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We are having a great summer. Honestly, it’s one of the best I’ve had in a long time {maybe since I was pregnant for 3 of the past 5 summers?!}. Anyway, we are making tons of great memories while taking small road trips in the process.
With the help of Meijer, we packed up loads of snacks and headed north this past weekend. Along our route, I made plenty of notes on what works when it comes to road trips for our family. With three little ones {ages 4.5, almost 3 and 11 months}, we know our limits: Destinations that aren’t too far, and plenty of snacks. Here are our tips for road trips with little kids:
Know your kid’s limits. For our family, we try to limit road trips to 3 hours max. This number will grow over time, but right now, that seems to be as far as we can get without one of the kids having a total meltdown or wanting out of their car seat.
Make stops as needed. Give the kids a break by stopping for roadside attractions using the Roadside America website or use Yelp to find a kid-friendly restaurant along your route. In summer, outdoor dining is our go-to so the kids can take a little walk while waiting for food. In winter, places like Cracker Barrel or even a Subway inside Meijer are perfect so kids can walk around a bit and burn energy.
Wear little feet out by walking to the top of the Arcadia Outlook along M-22 in Northern Michigan
Pick the best time of day. Set a goal time, but know it may get pushed forward/back for whatever reason, whether it be because of a lost shoe or one last potty break. We tend to try to leave around 10 a.m. so we can hit our infant son’s morning nap time. When we had two toddlers and traveled to Myrtle Beach, we drove through the night while they slept, and it worked perfectly.
Use a cooler. Pack plenty of drinks in a cooler with ice, especially in summer. We tend to fly through water, and my husband always has to have an energy drink to get through the rest of the day after arriving at our destination. Since vacations are a special time, I usually pack some juice boxes for the kids, too.
Pack snacks. You all knew this one was coming! My favorites include portable fruits like apples and bananas, dry cereal, squeeze tube snacks {especially for feeding baby from the front passanger seat}, granola bars and things that can’t make a mess. We like to put a bunch of snacks in a bag between the seats for easy grabbing and put fruit like grapes inside small tupperware containers.
Bring plastic bags. Plastic bags are great for a lot of things, but especially to keep in the car to collect trash and soiled diapers, which seem to accumulate while road tripping.
Pack potty supplies. With a potty training toddler, we knew we needed to pack Pull-Ups and a potty seat to make sure we try to have some successes along the way. We also make sure to always have a few diapers and wipes that are easily accessible for changing the baby’s diaper.
Baby wipes clean everything. We use baby wipes to clean hands, wipe faces and wipe crumbs off car seats. {We love buying Meijer Baby everything and accruing Baby Rewards for money off future orders.}
Keep them busy. Play car games, or use electronics like a portable DVD player to keep them occupied. My girls love pointing out every barn they see by saying “BIG RED BARN!” They also love talking about what they think *could* be inside the semi trucks we drive by. For our infant, our go-to when he is melting down is an empty water bottle. Babies love the sound it makes, and chewing on it feels great on those little gums.
Pack your sense of humor {OK, and maybe some wine, too}. Traveling with little ones is a TON of work. Remember vacations are meant to be fun.
…and just know the great memories will quickly overpower the moments of sheer frustration.
A few happy memories from our most recent trip
Happy road tripping!
Make sure to check out Horizon crackers, Cascadian Farms cereal and Minions-inspiried snack mPerks available this month! All of these items would be perfect for taking a summer road trip. Additionally, search mPerks for $5 off your Auto Care purchase of $30+ at Meijer and get your vehicle ready to hit the road, too!
What are your favorite road trip tips for traveling with little ones? Make sure to shop Meijer for all your needs!
Ohhhh I will be trying that water bottle trick this week when I head north, solo, with my 20 month old. Last time I did it, I had to sing to him (kids songs that weren’t on the radio, and my car doesn’t have fancy satellite) for 45 mins straight after he woke up from his nap. When I stopped singing, he would lose it.
That is hilarious…We all do what we have to do! The water bottle hopefully will help for 10 minutes at least 😉 Another idea is to put rice in a bottle and have them shake it. Best of luck on your drive!