The Best Way To Road Trip With Toddlers | How To Travel With Kids

As we were getting ready to take another mini road trip with our young children, I thought, what better time to share all I have learned—than during the moment of making my own packing lists and travel goody bags?

And by goody bag, I mean, a diaper bag full of toys, books, and various other things to keep my kids entertained—as well as plastic bags and a change of clothes—but we will get to that later in this blog!

Keep reading for my best road trip tips for family road trips!

What You Need To Know About Traveling With A Toddler

Whether your little one enjoys the car or not, packing them in for 7+ hours for a long road trip is not generally appealing to them or us—if we’re being honest.

It is often difficult and exhausting, and depending on how old your child is, you can’t always have a conversation to let them know how much longer the journey is, or when you will be arriving at the next rest stop.

The bottom line is that most toddlers love routine and playtime. Confinement to a moving cube on wheels, and no schedule other than looking out a window with things whizzing by is boring for kids. 

In general, they get bored sightseeing and have interrupted nap times during the process which can cause chaos. Be prepared for meltdowns to happen anytime, anywhere.

However, if you take the time to plan strategically, you can turn a daunting idea into a doable feat. You know your child and their schedule the best, so let’s get down to it.

How To Survive On Your Road Trip With Toddlers

Here are my top tips on how to survive when traveling with young children!

1. Pack Strategically

This may turn into a game of Tetris, but in the long run, you will thank yourself for taking the time to pack strategically.

Luggage that you don’t need until you’ve reached your destination should be packed on the bottom of the cargo. And things you may need along your journey should be packed on top of the ‘not needed’ cargo for easier access. 

Also, remember to pack the things you most definitely will be using along your journey in the front seat or other easily accessible areas. These things might include:

• Snacks and drinks
• Diaper changing necessities
• Change of clothes
• Toys and books
• Emergency first aid kit
• Nursing pump, bottles, and sanitizing wipes for parts
• Chargers, computers, and work items

It can also be a good idea to have a changing station in the car. This reduces the need to go into gas station changing areas, which can be a huge increase in travel time. Especially when you have to spend time herding the kids back into the car.

If you want to learn more about time-saving tips for busy moms, be sure to check out my blog article here!

2. Follow Their Schedule As Much As Possible

You know your children better than anyone, so use their normal schedule to your advantage. If they are still napping, I highly suggest getting them to eat a full meal before you begin your journey, and leave your home right at nap time. Another timeframe that my husband and I found to be very beneficial for us, is leaving at 4 am. Yes, he and I don’t get a full night’s sleep, but we found that our children sleep a great chunk right away.

If you use white noise, there are apps that are really handy. You can download one to your phone and put that near your child’s car seat. This often helps them to stay asleep, if the noises of driving aren’t enough.

I’d also recommend trying your best to follow the normal flow of your day but in the car. 

For example, when we leave on our road trip tomorrow, we’ll get up bright and early, play, eat a filling breakfast, play, pack up the car, and leave around 9:30 am. 

Although we are leaving a little earlier than normal nap time, I make a point of ensuring that playtime is a little more rigorous in the morning before we leave, to help tire my kids out. 

During the last trip we took, this helped our son to nap for close to 3.5 hours—which was amazing. This was glorious for me to get some work done while my husband drove.

And then once he wakes, we follow our typical day. I pack a meal that is edible in the car, and let my son lead as much as possible. I tend to distract him with food and drink as long as I can before he starts to get fussy. 

Once I’ve cleaned up from snacking, we move on to playtime. Toys and books are our best friends—again until he gets bored. And if needed, electronics always come out as a last resort. 

3. Distract With Food

Food distractions work really well. My kids are snack monsters—so we take full advantage of allowing this during road trips. I try my best to keep healthy options available because you’ll quickly learn that a child full of sugar during a long trip is not a good idea!

I load a small cooler, and pack these kinds of healthy road trip snacks:

• String cheese
• Cut up fruits and veggies
• Fruit snacks
• Pretzels
• Granola bars
• Uncrustables
• Goldfish or crackers
• Frosted animal crackers or another treat or two
• Milk
• Water

I know it can be tricky to think of healthy options for the whole family, but having items that are easy to snack on in the car is vital.

If you’d like to learn some more of my tips for easy family-friendly meals then you can check out my blog article here.

Also whilst I was nursing, to maximize travel time, I would bring a bottle of breast milk and feed him a bottle in the car whilst I also pumped. This helped to reduce stopping time (to nurse) and resulted in a happy baby that was enjoying milk during the journey.

4. Get In The Backseat For Play-Time

This might take a little bit of work from your end! Before kids, my husband and I used to love road-tripping because it meant we could sit in silence, listen to music, or catch up on each other’s lives and our family dreams during the long car ride.

We could be on the road together for hours on end without stopping… But a family road trip definitely isn’t as peaceful when you have kids in the car.

After nap time and meal time, we like to schedule some dedicated playtime. 

I like to do playtimes during road trips quite strategically. For example, I only pull out one toy at a time. And I like to pack my kid’s favorite toys or buy new ones specifically for the trip to keep them stimulated and occupied.

Here are some cool toy ideas and playtime road trip activities to get you started:

• Rain stick
• Toy cars
• Busy book
• Water cards
• Interactive books
• Small stuffed or plastic animals
• Plastic keys
• Toy steering wheel
• Toys that have songs and talk
• Magnetic alphabet letters or other magnets (make sure they’re large enough so that they can’t be accidentally swallowed) with a cookie sheet or something else that’s metal and easily stored

Did you know that a clinical journal notes that play is an essential part of holistic well-being for children because it allows them to develop social skills and bond with others?²

My next favorite resort for playtime are books. I love packing their favorite books, or will specifically buy a couple of new books to keep them occupied. 

Or you can make lots of fun little games with books to keep them busy such as practicing body parts by pointing to them whilst you repeat the words to each other.

You can also sing songs, and play children’s songs on the radio via Bluetooth. Or you might have some fun with naming objects outside of the car, such as calling the grass green, or sky blue, and pointing to cars. 

The older your kids get, the easier it gets because they will find ways to entertain themselves, or you can play I-spy games too.

One of my favorite tricks is to make a list of fun songs and hand games that I know my kids like.

When they start getting cranky, I have an immediate list of go-to’s so I don’t have to think too much, and can immediately deal with their tantrum. “If You’re Happy and You Know It,” “Peek-a-Boo,” and “The Wheels on the Bus” are some easy go-to’s.

5. Electronics Are A Good Last Resort

Electronics are a good secret weapon for long trips. For some reason, there’s something about electronics that can help kids to stay engaged for ages, which is a Godsend during a long journey.

My kids love electronics, even if they’re not paying attention to what is on the television, they’ll be fascinated by being in charge of the remote. They also like having my phone to press buttons and fidget with.

If needed, we let the kids play on our kindle fire, and you can download certain games, films and apps specifically for the journey.

You’re not always going to have an internet signal, so it also helps to have stuff that can be accessed without data. For example, I download different playlists from ‘Super Simple Songs’ and have those files on my laptop. 

I personally use electronics as a last resort, because I’ve found that once your child starts playing with electronics during the trip, because they’re so stimulating, they’re really hard to come back from. All of a sudden it’s going to be much harder to go back to reading books or playing with toys for the rest of the trip. 

And also, the other aspect, is that your child has to develop the skills of learning how to entertain themselves or be content with sitting there and not doing much.

Eileen Gunn, from FamiliesGo! Says,

“Don’t give kids electronics the second you get in the car. We have them but we save them for long drives, traffic jams, and last resorts. 

I think it’s important to let kids learn to stare out the window, daydream, be bored, and also find ways to entertain themselves. 

Sometimes a parent needs to navigate or assist the driver, but otherwise, drives are boring for everyone!”

6. Plan In Scenic Destinations

For longer trips, if you can, plan to stop at parks or rest areas to hike. You can look up scenic destinations on your route which help to break up the long travel time. And the bonus is that you also create memories and experiences with your family.

What Should I Bring On A Road Trip With A Toddler?

This is the exact list that I love to use for my long road trips. But some of the things you’ll need to consider for yourself are the; environment, weather, and activities you’ll be doing.

For context, the trip that this particular packing list is based on includes 4 days at a family lake house during the summer.

Road Trip with Toddler Packing Checklist

Things For Your Kids

• Day outfits (how many days and weather dependent)
• PJs (how many days and weather dependent)
• Hat
• Shoes (sandals, gym shoes, and water shoes)
• Socks (how many days)
• Swimsuit
• Swim diapers
• Rain Gear
• Diaper bag (filled with toys, books, plastic bags for car sickness, and change of clothes)
• Stroller
• Pack ‘n’ play
• Pack ‘n’ play mattress with a sheet
• Blanket
• Monkey
• Monitor (2 parts and 2 chargers)
• Seat to eat
• Bib
• Utensils
• Sippy cups
• Snack cup
• Diapers
• Wipes
• Toothbrush and paste
• Shampoo/wash
• Books and small toys
• Extra bags
• Vitamins

Things For The Parent/s

• Clothes (how many days and weather dependent)
• PJs (how many days and weather dependent)
• Hat
• Shoes (sandals and gym shoes)
• Swimsuit
• Underwear (how many days)
• Socks (how many days)

Dog Or Other Pets

• Food (how many servings)
• Food and water bowl
• Shock collar
• Chargers
• Collar
• Leash
• Blanket

Toiletries

• Sunscreen
• Towels
• Deodorant
• Face wash
• Body wash
• Shampoo and conditioner
• Razors
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Contact lenses
• Glasses
• Makeup
• Brush (or comb)
• Haircare products
• Hair ties (or headbands)

Work-Related Items

• Computer
• Charger
• Notebooks
• Sticky notepad
• Binder
• Headphones
• Charger
• Devotional Journal
• Phone chargers
• Rechargeable battery pack

Food, Snacks, And Drinks

• Ice cooler (if it’s a long-distance journey)
• String cheese
• Cut up fruits and veggies
• Fruit snacks
• Pretzels
• Granola bars
• Uncrustables
• Goldfish or crackers
• Frosted animal crackers (or another treat or two)
• Milk (formula, breast milk, whole milk)
• Water
• Bananas
• Pre-workout
• Superfood shake powder
• Snack protein bars

Summer Camping And Lake Items

• Pool floaties
• Life jacket
• Trash bags
• Rain gear
• Laundry bag (or a place to put dirty clothes)
• Binoculars 

First Aid Kit For Emergencies

• Standard kit of bandaids, gauze, wraps, etc, (and include extras, just in case)
• Thermometer
• Neosporin
• Vaseline
• Tweezers
• Coconut oil
• Benadryl
• Aloe vera
• Nail clippers
• Kids’ medications for gas relief, pain, bug bites, and cuts
• Bug spray
• Flashlight
• Hand sanitizer 
• Plastic bags (for nausea and vomiting situations)

For Nursing

• Breast pump
• Baby bottles
• Sanitizing wipes (medela)
• Batteries (if no charging port in the car)