Road trips with kids can be a lot of fun, but they can also be a lot of work. You must plan and prepare for the trip carefully if you want it to be enjoyable for everyone.
We took our two-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter on their first road trip to Quebec for 2 weeks. It was a great success! The primary reason for our success is that we planned and prepared ahead of time. Since we know what will happen next, executing the road journey is not as difficult as I thought! Preparing a good quantity of fun activities for both kids also helped us have a wonderful experience.
To share our experience, I've put together 22 Road Trip Hacks to make your next family adventure educational and fun. Planning and preparing for your road trip is crucial, so don't wait any longer! Get started today!
Importance of Preparation for a Road Trip With Kids
Preparation is key when it comes to taking a road trip with kids.
You'll want to ensure you have everything ready before hitting the road.
This includes packing enough drinks and snacks, ensuring you have enough gas in the tank, and planning your route ahead of time.
It's also essential to prepare your kids for the trip.
Make sure they know what to expect and explain any rules or expectations you have for them while on the road.
By planning ahead, you'll be sure to reduce stress during the trip.
Here is a general list of things you will want to prepare for the trip for you and your family:
- Drinks and snacks
- Entertainment for kids
- Printed itinerary and maps
- Apparels
- Gears
- Toiletries
- Songs and audible books
- First aid kit
- Roadside emergency kit
- Emergency contact list
- Educational games for road trips
- Blanket and/or stuffed animal
- Free Road Trip Printables
How Can Road Trips With Kids Be Educational?
Road trips are a great way to teach kids about the world around them while having fun!
Road trips can be educational for kids for a variety of reasons.
They learn about geography as they see different parts of the country.
They also learn about history, culture, and science by visiting landmarks and attractions related to these topics.
In addition, road trips allow kids to practice problem-solving skills as they encounter unexpected challenges while on the road.
During our two-week road trip, my children learned quite a lot.
Even more, my 2-year-old son, could see many different kinds of vehicles on our journey β from RVs and taxis to logging trucks.
As shown above, my kids also learned a lot about animals because they could interact with animals in many ways β touching, seeing, and smelling them.
By visiting landmarks and cities, they learned about how each building is unique – how it was made and how old it is.
Science centers and museums were an instant boost of educational learning!
In other words, it is so memorable to witness how much knowledge my kids absorbed during these 2 weeks.
In effect, this encourages me to plan more trips in the future.
22 Best Tips for Fun and Learning Road Trips With Kids
After going on our road trip, I would like to share 22 Tips and Hacks for making our road trip fun and educational for all of us! (not just kids!)
1. Books
Age recommendation: All ages
Having books on hand when traveling with kids is always a good idea.
Not only do they provide entertainment and educational value, but they can also be part of the bedtime story routine.
Road trip-themed books are the perfect choice for long car rides, as they will help to get kids excited about the journey ahead.
Furthermore, you can borrow books from your local library or purchase them from stores.
Either way, you'll keep your kids entertained and educated on your road trip adventure.
Our itinerary involves visiting a First Nations museum.
Therefore, we borrowed books to learn about the First Nations.
We also borrowed books about the country we visited so our kids could learn about the country beforehand.
2. Planning Road Trip With Kids
Age recommendation: 3+ years old
One of the best ways to keep your kids entertained on a road trip is to get them involved in the planning process.
Let them choose some destinations and activities you'll be doing during the trip.
This will not only keep them engaged, but it will also help them learn about the different places and things that are available to see and do.
You can even create a child-friendly itinerary with colors and pictures that will excite them about the upcoming journey.
By doing this, you won't hear much “Where are we going next?” or “What are we doing today?”.
If they ask, you can refer them to the itinerary.
3. Slow Pace Road Trip With Kids
Taking your time on a road trip is just as important as the destination itself.
This means planning 1-2 targeted stops daily and keeping a relaxed pace so everyone can enjoy the journey.
Kids tend to get restless if they're constantly on the move, so it's essential to find a balance between seeing new places and taking your time to enjoy them.
By slowing down, you'll create lasting memories of the trip that will be remembered long after you return home.
4. Educational Games and Activities
Age recommendation: 3+ years old
One great way to keep kids entertained and educated on a road trip is to bring educational games and activities.
This could include crossword puzzles, scavenger hunts, or any other activity that will help to keep them engaged and learning.
Good news! I have prepared 17 free road trip printables for kids to help you get started.
5. Tours of Landmarks
Age recommendation: 1+ year old
Educational tours of interesting landmarks help kids learn more about the history and culture of the area they visit.
Tour guides are typically very knowledgeable about the landmarks they are showing, and they can provide exciting and educational information that kids will enjoy hearing.
6. Local Museums and Historical Sites
Age recommendation: 1+ year old
Visiting local museums and historical sites offers educational exhibits and learning opportunities that kids will enjoy.
In addition, by visiting museums and historical sites, everyone (not just kids) can learn more about the history and culture of the area.
7. Zoo, Farm, or Safari
Age recommendation: 1+ year old
Another excellent alternative for keeping children occupied on a trip is to visit a zoo, farm, or safari.
Kids may learn about animals effectively by visiting a zoo or safari, encouraging empathy and compassion.
Observing and discussing animals develops an interest in conservation and understanding that animals have feelings and emotions.
Farming teaches kids why animals require different types of feed based on their species and age.
They learn how to provide adequate shelter for the animal while considering the seasonal weather conditions.
8. Music and Audible Books
Age recommendation: 1+ year old
One great way to keep kids entertained on a road trip is to play music and audible books in the car.
This will help to keep everyone entertained and engaged during the journey.
In addition, it can also provide educational value by exposing kids to different types of music and books.
To boost my children's Cantonese skills, we have constantly played Cantonese songs and audible books during our 14 days road trip.
After our road trip, many relatives commented how my children's Cantonese improved significantly!
Find out where to find Chinese songs and audible books: 16 Fun Ways to Teach Your Child Chinese
9. Breaks During Road Trip With Kids
It's essential to allow plenty of time for breaks during road trips for the kids' sake and your own.
This will give them a chance to stretch their legs and use the bathroom, and it will also help keep everyone sane.
In addition, it can be helpful to do some research ahead of time to see what is around the areas where you'll be stopping.
This can help you plan fun activities (E.g.. playground) for the kids to do in between car rides.
10. Educational Apps
Age recommendation: 3+ years old
Educational apps can be a great last resort if you're looking for a way to keep your kids entertained on your road trip.
These apps can provide educational value by teaching kids about new places, cultures, and topics.
In addition, many of these apps are entertaining and engaging, which will help to keep your kids amused during the trip.
By downloading educational apps for your phone or tablet, you'll be sure to keep your kids entertained and educated during the journey.
11. Healthy Snacks and Drinks
Age recommendation: 1+ year old
Road trips can be long and tiring, so it's important to pack healthy snacks and drinks to keep everyone up. To make it convenient, provide a snack container for each kid. This will help keep everyone fed and happy during the trip.
Skip Hop Stackable Container
Here is the snack container I've got for my kids since they were babies. I started putting formulas in the containers. Now, they are filled with snacks. I love this container because they fit perfectly in backpacks. In addition, this solves the problem of how my toddler loves all food to be separated.
12. Pack Smart For Road Trip With Kids
If you're planning a road trip with your family, it's important to pack smart. By packing wisely, you'll be sure to have everything you need and you'll avoid packing unnecessary items. Here are some tips for packing smart for road trips.
- Before you start packing your car, take a look at how much space is in your trunk and compare it to the square footage of your house. This will give you a good idea of how much stuff you can fit into your car.
- Depending on the activity's day, ensure items are accessible outside the trunk you need during the day.
- Create a packing list ahead of time and stick to it. This will help you avoid packing unnecessary items.
- Bring as little as possible. To save space, mix and match clothes with items you've worn before to create new outfit looks.
13. Drive Slowly With Kids During Road Trip
One way to ensure your kids enjoy the road trip is to drive slowly and take in the scenery. This will allow them to see all the beautiful sights passing by. In addition, it will help keep everyone calm and relaxed during the journey.
14. Emergencies Preparation
Here is a list of things to do and/or stockpile in preparation for crises:
- first aid kit
- vomit bags for motion sickness
- roadside emergencies kit
- Share itinerary to emergency contacts
- travel potty
- printed emergency contact number available
- have cash ready
15. Hotels with Pool
Age recommendation: All ages
Choosing a hotel with a pool will make your road trip easy and enjoyable for everyone.
My kids love swimming pools with water slides, creating such a thrilling experience!
This will allow the kids to swim and play and allow the parents to relax.
16. Backpack and Surprises
Age recommendation: 1+ year old
When preparing for a road trip, it's essential to ensure kids have their own backpacks filled with educational materials and surprises.
This will help keep them entertained and educated during the journey. Some great things to include in a child's backpack are educational games, puzzles, printables, itineraries, and books.
In addition, it can be helpful to have snacks and small toys that will keep them amused and fed.
I provided the kids a new surprise every day to spark more excitement, except that on some days I may forget and have to make up for it by providing multiple surprises the next day.
Here are some ideas on surprises:
3D Stickers for Kids & Toddlers
Age recommendation: 1+ years old
Stickers are always a great entertainment for kids. These safe and non-toxic stickers are puffy and 3D! You can provide them with a notebook to stick on.
Colorful blank books
Age recommendation: 1+ years old
These books are great size for children to express their arts and thoughts. They can write a journal, stick stickers, draw, scribble and more with these notebooks.
Kids Digital Camera
Age recommendation: 3+ years old
“I am bored!” will be said less frequently by your kids when they have a digital camera. I strongly recommend this product, because after your kids take photos from the trip, you can upload and print them to create a photo album together. This way, you can all relive your road trip experience again!
binoculars for kids
Age recommendation: 2+ years old
This is perfect for kids, especially when it comes to watching objects from far away such as animals, landmarks, buildings, and more.
Pop it fidget Toy
Age recommendation: 1+ year old
I'm amazed how this can entertain my kids for a long time. They will pop it, flip it, pop it again! Make sure they each have one, so they can trade and do it again.
Reusable water activity pad
Age recommendation: 2+ years old
This mess-free activity allows kids to color each page with water. Dry the pages, and they can color each page again!
Suction Toys
Age recommendation: 2+ years old
These toys are great for entertainment during car rides. They can stick the suction toys on the windows; best of all, these toys can relieve stress!
17. Alternatives to Fast Food
It's no secret that fast food is unhealthy. But what you may not know is that it can also be expensive.
The average American spends about $7,000 per year on fast food. That's a lot of money to spend on unhealthy meals.
Luckily, there are plenty of alternative ways to fast food that are both healthy and affordable. Here are a few examples:
- bring a cooler bag to hold fruits, vegetables, meat, cheese, milk, eggs, etc
- bring small cookware to cook
- stop at grocery stores to pick up fruits, vegetables, and healthy snacks
- make your own sandwiches for lunch
Camping Cookware kitchen set
This super convenient cookware is set for road trips, camping, etc. I'm amazed how so many cookware can fit in a mesh bag. This is perfect when we want to cook and do not want to go out and eat fast food for dinner.
ROCKBROS Soft Cooler Bag
This bag is fantastic; it contains enough food to tell a tale and has three insulation layers that will keep the food cool all day. I'd choose this over a box cooler since it may be stored in the corner of the vehicle's trunk, whereas a box cooler would take up too much room.
18. Garbage Bag
A garbage bag in the car can be a good idea to keep your automobile clean and tidy during a road trip.
You may delegate the responsibility of the garbage bag to one of your children.
This is a win-win situation since it gives your child independence while keeping your vehicle tidy and clean!
19. Water
One way to keep everyone hydrated during a road trip is to stock up on water and drinks.
This will ensure that everyone has access to liquids and help keep everyone hydrated during the journey.
Stocking up on water and drinks will keep everyone hydrated and happy during the trip.
We make sure we have the following for our trip to stay clean and hydrated and also good for the environment:
Hydro Flask Standard Cap Bottle
I love these water bottles for ourselves (parents) because they can keep water cold and hot. They are easy to clean. And best of all, they can fit in the car cup holders!
Thermos 12 oz bottle
Age recommendation: 1+ year old
These bottles are perfect for kids! They are not too big and can keep water cold for 12 hours. They can also fit in car cup holders right beside their car seats! This is essential because they can drink from their water bottle anytime during every car ride.
1 Gallon Stainless Steel Water Bottle
To ensure we have plenty of water for our road trip, we have two 1-gallon water bottles in the car trunk.
5L Collapsible water container
We put these water bags at the side door slot. Since they are made of plastic, we use this water to wash our hands with the addition of travel soap sheets.
Mini disposable travel soap sheets
I prefer using these hand soaps than hand sanitizer–my hands feel cleaner afterwards. They're also helpful when you can't get to a sink since they start melting as soon as they come into contact with water and form foam pretty quickly.
Brita space saver water filter pitcher
We will begin filling the Brita Filter pitcher with tap water as soon as we arrive at our hotels, turning it into drinkable water.
foldable electric kettle for travel
Another must-have for hot beverage lovers! Before drinking, we also like to boil the water. (Just to be on the safe side!)
20. Blankets
One way to keep the kids comfortable during a road trip is to provide them with blankets.
This will keep them warm and cozy and help make the trip more enjoyable.
You'll keep the kids happy and comfortable during the journey by providing them with blankets.
Aden + Anais Dream Blanket
Age recommendation: All ages
My kids have been using these blankets since they were babies. I love how they become even softer every time we wash them! They are high quality, lightweight, and breathable muslin. Therefore my children still love to use them! These are perfect blankets for the car trip!
21. Family Meetings
Age recommendation: 2+ years old
One way to keep everyone on the same page during a road trip is to have family meetings.
This will allow everyone to share what they are thinking and feeling, and it will help keep everyone organized and on track.
Family meetings are also a great way to discuss the trip's rules, roles, and routines.
Here are some examples of the rules, roles, and routines we have discussed with our 2 and 5-year-old children.
Rules
- stick by parent's side
- do not put non-food items in your mouth
Roles
- manage garbage bag in the back seat
- look after of little brother
- put snacks, toys, and water bottles in backpacks
Routines
- morning routine: brush teeth, breakfast, get dressed, watch TV
22. Rewards
Age recommendation: 2+ years old
Planned activities incentives can help make the stressful morning and evening during road trips more bearable for parents and children.
Before we hit the road, a lot needs to be done, like getting ready and packing everything into the car.
Once everyone is dressed and has eaten breakfast, we allow them to watch TV as their reward for completing those tasks on time.
After learning this routine, they'll go through each step quickly enough because they know what's waiting for them at the end.
Other incentive ideas include:
- small gifts
- desserts
- juice
- pools
More Road Trip Tips?
- Seriously Brilliant Road Trip Hacks for Your Next Family Vacation – Mama Cheaps
- Road Trip Hacks For Kids | Top 10 Tips – Hess UnAcademy
- 14 Road Trip Mistakes to Avoid Making This Year – East by Midwest
- How to Pack for a Road Trip + Packing List (2023) – Stuffed Suitcase
- Over 15 Must Try Road Trip Hacks For Easy Travelling with Kids – Kid Friendly Things to Do
22 Planning Road Trip Tips & Tricks To Enjoy With Kids
Road trips are a great way to bond with your family and create lasting memories.
Following these 22 tips will ensure your road trip is educational, enjoyable, and affordable:
- 1. Books
- 2. Planning
- 3. Slow Pace Trip
- 4. Educational Games and Activities
- 5. Tours of Landmarks
- 6. Local Museums and Historical Sites
- 7. Zoo, Farm, or Safari
- 8. Music and Audible Books
- 9. Breaks
- 10. Educational Apps
- 11. Healthy Snacks and Drinks
- 12. Pack Smart
- 13. Drive Slowly
- 14. Emergencies Preparation
- 15. Hotels with Pool
- 16. Backpack and Surprises
- 17. Alternatives to Fast Food
- 18. Garbage Bag
- 19. Water
- 20. Blankets
- 21. Family Meetings
- 22. Rewards
Following these tips will indeed have a successful and enjoyable road trip with your family. To help you get started, check out the 17 beautiful printables I have made for you!
Download: Free Road Trip Printables
