Road Trip Ideas to Save Your Sanity
Erin Burt
My toddler and I are going on a 6-hour road trip alone! So I’m stressing a little bit about what I need to do and gather before we leave. Before I did anything else I grabbed some disposable diapers. Ladies, I’m all for saving the earth, but when you’re on a road trip, you’ve got to weigh the benefit to the earth vs. the value of your sanity. I can’t handle dirty cloth diapers in the hot car. If my trip is longer than one day, I buy a pack of “sposies” and move on with my life.
Car games
When your kids are older, car trips are a great time to engage in some car games. Remember before the invention of widespread digital games when we had to entertain ourselves? My cousin and I made up hours and hours of stories about the animals that lived on the mountains on the sides of the road on our way to the Great Smoky Mountains with our grandparents.
When you’re ready to give the electronics a break, challenge your kids to some fun car games. Your elementary school kids will be challenged by the ABC game and the license plate game. You can even find some great printable games here that are going to be awesome for your trip! There are some other fun games here too that look hilarious!
Ask your older kids (or your spouse) some hypothetical questions. I always find I get to know people a lot better when we answer some of those. You can start a fun game of Fortunately and Unfortunately in the car. That one looks like it would be awesome for your middle schoolers!
While your babies and toddlers can’t join in all the fun and games, they will love some special snacks and toys. They will also love the newest MMB car accessory, the Noggle! I have one for my sweatbox of a toddler. We call it her “cool tube” and we love it!
Preserve sanity
No matter what ages you’re planning to entertain on your road trip, remember, sanity is a precious commodity. It needs to be maintained as much as possible for the good of yourself and everyone else on your trip! Give yourself the license to value your sanity and your family’s sanity, and maximize good moments.
Jenny Ditch is from Illinois and hopes her toddler learns to travel well.
