Top 4 Tips for Easy Road Tripping with Kids

There are so many countries around the world where you can find some amazing road trips. But for parents the thought of planning a road trip with kids is overwhelming. Questions like “Will the kids be able to sit that long”? “Where do we stop for food”? will probably be buzzing around your head. But with the right planning, a road trip can be just as much fun and more adventurous than a flying holiday. 

After living in both Australia and The Netherlands, we feel more prepared each time we plan for a road trip; even one we plan at the last minute. Check out our Top 4 tips for easy road tripping with kids. 

1. Plan to leave for your road trip early 

Don’t leave packing or preparing food until the morning you leave. We pack the car the night before except for valuables like money, technology, and passports (when we lived in Europe). We found that it is a great time and stress saver. Prepare and pack all snacks and food the night before. Make sandwiches the night before. We found they stay fresh when wrapped in alfoil and placed in the fridge. You can fill your reusable water bottles in advance too. As we like to leave early, we pack breakfast and lunch. I also label what is for what meal so the children don’t mindlessly eat all their food too early.  

We started doing breakfast bags even for small road trips with kids from when they were 2 and 4. (check out Tip 4 for what is in a ‘breakfast bag’). After we wake them, all the kids need to do is go to the bathroom, and hop into the car. We would have clothing and shoes in the car ready for them to change at the first stop.

Now that our kids are older, they change before we leave the house. Then they do a quick face wash and are ready for the trip. Note that I have also packed our toothbrushes and toothpaste into the car after using them the night before. We also make sure that we put petrol in the car the day before. So there is no need for an unplanned stop or straying away from our route. 

2. Plan your road trip route

We love a spontaneous road trip. We don’t worry too much about last minute changes, and now our children are the same. When you are new to planning road trips then planning is once again the key. We also advise that it is also crucial to plan ahead when travelling with 3 or more kids. A larger group as last minute accommodations can be harder to find too. (unless you have your accommodation with you in the form of a caravan etc). Accommodation for more than two people can be hard to come across. 

By also planning your route you can get the most out of your time away. (see the next tip on planning your stops)

3. Research stops

Research starts well before you start your road trip with kids. Consider the type of trip you are doing. For families that like eating meals out, review restaurants before you leave. If you are wanting to cook for yourself book a self-contained apartment, and then check out if there are supermarkets in your area. Or better yet plan your meals and take your groceries from home. Remember you have your car. And if you can’t fit in a few groceries then you are packing too much stuff (subscribe now to get our printable packing list for road trips sent straight to your inbox). 

When exploring a new area a little bit of research goes a long way especially if you are visiting multiple areas. Not all towns have Visitors Centres to get the information from. You also don’t want to waste time at your destination, especially if there is a lot to see, and you don’t have long to spend there. By doing your research before you leave, you know you have an internet connection as road trips bring a lot of ‘dead’ spots in signal’. You also know you won’t miss seeing anything. There is no point in planning a wonderful road trip if your head is stuck on a phone screen. 

Here is one of my extra TOP TIPS. Why not get out the old-fashioned pen and paper and write down the address and phone number of your accommodations, especially your first stop! Don’t always rely on your phone internet to find the information as you need it. 

4.Be prepared with plenty of food

A favourite in our family is a breakfast bag. Not only used for road trips but also day trips. I don’t know about your family, but my kids like to eat when they are good and ready when they are not in a school routine. This is why breakfast bags are so good. Then your kids are not forced to eat too early or something they don’t feel like eating at the time

So what is in a breakfast bag? When on a road trip with kids, they have a bag each, but usually the same food. The bag contains;

• Two pieces of fruit
• Two pre-made ham and cheese rolls (or peanut butter, vegemite etc).
• A muesli bar
• Chocolate drink box (like an Up and Go)
• Yoghurt pouch (for older kids there are some great protein yoghurts that don’t have characters on them). 

Now while this may seem excessive to some for breakfast, keep in mind that this is all their food until we stop for lunch. They have control over what they eat and when knowing that once it is gone, it’s gone (and also, no treats until it is gone). 

For longer road trips we pack a lunch cooler bag which has similar contents but normally ice tea or fruit boxes and maybe something sweet like dried fruit and nuts, or when we were in The Netherlands, stroopwafels. 

Final Thoughts

Even a short road trip with kids can benefit from following these tips. Being prepared will always take the stress out of any event and ensures that everyone has a great time including the planner and the driver.