Ultimate Family Road Trip Car Packing List: Kids Survive & Thrive!
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We have 4 kids- and we love to travel. Travel is a really big part of our life and something that everyone looks forward to. That being said doing anything with 4 kids can be quite the challenge- especially travel if you are not prepared.
Over the years we have flew with infants, toddlers, driven multi day drives with kids that get car sick and we can truly say that you can survive the journey. The key is to plan for everything you need and as much as you think you don’t.
Vehicle Essentials
Car Safety Supplies:
It is important to have what you need if your car breaks down such as jumper cables, and a spare tire. Double check this is where you know it will be if you need it.
Travel Documents
We live in Canada- so a lot (not all) of our travel includes crossing the border. We are having to travel with passports a lot of the time. Even if you aren’t leaving the country there may be important documents you need. This document organizer is great to keep everything in one place for when you need it https://amzn.to/4roaGZf.
Tech Items
If you are going on a long journey chances are someone will need a device charged so make sure that you have it all so that no one misses a beat. Some great items to grab are:
Charging Pack: https://amzn.to/4tgdCsS
Headphones: https://amzn.to/4t9ripn
Phone Mounts: https://amzn.to/4qZzRSn
Comfort for the Kids and Entertainment
If your kids have electronics be sure that they are in a durable case to prevent any accidental drops that could break them. For mom and dad think about downloading some fun podcasts or e-books that would be fun for the kids to listen to. Our family loves to make travel playlists of our favorite songs for long journeys.
Some other great items for your kids will be
Travel pillow and blanket: https://amzn.to/3OlOIrD
Snacks (these containers are great to prevent spilling): https://amzn.to/46EpOKb
Be Prepared for It All
When I talk to friends planning trips with the children- my biggest piece of advice is be prepared for what you might not need. It is important to understand that even if you are traveling to an exciting destination with your kids during the actual travel that excitement may dwindle on the journey. And that is OK!
Remember they are kids, they are little- waiting is HARD! So packing little bags of activities that you can toss to your kids. Some special snacks. Keep in mind accidents do happen- extra clothes, plastic bags, zippered bags that can keep all of the messes contained.
Pack Smart, Road Trip Happy
If you plan ahead and be prepared we are sure that your family will have a great family trip. For more family travel tips and tricks be sure to check out our other posts at Blog – Together We Can Travel.