My family never flew anywhere. We always drove. Of course, our "vacations" were family reunions in Nebraska, only several hours away. We had one long road trip, to Tennessee to see my Dad's sister and her family. Once again, we drove.
I have wonderful memories of road trips. We sang, we snacked, we read, we slept. My three siblings and I didn't know any better. We didn't know we were supposed to be bored out of our minds. I wouldn't change a thing.
Now that we have our own crew, we're experiencing the road trip from a parental perspective. I had numerous people ask about our Christmas plans, and when I mentioned going to see my husband's parents (four hours away) AND going to my parents' place in Colorado (eighteen hours away) they look at me like I was going crazy. "Driving? Really?" was the usual response.
We had a great time enjoying each other's company. Here are some tips and things we learned:
Travel Gear:
- If at all possible, use one of those handy dandy storage compartments for the roof to hold suitcases and things you won't need during the drive. This opens up space inside the vehicle, which you will appreciate during the hours of driving spent in that confined space. If you don't have one, ask around to borrow one. Invaluable!
- If your travels include an overnight stay anywhere, pack an overnight bag. Bring pajamas, a change of clothes, and any toiletries everyone will need in ONE bag. Then you won't need to bring everyone's suitcases inside.
- Nowadays, everyone seems to have either a GPS or the ability to utilize one on a phone. These are so helpful. Just remember to double check routes for closures or in cases of inclement weather, as they may not be completely accurate in those cases. If you don't have a GPS, invest in a good map, or join AAA, which gives excellent maps and routes if you are a member.
- Packing a cooler of food to eat is always a great idea. Peanut butter and jelly, meat and cheese, fruit, veggies, crackers... You know you're eating healthier than you would at a fast food place. Plus, you'll save money. While we don't completely cut out buying any food on our trips, we try to only purchase one meal a day on the road.
- Stopping somewhere to eat adds time to your trip... but it is an opportunity to stretch the legs and get out of the vehicle for a while. Eating in the car saves time, but leaves more trash and messiness in the car, and the kids are stuck inside. Just weigh your priorities. With littler kids, you probably want to stop to take a break.
- SNACKS! Those little applesauce squeezer pouches are fabulous for car trips (as long as your kids are old enough to hold it themselves, of course). We also put snacks into little sandwich baggies or reusable snack cups - our own version of the more expensive 100 calorie packs.
- Remember to stay hydrated, but also remember that what goes in... must come out. Important to remember with small bladders.
- Technology can be a gift of sanity on road trips. It's okay to use it. We have a DVD player in our van and we are not above putting on a movie during those long car trips. Also, the kids received children's "computers" for Christmas that they enjoyed playing games on. But...
- By all means, enforce limits to the technology. We don't allow movie after movie to play. We watch one when the natives are getting restless and that's it - at least for several hours. Enjoy the scenery. Learn about the places you're traveling through. Find out interesting facts. Let them enjoy the ride for what it is - a ride, a road trip. Getting there is half the fun, and you/they can't enjoy getting there if you're/they're glued to a screen of some sort.
- Take the time to talk about what you will do once you get to your destination. Have the kids been there? Bring along pictures or books about the place or people who live there - whether they are famous or family members.
- Music! Sing songs together! Bring your favorite Cd's. Find local radio stations to listen to. Put the dial on "scan" and see who can name the songs that play before the station switches. (This may be for older kids, but you'd be surprised at how quickly young kids can recognize a song!)
- Remember those old school road trip games you played as a kid? Whip them out!
- The Alphabet Game
- Road Trip Bingo (There are lots of great printables online!)
- Scavenger Hunts from the Car (Think of five things at the beginning of the trip, and work together to find all five of them at some point along the way.)
- Take turns telling stories - well know fairy tales or favorite books, as well as made-up-on-the-spot originals.
- If the little ones start getting restless and nothing is able to distract or entertain them in the car, make a stop. Pull over at a rest stop, stretch the legs. If you're proactive and plan ahead, you can find parks, museums, or other kid-friendly attractions along your route. You can either schedule these in and add extra time to your trip, or just keep them in mind in case you need a quick diversion.
- Always overestimate your traveling time. Between bathroom breaks, eating meals, and anything else that comes up with little ones, it will more than likely take longer to complete a trip than you originally planned.
- I'm terribly regimented about the kids' naps normally, but I let go of my expectations on a road trip. There's plenty of down time that the kids can sleep, and they normally end up falling asleep by themselves somewhere around the "normal" times, so I tell myself to save my breath huffing orders of "Be quiet and go to sleep!" and just let it happen naturally.
- It's a cliche, but expect the unexpected! During this last road trip, there was an accident on the tiny two-lane highway we were traveling in the corner of New Mexico, where there were no other roads, detours, or side feeders to escape for miles. For as little-traveled as this highway seemed, there were TONS of cars stopped and it took over an hour before traffic finally moved. What else could we do besides keep the kids engaged in singing and chatting? We tried our best, and now it's just a funny anecdote that makes us shake our heads when we retell it.
- If you can, develop some pictures of your travels and your trip before you head back home. Then the kids can look them over and begin processing the memories.
Happy traveling!
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