How to Keep Your Family Road Trip Stress Free
As the holidays are among us, many of you will be piling in the old mini van and trekking to grandma’s. Whether grandma is just over the hill and through the woods…or a little further, here are seven tips for making the trip with kids stress free:
1) Use visual aids to create excitement before you leave. Yes, this means your usual countdown calendar, but it also means more. Think about putting together booklets about your trip, look up stuff on the internet about where you’re going, or if you’re going somewhere big like Disneyland, there might even be a documentary to watch on it.
2) Plan and prepare your route beforehand. Check directions to where you’re going before you leave AND don’t forget your GPS. Plug in all the addresses of your planned stops into your GPS before you leave so that they’re there and ready to go.
3) Bring new stuff to do. Bring new coloring books, travel games, compact art supplies, movies they haven’t seen yet and books they haven’t read yet. This will help keep them from getting bored in the car.
4)Make the trip cozy. Road trips should be cozy. Bring a blanky, travel pillow and maybe even a stuffed animal for everyone.
5) Prepare for the messy. Many hours in the car means messes will happen. Make sure you have a roll of paper towels, baby wipes, hand sanitizer, barf bags, and a place to put trash. And make sure it’s easily accessible!
6) Pack a cooler. Time in a car means hearing kiddos yell that they’re hungry/thirsty. Be prepared by packing snacks and drinks.
7) Plan ahead for stops along the way. You’re going to want to plan for time to stretch your legs and let the wiggles out as well as potty breaks. It’s a good idea to plan ahead of time for this. Are there interesting landmarks or tourist attractions to see along the way? If so, take the opportunity!
For further reading on traveling, check out the following:
– Car Seat Options: Ten Basic Rules
– Five Reasons You Should Invest in the Vest
Travel Safe with Kids 