Because kids don't come with instructions
Because kids don't come with instructions
Before kids, didn’t road trip used to mean last minute get-aways, epic music playlists and nothing but time and the road ahead? Now, I can’t but help but have a feeling of anxiety and dread when I hear those 2 words. Read on for some Mama Nurse tried and true road trip sanity savers for parents.
To me, what it means now is to have to entertain 3 kids in a small space for many, many hours. All while trying to keep everyone happy and sane for most of the time. Oh, and forget about packing all the stuff you will need for your vacation in that same small space. Read on to learn some road trip sanity savers. These have been tried and true to make your next road trip much more enjoyable for everyone!
As my kids get older, I let them rely on electronics a little more. I still don’t want them spending 6 hours in the car in front of electronic devices. Shouldn’t they be taking in the scenery and being completely bored like when we were little?
Road trips with kids can be a nice combination of both. We can engage with them for some of the time. Then, let them veg-out and use their devices for the rest of the time.
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First, In our cars we have these car seat back organizers. All the kids stuff stays organized and within arm’s reach. We use them on a daily basis, so they aren’t something you should get just for your road trip. It keeps the back seat of my car a little more organized. Also, these little guys keep my anxiety at bay since I don’t see their stuff scattered all over the car!
My daughter likes this one with the tray, and uses it every day! It is also great for meals on the go when you don’t want to stop at a restaurant and grab food along the way.
For toys and activities, I have each child pack a small box of something they want to use in the car. They usually pack rubix cubes, fidget spinners, uno cards, legos, etc.
Finally, I pack a “general” bag that I keep in the back seat with everything else we might need in the car to keep everyone happy. I include some food, snacks, chargers, wet wipes, and a few extra things to keep the kids busy. Everything I pack goes in this adorable extra-large tote. It can also be used for day trips during our vacation.
Parenting Pro Tip: This bag is large enough for everything, very stable and fits everything!
Not only lifesavers for road trips but for all times when they need to sit and be quiet for awhile. Like restaurants, boring adult conversations, and I let my little one use it in church. The cool thing about it is they can slide any picture they want and trace it. Hours and hours of drawing time, tic tac toe and hang man have been had on these adorable, and very transportable little things.
We bought these car scavenger hunt cards for our last road trip and my daughter asks to use them now on daily car rides. You can use the whole deck for longer trips, or just pull out a few for a short game.
3. Highlights: These books are perfect since they can double as puzzles and coloring books.
Art supplies are a must since my kids love to draw. They also use them to fill time when they are bored at our destination or in hotel rooms when there is not much else to do. Whatever I bring in the car, it doubles as their free-time entertainment for when we get to our destination.
Bingo is a fun boredom buster. We are always up for a good game of BINGO and this one is portable and easy to use.
This little handy thing is a phone and tablet/game holder. Great for holding up the ipad or my boys’ Nintendo switch so they can play together while we drive.
This car charger will keep all those devices charged when you’re on the road and everyone happy! We fight for which car this one will go into – so now we have have 2 =)
Keep it clean! Don’t forget this cute little vacuum to clean up all the little messes along the way.
Don’t forget to read this article from the American Academy of Pediatrics on Car Seat Safety to keep your family safe on the way.
Happy travels and have fun adventuring!
You got this!
