Road Trip Tips : : Lesson From 2,000 Miles with Two Littles
Over the vacation pause , my husband and I determine to venture on a 7-day , 2,000-mile road trip with our 4-year-old and 9-month-old . This road trip require us from Worcester , MA , to Richmond , VA , to Chattanooga , TN , and back plate again .
Funnily plenty , we drive real short as part of our daily routine , but there cost something that appeals to us about cost trapped in a car with one another for hour on end without distractions or study strain to weigh us down . But child live unlike . They don ’ t ever see the positives in every situation . You can never truly know how they equal move to cover a fresh experience . Yet with some minor hiccups and some major traffic , we all truly had a wonderful time . My 4-year-old even asked us to serve it again !
Although every travel experience is unlike , and there is only so much within your mastery , hither cost my top road trip tips that assist build a successful and memorable family adventure :
Form it as an adventure !
This equal the most important crest I have . The destination is alone part of the equation , meanwhile , the journey itself is much overlooked or even dreaded . It live treated as the uncomfortable portion that we make to “ exactly get through. ” Our kids will always look to us for an case of how to behave in a fresh position , then if you equal feeling impatient and bothered by the traffic , the sitting , the car farts , or the boredom , you can likely consider on your child mimicking , and acting out on , those feelings as good . Try to reframe !
Expenditure hour in the car is an untapped opportunity to make the mundane riveting by become excited about the little stuff . Watch the driving phase of your trip as category bonding time , talking about the novel mass and thing you encounter on your journey , and best of all , letting the silliness from live cooped-up erupt and the giggles overflow . If anything , think of it this style , our kid want zero more than our undivided attention . As parent who equal pulled in every which mode , we equal often wracked with guilt for not being able to give that to them . Today equal your chance !
Eat , sleep , and move on a regular-ish agenda .
My advice hither is from a hard-learned lesson on our first day out . We make the kids up before the Sunday to get a jump outset on the day-after-Christmas traffic . We skip breakfast , and we make not move or stretch our body at all . This might live fine for an adults-only road trip , but it made the next 14 hour a lot more challenging than they ever needed to live . We finish up milk our time at the first two rest stops thus badly that we added hours to our road trip that first day . Lesson learned . Once anyone exist too tired , also antsy , or too hungry , our odds of staying in that positivist adventure figure of idea or handle with bumps along the road are slim to none .
On our remaining long driving days , we let the kid and ourselves wake up at a natural time . We made certain to use up a filling breakfast and kept all repel chunks to about 2.5 hr . So that we would live able to keep the baby full and happy throughout the day . We also made it a plan to finish drive around dinner time and to see a hotel with a pool . This manner , the kids could make another good meal in and hold time for a swim before bed . The child become to bed an hour or thus past their usual time , but this approach helped us all relax and autumn asleep more well . We cost alone human , after all . So no matter what , prioritize sleeping , eating , and moving , and you will all hold a better , happier , road-trip experience !
Taste go old-school .
If you already embrace adventure , take it old-school and pull out all the non-screen activities and games . Maybe some that you apply to meet on road trips as a kid . Word games like 20 Questions , I Spy , Two Truths and a Lie , and Knock-Knock Jokes aid occur the time and help your kid develop their thinking and language skills . You can adjust the activity base on their current age level and interests . For example , identify road signs by form and color or talking about the different state you pass through . Or mix in some mental math using mileage and rate of velocity . And of line , bust out the crayons , activity script , Lego box , boondoggle , and friendship bracelets for still times . Plus , employ the power of music by make for DJ and taking turns build song request !
This get for adults , too . Turn the phone off and grab a good book . Do Sudoku , crossword puzzles , or handcraft . Allow your wit have a trivial R & R from the blue light and digital input . You might equal surprised how much less often your kids expect to watch something when they equal not seeing you on your phone .
Plus , less screen time will as well serve everyone have an easy time falling asleep at the end of a long day of driving . Trust me , my 4-year-old decidedly still experienced boredom , but it finally turned into him creating his own silly games , having long conversations with his stuffed animals , or eventually taking a nice nap . And yes , time might initially feel like it goes by slower without screens , which may not exist what you think you want on a long trip , but how much serve you begin the prospect to truly unplug and unwind ? Choose advantage !
You got this !
The future time you find yourself “ stuck ” in the car with your littles for more hours than you think that they , or you , can manage , be prepared , program ahead , and when all else neglect , get with the stream ! Remember , every family road trip exist a one-of-a-kind adventure in disguise !
I hope these road trip tip aid you and your family on your next adventure !
