Simple tips for road trips with kids
Packing up the car and hitting the open road to adventure is what family memories are made of, so it’s important to set yourself up for success.
Don’t turn your Aussie dream into a nightmare. Read our simple tips on how to get the most of taking your family on the road!
READ ALSO: 12 School Holiday Destinations Parents Won't Regret
Plan your journey
Of course you need to know where you’re going, but go further than that by planning your rest stops, especially when it comes to the kids.
Plot a course that gives them a chance to explore. Look for parks with playgrounds, ovals or key attractions such as museums or Australia’s list of famous “big things.”
The giant Koala between Stawell and Horsham is a great stopover, or what about the Big Banana in Coffs Harbour!
READ ALSO: Free Nature Play Activities for Kids
SHORT AND SWEET IS THE ANSWER
It’s not a good idea to pack too many hours behind the wheel.
You might be ok to drive for 10 hours a day, but we can guarantee your kids won’t be. Make your trips shorter, whether that means adding another overnight stopover or simply not driving as far.
Quality over quantity every time!
READ ALSO: Long Weekends the Family Will Love
SCHEDULE REGULAR STOPS AND BE PREPARED
Pack a picnic, pull out an esky and relax at as many rest stops as possible.
While it may be tempting to power through and keep going it’s so important for everyone to get some time out of the car. Grab a footy or a soccer ball and have a kick to burn off energy while your passengers get some fresh air and you get a rest from staring at the road!
READ ALSO: The Best Holiday Accommodation in Australia
PACK HEALTHY SNACKS
It might seem easier to grab snacks at any number of convenience stops along the way, but the last thing you need is children that are either a) upset that you haven’t bought them the mountains of sugar-filled lollies on offer, or b) bouncing off the walls because you have!
Steer them toward some healthy snacks and avoid the inevitable sugar crash. Taking the time to organise healthy snack options will pay dividends on your kids mood throughout your trip - not to mention your wallets!
READ ALSO: 9 Ideas to Inspire Your Next Holiday
LOAD UP THE GLOVEBOX
Treat your car's glove box and centre console like a tool box on any road trip.
Invest the time to stock it with the things you’ll need at any moment like wet wipes, hand sanitiser, band aids, rubbish bags and sunscreen. You might also consider a few "behaviour modifiers" like sugar-free chocolate or some gold star stickers.
USE YOUR GPS
Most modern cars today will allow you to plug into Google maps or a similar tool and give you an estimated time.
Not only will this give you the confidence of knowing you’re going the right way, you’ll be able to answer that often asked child’s inquiry "are we there yet?” with a greater degree of accuracy, or better yet, allow them to check the progress themselves.
READ ALSO: 12 of Australia's Most Amazing Waterfalls
BRING THE ENTERTAINMENT
We aren’t ones to encourage the use of screens, but just like getting on a plane, there’s nothing wrong with putting on a movie or favourite TV show to distract unsettled children.
This should buy a couple of hours of peace but after that, be prepared with activities like board games kids can play, puzzles, colouring-in or sticker books. Once that fails, don’t be afraid to roll out the classics like eye-spy, ‘I went to the shops’ and any number of word games!
READ ALSO: 12 Ways to Stay Comfy in the Great Outdoors
BE YOUR OWN DJ
Road trips are a great way to take a break from the Disney tunes and introduce the kids to some of your favourites.
Put together a playlist which combines a few of your favourite songs from your youth, with some modern tunes that the kids will know. You’ll either open up a whole new world of music to their young ears, or you might just put them to sleep!
DON’T BE AFRAID OF A GADGET
Whether it’s a DVD player, iPad or handheld game, electronic devices can turn your trip from chaotic, to peace and quiet in seconds.
It’s also worth investing in headphones for each child so that you don’t have multiple kids' movies competing with each other and you don’t have to listen to whatever they’re watching!
Love these simple tips?
