Hi everyone!! I hope you are having a wonderful day. We have been busy trying to get back into the swing of things after our trip.
I am still going to fill you in on all our fun, but today I wanted to share with you my advice for making a road trip with little ones go smoothly.
Depending on the ages of your little ones different ones will apply to you and your family.
-
Food – snacks, meals, drinks etc. I packed the girls a peanut butter and jelly sandwich; you never know when you might get to a restaurant that you can get your kids something to eat. Remember to pack things that are easy to eat in the car. Nothing too messy and nothing that requires a fork or spoon. I always plan on feeding the girls food I pack (it is also healthier). This is also important because you might get stuck in an hour and a half delay because of an accident (I will fill you in on that later) and need supplies.
- “Friends” – My girls both have special stuffed animals they love. This helps them feel more comfortable, both in the car and the hotel.
- Easy Toys – I told Sophia and Isabella they could fill up a backpack (Sophia’s school one) with some barbies. I told them they could only bring as many barbies that could fit in the bag; if they didn’t fit they couldn’t come.
- Small Potty – You never know where you will be when someone had to go potty.
- Blankets – No matter what blankets make it more comfy. My girls love to cover up with a blanket and this time of year it is quite chilly here.
- DVD’s – I know this one won’t work for everyone, but it is a lifesaver on long trips. We have on in our minivan. We don’t allow the girls to watch it the entire time, but when we sense some tense coming on we would put a movie on. It simply helps to break up the drive for little ones.
- Bottles – It is much easier to use bottles while driving. I was able to pump while driving then I could reach back and give both McKenzie and Mckayla bottle; with four children time is everything. It wasn’t really an option for us to stop and nurse both babies throughout our drive.
- Pacifiers – They helped keep McKenzie and McKayla happy while driving.
- Diapers and Wipes – You want to make sure you have easy access to diapers and wipes. You don’t want to have to search for them when needed.
The next list pertain to when to travel and packing.
- Plan your trip around nap times. We left when it was time for McKenzie and Mckayla’s first nap of the day. Typically, we leave New York at bedtime. Since, it is only a four hour drive we can leave at 7pm and get home at 11ish. The girls would sleep the entire time.
- If you are traveling when the weather is chilly remember to keep coats near by for when you need to get out of the car.
- Realistically don’t stop unless needed, such as, potty or you have been in the car for more then 3 to 4 hours. If everyone is happy you don’t want to stop and disturb the peace. Basically, leave well enough alone.
- Place food and other items that may be needed while driving in a location that is easy to get too. I put our food right behind the drivers seat, that way I can reach back and grab things easily.
The best thing you can do for yourself and your family is to have low expectations. I know that sounds terrible, but when your trip goes better then expected you will be thrilled. However, if you have high expectations and everything goes awry you will be very disappointed. To be honest with you Steve and I thought our trip was going to be very difficult. We knew we were going to be traveling with four children four and under. So, we did not expect much. But things went so much better then expected and we had a wonderful time. I promise I am working on a Thanksgiving post.
As always, thank you Giselle for hosting this wonderful link up.
In the Comments Below:
-
What are your tips for traveling with small children?