Are you traveling over the river and through the woods for the holidays? A long drive with kiddos can seem daunting so be sure to stock up on all the things to ensure a smooth-ish ride (because let’s be real, a long drive with children rarely goes without hiccups). Here are 5 of my must-haves for a successful road trip with kids:
1. Games
Games can be a fun way to pass the time, like:
- Road Trip Bingo – I made my own holiday-themed version, get your copy {HERE}
- Road Trip Scavenger Hunts – find tons of free options on Pinterest
- Map Check Points – print a map for your child to follow along and mark your progress
- Blind Bag – search your house for random small items or pick up a few new cheap ones. Place one item in a bag at a time and see if the kids can guess it by feeling the bag. This also gives them something to play with when you’re done.
- Travel board games like Chinese Checkers, Pop It, and magnetic checkers.
2. Art
Supplies for getting creative are good for individual or quiet time, like:
- Color By Numbers
- Water WOW! activity books
- Reusable sticker books
- Crayola Color Wonder
- Boogie Board LCD writer
- Coloring pages
- Magna Tiles
- Magnetic Drawing Board
- Dry Erase Travel Mazes
- Washable window markers
- Window clings
3. Books
Exploring books at any age is a great activity. Try different types to keep it fresh like:
- Seek and Find books
- Books on tape
- Read-a-loud books for a tablet
- Joke books
- Mad-libs
- Activity books
4. Snacks
Load up on snacks BUT keep them hidden like a secret weapon (don’t show your hand on mile one!). When all else fails a treat can quiet the complaining. I prefer water and low-crumb food options…. which doesn’t make me the most fun mom on the planet but at least my car is clean and smelling good (no rancid milk, sticky spills, or cracker dust please). Try:
- Fruit
- Veggies
- Cheese
- Beef sticks
- Wheat Thins (the non-crumbiest of crackers)
- Fruit snacks
- Trail mix
- Popcorn
- Granola bars
- Candy necklace/bracelet
5. Comfort
Comfort items keep you…comfortable. Suggestions include:
- Neck pillow
- Blanket
- Lovey
- Tissues
- Wipes
- Sunglasses
- Layered clothing
- Slip on shoes
Don’t forget a spot to store it all (except for the snacks, those stay up front!). This car organizer or seat back organizer are great solutions for keeping everything within reach on any road trip with kids.
For your pinning pleasure:
