Planning a road trip this summer? Here are some tips with travelling with kids.

For vacations and getaway's, I love nothing better than packing the family into the car and heading somewhere beautiful to enjoy the sunshine. Road trips can be great fun, but when you’re traveling with kids, you need to be prepared for every eventuality. These are my top five tips for preparing for a family road trip, including what you definitely should take along on a road trip. 

1. Make sure to pack Snacks

I always pack a big cooler box to be kept in the back seat, so that anyone feeling hungry or thirsty can grab something quickly. When you’re choosing snacks, it’s best to avoid the junk food. It’s likely to cause a big spike in energy, followed by a comedown that’s going to leave little travelers irritable and moody, especially if they have trouble falling asleep in the car.  Pack lots of fruit and of course, lots to drink. I also keep a damp flannel in the cooler box. If anyone is starting to feel a bit sick, applying a flannel to the insides of the wrists or the back of the neck will cool them down quickly. 


 2. Be sure to pack everyone's Sunglasses

When I’m planning my summer driving, my obvious priority is my kids. But it’s also important to remember that whoever is driving the car needs to ensure that they’re going to keep everyone safe. It may seem like common sense, but remembering to take sunglasses for driving is a must when you’re taking a long trip in sunny weather. The last thing you want to be doing is using your hands to shield your eyes in bright conditions! 

3. Bring entertainment for the kids

Making a CD of your kids’ favorite music will keep everyone entertained. What’s more, making the CD is a nice activity to do together on a rainy afternoon and will get your kids excited for your upcoming trip.  When I know that I've got a long car trip coming up, I keep a lookout for discounted crayon and coloring sets in stores. A car journey isn't the best environment for coloring (brace yourself for the odd complaint from the backseat that you’re driving is causing little artists to ruin their drawings) so it’s not worth spending a lot on a high quality coloring set. They’ll probably get thrown away at some point on the trip but it’s guaranteed to keep kids entertained for at least a few hours. 

4. Don’t depend on electronic entertainment –  Sure the kids love their game systems and phones, but take the time during your road trip to unplug and enjoy some good old-fashioned fun with books. Disney Publishing, has some great new kids’ books that would be awesome for a road trip, for the preschool set there is, Palace Pets: Pumpkin in the Puppy for Cinderella, 

great for ages 3-5, Take Cinderella’s puppy, Pumpkin, on the go with the new Palace Pets Touch-and-Feel Purse Book. This exciting new format is sure to become every young girl’s favorite accessory. This board book has a cool handle at the top, making this a great tote able book that would be great for the car, and toting to restaurants and anywhere on the go.

Doc McStuffins: Awesome Guy to the Rescue! / Bella’s Big Break, Great for ages 3-5 - It’s a busy day at Doc’s clinic! First, kids can read “Righty on Lefty” and help Doc figure out why Awesome Guy isn’t feeling so awesome. Then, flip the book over and read how Doc helps Bella Ballerina when she falls and breaks her leg. This “double feature” also includes two sheets of colorful stickers for even more Doc McStuffins fun! Two fun books in one!

 Doc McStuffins: A Dragon’s Best Friend, Ages 3-5 -  During a game of hide-and-seek, Stuffy finds an adorable rollie toy named Squibbles. Squibbles follows Stuffy everywhere -around the park, in the clinic, and, worst of all, in all of Stuffy’s awesome hiding places! Everyone thinks Squibbles is adorable, but Stuffy thinks the little fuzzball is a huge pest! It’s up to Doc and Stuffy to find Squibble’s owner, but after spending time with the fun little toy, will Stuffy be able to give him up? Join Doc and her toys in their adventures in this special hardcover storybook with colorful illustrations.

The Great Never Sea Conquest, Great for ages 3-5 - When an evil Mer-witch named Ezmeralda is released from an underwater prison, she sets out to take over the Never Sea by awakening the legendary giant, three-headed serpent, the Strake! Jake forms a team of the greatest captains of the Never Sea to battle the powerful Ezmeralda and the terrifying Strake. Based on the special movie event airing on Disney Junior in July 2015!

5-Minute Frozen Stories, great for ages 6-8  Join Anna and Elsa as they discover a mysterious mountain monster, have a royal sleepover, babysit the trolls, and more! With 12 Frozen stories that can each be read in 5 minutes, this padded storybook is the perfect fit for bedtime, story time, or anytime! Being in the car for hours, one thing you need is to keep things fresh, and these short stories are just the thing to keep the whole card entertained!

Arendelle Adventures: Read-And-Play Storybook Visit the trolls, celebrate summer, meet a baby reindeer, and enjoy a special party in this padded 4-in-1 storybook. Plus, download a bonus App: Frozen Olaf’s Adventures.

 

Girl Meets World: Follow Your Heart, for ages 9-12 Series: Girl Meets World - When Riley is forced to give up her cell phone and talk face-to-face with her crush Lucas, will she connect or will she shut down? Then, when another girl tries to get Lucas’s attention, can Maya help her best friend win back her guy?

Liv and Maddie: Double Trouble, great for ages 9-12 - When twins Liv and Maddie discover they were actually born a day apart, they plan two very different sweet sixteen birthday parties! Then, Liv and Maddie have a disagreement that ends in a dodgeball battle. This hilarious junior novel has an eight-page full-color insert of photos from the show.

These readers are great for the older kids on your road trip!

5. Make sure to have cleaning supplies in the car -  There is nothing worse than traveling in a dirty smelly car, make sure to bring wipes & trash bags! Also remember to bring sick bags,  You've planned to keep everyone fed, watered and entertained on your road trip. But no matter how efficiently you plan, sometimes there’s just no avoiding car sickness. You just never know, it is best to be prepared!

While on your road trip, just remember to enjoy the ride! Some of my most favorite memories as a child are from family road trips, take the time to smell the roses, have fun with the kids and make the trip to your destination just as fun as the arrival to the destination.

Do you have any travel tips that help you on the road?

 





Disclosure: The reviews and or opinions on this blog are my own opinions . No monitory compensation was received. I was not required to write a positive review. Your experience may differ. The opinions I have expressed are my own I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commissions 16 CFR Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsement and Testimonials in Advertising .