On the road

What do you get when you combine a car, three children, a cat, a vehicle full of luggage and over 800 miles?

You get a ROAD TRIP!

How does one safely make the journey, while also retaining sanity?

Some of our tried and true tips for surviving a road trip with kiddos ....WHAT TO BRING:

* CELL PHONE CHARGER! Too often I make the organizational mistake of packing this in my luggage that I don't have easy access to. Huge bummer when you have a cell phone with a dead battery!
* Bottle brush (We love this kind) -- makes cleaning out sippy cups a BREEZE when you're on the go with no access to a dishwasher.
* Boxed milk that requires no refrigeration (We love this kind) -- if your kiddos can't live without milk, this reduces the need for a cooler in the car!
* Ziploc bags of all sizes -- perfect for trash bags (when you need to contain smelly trash, or to ensure that random french fries from the last drive-thru lunch stay put instead of all over the car).
* Diapers that your little one has outgrown -- maybe a strange tip, but they make for a really fun game of hot potato without fear of breaking or hurting anyone!
* Dryer sheets to place underneath carseats -- another strange tip, but it helps keep the car smelling ... well ... spring fresh!
* Ziploc Big Bags (we LOVE THESE!) -- pack one in your overnight bag for dirty clothes. The size holds your entire family's dirty laundry AND zips shut to keep the odor-ifious-ness contained.
* Travel size of Johnson & Johnson Baby Shampoo. This works for bathtime, sink-cleaning laundry if needed, washing out sippy cups, etc.
* Nightlight. Nothing is worse than an unfamiliar bedroom (whether hotel or with family) than a dark bedroom.

If you are staying in a hotel or with friends along your way, pack what EVERY member of the family needs into ONE bag.

* change of clothes for the next morning
* pjs
* swimsuits
* toiletries
* Ziploc big bag

When you arrive at your first night's destination, it is so nice to only have to remove ONE bag for the night instead of pulling all sorts of random bags into the lobby, WITH your tired and cranky kiddos.

If you are staying at a hotel, ask the front desk attendant when you check in to allow you to raid their continental breakfast room/fridge for some milk cartons (put them on ice with your bucket) and boxed cereal.

Throw in some fruit, and you've got your own bedside breakfast ready in the morning without forcing you to get dressed and wrangle the littles into clothes first thing.


Use a small cookie sheet that magically transforms into a lap desk. The benefits to this are numerous:

* Magnets STICK!
* Colors are contained within the outer lip
* Snacks are easily kept at bay (imagine goldfish flying all over the car when you hit a bump?)
* They easily slide underneath the seats for storage

We find our trips go the best when I've pulled aside some toys several weeks prior to our trip, so that the toys become "new" to them.

The dollar bin at Target, or your local dollar store also makes for great "new toys" for in the car. Don't go overboard, but pick up some cheap things and your kids will be thrilled!

We also intentionally swap out toys every 30-45 minutes ... even if they're not "done" playing with them. Instead of waiting until frustration levels are high and they're beyond playing with the toys, refresh their scenery and swap out on a regular basis.

Ziploc or grocery-store bag each GROUPING of toys. Explain to your kids that they need to keep all like items together and you'll all save yourself some much needed energy.

If you have room between carseats, throw in a plastic crate (like THIS) -- the crate will serve numerous purposes along the way. (For the kids to keep their juiceboxes, snacks, toys in their reach, etc.)

Pack each kiddo a backpack of their own special things. Include in their backpack their OWN bag of colors, kid-friendly scissors and ... a roll of tape. No joke here ... that roll of tape can keep them busy for H.O.U.R.S!

Create a BINGO game of sorts (afix it to their cookie sheet lap tray for ease). Identify several things that the kids will be likely to see along your journey and let them color in the squares when they spot each one.

Create a "map" of your journey with your starting location, your final destination and pinpoint several landmarks or locations along the way. Provide stickers just for this map and help your children identify and understand a bit more the process of the journey. It cuts down a bit on the "Are we there yet?" question.

EACH AND EVERY TIME you stop for gas or potty breaks, clean out the car. Take the extra 5 minutes to throw away that trash!

ANOTHER MUST? Designate the pouches on the back of the seats for the kids' shoes and socks. If they have special blankies or lovies, also use those pouches for those items. Instead of having to search high and low for these things when they are rapidly needed, form a habit of always placing them in those pouches.

DVD Players. I canNOT stress this enough. Each child gets their own DVD player AND headphones. Saves from fighting over which movie to play, whose player is louder, etc.

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With a little bit of planning, alot of patience and some organization, you can make your summer road trips bearable! I'm sure there are SO many more travel tips. Share your favorites!