It’s Jessie K. again! You may remember me from my last post about story-based sensory play. Well, school’s out for summer, which means we’re planning a couple of road trips to visit family and friends. Road-tripping with kids can seem like a daunting task, but it doesn’t have to be! I’m here to share our tried-and-true list of road trip tips and tricks so you can hit the pavement with confidence and maintain a car full of happy humans.
1. Snacks
If your kids are anything like mine, they will ask for snacks about as much as they ask, “Are we there yet?” I love to pack a mix of snacks that are healthy and have a little bit of protein in them to fill their tummies. Some of our favorites are Kids RXBARs, CLIF Kid Zbars, and Pirate’s Booty. If your trip requires a stop for gas, it’s also so fun to let them pick out a little special treat inside the gas station.
2. Download Vooks to your device
Yes, it’s true! You can download Vooks stories directly to your tablet, phone, etc. through the app (available in the App Store and Google Play) so they’re available to watch even without internet. Simply select the story you want to download, then click the blue downward arrow and your selected title will be saved in “Downloads” in your Favorites folder (the one with the little heart).
3. Pack mess-free entertainment
When traveling, I try to bring a few items we haven’t played with in a while. Our favorite mess-free toys are Melissa and Doug Water Wows (just fill the pen with water and you have painting without the mess!), Reusable Puffy Stickers, and Pop-Its. We love playing games in the car, too. We use the Pop-It for a fun and easy counting game: we call out a number, then press that number of circles on the Pop-It. We’re also huge fans of I Spy and love talking about what we see out our windows when we’re on the road!
4. Bring a zip-top bag and a change of clothes
Spills happen, and so do accidents! Bring a little bag that you can put your snack trash in, as well as an extra set of clothes in case you need them.
5. Have fun!
You’ll be there before you know it, making memories you won’t forget! Hope you have the best summer and safe travels!
For more toddler activities and fun play ideas, visit @daily_dig on Instagram.