[…] How to avoid the dreaded “Are we there yet?” […]
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Road Trip with Kids tips and tricks
Road trips with kids are not always the peaceful and adventurous trip you anticipate. In fact they can be downright awful.
We have been road tripping with our kids for nearly 20 years and have learned a lot of tips and tricks to making the journey enjoyable.
Table of Contents
Fix the “Are we there yet”s
“Are we there yet?” No other phrase can make a grown adult want to scream! I remember asking it myself as a kid, and my parents groaned, and I never understood why.
So why do kids all ask, “Are we there yet?”.
My theory on the never ending “are we there yet?” is that young kids really have no grasp of time. You can tell a young child that it is going to be 2 hours until you are there, and you might as well have said 200 hours or 20 minutes.
When my kids were very young (under 5) I would try to frame time in terms they understood. I would tell them that it was only one episode of “Blue’s Clues” or 4 “Dora’s” longer. It seemed to help them frame the overall time. But unless your trip is only one “Blue’s Clues” they are going to ask again.
As your kids reach elementary school age, it can be useful to give them a watch or make a clock very visible. I would then write down our approximate arrival time on a piece of paper I would tape on the seat in front of them. This helped my especially antsy son and helped remind him so he didn’t continue to ask every few minutes!
Break the road trip with kids into little increments with activities
My next tip is to break up long car rides into 30 minute sections and give them something new to play with every half hour.
I would do a mix of dollar store toys, books I could read to them, coloring or sticker books, a favorite DVD, snacks, or song time. Any thing that makes it special and feels like a goodie bag.
My kids favorite thing when they were small was Little Passport If you haven’t heard of it, check out the link. That allowed them to concentrate on smaller chunks instead of hours. As the kids have gotten older, I still try to have something to break up trips longer than 5-6 hours. They still like candy, movies, and even coloring books!
Stop every few hours on a road trip with kids
When the kids were very young, we would try to have something to do every 2 hours on long trips. We might stop at something as simple as a grocery store and let the kids pick out a treat.
Other ideas are playgrounds close to your route, museums you can check out in less than 30 minutes, fast food locations with indoor playscapes, even rest stops where there is room to get out and move.
Get a new movie just for the trip
If you have kids who will be glued to a movie, pick out a new one just for the trip. This works especially well if you have elementary school aged children. We pop one in our DVD player built in to the van or we download a new one for their iPad and we buy ourselves an hour and a half of silence.
If you need a portable DVD player that is kid proof this one is fabulous:
Plus it comes with a holder for the headrest and it is highly rated by parents.
Bring an Audiobook
Audiobooks are a great way to entertain everyone while allowing your kids to do sticker books, coloring, and more. There are plenty of audiobooks that will cater to the whole family and keep the driver entertained as well.
To find the best audiobooks for family road trips check out our post with our favorites.
Bring a Tray Table along
These have saved us from frustrated kids again and again, and have saved us from turning around to pick things up every other minute. These tray tables fit in front of your child and keep their toys, games, snacks and devices in arms reach. The best car seat tray tables are ones that fit your child’s seat snuggly.
This is the best one to attach to a car seat:
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This is a great one for older kids who just need a flat surface:
Collapsible Folding Lap Desk, in Blue
- PORTABLE – A fun, practical solution for kids when traveling or a neat storage solution for home
- FOLDS EASILY – Pack it with ease or store it away neatly when it’s not in use
- LARGE FLAT SURFACE – A generous space for kids to write, do homework, draw, or play a game
Road Trip Games
Road Trip Games can make the journey fun for the whole family. You can play classic games like “I Spy” or the License Plate Game. Your kids would also love a stirring game of Would You Rather!
Or you can buy a few that you have never heard of. To find our favorite road trip games check out our post Best Games for Little Travelers
Or buy this 100 page printable Road Trip Worksheet Packet
Bring favorite snacks for kids road trips
Make sure to bring some of your kids favorite snacks and drinks on your road trip. Although fast food is generally synonymous with a road trip, you don’t want to be stopping every time one of your kids gets the munchies.
Make sure they are snacks that don’t need refrigeration and can handle the journey, or take this amazing plug in cooler.
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Ivation Electric Cooler & Warmer with Wheels & Handle |48 Quart (45 L) Portable Thermoelectric Fridge For vehicles & Trucks| 110V AC Home Power Cord & 12V Car Adapter for Camping, Travel & Picnics
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- 45-LITER INTERIOR COMPARTMENT | Holds about 60 cans of Soda or 6 two Liter Bottles and 15 Cans of Soda or Beer. Enough Space to Hold Dozens of Bottles, Food...
- CHANGE MODES WITH THE FLIP OF A SWITCH | No More Ice Runs! | Innovative Dual-Function Cooler Allows You to Keep Pre-Chilled Beverages Icy Cold or Maintain Heat...
Change up Seating Positions
Do you have that one child that can’t get along with anyone? Or one who has a good hour before they start fighting with their sibling. After every stop switch positions to allow your kids more space, a different seat mate or even let them sit up front for a bit. It really helps with sibling fighting.
Be prepared for Car sickness and bathroom emergencies
Bathroom emergencies and car sickness are 2 of the reasons most parents need to pull over on a road trip. If you find that your kids can’t hold it and you don’t have access to a bathroom you will definitely want to have a portable potty.
This portable potty is great for boys and girls and takes up almost no space. It is a must have if you are traveling with kids under the age of 5.
2-in-1 Go Potty for Travel, Portable Folding Compact Toilet Seat,Potty Training Toilet Chairs for Toddler Boys & Girls with Storage Bag and Potty Liners by BlueSnail (Blue+Orange)
Easy to fold and store.no bottom, Lighter quality,assemble and carry easily,you can storage it in your travel bag or your car then take it anywhere.
Durability and multipurpose.2-in-1 Potty training toilet chairs not only be used in outside,but used in indoor.
Clean easily.You can just clean it with warm water or with some disinfectant wipes to make smooth surface cleaner.
For car sickness these vomit bags have saved us more times than I can count! I always have one tucked in every car seat pocket and a couple in the glove compartment.
Hospital Vomit Bags - 24 Pack 1000ml Car Throw Up Bag - for Airsick Travel & Motion Sickness - Leak Resistant Medical Grade Puke Bag - Disposable Barf Bags Throw Up, Nausea
- MEDICAL-GRADE VOMIT BAGS - Healqu Blue Emesis Bags are made with ultra-durable, sturdy, and extra-thick plastic material – 100% leakproof and puncture-proof!...
- SMART AND SECURE CLOSURE - Our Puke Bags are equipped with an innovative ring closure that securely seals the bag after use. It effectively traps the pungent...
- 1000ML EXTRA-LARGE CAPACITY - With its 1000mL capacity, this Vomit Bag is big enough to hold whatever comes out. It is perfect for people who have travel motion...
Road Trips with Kids are a skill
Just like anything you do with your kids, practice makes perfect. My kids can now go 15 hours in a car without once asking how much longer or complaining. Of course they can all read a clock and their concept of time is very solid, but they were doing great by the time each of them was 7 or 8. Keep working at it because the payoff is great family road trips with no more, “Are we there yet?”!
Happy Travels!
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I loved this!! You made me giggle out loud when you said you told your kids it would be 1 more “Blues Clues” episode longer!! That is language my little gang would completely understand. I’m so glad that your kids now have no problem riding 15 hours in a car without going stir crazy. It gives me hope that one day we’ll be able to get there too. I haven’t checked out Little Passports, yet. I’ll add that to my list of things to look into before our next excursion. Thanks so much for publishing this!
Thanks for your comment. It did seem overwhelming when the kids were little. I thought they would never be good in the car, but little by little they found things about it that they loved! Keep it up!
I love your idea of breaking things up in 30 minutes! We also measure time in episodes, but it is Sofia episodes in our case! And I never thought of using a museum as a pit stop! Thanks for your tips!
I’m glad you enjoyed it! We have had a lot of experience with this and have had to figure it out.
This is super helpful! A few times a year my family takes a road trip about 7 hours away, so I’ll be sure to hang onto these tips! And 15 hours is seriously impressive!
My kids are at a place where they actually enjoy road trips!
Thank you for sharing! We went on a 12 hr road trip this summer and twenty minutes in the five year old was asking if we were there yet. In fact sometimes he asks if we’re there yet on the way to target lol , love these ideas!
Thanks for the comment. 5 year olds just struggle with any minute they aren’t actively entertained! At least mine did.
Long car trips are the opportunity for naps for me lol. Listen to music, read, reflect and sleep. I can imagine the ingenuity to keep kids occupied on long trips. I’m taking notes lol.
Thanks for your comment! I also take naps between giving out goodies.