First line the seats with a plastic covered tablecloth and a sheet. This will insure that liquids will not absorb into the car seats and the sheet will keep the children from sticking to the tablecloth and it’ll absorb the liquid spills.
Always plan to have a couple plastic grocery bags beside every seat in the event that a case of carsickness arises. Have paper towels and wipes available.
When packing your trunk place children’s suitcase on top to save from digging to the bottom.
Try to leave as early in the morning as possible so the children are still tired and will sleep a couple of hours into the trip.
To avoid the “Are we there yet?” pass out a watch and a mat to each child and show them the start and end destination. Tell them an approximate time of arrival. First start by saying we will take our first rest stop at 9:00 show younger children where the hands should be. Stick to the schedule and make sure you stop when you say you will. Over estimate your arrival time this way if you’re late they won’t be disappointed.
Give each child a map and stickers as they see different state license plates they can put a sticker on that state. You could award prizes at each rest stop to the child that had the most states marked. This will encourage them not to fight but keep their eyes looking for different plates.
For lunch pack a cooler and stop at a rest stop. The children will be able to run around and stretch their legs. Unlike a restaurant where they would be made sit down and eat.
A water bottle is a must for each child.
Have healthy snacks available for in between stops. You do not want sugary snacks, seeing how sugar can increase your child’s activity level and make them get wound up.
A small pillow and cover for each child is a wise idea. When the children get drowsy they will have something to prop their heads on.
A grab bag for each child along the journey is a way to keep the trip exciting. Have several grab bags and on their maps show them where and when they get to pick a grab bag. Fun treats like party favors and puzzle books or coloring books and crayons. Each grab bag is meant to entertain for a long period of time. When the excitement wears off it’ll be almost time for another grab bag.Â
To avoid motion sickness, experts suggest lemon drops or peppermint. Salt covered foods such as crackers or pretzels cuts down on nausea. These would also be a healthy snack. So you will be covering two things at once.
Some other items you may want to have on hand is pine scented cleaner and a roll of paper towels. Wet wipes are always handy after the car snack. Have a change of clothes readily accessible in case of spills and messes.
