Embarking on a Road Trip with Kids

Going on a road trip with the whole family is a quintessential American experience. Whether visiting a National Park or seeing your cousins for Thanksgiving, there is nothing quite like piling into the car with the entire gang and jetting off on an adventure together.

However, for some parents, the thought of being trapped in the car with their children for over two hours might seem like an impossible task. And yet, I bet you still find yourself road trip curious… even if it’s just a little bit. We’ve all had the family driving adventure with our families. Therefore, it’s natural to want to give that experience to your kids, even (or especially) with the wildness, boredom, and everything in between that a road trip brings!

If you are wondering about a family road trip but still hesitant to put your foot on the gas, you might be asking yourself, “What do you do with the kids for such an extended period of time?”, “How can they possibly be entertained for that long?”, “Will the road trip time be doubled because we will have to stop so much?”, and “Is it bad if I just let them have the iPad?” These are all completely valid questions, and the answers lie in preparation before the road trip takes place and an attitude of flexibility during the actual trip.

Set Expectations 

Before the road trip takes place, it's essential to set expectations about traveling with your kids. You should emphasize how fun it will be to go on this journey together as a family, but also make sure to be realistic when talking to them. Let them know that they will be in the car for a long time, and it will be important for them to communicate their needs, be patient, and find ways to entertain themselves. You can even tell them about what it was like taking road trips with your family when you were little to help them gain an understanding and appreciation of what they are about to embark on. 

Be Prepared with a Road Trip Activity Bag

Besides prepping the kids for the journey ahead, you can and should prep a car bag for them so that they have everything they need. This road trip bag definitely needs to have plenty of snacks and drinks and some comfy items, such as a blanket, pillows, and their stuffies. Depending on how long the road trip is and how many hours (or even days) you will be in the car, you can also pack activities for them to do. Consider adding coloring books, crayons, stickers, small toys, cards, a notebook, and a tablet as well. The goal of the activity bag is to keep them cozy and entertained for as long as possible. 

Embrace Spontaneity

Before the trip, you’ve done everything you can to be prepared. You’ve talked to your kids to set expectations, and you have packed their car bags with all kinds of goodies. When the road trip hits, you have these tools in your belt to help you be flexible during the actual journey. 

During this time, stay in tune with your child’s needs: Is it too hot in the car? Do they need to go to the bathroom? Are they getting wiggly or bored? Getting ahead of these questions will help prevent a meltdown from happening. If they need something or are acting in an unexpected way, be flexible. Remember that it might take you longer than you thought, so you may need to adjust your expectations. And if a meltdown does happen, that is okay. Being in the car for a long time as a child can be challenging, and it’s important to recognize that as a parent.

Games Galore when on a Road Trip with Kids

If your child runs out of ways to keep themselves busy, it can always be helpful to interact with them and introduce a new game or pastime into their road trip experience. After all, playing games or listening to an entertaining audio book or podcast in the car is half the fun of life on the road! Try these on for size:

More Active Activities

• License Plate Game: Work in teams or individually to see who can spot the most license plates from different states. If the road trip is extra long, a really fun challenge can be to try and get all fifty!

• Car Bingo: Beforehand, print out a bingo sheet that has items one might see on the road trip you are going on (think: special restaurants, landmarks, types of cars, etc). Then, while in the car, everyone will try to spot the items on their card. You can play classic bingo (the first one to get five in a row wins), or you can even play blackout (the first one to get their entire sheet wins).

• I Spy: Perhaps the most classic of all the road trip games,  I Spy has a reputation for entertaining children for long stretches of time. Take turns choosing an object that you see and giving the other players a hint: “I spy something green.” The first person to guess the object gets to go next. 

• 20 Questions: Similar to I Spy, one player must choose a person, place, or thing and keep that choice a secret. The other players will attempt to guess what the person is thinking by asking 20 questions. If you have younger kids or want more opportunities to guess, feel free to extend the question number. 

• Story Telling: Get creative with the whole family and construct a story together by having each person say a sentence that adds to the entire narrative. This game can get really silly, so it’s a great way to lift the mood of a kid who might be getting grumpy. 

Calm Car Time

• Audiobooks: Popping on an audiobook is a fantastic way to relax in the car. Kids and adults alike can tune into a fantastic fantasy or compelling mystery for hours at a time, so it’s a wonderful way to pass the miles. 

• Sing Alongs: If your kids are getting restless but you are all gamed out, try turning on some songs that they love to sing. You can choose the music from their favorite movie, TV show, or album and let them pump up the jam while you sit quietly in the front seat. 

• Podcasts: Did you know there are podcasts just for kids? While your seven-year-old might not become captivated by NPR, there are other options that will capture their attention. Just type “podcasts for kids” into whichever listening service you prefer.

• Screen Time: Let’s say you need a break from the little ones and they are becoming antsy, angry, or hyper. Instead of saying, “We’re almost there,” every two minutes, it's totally okay to have some screen time. If anything, these moments are what screen time is meant for. Pop on a movie or TV show for them, get a game going, or even have them hop onto a learning app for thirty minutes or so. Believe me, the peace and quiet you will get for that time period will be well worth the screen. 

While on a road trip with your kids, be sure to soak in these special moments as a family. These are most likely memories that your kids will have with them for the rest of their lives, and they do matter. Above all, if it starts to get chaotic or the road starts to feel never ending, you can always remind yourself that it is about the journey, not the destination.

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