A Few Tips for Kid Road Trips!

You gotta have goals!     1)Road Goals!  Any road trip with kids needs road goals. A road goal is something I use to try and give the kids mind and energy something to focus on. Remember your child's attention span varies by their age. Our three year old might be able to focus on his own for five minutes, and the four year old may last seven minutes on his own.  Five hours or even two hours means nothing to them! Even the lure of ice cream or pizza in five hours is likely to drive them CRAZY.

    

Some of my favorites: "Who can spot the next red car?"  "Was that a cow?" "What animals do you see?" We also use- "Do you want to stop at a park, a library, or for a snack?"  This discussion often takes a while.  Sadly, "Do I smell cow poop?" is also popular with my boys. Sorry, it had to be said. ; )

This breaks the trip into smaller chunks for little minds and bodies. Remember what you have done a thousand times is likely new to them. We also mix in some of their favorite cd's and books.  We celebrate crossing state lines, bridges, and time zones as well. 

2)Snacks. In the previous packing post, I mentioned the necessity of snacks. I should elaborate a little more. They should be snacks you feel okay with as a parent, the child likes, they don't drive you crazy or trash the vehicle beyond recovery. You can also use choosing new snacks as something to break up the trip at a gas/potty stop. I try also to avoid snacks that are too heavy as they will ruin any stops where you plan to eat actual meals. It will also help your kids to take some ownership of the trip! 

3) Stopping for extended breaks is okay. It is still legal to leave the interstate and even the toll road. They tempt you to think you can meet all your needs while staying on the "limited access road"-- but you don't have to. The myriad of "balls of twine" and local fun often still exist dotting highways across the country. They may not have their former crowds or bright lights, but for less experienced (younger) travelers these smaller often more affordable stops might be just right. In a pinch you can even play a game of soccer or picnic under the trees at a rest stop. Just beware that you don't stray into the "pet potty" area of a rest area. We have also used google search for local elementary schools to find a playground. That is often easier than searching for a municipal park.These are not always listed and not all of them have play equipment.

Road Problem:The biggest road problem that we have encountered on all of our longer road trips is that kids car seats are not as well padded as the standard seats for adults. This can make for sore bottoms or hurting legs for little people. When our second was an infant, and particularly squirmy at that, he actually got a little sore on his back! Yikes. That put a dent in our more ambitious plans for a while.

I am sure part of it is due to the stiffness and restraint distance required to make sure the munchkins are held in the seat, but COME ON! Does anyone have a tip related to this ...or expertise to answer the question of why the seats are like this?

Do you have any tips of your own to share or solutions to our road problem? 

Please add below.

Getting two kids and a baby out the door

Getting out the door is always the hardest part.

We had to make five hours to meet up with the rest of my family at the beach. It is a doable one day drive for our kid-toting crew.

We planned to leave at 2pm. We hit the on ramp at four, and I decided that was a success!

First mistake, my wife and I decided that I would work a half day, and then she would work with one of her clients before our departure. This was NOT a good idea. Every time we plan for a trip we are still trying to maximize work before departure and this inevitably leads to stress. Sadly, it often takes the first hour on the road just to regain the excitement of travel and adventure. 

#1 Reminder to self and recommendation to others. Give yourself time to get things together for departure at a normal pace.

Never again will I do the cardio workout version of packing, loading, and getting the kids in the car!

#2. Do have a list of VITAL gear.

My oldest son has asthma medicine and an inhaler. It has to be with us. Middle son has a "Dolly" that is a requirement for a successful  trip.  Baby bottles, diapers, and wipes are necessities as are phone chargers.

My wife did a fantastic job of having all the "must haves" ready. She had these details down ...just like always. She nailed it.

#3. Have car friendly snacks ready for the kids.

This will help with the loading and every step of travel along the way. Car friendly should include some type of spill proof cup. I had this covered! Pretzels and fruit snacks work well.

#4. A ball, and a bag/box of well chosen traveling toys are key.

This will buy you a break on the road, and a few moments of peace in the hotel/or wherever you are staying. Preferable these are toys that do not have any electronically produced sound effects.  Be careful that if an irreplaceable favorite makes the trip that you keep tabs on it at every stop. I mean every stop.

 Sadly our toddler once lost his "Wilby" on a flight. Wilby was a strip of an Ikea sheep skin rug which he used to fall asleep every night. He would twirl it around his fingers and rub it on his face. It was his constant sleep companion from when he turned one until he was two and a half. Losing Wilby added an hour long stop at IKEA for replacement - Do not fool yourself - this stop could not be avoided.

#5 Enough underwear is a must.

Everything else should be taken with a grain of salt. Numbers of shirts...no big deal. Pants or shorts...don't sweat it...socks...eh...it's vacation. In the end we did get on the road. The boys and I had a picnic sitting on the back bumper of the van. We played soccer in the grass by the van, and they never knew that dad "cardio-packed". 

Do you have any other favorite kid friendly departure tips? We would love to hear them.

Next ...Tips for Road Trip.