Most families look at a vacation together as one of the most exciting things that they can do all year, and they’d be right! The problem? Kids are chaotic. They’re filled with wild, uncontrollable chaos and energy that, when put in a confined space (like an airplane) it can be a slightly scary situation! So, for a family, road trips are often the best option to avoid too much confined chaos. A road trip allows you the freedom and your own schedule, and you are going to be able to enable your children to run and laugh and play as much as they like on the way.
The biggest worry – other than chaos, of course – is the worry of accidents on the road. Yes, the kids will be noisy in the car, and yes, this is a distraction. The likelihood is that you won’t need to have a car accident attorney on speed dial during your trip. However, the best thing that you could do is to add one – just in case! Some view a road trip with children as terrifying, not the thing to do to keep kids cooped up in a car for miles on end. Here’s the thing, though: you can stop at any time and get out, and you can’t do that on a plane. With our ten tips below, you can take a road trip with your kids without accidents, without worries, and without thinking that your children are going to be any trouble in a confined space.
Tip 1: Choose A Neutral Place
Nope, you may not want to go to Disneyworld, and the kids may not want to go on a mad tri through the best museums in every state. So, it would help if you came up with an excellent middle ground. If you have tiny kids, you choose where to go but map out areas on the way where they can have fun. If you have older kids, get them involved in the conversation.
Tip 2: Use A Map
A real, paper map is always better to have than a GPS or an app. Sure, you can use an app, too, but if you run out of battery and can’t charge your phone, you’re screwed! Hard copies are also a great way to teach the kids how to map read. Lessons on the road? Always!
Tip 3: Get Out Of The Car
You may be on the road to get from place to place, but you don’t have to stay there. Map out spots to get out of the car and stretch your legs. You can explore the local areas, change who sits in which seat and give the vehicle a brush down and tidy up every time you stop. There’s nothing wrong with stopping to prevent lethargy, arguments, and built-up mess. Road trips are fantastic for seeing what you want to see, but they’re a slog, and as a family, it’s a lot of time close-contact.
Tip 4: Be Prepared With Entertainment
You are on the road with a family, which means you’re going to hear the cry of boredom more times that you would like. The scenic routes are beautiful, but children often do not pay attention to those! This means that you need to entertain them! Think games, music, movies and more. The games have to be more than just I Spy, though; you need to think about making up some special road trip packs for the kids. Bring charged-up iPads and spare chargers for the car, too. You want to keep the kids occupied in a way that interests them, so don’t be afraid of asking them what they’d like to do!
Tip 5: Always Stop & Take The Picture
If you see that magnificent monument or the excellent view, stop. Get out of the car and take the picture. There is only so much of your vacation you want to do things through a phone or viewfinder, so why don’t you bring a proper camera and start your own road trip scrapbooks?
Tip 6: Get Everyone Involved
When it comes to a road trip, you need everyone to be a part of a team. Kids can share duties and get involved in blowing up air mattresses and putting up tents. They can help you to clear out the car, and when you have everyone with a task to do, things move far more efficiently.
Tip 7: Embrace The Traffic
Roadblocks..traffic…pauses in time – you name it, it’ll stop you in your tracks. There’s nothing more frustrating than stopping during your trip, but you should embrace these pauses! Take these moments and foster connections and conversations with the kids that you wouldn’t get a chance to at home. Take a detour off the book and get a little lost (safely). It’s exciting!
Tip 8: Act Like Locals
When you get out of the car to see the areas you’ve stopped in, why not take a moment and be a local? Go to the places off the beaten track and not in your guidebook. Take the time to enjoy the extra sites and when you’re in a big city, find the walking tours and go and explore. There is nothing like discovery, and when you’re with the whole family, it’s the best adventure that you could hope for.
Tip 9: Stop At The Grocery Stores
There’s something necessary about stopping for street food and at fancy restaurants, but when you’re on a road trip, it’s smarter to shop in the grocery stores and pack the car with tons of snacks. Keep a couple of coolers in the back, and you’ll be able to keep drinks cold the whole way, too. Plus, you can refill the coolers with cold drinks on the road!
Tip 10: See Some Friends On The Way
When you plan your road trip, plan to go places that take you to old friends and family. Visit those people who haven’t seen you and the kids in a while, and make sure that you bring souvenirs with you!