Travel...with kids!

So you’ve planned your family vacation and have made the bold choice of driving to your holiday destination. The saying “getting there is half the fun” really stands true here, if not more. Remember that this first part of the vacation will set the tone of your whole holiday, and that this part of the trip should be fun for everyone in the vehicle! So take the time to plan ahead, have a good night sleep and let’s get off on the right foot.

First of all, do over-pack! Never waste any empty space when you’re planning to spend a good part of the day in a vehicle. Organization is the key here. Make sure you place the necessities on top of the non-essentials. Activities, food and toiletries on top – overnight bags & heavier luggage on the bottom. If you’re travelling with more than one child, have separate backpacks with their own activities placed near their feet. I know zip lock bags aren’t the greenest thing out there, but they work well to organise small items and/or activities for these backpacks.

Eating during the road-trip

Nothing passes travelling time faster than eating. The night before you leave, have everything ready to go packed in a cooler for the next day’s lunch. Pick fruits & veggies that aren’t too messy and have them pre-cut in containers and sandwiches wrapped with everyone’s initials on them. Why stop at a busy truck stop during the noon-time rush; just to sit down for another hour with nothing to do but eat? Save your breaks for activities and eat lunch on the road.

As for breakfast, prepare it at home like you usually would, but take it “to go” as well. This will not only make you leave the house faster, but it will also keep everyone busy for a good half hour (or so) while the driver settles in for the long haul.

The ideal scenario for supper is that the car trip is over for the day, and that a restaurant or a home cooked meal is taken. After 6 to 8 hours on the road, everyone is looking forward to jumping in the hotel pool anyways.

Stops and breaks along the way

You will eventually need to stop at some time during your trip. But how often, and at which interval is different for every family on any specific trip. As simple as it sounds, I suggest stopping when children need to. You’re on holidays, have fun! If somebody needs to go to the washroom and there happens to be a green space surrounding the area, take out your outdoor activity bag and play for 15 minutes. Frisbee, soccer or a little game of catch - whatever your family is into, 15 minutes will change everyone’s mind and give a chance for those muscles to stretch. That being said, don’t expect to make that 6 hour drive in a record 5 hours and 47 minutes. With children on board, make sure to give yourself plenty of extra time.

Passing the time between breaks

There are basically two types of different activities during a road trip for kids; “TV time” and non-“TV time”. I like to consider “TV time” as in-car movies, personal gaming devices and any other electronic gadget that amuses the kids. And although “TV time” is regulated & monitored at home, exceptions for road trips should be made. Just make sure everyone packs a set of headphones (if available) so that everyone can enjoy “TV time” on their own.

As for non-“TV time”, have the kids dig through their backpacks for additional activities like coloring, reading, word games and the classics like “I spy” during the drive.

You’re ready to leave

In parting, here are some final tips that have worked great for me in the past: don’t forget to put sunscreen on, everyone should bring their pillows & a blanket (if needed) and get the kids to remove their shoes in the car. Most importantly ... make yourselves comfortable!

A list to help you pack:

Children's backpacks
• clip boards with white paper for drawing and writing
• crayons
• a pencil sharpener and eraser for every pencil case
• books
• electronic games
• head phones

Up front with the parents
• Rain jackets
• Umbrella
• First aid kit
• Breakfast and lunch
• Garbage bag
• Diaper wipes (to be used for quick wash-ups)
• Sun tan lotion

Outdoor activity bag
• Frisbee
• soccer ball
• baseball and gloves

Melanie Legault
Early Childhood Educator
http://www.aliveincanada.com