The Best Survival Guide to Family Road Trips

I remember my very first road trip after becoming a mom. My son wasn’t even a week old yet and we were preparing for a 7 hour road trip to Durango for my sister’s wedding. I guess that’s one of the downfalls to living so far away from family; we are guaranteed at least one long road trip a year so we can spend time together.

I had no idea what to expect, or even what to pack. So I literally packed everything and then regretted loading and unloading so much stuff.

Things have changed since then. We now have five kids to entertain and very limited space in the car. So I have to be particular about what to pack and where to put it.

On our most recent road trip, we got about an hour into our drive before our two year old started complaining that she’s ready to get out. Thanks to my husband’s lead foot, we usually make it to our destination in less than seven hours. But that’s still not fast enough to avoid the constant questions of “are we there yet” from the back seat.

We like to think of ourselves as seasoned professionals, at least for this specific stretch of Colorado highways. So I wanted to share some tips and tricks you can use on your next road trip with your family!

Pack Plenty of Snacks

I’m the snack dealer and I take this job very seriously. My kids start expressing bad attitudes and bad behaviors when they’re hangry (they get that quality from their dad). So this is the one area that I tend to overpack in.

But, for me, the worst thing about road trips is passing the good snacks to the kids in the back and then you never see those snacks again. So we created “snackle boxes.” Each kid helped decorate and fill their own box.

This was seriously one of my best road trip hacks! There was no fighting in the backseat over who wasn’t sharing and there were also no hunger complaints. Plus, my husband and I were pretty happy to have access to our favorite snacks in the front, too.

Prepare the iPads (or other technology)

I love that Neflix allows you to download movies and episodes to a device that you can play while offline. I always make sure the night before that all of our iPads and phones are fully charged and that they have plenty of movies to choose from.

Also, don’t forget to bring an extra long, lightning charger that will keep those iPads charged while in the car. I try not to be too strict on screen time while on the road. My priority is keeping a peaceful car so the baby can sleep and the driver can focus on the road.

Emergency Supplies

With kids, you never know what to expect. At the minimum, I always pack Neosporin and a few bandaids. But knowing we aren’t always within a convenient distance of a grocery store, I try to remember to pack things like infant Tylenol, allergy medicine, teething gel, Pepto for kids, cough drops, and chewing gum if driving through the mountains. It can never hurt to be too prepared, right?

Bring the Entertainment

To help break up long periods of screen time, bring some games! Right before our most recent road trip, I created a few games that I could print off. These games included Road Trip Bingo, Slug Bug, and Road Trip Alphabet I-Spy. Below, I’ve attached the file for these games so you can download and play them with your kids, too!

We also like to bring a deck of cards and a couple of lap trays so we can play Go-Fish, Slap Jack, and other fun card games. It is a great way to pass the time!

Making Memories One Road Trip at a Time

All of these suggestions help make road trips a little more enjoyable. But, the best thing you can bring on a road trip is a good attitude. With a little bit of prep, these long drives can create some of the best memories. So get out there and explore! What are you waiting for?

Do you have any tips for road trip with kids? Let me know in the comments!