Tips for Taking Long Car Rides with Kids

I'm reposting a popular article I wrote which has tips for taking long cars rides with kids. I have another article about taking plane rides with kids at Foundit-4u.com. On the main page, look below in the article section and click on More Parenting Articles to find it.

Traveling with children can be difficult. Here are a few tips to make it easier.

1) Have your children go to the bathroom before they get in the car. If they say they don't have to go, get them to try anyway. It's surprising how many do go when they get to the bathroom. Do not encourage your children to drink two glasses of any liquid before they get in the car. Unless you don't mind stopping often for them to go to the bathroom.

2) Okay, don't boo me, but this really helps for long car rides. Especially, if you normally limit T.V. viewing time with your children. If you have a van with a built-in DVD player get a few movies to watch. Pick ones your children are really excited about so they will be more inclined to watch them. If you get a movie one child has seen twenty times before, they might get bored and start bothering their brother.

3) Buy or go to the library and get some books on tape to fill in the time. If your children like to sing get some sing-along tapes. Some children like funny sing-along tapes other prefer folk songs. Maybe get a variety. Also, if your children can read in the car without getting sick (I know few children who can for long periods), then buy or check out some new books. If a child wants to try reading in the car but tends to get sick have a sick bag close by. If you checked out items from the library make sure you keep them in a safe place so they don't get lost. I.e., their own bag, or daily make sure you know where they are.

4) Put items your children are going to occupy themselves with in a backpack. Each child should have their own backpack. Ask them what they would like to put in it. If they like to draw, put paper, coloring books and crayons in their bag. No pens or pencils. While driving if you stop quickly they could poke themselves in the eye with the pen or pencil. Don't pack scissors or other sharp objects either. Items you might want to pack: Mad Libs, dot-dot books, mini-games, hand held electronic games, little toys, and small stuffed animals. The little toys should not have sharp points. Another thing I want to point out for safety reasons: There's always a chance with any object that your child holds that if you stop quickly the object could hit their throat. Now maybe a soft stuffed animal wouldn't do any harm, but a sharp corner of a hardback book could. So you can pack softback books and other soft items if you are concerned.

5) Have a time schedule. Let's say you are driving to San Francisco and it will take you four hours to get there. You have the option to A) Drive later in the evening when your children might sleep through the car trip or B) drive while your children are awake, which means you need to plan activities.

Plan A) Night trip. Make sure your children have gone to the bathroom and are in their P.J's before you put them in the car. That way you don't have to wake them up for extra pee breaks, and you won't have to deal with putting on their PJ's when you get to your destination. Make sure your children are feed, have their snuggle toy with them, and anything else they might need. Have a few toys handy in case they wake up. And a small blanket to cover them with if the inside of the car gets cold.

Plan B) Day travel. Try to avoid leaving when you could get caught in heavy traffic. Map a route where there are rest areas, or a least a park or gas station to stop at. If you let your children have sweets you can dole out one tiny flavored jelly bean every hour. If they aren't allowed sweets, pick a healthy little treat they like. Your children will have something to look forward to during the long car ride. It can make the trip seem to go faster, by breaking the time up in hour installments. This is for school age children. (You can try round tiny chocolates that you buy in a snack bag. But they tend to melt and get your child's hand sticky). For safety reasons I must point out you should stop the car at least at a gas station to give your children the treats. If they're given them while you're driving on the highway what happens if one of them chokes? You don't want to get in an accident trying maneuver your car off the road so you can apply CPR to your child. This said, I know someone who gives jelly beans every half hour to her school age kids while her car is in motion. She says her kids do better getting a jelly bean every half hour and she doesn't like making extra pit stops. If you do this, and I'm not saying you should! you should have two adults in the car in order that one can keep an eye out while your children eat. You also should know CPR. For safety reasons children really shouldn’t eat in the car while it's in motion. Think of this. You're in the front seat and they're in the back. You can't see them unless you are turned around looking. If you're not, they could be choking and you wouldn't know. A sudden jerk of the car could have caused food to get lodged in their throat. Beware. Also, do not let your children suck on hard candy (jaw breakers, etc) or lollipops in the car. Once again, if you stop quickly, the hard candy can get lodged in their throat. As far as the lollipop, it could hit the back of their throat and cause true harm. That is why children should not ever run around with lollipops in their mouths.

Time to leave for the car trip: Everyone has gone to the bathroom and has their own bag of toys and books where they can reach them. Buckle up and let's go.
First half of trip:
11-11:30a.m. = Play a book on tape. (This is good for you so you can get focused on where you are going and what route you are taking.)
11:30-12p.m. = Whole family plays the word game Twenty Questions. And/or I Spy. If extra time, look for out-of-state license plates or for a certain type of car or yellow cars.
At noon, bathroom break and stretch at gas station. Dole out tiny flavored jelly bean. (The child gets what they get, no arguing.)
12:15-12:45 = Child occupies him/herself with what is in their bag/backpack.
12:45-1:15 = A few rounds of Mad Libs, the whole family joining in.
At 1:15 = Jelly bean and lunch at rest area. Let your children run around and get energy out. Chase them to get them going. Play Freeze Tag or You're It.
Second half of trip:
2-2:30 = Second half of the book on tape. This will get them settled down.
2:30-3 = Child occupies him/herself with what is in their bag/backpack.
3 p.m., Gas station jelly bean break.
3:10-3:40 = Each member of the family tells others about their favorite trip. If extra time pick something else to talk about. What you plan to do on the vacation, etc.
3:40-4:10 = Sing-along tapes. Or if your child is too old, play music they like. Everyone can sing along. Or not.
It's 4:10 you should be at your destination. Last jelly bean.

You don't have to be rigid about the schedule. See how things are going and make changes accordingly. If your trip is for five and a half hours or six, and you have a van with a DVD player, play a movie for the extra time.