices do have their place in life especially on arduous trips.
- Tablets and E-Readers
This means download some apps, maybe a movie or video game you have been wanting to play but can only do so 35k feet in the air for all much I know. The following are a few best bets:
- Amazon Freetime: ABCmouse, Duolingo Kids & Khan Academy Kids
- Games for Kids: Monument, Toca Boca and the best of Minecraft.
- TV & Movies: Download your favorite TV shows from streaming apps such as Disney+, Netflix, or Amazon Prime.
- E-Books — Pick a combination of both fun and educational books that are super easy to read for your child.
- Audiobooks and Podcasts
Audiobooks, podcasts the whole family can listen! Consider these options:
- Harry Potter Series
- Percy Jackson series
- Charlotte’s Web -Listen Inaudiocreator/provider — Listen Here
PODCASTS: Wow in the World, Story Pirates and But Why- A Podcast for Curious Kids.
- Games and Interactive Activities
Mentally entertain your children to speed up time.
- Classic Car Games
- Rattling fun tools for your bug-out bag I Spy: One person spies an object, offers a clue and the others take turns trying to guess what it is.
- This is English way of playing 20 questions: Person A thinks of something, everyone else gets to ask person A up to 20 question each until they figure out what think the others are thinking.
- License Plate Game: Find license plates from other states or countries.
- Alphabet game: Along the line of sight outside- start with A-Z.
- Travel BingoTravel bingo with pictures of typical sights we see on the road (cows, stop signs, gas stations). Children can tick off accordingly when they see items, with a small prize for anyone who wins.
- Creative Activities
In our book, we promote creativity through the following hands-on activities:
- Drawing and ColoringCrayons, coloured pencils and colour-in books are perfect so pack a small box – even as they get older, most children still like creating. Magnetic drawing boards or dry erase broads are also great for mess-free creativity.
- Books and Activity Pads for kids include..These will keep your kids busy for hours. To do so, you can select themes your child likes in general (animals, vehicles or their favorite cartoon characters).
- Travel JournalsDon’t forget to give your kids their own notebooks so they can document the journey themselves. They might sketch, or journal about the trip and gather small tokens at stops along the way.
Comfort and Convenience Tips
- Create a Cozy Environment
These tips will help to ensure the car is as comfortable as possible:
- Solar Shades -Act as Window shades to help cool the car down and reduce glare.
- Neck Pillows and Blankets: So your little ones can sleep comfortably during the drive.
- Wear Comfortable Clothes: Dress them in layers for changes of temperature.
- Maintain a Routine
- Try to maintain normal meal and sleep times
- Maintain Familiar Routines: Routine helps kids to feel secure which keeps them from being upset.
- Manage Expectations
Tell Your Kids Ahead of Time To make the trip as easy on your kids — and thus, you too – start to get them ready for it long before setting out. Setting clear expectations will avoid this, as you have prepared everyone for the same upfront.
Explore interactive learning
- Geography and Maps
They can learn about geography with maps and being told which way to take. Older children may use a road map or GPS app to follow progress. Talk about the states or places you pass through and mention cool landmarks along the way.
- Nature and Wildlife
Remind children to listen and track the different trees or plants, birds besides their own cage iBird on my iPhone helps with bird and plant identification for me; there is a whole host of apps that can help you identify the wildlife you are looking at
- Historical Landmarks
Look up historical monuments on your journey and tell facts about them. Imagine you get out of the car, stretch your legs a bit and visit some landmark!
Snacks and Meals
- Healthy Snack Ideas
We want to keep the kids fed with easy, healthy snacks without them getting a ton of sugar in their systems and going on an energy high followed by a crash. Here are some ideas:
- Fruit: apple chips, grapes and more berries.
- Vegetable: Baby carrots, cucumber slicers and cherry tomato.
- Protein: Cheese, yogurt (sticks), nuts (if it is safe to do so).
- Whole Grain Crackers, Rice Cakes and Granola Bars
- Fun Food Activities
Activities for making snack time fun
- Snack Mix- Bring a variety of dried fruits, nuts and cereals you already have that are easy to open and together the kids can create their own snack.
- Use Cookie Cutters: Make Fun Shapes Out of Sandwiches,
- Hydration
- Frequency: Provide a continuous source of water
- Avoid sugary drinks: These can cause spikes and then crashes in energy.
SafetyEmergency Preparedness
- Car Safety
Be sure to always fasten all car seats and seat belts. Before leaving,…—Learn the rules of car safety to your children.
- Emergency Kit
Carry an emergency kit with:
- First Aid Supplies ( Band-aids, Antiseptic Wipes, Pain Relievers)
- Flashlight and Batteries
- Blanket
- Granola Bars and Bottled Water
- Emergency Contact Information
- Roadside Assistance
Ensure you have a trustworthy plan for roadside assistance and how to call them if necessary. Bring a phone charger so that you can keep your phone in good health at all times.
Family bonding activities
- Family Storytelling
Take turns telling stories. Progressive story telling : A madcap scheme that sees everyone add a sentence or paragraph, twisting the adventure in all manner of unexpected and comedic directions.
- Sing-Alongs
Make a family playlist then sing the songs together. It also tends to bring joy and liven things up!
- Road Trip Journals
Ask kids to keep a journal of everything going on. They could document what they see and how they feel, or why some of them should be excited at the upcoming stops. This will not only keep them busy but also give you a memory of the trip.
- Scavenger Hunts
Have some kind of list for your child to look for during the drive. These could be something as simple as a red barn, river scene or fall tree and maybe even a car in the picture. The first person to find the item scores 1 point, and whoever has the most points at end of game will receive a small prize.
Staying Active on the Road
- Exercise Breaks
Encourage them to exercise or play games during stops. Many times, small activities like jumping jacks, simplestretches or tag for 15 minutes can do wonders in burning the extra energybuffers.
- Car Stretching Routines
You can raise kids to practice some stretching routines they do in the car,(orestation news) This can include leg lifts, arm stretches, and neck rolls to assist them in staying comfortable with minimal restlessness.
Conclusion: Enjoy the Journey
Road trips with kids can be very difficult. But, when you plan the right way & keep everyone entertained (&fed) it’ll all yet out OK! The secret is all in planning ahead and packing right – with a blend of digital, interactive entertainment to keep your kids engaged while on the go.
Take lots of breaks: Take a small leave every few minutes, have the flexibility to complete your ride in an easier way. Do family bonding activities, travel to new places together and create memories. So, give this plan a go on your next road trip with kids and have an amazing adventure to remember.
In following this, it is not how to just survive the journey but rather thrive during the process. Happy travels!