Here are some tips specific to traveling with kids by car to ease the potential chaos!

As the world opens back up, a lot of us are planning to see family for the first time in over a year. Many of us will load up the car and take long drives to accomplish this. But new parents (or pandemic parents, or let’s face it, even seasoned parents) will also have to manage kids who aren’t used to long trips in the car. This can be a hard time for everyone, but there are some things you can do to make it easier. 

Tip #1: Map it Out

Plan out your trip with frequent stops. Try to include a mix of fast-style restaurants, playgrounds, and other run-around outdoor spaces. Knowing that a break is coming soon can be a big help for your kids (and for you). Try to pick places that might have open restrooms if possible, even if your kids are in diapers! You will have to pee, too, and you can’t use the travel potty as easily as the kids can.  (Speaking of a travel potty, I  highly recommend the Oxo Tot 2-in-1 Travel Potty).  On a few of my own long road trips, I’ve  stopped at a park, a place to hike, and an aquarium one time.  You really can make an adventure out of it, or you can keep it to a simple and quick leg stretch.

Tip #2: Snack Attack

Pack the favorites, and don’t skimp on new options that might be a hit. Pack things in individual baggies or containers so you can throw them into the back seat as soon as the whining starts. Avoid choking hazards and things that make smelly garbage (I’m looking at you, bananas). Embrace the mess that will definitely result. It will be worth it for the temporary silence.  I keep a giant trash bag in the front seat to collect trash as we go, to ditch at the next rest stop.

Tip #3: Get Material

If you can, try to stock up on new toys and books, or borrow some from friends. Having stuff your kids haven’t seen before can be a big help in the long hours between morning and night. Sometimes, I load my own laptop with a Disney movie we haven’t featured in a while, and I put it on the middle console for a full on movie experience.  Tablet games can help too, but keep an ear out for any sign of travel sickness, which can be exacerbated by screens and reading in the car. This leads us to...

Tip #4: Bring Bags... Lots of Them

The odds of a sick stomach are high on long trips, especially if kids aren’t used to hours of travel. We hate to say this, but plan ahead for vomit. Be ready with tricks to help soothe angry tummies (i.e. saltines, cracking the window, taking deep breaths, looking out the window). And, we cannot stress this enough, have at least six or seven vomit-catching plastic shopping bags.  

No matter how many plastic bags you THINK you brought, half of them will have a hole in them that you didn’t notice. Somehow the rest will have a strange/ mysterious/ disgusting-yet-undetectable-to-adults smell that makes it impossible for your kids to hold them near their faces. Bring a lot of bags. These will also be useful as garbage bags, and potty liners for emergency bathroom trips.  And while we are at it, given vomit or accidents will happen, have extra clothes handy.  I keep a spare set of clothes for each kid in the front of the car, that way if someone pukes or pees themself, I’m not digging through the trunk and suitcases. 

Tip #5: Don’t Forget to Plan for Your Own Comfort

If you’re the passenger, remember that you deserve (and need) space to sit in the car. Don’t pack bags around your seat until you can’t move. Don’t plan to carry a cake in your lap the whole way. If you’re the driver, make sure you have your sunglasses, and plan a music selection that won’t drive you to the brink of insanity. Clear out your cup holders ahead of time so you can put a drink there without pulling out quarters and chargers and wrappers. Make sure you have water.

As stated in Tip #1, plan for bathroom and movement breaks for yourself, not just the kids. Pick snacks that you (and your partner, if relevant) like and will look forward to eating. If you’re comfortable and happy, it will be far easier to manage those who are not.

Tip #6: Embrace the Chaos

Sometimes going into new situations with kids is all about having the right attitude. Knowing that this will be hard on you and the kids, knowing that there will be challenges you didn’t plan for, or hiccups that result in tears, can go a long way in helping you keep your cool. Before a long car ride, I always remind myself, we will get there when we get there and we can always take breaks along the way.  It might be tough, it really might. But you’re making memories that you will remember fondly in time, even if you have to use all your vomit bags in the process.