Imagine a road trip with your kids where you arrive at your destination without feeling completely frazzled! It can be done. Indeed, all you need to do is follow our tried and tested guide below. 

Prep your way to success

First of all, if your road trip with the kids in tow is going to be a success, then you will need to do some proper planning. You need to plan the route that you will be using, as well as where you will make stops and refuel. If it's a particularly long trip you may need to plan and book overnight accommodation. You’ll also need to plan what you will pack to take with you in your car for your trip. 

Make sure your vehicle is safe and up to the route 

Another essential part of the road trip preparation phase is to make sure your vehicle is safe and up to the long journey you will be going through. After all, it will be transporting the most precious cargo - your kids. 

To that end, it's a good idea to check your vehicle for things like tire tread and pressure, fluid levels, that your battery is working and is not corroded, and that all your lights work. 

It's also a good idea to make sure you check that your wing mirrors and rearview mirrors are clean and in the right position. This is because you will want to make sure you can keep an eye on what other drivers are doing on the road, during your trip. 

Indeed, sometimes, even when we are super safe and vigilant on the road, accidents can still happen that are not our fault. Of course, this is very scary when you have little ones in the car, and your first concern will always be the immediate danger. However, once that is out of the way, it's always worth contacting a car accident lawyer to see if you have a claim against the other party involved. This is because you may be able to claim not only for damage to your vehicle but any medical treatment you and your family received as well. 

Everyone loves snacks 

You will likely stop for meals at your destination, or in restaurants along the way. However, it's still crucial that you pack plenty of snacks for your road trip. This is because snacks tend to have a magical effect on your little ones (and yourself!), preventing them from becoming hangry, and also distracting them if the situation in the back seat becomes a little tense. 

The best type of snacks to take on a road trip are ones that don’t require any refrigeration, and if possible are in single-serve packages. However, you can also get larger bags and then portion them up into smaller baggies so all you have to do is hand one to your child, with minimum mess and effort. 

Frequent stops 

You may think that the aim of a road trip is to spend as much time on the road as possible, but frequency or at least regular stops can be incredibly helpful and make everyone’s experience better. 

This is because when you stop, everyone can get out of the car, stretch their legs, and burn off a bit of energy. They can also use the loo if there is one, and you can make it a rule that everyone swaps seating positions every time you make a stop. This is something that can get the kids to get on a lot better over long stretches of time. If it's a particularly long trip such as 10-day Philippines tours, you may need to plan and book overnight accommodation.

Have clear travel expectations

One of the most important things you can do to ensure that your road trip is a success is to have very clear ideas for travel expectations from everyone on a long car trip. This means sitting your kids down and going through what you expect of them (and yourself!) during the car journey in a very clear way. Involve them in planning the stops, too, so that they have something to look forward to. 

Nap time is golden time! 

There is something about being in a car that often lulls kids to sleep, and my advice is to capitalise on this as much as possible. After all, if your kids are asleep in the back, all you have to worry about is keeping your eyes on the road, and finally getting to listen to your choice of station on the radio! 

With that in mind, travel pillows, favorite stuffies, and lightweight but warm fleece blankets are a must to take with you. These will help make your little ones comfortable enough to nap, but won't take up too much room. 

Listen to audiobooks

If your kids love stories, then you can keep them entertained during a road trip by listening to narrated audiobooks altogether. Indeed, audiobooks are a great way of keeping the noise level in your car low, because everyone needs to actively listen to follow the story. Our family especially loves audiobooks with full-cast performances. They are so much fun.

However, if you would like to listen to something a bit more stimulating on your trip, you can always set the kids up with access to a child-friendly audiobook app and some headphones. 

Play games together as a family 

Last of all, if you want a successful and pleasant road trip then it's crucial that you take along some fun games to keep everyone entertained and engaged. There is no need to invest in expensive travel games, though. Instead, there are all sorts of fun activities you can print or even make yourself, and some don’t require any supplies at all, such as the alphabet game, or finding different license plates, cows, colors, etc. 

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