Road Trip Must Haves - Essentials and Activities for Kids
Embarking on a road trip with kids can be a fun adventure, but also may feel daunting knowing kids can be unpredictable. It is essential to be well-prepared, so we have rounded up all the must-have products to make the ride smooth and ensure you are prepared for whatever comes your way.
We also have a long list of entertaining activities fit for the car, outside of the obvious tablet. We once drove to Florida when our kids were 2.5 and 12 weeks old, it was a 20 hour car ride we split into two days and outside of the products below, here is some advice I have from my experience.
1. SNACKS. I know it is obvious, but pack all the snacks and don't show your kids your haul. Store them away and slowly bring them out one at a time so they are excited about them.
2. Stop at the dollar store and grab new toys or activities they haven't seen before. Keep a stash of these too and introduce them throughout the trip. Save some new ones for the ride HOME. Some people have even suggested wrapping all these toys in gift tissue to make it even more fun for kids.
3. Hold off on giving them their tablets as long as possible, especially if you have a kiddo that may get car sick staring at a screen too long.
4. Kid podcasts, music stations or Tonies/Yoto are a great screen free activities! I polled the community once on the best podcasts for young kids and here were the top recommendations: Wow in the World, But Why: A Podcast for Curious Kids, Disney Stories for Kids (playlist on Spotify), Circle Round, Garden Keeper Gus, Hank the Cow Dog, Julie's Library, by Julie Andrews and the Arthur Podcast.
To me the trip is ALWAYS worth it. The anticipaiton is the worst part, so just go for it!
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This leakproof trash can is essential for road trips! You can hang it off the back of the seat and it makes for a quick and easy cleanup.