As many of you know, we are empty nesters. We love to travel. It is easy for us to throw something in the suitcase and hop in the car and hit the road. Oh but now we are grandparents and Godparents. So when we take family trips now, we have to keep in mind we have little ones to prepare for and let me tell you ITS NOT AS EASY TO JUST GET UP AND GO!
The one thing we always enjoyed about traveling with our kids were the memories we made along the way so we are definitely looking forward to making memories with our granddaughter & godson. With looking back over the car trips with our kids, we remember the shenanigans that goes on in the back seat with the kids. The disputes, the boredom, and the “ARE WE THERE YET” question.
Us being wiser and older and the introduction of portable technology and smaller items to stow “stuff”, we are embracing this second wave of children with more knowledge and be better prepared.
We recently took the kids to St. Louis, MO. Now for us this is not a long trip. Actually we have went to St. Louis and came back in the same day but with the kids we decided that would be to much for them. So we made it a weekend trip. But for this to be a successful trip, we had to really stop, think, and prepare for the road trip with them.
Traveling with Kids Tips
- Remember the ages of your kids. It is important to remember that they are kids and their patience is different than yours.
- Pack age appropriate distractions, such as: toys/books/games. Make sure you have something that is your child favorite and will hold their attention for a long time.
- Organizer/Storage: Get you an organizer or small storage bin with dividers that you can use to stow the kids books, CDs, and DVDs.
- Kids cooler: Get each child their own special cooler with their own favorite juices and snacks. Put it on their side of the car, so when they are ready for a snack its in arm reach.
- Electronics: Get the kids their own tablet/Nabi/or DVD player and make sure you get them a pair of headphones.
- Family Games: Play age appropriate games with the kids. Point out things that the kids would know about & talk about them. Make up songs. Look for specific state tags. Get creative but keep the kids engaged!
Travel Must Haves when traveling with Kids
- Flexibility: Don’t have such a rigid travel schedule that you don’t take into account the kids attention span.
- Snacks: Pack healthy snacks: nuts, veggies, and fruits.
- Pack juices and water.
- Cover your seats with a towel or seat to catch the mess and spills that will happen.
- Wipes: Make sure you have wet wipes handy. It will be great for cleanups and just wiping the kids down.
- Potty: If you are potty training your kids, take their potty with you. It will be easier for you to get them to go and don’t have to worry about them sitting on a public toilet.
- PATIENCE! Kids gets antsy so make sure you remember they cannot sit for a long period of time.
The first trip was a friendly reminder to us that we have been out of the traveling with kids arena too long, but we made it thru and everyone had a great time.
Summer is here and many trips will be had. Just know, its ok if things don’t go as planned just be as prepared as you can when traveling with kids.
What tips do you have for traveling with kids? Share in the comments below.
Kitty Bradshaw says
Oh wow, you went into great detail on this one. When I have kids, I am dropping them off to you for vacations loll.
Robin (Masshole Mommy) says
We’ve gone on a few 3-4 hour road trips, but have an 8 hour one coming up in April. I am scared.
Deb says
Great tips! It’s strange, but my twelve year-old is a better traveler than his older brother. I encourage my kids’ imagination by having them look at the scenery as we travel, and make up a story to go with what they see. It works better with the younger set, but sometimes I catch myself doing it if there’s nothing on the radio, and hubby doesn’t feel like talking.
Erica Price says
Some great tips here. I love the idea of covering the seat with a towel as my car seats always get messy on long car journeys.
Courtney says
Great post! There are absolutely two musts on any family road trip. Things to keep the kids occupied and patience.
Jennifer Sikora says
I am just like you when it comes to taking the kids on a trip. Although mine are all grown up now, we used to do the same thing when it came to preparing for them to travel with us.
Shauna says
What great tips. We always purchase some new coloring books, reading books, and games for long rides. The kids seem to be more engaged if they haven’t seen the item yet.
Amber Edwards says
We’ve been traveling with kids for so long, I can’t remember what it is like without them! lol. But yes, you have to have entertainment and snacks! Otherwise you will have a horrible trip!
Anne-Marie @ This Mama Cooks! On a Diet says
Even though our kids are older (teens) my husband forgets that they do need to eat lunch/snacks even if we have a big breakfast. It was really hard to convince him to stop at a cafe and let the kids get something to eat when all he wanted to do was go, go, go. (Frankly, I was happy to stop for the caffeine break myself.) Big kids need to refuel if the adults don’t.
Jesica H says
As must as we love vacationing with our children and introducing them to new experiences, traveling with them is interesting isn’t it! Thank you for the wonderful tips for trips! Patients.is.a.must!
Dawn says
In this case, having one child is a definite advantage. I brought things to keep my son occupied, but when he finally got bored, he didn’t have another bored sibling around to harass!
Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says
I can say from experience that if you don’t keep the kids occupied, you’re going to be miserable. Thanks for the great tips.
Aimee SMith says
We frequently make a 13 hour trek to Grandmas. We wrap up some little goodies (snacks, dollar store prizes, etc.) and then when the kids get restless and are being good we pass them a present! Works like a charm!
Meagan says
Oh man, traveling with kids can sure be rough! Great tips to help any parent get through! I too always pack LOTS of wipes!
Uplifting Families says
It has been a long time since we traveled very much since I had my youngest son almost 4 years ago. The few times that we have gone some where he has done amazingly well. We packed his tablet and a few other things to help pass the time.
Dawn McAlexander says
It’s funny. My daughter was really good on road trips when she was young, like up to age 10-12. Then she got all questiony {where are we? how much longer? etc}. Now, at 17, she just sleeps the whole way.
Stacey - Travel Blogger says
I need stuff to keep me entertained on long car rides. I couldn’t imagine keeping kids entertained, too, lol.
Krista Blackburn says
These are some great ideas to make the long car rides with kids easier. I especially love the kids cooler idea.
Felissa @ Two Little Cavaliers says
I always try to be flexible in my travel plans. It’s too hard to drive straight through anywhere. I need to get a break for me and my dogs.
valerie g says
Great tips!!! We try to leave at night so the kids can sleep for the most part of the trips. Taking lots of breaks is pretty much a must.
Dee Mauser says
We’re almost empty nesters so I will be saving these tips. Right now hubby and I still have our 20 year old son living at home and we babysit our 18 month old grandson full-time so our days are never dull.
Autumn @Mamachallenge says
These are really good tips! I always make sure my kids have snack and a toy to play with before every trip we take!
Liz Mays says
These are great ideas! Before we had phones and tablets we let the kids bring their Gameboys. We also had plenty of snack in tow.
Amy Desrosiers says
With little ones, snacks are our best friend! We make many stops along the way and stock up on good DVDs!
Maria says
I usually shy away form road trips in general. So, I can only imagine the task with children. Thanks for these great tips!
lisa says
When we travel with the kids, we make sure to pack kindles and movies for the dvd player and tons of snacks. Potty breaks every couple hours is a must as well!
Still Dating My Spouse says
We try to travel at night as well….its quieter that way 🙂
OurFamilyWorld says
These are some great tips. I will be trying these with my kids on our trip to Virginia.