Planning a road trip with kids? Here’s a few of my go-to travel tips in this post sponsored by WildBrain.
Growing up my family would take a road trip almost every weekend. The memories from those road trips never left me. Maybe that’s why I love road trips so much now as an adult and why we take so many now that I have a family of my own. There are just something about road trips that are exciting. The thrill of spending hours with your family in a car creating memories is priceless. When you have kids the memories are still priceless but they aren’t always pleasant. If your kids are cranky, sometimes road trips can be rough. We’ve had our fair share of road trips so I wanted to share a few travel tips for smooth sailing when taking a road trip with kids.
Travel Tips for Taking a Road Trip With Kids
1. Use a packing checklist.
Before leaving for your destination, you have to pack everything you need. If you’ve ever been on a road trip you know how detrimental forgetting something such as your kids favorite toy or blanket can be. A packing checklist can help you to remember every last essential item for your trip so that you avoid as many meltdowns as possible.
2. Don’t forget the snacks.
Your kids are growing literally every second of the day. If your kids are anything like mine then they’re always hungry. Packing their favorite snacks for the ride can help to avoid hearing “I’m hungry” 5,000 times during your trip. Snack mix like this one is perfect for the road. If you’re driving during breakfast, these pop tarts are easy to make ahead and store in plastic storage bags to take on the road.
3. Keep them occupied with their favorite WildBrain shows on YouTube.
When I was a kid there was no such thing as iPads. We had books, CDs, toys, and each other. There was no watching TV or movies in the car. We simply had to find another way to have fun. Nowadays, kids are so lucky. Tatiana has an iPad that is literally glued to her hip whenever we’re traveling. It’s our saving grace. It keeps her entertained so that she’s not asking “are we there yet” every 10 seconds. Because let’s face it, that’s what we did when we were kids.
WildBrain shows have proven to be her go-to when we’re on a road trip. Her favorite shows include Kiddyzuzaa Land, Caillou, Ellie Explorer, Cody, and the new Strawberry Shortcake mini series. Episodes range anywhere from 10 – 50 minutes so they are long enough to keep their attention. As a mama, I approve of these shows because there’s always a great lesson in each episode. Honestly, I get wrapped up in the shows myself sometimes.
4. Plan your itinerary for your road trip with kids in advance.
This step is one of the most important. If you plan your itinerary in advance you can plan for how many snacks you need, although you can never have too many, and how many bathroom breaks you’ll need during your trip. If there are any fun landmarks on your route you can schedule a stop to grab some pictures.
What are some of your go-to travel tips when traveling with kids? Have your kiddos ever watched any of the WildBrain shows?
Yasss! It’s all about the snacks with my boys. They are constantly eating, so I would be in big trouble if we left without food!
My daughter is constantly eating too! I have to remind myself that she’s a growing girl and burning energy quickly.
These are great tips! A packing list is a must when your road tripping with kids. It’s all too easy to forget something in the rush that inevitably happens.
I love a good road trip. The car rides can definitely be fun for everyone when you’re well-prepared. The snacks and entertainment are key!
These are great yips! Snacks are a must for all road trips
Love this advice! I’m all about a packing checklist and technology to keep them occupied – need to check out WildBrain.
I am going to have to check this out for my son. I bet he would love it because he loves Caillou.
Cailou is one of our favorites!
I have found that having ideas of where to stop for fun definitely helps when traveling with kids.
I agree! They definitely need that break to stretch their legs and run around.
These are awesome tips! A packing list is a must when you take the kids on a road trip. I double check it and always pack extras! So easy to forget things!
Oh these are great tips! Very timely too since we have a few road trips planned for the summer!
Thank you! Enjoy your trips. I hope these tips help.
These are all such wonderful tips. I never forget snacks either. That is such an important one for me because my kids always seem to be hungry..haha.