Road Trips with Kids: More Family Fun, Less Screen Time

Time to Hit the Road

You’re thinking about a trip – how exciting! There’s nothing like taking road trips with kids. They are the ultimate bonding adventures – sight seeing, great conversation, lots of laughter.

Our family takes road trips at least once per month – more in the summer time! Living in the Pacific Northwest, there is no shortage of beautiful places to visit, flower festivals to see, or adventures to have. We’re by no means experts on road trips with kids. However we’ve had our share of terrible trips, which ultimately taught us how to have awesome road trips with kids!

Road trips with kids can be so much fun with these simple tips, tricks and ideas. Here I share how to prepare, what to pack and how to survive road trips with kids. We’ve learned from experience 😉

Prepare for Messes & Save Your Sanity!

Parents, let’s talk honestly – KIDS ARE MESSY. Quarantine them in a car for hours or days. A mess is bound to happen. For your own sanity, think proactively about how you’ll stay organized and try to contain the mess. Road trips with kids don’t have to be a total mess.

Trash bags available for everyone, strategically placed between kids or in each door
Accessible baby wipes (you know they’re awesome!)
Box of tissues available
Tidy snack containers
Secure water bottles
Pack separate day bags vs. suitcases (which should only be accessed at our final destination)

Putting a few minutes of thought into how you’ll stay clean and organized – I guarantee you’ll thank yourself!

No-Mess Activities

One of my favorite ways to prepare for road trips with kids is to pack “the backpack!” It’s a one-stop shop for all sorts of activities. Bring it into a restaurant, unpack it during stand-still traffic, or really…anytime between destinations!

Some families allow each kid to pack their own backpack. This helps avoid those mid-trip arguments that inevitably arise. Oh, the coveted toy! Allowing each kid to have their own backpack – packed with games, toys and snacks – is a preventative move.

Be sure to pack lots of great, low-mess activities for them to do along the miles. Some of our faves:

Melissa and Doug Water Wow! Books. These are especially great for toddlers! Just add water to the brushes (built-in brush holders on the book), and watch the image appear with a stroke of the brush!
Mad Libs. These are laughter-makers for sure! Great for ages 7 and up, or any age with an adult.
The Classics! Etch-A-Sketch and Rubix Cube. We may be over them as adults, but there’s a reason we fell in love as kids!
Decks of Cards–different kinds, too! Kids love to play card games and there are lots of great ones to play, even on the road. These are awesome to have on had as you’re waiting at a restaurant, stretching legs at a rest stop, or hunkering down for the night. Check out some of our favorites here.

Family Experiences and Games

My mother-in-law shared that her favorite childhood memories were road trips with her family. Her dad was intentional about putting all the kids in the car, distraction-free, so they could bond and laugh and spend time together. And it worked!

Enjoy road trips with kids, laughs and activities with these suggestions:

Geocaching: This is one my FAVORITES! If your family hasn’t geocached yet, you are seriously missing out. It’s free, it’s fun… IT’S TREASURE HUNTING! Check out the website here. There’s a wonderful app now, and since most smart phones have GPS, it’s easier than ever to just “grab a quick cache” and rack up your Finds! (Okay, so it’s screen time but totally worth it!) There are literally geocaches EVERYWHERE. So if you’ve stopped for a potty break or are eating lunch at a park, launch the app and go! It’s a great way to find local “gems.”
Scavenger Hunts and Road Trip Games: Pinterest is packed with awesome lists of Scavenger Hunts and Road Trip Lists. Print a License Plate US Map for each person, and see who can get the most finds by the time you reach your destination. Winner gets the remote at the hotel 🙂
5, 3, 1 Activity for Choosing Restaurants: We use this activity at work and at home! If you’re trying to decide where to eat, let one person select 5 different cuisines/options, then the next person eliminates 2 of them down to 3, and the final person chooses the restaurant!

Secure that Food and Water!

Let’s face it: Road trips are messy. Sand from the beach, wrappers from the salt water taffy, fast food drink cups and more.

Just as I pack an Activity Backpack, I also pack a Snack Backpack! This is filled with not-picky snacks (no chocolate that can melt or cheese that requires refrigeration). No, in here I pack nuts, crunchy snacks, bars (watch for melty stuff!), licorice, and other great snacks that are perfect for anytime. You never know if you’ll get stuck in traffic or have to take an unplanned detour. Avoid “hanger” at all costs!

Also important is water. Lots and lots of water! As a mom, I’ve found the PERFECT water bottle for kids (especially toddlers). They are the Contigo bottles for kids. They are virtually spill-proof, and kids can drink them either from the straw or tipping them up. Our kids SLEEP with them. Check them out here. They also make GREAT gifts! I print personalized stickers for my kids’ friends on my Silhouette Cameo 3 and give them as gifts for holidays.