Bringing kids into road trip is not easy, but truly possible. I bring my kids into road trip since they are toddler. A little bit tricky, but if you can arrange, it will be good experience for them. I never bring baby in my road trip, but some parents do it and many of them succeeded. Of course, the result may vary, but I agree bringing kids to road trip needs more preparation.

Some parents give the best suggestions for bringing kids to road trip. Learn from their mistakes before you bring kids on next road trip.

Check to the doctor

Especially if you want to bring baby to your road trip, you need to check to doctor about their condition. Weather your baby still breast feeding or started to eat solid food, you might need more preparation about it. Checking their health is the more important thing. Are your baby or toddler and YOU-parents-ready for road trip?

The GPS is wrong

Your GPS know nothing about traveling with kids. If GPS said it will take 8 hours trip, except at least 10 hours. There is no certainty if your kids in your car. You need more stops for changing diapers, go to restroom, or just stretching out. Perhaps you need to check accommodations along the ways if you suddenly had to stay overnight.

Give yourself a break

As you prepare for longer time to ride, make sure you also take a rest. Don’t give yourself a target, such as at this time you had already passed some city. It will stress you out. Your kids should enjoy your trip, so that they are not fussy. Create some pit stop along the way. Place that might interest for them. For example, a playground, a good food stall, or just “instagrammable” place to take pictures. However, if you bring a baby, you do not need to plan it, because they just need comfort and snuggle.

Stopping? Make sure everyone uses bathroom

Do not believe your kids if they say, “I don’t want to pee now!”. Ask them to try and say it was still long for the next stop. It might be hard to find another restroom after this. It is really exhausted if you just go back to the bathroom because your children want to pee the time after you leave the place. Changing the diaper also included. Make sure to use the fresh diapers whenever you leave a pit stop.

Take pit stops when they are awake

It might be difficult, but try as best as you can. Because when they are asleep, it is the best time to drive without interruptions. You can focus to drive miles. Therefore, try to stop whenever they are awake and alert.

Download entertainment in advance

If you have streaming services like Netflix, Disney +, HBO, you can download movies, series, educational games, so that you can watch or play offline. My kids have handheld console. Thus, they always bring it when we go traveling. However, I’d rather not to give them screen time in the car because it can feel dizzy. I suggest to use it when we have a pit stop or in a lodge.

Never miss toys!

Bring lots of toys in the car. If you go with toddler, ask them to choose which toys they want to bring. I usually urge my kids to choose and pack their own toys when we prepare to go at home. Therefore, they get the excitement for travel. Bring some books and colored pencils or crayon if they like to color and read. You can also bring busy book or made by yourself special for this trip. You can have many references in Pinterest or Youtube.      

Lots of snack is the key

The last thing but the most important thing is SNACKS! Better bring A LOT than less because you might do not have time or place to buy. I had ever experienced this. I did not bring enough snacks for road trip with two kids, because I think we can buy food at the destination. However, the food is too expensive and not suitable with our taste. My kids had a bad mood in the car because they are hungry. Fortunately, we can find good restaurant after a while. After that, I always bring food on our road trip no matter where we go. Snack is a lifesaver for parent’s sanity at road trip.  

source: https://matadornetwork.com/read/mistakes-to-avoid-road-tripping-kids/