Become a Pro at Road Tripping With The Kids

Leaving town with your family can be an experience, to say the least. With the right tricks up your sleeve, it’s easier to eliminate the stress and focus on having fun. This guide will help simplify the logistics behind road tripping with the kids and show you a few gadgets along the way.

Helpful Apps and Gadgets

There are tons of resources online to help your trip run smoothly. Use Google Maps to find the cheapest gas without taking a detour (GasBuddy works better for diesel). When you’re not searching in maps, use the offline setting to save data. You can also find free Wi-Fi nearby with this map.

Save money on fun things to do at virtually any destination you travel to with Groupon’s city-specific pages. I went to New York last weekend and we used the Things To Do In Rochester page, I didn’t eat a meal that wasn’t at least 50 percent off. Better yet, I was able to buy ticket bundles for museums and the aquarium for a quarter the original cost.

Another resourceful app is SitOrSquat, th­­e restroom finder. It can help you search for clean restrooms along your route to keep the kiddos germ-free! Don’t make the mistake of not having enough charging ports. Keep everyone happy with a 5-port adapter for less than 15 bucks, ensuring everyone stays happily charged.

DIY Ideas

These DIY ideas are easy to do, and they’re time-efficient too:

➔     Trash bin:

Line a plastic cereal container with a trash bag and you have a smell-proof, spill-proof trashcan that can be passed around the car.

➔     Deluxe snack container:

Try using a tackle box as a lunchbox. You’ll end up with less trash, and a larger variety of snacks to keep your little one entertained. You can also try using empty coffee creamer containers to hold snacks without spilling or going stale.

➔     Seatbelt pillow:

As much fun as it is bunching and re-bunching your pillow to find a comfortable placement, maybe a seatbelt pillow would work better. You’ll need a few Velcro strips, some fleece material, stuffing and a needle/thread to sew it all up.

➔     Family photo puzzles:

Use family pictures and popsicle sticks to make puzzles. It’s entertaining, and a fun way to tell family stories. Stick magnets to the popsicle sticks and keep them from scattering across the car. Then, stick them to the fridge at home as a reminder of your trip!

➔     Seatback pocket 2.0:

Upgrade your seatback pocket to an entertainment center. Hang a toiletry kit or a closet organizer over the back of your seat and fill it with books, crafts, an iPad for movies, wipes, stuffed animals, snacks, etc. You can buy organizer designed specifically for the car, but I’ve found other organizers have more, and bigger, pouches.

➔     Map:

We all love the infamous line, “Are we there yet?” Give yourself a little peace, and teach your kids to read a map, by creating one for their seatback pocket. Make note of landmarks to keep them tuned in along the way. You can also leave notes saying things like two more hours left!

If you are the crafty type, check out Pinterest and you’ll find dozens of more complex DIY ideas.

Make practical use of space

I am a firm believer in the bin system for your car. Not only will you save space, but we are talking next level organization. It’s almost impossible to keep everything where it belongs when you’re living out of the car, especially with a family. Use varying sized plastic bins pack the trunk. If you’re still tight on space, buy a mesh bungie cord net and strap it to the safety handles on the ceiling for extra space. Fill it with your lighter stuff so it doesn’t hang too low.

Packing efficiently is important, but so is leaving room for your legs to sprawl out. This can be trickier for the back seat, especially while the kids are still in boosters. Try out a mifold. The booster seat that’s guaranteed 10 times smaller, and still safer. The convenience of it will blow your mind. Not only will you give the kids more space in the back seat but think about how often you’re carting around the car seat you have now. Plane rides and ubers will forever be simplified.

Learning to adventure with the kids is easier than you’d think. Don’t let the intimidation of planning stop you. Make habits out of these tricks and you’ll find yourself walking out the door feeling confident with hardly any preparation at all.

*Disclaimer: This is a guest post and does not necessarily reflect the opinions & views of Talk About Cebu as a whole.