How To Pack A Family Road Trip Survival Kit

I've been meaning to write this post for ages and with a Thanksgiving road trip behind us and a Christmas road trip ahead of us, there's no denying this is the perfect week to get on it! 

We've had our fair share of interesting road tripping with kids moments - everything from tackling it solo with a toddler and a baby to road trips with blow outs, barf, bottle making in the front seat, screaming, fevers and teething to the general ridiculousness of traveling with kids has graced our back seats. 

So what's a mom to do when kid disaster strikes? 

I can promise that I go wise quickly and built myself a kit that stays in my car at all times, no matter what. I know now that most bathroom emergencies will happen the second you fly past a rest stop or in the middle of nowhere, vomit will inevitably get on both children, even if only one is sick and there will never be enough snacks. 

Each "I can't believe that just happened" and "ok, so now what?!" experience has lead me to hone my craft as a road warrior mom and I can confidently say that my Car Survival Kit is now a streamlined, efficient solution for what might pop up. 

I've included a list at the end of this post, so you make sure you're locked and loaded before your next trip, so print that bad boy out and hit the road with confidence! 

What's In My Road Trip Kit:

The Bin:

I picked up this cloth/soft sided bin from the storage/closet section at Target. It has no special purpose or features, it just has a nice square shape and I like that it's "soft" so it can give and bend when other things are shoved against it. 

Choose a bucket that works for you and your trunk. Snag one with a lid if you'd like - just make sure your potty can fit into it so your kit is contained and easily accessed with limited time. 

Honestly, this isn't something to spend a ton of money on, so walk your house and see if you something that works - here's an option for less than $13.

1. Travel Potty

And no, I don't currently have anyone potty training! It never fails that the second we whiz past a rest stop, we'll hear "I have to go potty!" from the back seat. 

We've pulled over on rural park roads in Tennessee, a church parking lot in Virginia and who knows where else. Our travel potty is small enough to fit in our kit and I've been grateful to have it more time than I can count.

2. Roll of Small Trash Bags

Think waste paper basket size trash bags - and the reason for the small size is this: once the roll is taken out of the box, it can be smushed down the sides of your travel kit with ease. 

The small sized bags are perfect for clean up, for throwing up into, for storing soiled clothes until you get to your destination, for car trash gathering, you name it, these bags can do it. 

3. Full Pack of Baby Wipes

Baby wipes are the Swiss Army Knife of parenting. I don't need to tell ya'll what they're capable of but I do suggest you stock a fresh, unopened pack in your kit every single time you hit the road.

 You'll be glad that you did.

4. Beach Towel

So, why a beach towel and not a blanket?

 A beach towel can be folded flatter than most blankets while being more absorbent and, frankly, cheaper to replace. Use an old one you have on hand or snag one at the end of the summer season and dub it the car towel. 

We've used ours to wipe up spills, as a play mat for a baby to stretch their legs, a changing pad, as a barrier between a wet seat and a kid, a blanket, a picnic spot, whatever we've needed it to be! 

5. Meds/First Aid

We pack the following in a gallon ziplock bag (all out of boxes):

allergy meds
pain/fever meds
tummy meds
motion sickness meds
bug bite cream/Neosporin/band aids

6. Change of Clothes 

Each kid has a change of clothes down to undies and socks and, after a particularly horrible experience, I also pack a back up pair of leggings + tee for myself. 

My husband is the driver and I'm the kid wrangler, so it will be me who ends up with throw up on them. Whoever the kid wrangler is, make sure they have a back up. 

You can pack them in Ziplocs if that's what fits in your kit or in small, thin (similar to a large pencil box) plastic storage containers (that's what I do). Whatever fits! 

7. Two Gallon Ziploc Bags

Just in case, because honestly, why not. 

Good luck, mamas!

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