Thanksgiving and the Winter holidays are almost here. These holidays are the busiest travel times of the year, and for many that means it’s time for a family road trip! For many of us just spending thirty minutes in the car with our kids is enough to drive us batty, much less a three to five-hour ride! However, with the right preparation, a family road trip can be less patience-trying than expected – perhaps even fun. From preparing the car to packing enough activities, below are a few of my favorite tips for making the most out of a family road trip with kids.
1. Start your road trip off right with the proper preparation. Make sure you have everything you need in case of an emergency. This includes a small first aid kit, a flashlight, a blanket and/or extra coats, the tools needed for changing a flat, and flares.
2. Plan your route in advance, making sure you include several stop points for restroom breaks and to stretch the legs. You know you are going to have to stop for the inevitable bathroom break anyway, so planning for them in advance makes it a lot less frustrating! We like to find interesting tourist spots or sites to see along our route to add more interest to the trip. Most of these popular places to stop will have restrooms available.
3. Once the clothes and other necessities have been packed, make sure you let the kids select one or two of their favorite (small) toys to bring along, and then help them pack several more activities to beat the boredom. Crayons, pencils, paper, a pack of playing cards, books, books on tape, a portable DVD player, tablets, MP3 players – are all great items to consider bringing along. Also, think about heading to your local dollar store and buying a couple of cheap baking sheets. These make great portable desktops to write, color and play on; plus you can often find several, small, cute magnets to keep them entertained as well!
Don’t miss the rest of these tips which you can finish reading on the Lee Chrysler Dodge blog!