9 Tips To Make A Long Road Trip Go Smoothly With a Child

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Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Going on a road trip anytime soon?

Check out these 9 Tips To Make A Long Road Trip Go Smoothly With a Child!

9 Tips To Make A Long Road Trip Go Smoothly With a Child

Hello Everyone, how is your Summer going?

Our family travels every few months to visit our family and a long car trip is always involved.

I have thought a lot about all the different things that you can do and prepare to make a long car trip go smoothly and I came up with these 9 Tips To Make A Long Road Trip Go Smoothly With a Child.

Tip #1:  Bring a Coloring Book and Crayons

Coloring is relaxing. I mean, look at all those adult coloring books that are popular now!

Depending on the age of your child, this can also be a just blank drawing pad or paper.

If you have very young children, I suggest, the type of crayons that you twist up work well and keep from breaking.

Tip #1:  Bring Snacks and Beverages

Pack them neatly so that you can find everything and make sure to have them in an easy to reach area of the car.

Bring extra bottles of water.

Tip #3:  Bring Your Child's Favorite Books and "Busy" Books

Bring your child's favorite books to keep them occupied during the long car trip.

You want to also include a "busy" book, what is a "busy" Book, you might ask?

It's a book that is more interactive, it usually has something that's more interactive than a regular 2-dimensional book.

Busy books are usually larger, so I would probably include 2 regular and 1 busy book.

Another idea, is bringing flash cards, however, they can get all over the back of the car but they are useful in providing something interesting for your child to look at during a long car trip.

Tip #4:  Plan Your Stops Ahead of Time 

If this is a long car trip you have taken before, is there a favorite grocery store or place you prefer to stop at instead of a usual highway rest stop?

We have our favorite grocery stores and cafes that we like to stop at versus the regular highway stops where the food isn't always that great.

Tip #5:  Bring Your Child's Favorite Music

There's nothing like music to shift a mood and it's good to have soothing or entertaining music for your kiddo on hand.

Tip #6: Have Some Apps on Hand

Find some good children's apps ahead of time and download them before the trip and keep your devices on hand just in case.

I use these as a last resort but if you are in a situation, for example, traffic where you can't stop, I personally would rather have an app on hand than ear-piercing screaming.

Tip #7:  Make Sure Your Car is Taken Care of Before The Trip

Make sure your car's oil is changed if it's due and checked completely before a trip.

This is not only a good safety measure but it gives peace of mind when traveling with a little one or little ones.

I recently got my car's oil changed at Walmart Auto Center and they checked the car's transmission, power steering, windshield washer fluids, they also checked the head and taillights, the tire pressure, the air filter, and oil pressure.

It gave me peace of mind to just get that taken care of before we use our car for any trip.

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Tip #8:  Bring A "Lovie"

Bring your child's favorite stuffed animal, blanket, pacifier - whatever it is they love for the trip.

Sometimes, going away from home, can brew up insecure feelings, and having a familiar "friend" can ease those feelings.

If your child doesn't have one, perhaps one they play with often or a cozy, cuddly blanket will do.

Tip #9: Bring A Special Treat or Present 

This is something that you might want to save until your child gets upset or you might want to give it early on to occupy them during the trip.

It doesn't have to be anything expensive or extravagant - just something different to distract them from the possible boredom of a long car trip.

Distraction is key!

I hope you enjoyed these 9 Tips To Make A Long Road Trip Go Smoothly With a Child!

How do you cope with long car trips with your children?

Please let me know what you do and your ideas in the comments below!

Thank you!

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