The Best Tips for Road Trips with Kids!

(Above, the girls bags are from Walker Family Goods.  I also got them each a matching backpack to use as their carry on. They're cute and I'm feeling very color-coded and organized! We got this cargo box.)

Last Casual Friday I mentioned that we are preparing for our 5 day road trip across the country and asked for readers to leave comments on the blog with their road trip tips. You! Delivered! With over 300 clever tips (seriously, make sure you scroll through the comment section next time you're planning a road trip), I had plenty of solid ideas and creative ideas to boost my confidence and honestly--I'm getting a little excited about it. I want this trip to be fun and memorable for the girls, while keeping in mind that it's going to be a little hard on everyone, so today I thought it would be fun to share some things that we are planning, plus a round-up of ALL the essentials for a family-fun r0ad trip.

• We are using roadtrippers.com to plan all of fun stops along the way. This will give all of us something to look forward to, and a way for the girls to get their energy out. I also read it's fun to have a visual of the road trip for kids made with tape where they can see it! (Thanks Kelle!)
• For emergency bathroom stops, somebody wrote in that they use this OXO Go Potty seat/chair. It comes with bags and you can even line it with a diaper or pull-up to absorb the mess, then simply pull the draw-string (don't forget the wipes) and you're on the road again! Genius. That being said, everybody has to go potty when we stop, even if you don't feel like you have to.
• Our girls really struggle with motion sickness, especially if they're reading a book or staring at an iPad for too long. To help with this we got some kids travel sickness lollipops and acupressure wristbands.
• Somebody suggested having the stash of snacks in the back of the car and when you make a stop, you let the kids "shop" the snacks that they want to tide them over until the next stop. I love that this gives them ownership over their choices and something to look forward to. Plus then we're not having to deal with "can I have more fruit snacks" every 5 minutes.
• Similar to the snack idea, we plan to stick to one activity at a time (probably in 60-90 minute blocks). So maybe for one leg of the drive we will play the "What-If" game together as a family, and then when we make a stop they can swap out for a quieter activity like reading, coloring, or the maze game.
• Don't forget headphones for the portable DVD player and the iPad for a moment of silence. We got these over the chair organizers that hold iPads so the girls eyes can stay forward. It also organizes a lot of other great things. This iPad holder is perfect for the center seat!
• Our hotel stays include pools. Just a nice refreshing way to end the day, plus nothing tires kids out more than swimming.
• Start EARY in the morning to get a couple hours in before the kids are fully awake and even before breakfast!
• Give each kid a few dollars every day to purchase souvenirs or treats at a rest stop. They will inevitably ask to buy something every time you stop, and this gives them ownership of that!
• plastic bins for trays
• We got SO many audiobook and podcast recommendations that kids AND families can enjoy so you can either listen all together, or you can plug in those headphones and the kids can listen while they look out the window or draw. Listing those below!

Audiobook Suggestions:

• A to Z Mysteries by Ron Roy
• The series of A Boy Called B.A.T. by Elena Arnold
• The Wizard of Oz
• Rachel McAdams narrates a great “Anne of Green Gables.”
• Harry Potter
• Rick Riordan books
• The Adventurers’ Guide series
• BFG
• Narnia
• Hank the Cow Dog
• The Penderwicks series
• Land of Stories
• Mr. Limencello’s Library
• Anne of Green Gables
• The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson
• Little House
• The Railway Children
• 39 Clues series
• Kate Winslet narrates Matilda
• Henry Huggins is narrated by Neil Patrick Harris

Podcast Suggestions:

• WOW in the world
• Eleanor Amplified
• Reading Bug Adventures
• Purple Rocket
• Story Pirates
• The Big Fib
• Smash Boom

We also put together a round-up of all the road trip essentials you might need if you have an upcoming long-drive. Honestly even having some of these things stocked in your car could be a game changer for even those longer drives.

1. Backseat Organizers $25 Essential for keeping the car clutter-free. They also protect the back of your seat from shoe scuffs!
2. Wipes $4 These are THE best smelling wipes in the world. They will almost make you forget your wiping up sticky messes. A necessity.
3. Rubber Neckers Travel Game $13 A hilarious car game of "I Spy."
4. Mega Maze $10 Dry erase mazes to keep the kids busy.
5. What If Questions for Kids $10 101 thought-provoking questions for kids! So grateful for games like this that help kids hone their decision-making skills and practice making good choices.
6. License Plate Game $19 I mean, is it even a road trip if you don't play the license plate game? This one flips open so it's easy to keep track!
7. Car Bingo $10 Hand out the bingo sheets to the kids and maybe they can have a treat when they get a bingo!
8. Handheld Vacuum $40 The spills are inevitable so you might as well be prepared. I love that this one is TINY and powerful.
9. Crayola Mess Free Coloring $9 Mess free coloring on the go.
10. Motion Sickness Lollipops $13 A necessity for our girls.
11. Headphones $17 For everyone's sanity
12. Wikki Stix $6 These little moldable crafting sticks would keep my girls occupied for hours
13. Disposable Cameras $25 The kids can take their own photos along the way. Don't forget to develop the film and put the photos in a little memory book.
14. Rush Hour Traffic Logic Jam $22 Have you played this?? This was my favorite game growing up and it's still as fun today. You arrange the cars in a little traffic jam and have to slide them forward or backward to get the red car free. So entertaining.
15. Motion Sickness Bracelets $13 My sister Andi swears by these and even uses them on planes.
16. Headrest Pillow Support $24 just some added comfort for your little ones.