Road tripping with kids can be tough. Road tripping with a baby and a toddler can test you in ways you didn’t think possible. The good news is that I’ve learned a thing or two throughout our travels with young kids, and I’m sharing them with you in today’s post! You can also check out my video below, as well as our vlogs, for some real-life experience in this department.
For starters, just know you’ll need some breaks along the way
Plan your road trip with plenty of time to allow for breaks as you stop. And when you’re road tripping with kids, I’m talking an actual break, not a quick gas fill-up. Get out of the car, let the kids stretch their legs. Change diapers, hand out snacks, breastfeed if need be – the works! We would often stop for 30-45mins to make sure that everyone, including us, felt reset and ready for another long stretch.
Clothing, and lots of it, is everything
More specifically, comfortable clothing – for both the kiddos and you! The worst is when your baby or toddler is crying in their car seat because the pants they have on are too tight on that chubby belly. Keep the little ones in stretchy, soft, and comfortable materials and they’ll be much happier. In addition to that, make sure you have some spare sets of everything on you! Once when Christian was 7 months old, he had a blow out in his car seat as we were en route to Texas. I didn’t have a change of clothes with me so… needless to say, things got messy. Learn from my mistake – bring a change of clothes!
Snacks on snacks on snacks
When it comes to toddlers, snacks are often the key to happiness. Bring A LOT of them so you don’t have hunger striking at random times. On top of snacks, you’ll want to have plenty of water with you as well. A thirsty kid is an angry kid (in our family at least!) We brought our reusable water bottles plus a few extra Smart Waters to fill up once we drank all of the water in our bottles. The extra waters were great for filling up the boys’ sippy cups too! (Side note: a spill-proof sippy will be your best friend when you’re road tripping with kids.)
New toys work wonders
On our last road trip, I found some toy trucks at a gas station and gave them to Christian on our way down. The entertainment that these tiny, and more importantly, new toys provided was priceless! Grab a couple of small toys in advance and wait until you’re a good chunk of the way into your drive to gift them. It will help buy you some time! Bonus, they are still some of his favorite toys now that we’re back home.
When it doubt, tech it out
Now, I know this one is up to personal preference. So don’t come after me if this isn’t your jam! BUT, we recently gifted Christian with a tablet and he loves it. It’s great for the car because it has books, shows, games, and more. I marked some of his favorites in advance so we could bust it out when need be. And it works on WiFi too! I got him his very own Bluetooth headphones to use with it, so he felt extra special. And man, it came in handy at certain parts of our drive!
Don’t rush, and go easy on yourself!
Driving a long distance anywhere with tiny humans can be tough. Go easy on yourself! Do what you need to do to make the drive fun and enjoyable. We notice that when our nerves and stresses are high, the kids pick up on it and they begin to feel the same way. And that goes for car rides or time at home! Take the breaks you need, fill up on snacks and music you like, and enjoy the ride. Remember that there will come a day when our homes sound quiet and empty, and we’ll long for the chaos and noises of these car rides. Have fun and drive safe out there!
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Check out my video below for more!
