How to Survive a Long Road Trip With Kids

Road trip with kids (Photo from unsplash.com)

Traveling with family is fun if you plan your trip the right way. The main principle is not just to survive, – but to make the trip exciting for all participants. After reading this article, you will learn the basic principles of preparing for a successful family trip and find valuable tips.

Vehicle selection

Choose a roomy car, as children are mobile and do not like confined spaces. In addition, traveling with kids forces you to take a large amount of luggage with you on the road. If you think your car is not spacious enough, it is better to rent a group seater.

Compare offers of local vans for rent 12 passengers if you have a large family to accommodate everyone comfortably. A spacious car also plays a role in safety – it allows you to place luggage away from children. While braking hard or turning in an emergency, heavy baggage can injure a child because of accelerating the impact force.

Travel plan

Plan the travel itinerary and budget in detail. However, it is worth making a reserve of time in case of emergency stops or traffic jams and a stock of money for unforeseen expenses. On long trips with children, it is rarely possible to strictly follow the plan, be prepared for this.

Book a hotel in advance, and find the best offers of USA cars for rent to save (the principle is the sooner – the cheaper). Consider additional rental costs if you want to install a GPS or a child seat in your car. Also, check out car hire companies that have great offers of child seats rental.

Take documents for adults and children with you and take care of the insurance. Prepare light and nutritious foods for the trip (nuts, dried fruits, cereal bars, carrot sticks), and make sure you have enough water.
Prepare what you need in the cabin: warm / change clothes, pillows, wet wipes, diapers (if you have a baby), and a first aid kit. Be sure to put analgesics, antipyretics, plasters, chlorhexidine, alcohol wipes, and motion sickness tablets in the first aid kit.

Mother with kids in car (Image from freepik.com)

Entertainment on the road

It is easy for children to get bored with monotonous driving, so you should think about entertainment. You can prepare games and amusing tasks to provide a varied pastime:

  • Attention tasks (for example, which of the children will be the first to see the license plate of a definite state on the road).
  • Coloring book and pencils.
  • Make a map of the route and let the children mark the stops and take notes, being involved in the journey.
  • Download audiobooks to listen to on the go (like Alice in Wonderland or Harry Potter).
  • You can download cartoons to the tablet; older children can play on a game console or smartphone.
  • Create a travel playlist to listen to music, sing along, and remember happy family travel moments.

Browse additional car rental services options such as phone/tablet mount or navigator to ensure your comfort on the road. Also, consider having an extra driver to drive in shifts. So you can relax and enjoy the trip equally with other family members.

(Image from freepik.com)

How to avoid child tantrums

First, take care of the physical and emotional comfort of your kids. Take in the cabin your children’s favorite things from home to make them feel familiar (toys, rattles, pillows, and blankets). Rent a group seater USA to have enough space to fit it all in the cabin.

Babies should not sit in the child seat for more than 2 hours. Therefore, consider frequent stops to warm up and enjoy the picturesque scenery. Do not drive for many hours in a row, hoping to increase the time at your destination.
Sitting for a long time is wretched for your well-being. Also, consider that the whole family’s safety depends on the driver’s concentration. Look for an overnight stay to sleep well and not take risks at night on an unfamiliar road.

(Image from freepik.com)

Traveling with kids can be exciting! If you heed the tips above and put enough time and effort into organizing your road trip, it will pay off with great memories for everyone involved!

 

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