road trip essentials for 2 year old

How to Take a Road Trip With a Toddler

Fact-checking standards, latest update:, tips for taking a road trip with a toddler, consider your departure time, plan for breaks, read this next, map your route, bring out the entertainment big guns, but don't hand everything over at once, alternate drivers, if possible, prepare for queasiness, expect some stress, road trip essentials for toddlers, personal care items, entertainment, toddler comforts, best snacks for a road trip with a toddler, toddler road trip activities.

Long car trips with toddlers can certainly be taxing, and reaching your destination will likely take longer. But with a little advanced planning (and plenty of breaks!), you can navigate the inevitable speed bumps and reach your destination with a happy passenger. 

What to Expect the Second Year , Heidi Murkoff.  WhatToExpect.com, 9 Fun Travel Games for Kids on the Go , October 2021.  WhatToExpect.com, Healthy Snack Ideas for Toddlers , February 2021.  WhatToExpect.com, Toddler Air Travel: What to Know Before You Fly , January 2019.  American Academy of Pediatrics, Is It Safe for My Baby to Travel in a Car Seat a Few Hours At a Time? , August 2021.  American Academy of Pediatrics, Travel Safety Tips , August 2018.  KidsHealth From Nemours, Staying Healthy While You Travel , January 2021.   

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Family Road Trip Packing List (+Essentials for Kids & What Not To Pack)

By Author Jurga

Posted on Last updated: September 8, 2023

Looking for a family road trip packing list or wondering what are some of the road trip essentials for kids ? This packing list should give you a good overview of the things to pack (but also the ones to leave at home). Take a look!

We have a standard packing list for all kinds of trips: beach vacation, city trip, skiing holiday, and, of course for our favorite way of traveling – road trips with kids. But I recently looked at our family road trip packing list and realized how outdated it was. So it’s high time to update our family road trip packing list , and I thought I would share it with you as well.

This road trip packing list contains all the items that make our life easier and road trips with kids more enjoyable. At the same time, it’s not a complete road trip packing list.

I guess you don’t need someone else to tell you how many socks or t-shirts to pack for your upcoming road trip, or to remind you to carry car registration and insurance documents or a passport if visiting a foreign country…

There are two types of road trips – the ones you make with your own car/ campervan, and the ones where you travel overseas and rent a car. Needless to say, you will be able to pack much more if you are traveling close to home. After all, you are probably not going to carry a huge cooler or a car seat organizer on the plane.

So use this ‘road trip essentials’ packing list as a guideline , to check if you haven’t forgotten any of the useful items that will make your family road trip more comfortable. Find out!

READ ALSO: Top Tips for Traveling with Kids

Before I tell you about the more traditional items you need to pack for a family road trip, let’s start with the most important things first. You may not have needed any of this ten years ago, but now it’s unthinkable to set on the road without these items.

This is our road trip packing list for families:

Tech gear and entertainment

• Smartphone and charger
• Battery pack  to charge all your electronic devices. It’s a true life-saver if your phone tends to run empty long before you reach your hotel for the night. Check out this best-selling battery pack !
• Tablet/ DVD player/ or an MP3 player to keep your kids entertained in the car. I’m not going to tell you to pack your favorite CD collection for a family road trip. If you are road tripping with kids, you will never get a chance to listen to it anyway. Instead, make sure you have plenty of DVD’s with children’s movies ( check here for some popular kids’ DVD titles ).
• Alternatively, pack a tablet with some games (but you’ll likely need one tablet per kid). Or – my best suggestion – an MP3 player with audiobooks for children  (our kids’ favorites are Harry Potter audiobooks ). Here you can read more about our experience with audiobooks during long car rides with kids .
• Make sure you also pack chargers for each of these devices. That’s where the battery pack comes in handy. We also always pack a USB-charger for in the car .
• GPS or Google Maps app on your smartphone . Make sure you download the maps of the area where you will be road-tripping. In the past, we used to pack our TomTom GPS for every trip. Nowadays, we usually rely on Google Maps, unless traveling to a place where it doesn’t work well.
• Camera gear . A tripod and wireless remote control for your camera  are nice to have when road tripping with the family. It allows you to easily take nice pictures of the entire family. Extra batteries and memory cards , etc.

First aid essentials

The following items are among the most important road trip essentials for kids. So put these on your checklist and make sure you always have them at hand!

• First aid kit  (such as this compact first-aid kit ) is good to have on any trip. But it’s literally a life-saver on a family road trip!
• Ice spray.  Ice spray or a cold pack is a must when traveling with young kids. Our boys are so active and adventurous, so when they were little, they used to fall all the time. But on a road trip with kids, you don’t have an ice pack or ice cubes at hand. An ice spray is a real life-saver!
• Band-aids . Make sure to pack some in different sizes and always keep at least a few of them within easy reach.
• Disinfectant.  We use iodine antiseptics for wound treatment.
• Pain medicine (for kids and adults) .
• Mosquito repellent. We usually pack mosquito repellant spray , but recently we bought mosquito repellent bracelets and they seem to work well too.
• Sunscreen lotion. We always pack SPF50 sunscreen lotion for all our trips.

Road trip essentials for kids

Here are some of the main items for your road trip with toddler checklist:

• Comfortable car seats for kids adapted for their age. When traveling in our own car, we use Britax belt-positioning boosters for all our kids. When children sit in a car for hours, it’s important that they are comfortable, safe, and also have good head support. When we rent a car overseas we never rent children’s car seats. We carry our Trunki BoostAPak for each of the kids instead.

READ ALSO: Best Booster Seats for Travel

• Car seat organizer . Car seat organizers are really useful if your family likes road trips a lot. They will hold all the kids’ stuff in one place and will save you lots of frustrations (‘mom, where is my…’ or ‘dad, could you pass me my… ‘).
• Activity books and coloring books.  Check these Amazon bestsellers for preschoolers ,  kids ages 7-9 , and for older kids .
• Crayons, pencils, and pens . We usually pack twistable crayons since they last longer than any pencil or pen.
• Road-trip games and books , e.g. Travel Scavenger Hunt , Spot It! on the road , Mad Libs on the Road , and more … Just don’t pack too many of these. Often, a simple car game played by the whole family is much more fun for the kids than any game you can buy.
• Magnetic car games . If you are planning to pack any games to play in the car, go for magnetic versions !
• Extra diapers/wipes/clothes/quiet toys for the youngest ones.
• Sickness bags and an easy-to-access clean pack of clothes for the kids. Motion sickness bags are ideal to pack for a road trip.
• Ball or a frisbee . If you have some space in the car, pack a ball. It’s a great way to tire out the kids during short stops on the road. Alternatively, pack a frisbee or a foldable frisbee .

READ ALSO: Toddler Car Travel Tips & Best Travel Gear for Kids

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Food and drinks

Here are some useful items that should be on your family road trip packing list as well:

• Reusable water bottles . We usually pack one reusable water bottle per family member. In most places in the U.S., Canada, Australia, and Europe you can easily refill water bottles with tap water. It’s free, it’s healthy, and it’s environmentally friendly. On top of that, water doesn’t leave any stains if the kids spill it in the car. We always buy a few large bottles of water as well, so that we can refill the bottles if there is no good tap water available.
• Cooler . If you have space in your car, then a cooler might be a nice thing to pack for a family road trip. If you’re looking for a heavy-duty waterproof and leak-proof cooler that has plenty of space to store food and drinks for the whole family, check this portable travel cooler . Not only does it have a practical and stylish design, but its advanced cooling performance with high-quality insulation also promises to keep your food and drinks cold for up to 3 days. There aren’t many other coolers out there that can do that! And yes, quality has its price, but we had to throw away several cheaper coolers (and the food inside) after just a few days of use, so now we rather go for quality and certainty.
• Snack containers with separate compartments (something like this ).
• Dried fruit, nuts, cookies, etc. Small snacks should always be on your family road trip checklist! There’s nothing worse than a couple of tired hungry kids stuck in a traffic jam for a few hours…

Miscellaneous

• Printed map, a road atlas,  and a travel guide of the area you are traveling to. Do you really want to drive on the main highways all the time when there might be an alternative scenic road leading to your next destination? Plan your trip well: include some stops for the kids to play, add a few off the beaten path places to your itinerary. When you use a good old-fashioned map, you can see so much more! GPS is important in order to guide your family to your hotel or camping at the end of the day, but it can ruin the joy of a traditional road trip.
• Roadside assistance emergency pack and a Swiss knife . We never ever leave on a trip without our Swiss knife. We have used it on more occasions than I can remember and it served many purposes, from peeling apples and carrots in the car, to repairing a broken air pipe of our car’s engine. And while we always have good travel insurance , without that Swiss knife we would have probably been stuck in the middle of the highway in France on a rainy Sunday evening… Since that trip, we always have a  Swiss knife and a  roadside assistance pack or at least a couple of screwdrivers in the car.
• Flashlight .
• Instant stain removers like this one from Tide .
• Paper tissues, wet tissues, kitchen towels , and – if you have some space – a picnic blanket . You will need all of these when road-tripping with kids.
• Quick-drying towel.  Microfiber travel towels are very handy for any road trip.
• Trash bags .
• Sunglasses .

Best bags for road trips

• Duffel bags . Pre-kids we always traveled with hard-shell suitcases. But if you ever tried to squeeze more than two suitcases in the trunk of the car, you know that they are pretty useless. No matter if we are making a road trip close to home or flying overseas, we always use duffel bags with wheels. Here you can read more about the travel bags that we have used for the last 3 years – Thule Subterra luggage .
• Day backpack and rain cover . We have many backpacks in various sizes, but the ones we tend to pack for most road trips are our 30-liter backpacks . If you plan on spending lots of time outdoors, get a universal rain cover (if your backpack doesn’t have one yet).

READ ALSO: Best Travel Bags for Kids

Clothing that is always in our car

As already said, I’m not going into detail on all the clothing you should pack for a road trip. So here are just the main, essential clothing and footwear that you should always have with you when road-tripping with kids:

• Rain jacket . We never pack umbrellas when we travel, but a good light waterproof rain jacket is a must.
• Sneakers or walking shoes . Also Flip flops or crocs .
• Sun hat and swimwear.

Nice to have for road trips

• Binoculars. We have small binoculars for each of the kids and it keeps them busy on the road. We used them in Africa , in Australia , in Yellowstone , and pretty much on any road trip ever since.
• E-book.  Kindle e-reader is always in our bag.
• Headphones.  My husband likes to pack his noise-canceling headphones for those moments when the kids get too loud in the car.
• Travel mug , in addition to a reusable water bottle. We only pack these when driving in our own car from home.
• Neck pillows and blankets. We always pack light fleece blankets in the car for kids if planning to drive at night. They are also very handy for those winter road trips to the mountains! If you are looking for a compact neck pillow that doesn’t take up too much space, take a look at this highly-rated best-seller .

What not to pack for a road trip

Here are some items that you better leave at home:

• Hard shell suitcases.
• Too many toys for kids . Definitely leave all the noisy toys at home.
• Umbrella . We never pack an umbrella for a road trip. Take a rain jacket instead.
• Too many clothes and shoes . Pack less and make sure you can layer when needed.
• Sweet food and drinks , or anything else that gives too much energy and makes their hands sticky.
• Too many food containers or other items that take a lot of space in your car.

So, these are our road trip packing tips for families road-tripping with children. Do you have any tips or packing essentials to share? Feel free to leave a comment below!

READ ALSO: Most beautiful road trips in the world

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Tuesday 19th of December 2023

Thank you !!!!

Saturday 25th of June 2022

Very helpful! Thank you!

Monday 27th of June 2022

Glad to help. Have a great trip!

Tuesday 6th of October 2020

A very comprehensive travel list Jurga. Thank you so much for taking the time to share essential items and reasons for bringing them.. It did help me remember a few things I had not thought of.

Wednesday 7th of October 2020

Glad to hear that, Al. That's how we use our packing lists too - to quickly check that we didn't forget something essential. Happy road-tripping!

Wednesday 1st of July 2020

Thank you for sharing these packing tips. It is so helpful for this summer as we are planning to take our first road trip EVER.

Glad you found this useful, Jennifer. Enjoy your trip!

Wednesday 15th of May 2019

This is a very comprehensive list to have a successful and smooth road trip. Having a road trip means that you want to have fun, relax and enjoy your vacation which is why it's very important to check almost everything to avoid any hassle along the way. The least we wanted is to get stuck on the road due to car problems instead of enjoying our trip. That is why I make sure that my car is in great condition before the said date. What I usually do is to visit my car shop at least a week before to have my car checked for possible repair and maintenance. I think this would be a great addition to your list.

Hi Erwin, yes, absolutely - checking that the car is in good condition is vital before any road trip.

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Packing Lists , Travel Advice

20+ toddler travel essentials for 2024 – with packing list.

Items that helped us through the challenging toddler travel years

We’ve never denied that one of the most difficult phases we went through with our children was the toddler years. At home and travelling. The memories are still very fresh!

It never stopped us from travelling, but it certainly added to the amount of gear we needed to lug around the world with us (it’s kind of the same as babies, only it feels bigger and heavier, AND you’re chasing a little one around too!)

Essential Gear for Moving Around With Toddlers

Sleeping away from home, toddler meals on the move  , toddler essentials for flying, toddler entertainment on the move, other essential toddler items not to forget, this post is part of our best toddler travel advice series.

I bet if you’ve picked up this article, you already know toddlers have a mind of their own!  Not all tactics for keeping toddlers nearby when you’re in busy places will work the same. 

We’re going to suggest a few travel accessories for toddlers here that have variously worked with our three children – but we know they won’t suit all!

Toddler harness / reins

Some will love ’em, some will despise them!  Having a cute little character will definitely help your kids grow an attachment to this essential piece of toddler kit for a family trip. Perfect for crowded places, we haven’t left home without one of these for years.

Accmor Toddler Harness Leash

3 in 1 Toddler Harness Leash

Accmor Toddler Backpack Leash

You can see our complete guide to buying toddler reins and harnesses here

Collapsible Stroller

Once you have outgrown a full-sized baby buggy that carries basically your whole life in, it’s time to downgrade to something more sensible, practical, and lightweight for your family vacation.

We love the brands that collapse small enough we can take them right up the plane door and onto the plane with us, fitting into the overhead bin with your carry-on bag.

The Babyzen Yoyo was the first brand to achieve this and is still a great option, but there are many brands that have now followed suit.

We have used our trusty Mountian Buggy Nano for years, but you can also try brands such as the Baby Jogger City Tour 2 or the immensely popular microsized GB Pockit that comes in several variations.

Evenflo GOLD Otto Self-Folding Stroller

Mountain Buggy Nano V3 Stroller

gb Pockit+ All-Terrain

You can see our full guide on how to select the best plane stroller here.

Just be conscious of your child’s height and weight;  hopefully, this investment can last you all the way through to the preschool years. Try not to compromise too much when it comes to your tot still being able to comfortably recline and having a decent-sized shade covering and storage basket, features we would still look for even in a travel stroller. 

We also review the best lightweight double strollers for twins and baby/toddler combinations here.

TIP : If you are still looking to travel with a larger stroller, we suggest you protect your gear when flying or stowing on transport by placing it inside a stroller gate check bag – our full review of your different stroller travel bag options here . 

Toddler Carrier

By now, I am guessing most of you freuent travelers have discovered the joys that a baby carrier brings.  Many brands now see a child all the way through to their toddler years. 

We have used our Ergo across the continents for many years – but with our youngest now 4 (and, to be fair, a happy walker/runner – unlike the first two!!) we are finally ready to say goodbye – one of our best pricier bits of toddler kit we’ve never regretted investing in.

Ergobaby Omni 360 All-Position Baby Carrier

Beco Toddler Carrier with Extra Wide Seat

Infantino Carry On Multi-Pocket Carrier

You can find our comprehensive toddler carrier comparison guide here. 

Hiking Toddler Carrier

For those who do more heavy-duty walking and hiking, you can’t look past the Deuter Kid Comfort Pro . It is one of the most expensive on the market, so you could also look at the Deuter Kid Comfort II which is slightly lighter, but doesn’t include the built-in sunshade.

Deuter Kid Comfort Pro Child Carrier

ClevrPlus Deluxe Adjustable Baby Carrier Outdoor

Luvdbaby Premium Baby Backpack Carrier

See our complete comparison of hiking carrier backpacks here

Car Seats for Toddlers

Outgrown their baby capsule that conveniently fits with their travel system but not ready yet for a simple collapsible booster ?  Yep, this is one phase of travelling with kids that I’m afraid will be with you for a long time, even well beyond the toddler years!

Depending on your child’s age and stage, there are a few options, but inevitably, accept it’s a continual upgrade process (and one of the bulkiest and most inconvenient parts of toddler travel – sorry!)

Where possible, we try to arrange for pick-up services that include a seat or hire cars at a destination – but we know all too well, that travelling home to Australia (where car seat laws are IMMENSELY STRICT) hiring is not financially viable after more than a few days x 3 children, so for years, we’ve kept a complete set of extra toddler seats at the grandparents.  

Safety 1st Grand 2-in-1 Booster Car Seat

Evenflo Chase Harnessed Booster

Britax Emblem 3 Stage Convertible Car Seat

Tip: If you have any intention of travelling with your car seat on the plane, too (you need to buy a separate seat for the infant) then the car seat must be compliant for whichever airline you are flying with. FAA rules are a pretty good for international guidance – but note they apply specifically to US-based carriers, you need to check the rules for the country your carrier falls under.

Find our complete guide on how to travel with car seats on planes here

Don’t forget if you are checking your car seats rather than using them on the plane, you will need to make sure they are adequately protected to prevent handling damage in the hold.

This is our detailed review of the best car seat travel bags .

Toddler Neck Pillow

Another thing we noticed once our kids were out of their snug little capsules and into proper car seats is how much their heads seemed to wobble around when they were drowsy! We’ve researched and tried many a brand of head cushion to get the right fit:

Unicorn Toddler Neck Pillow for Kids

BCOZZY Kids Travel Neck Pillows for Toddlers

INFANZIA Kids Chin Supporting Travel Neck Pillow

You can see our extensive head toddler cushion review here .

Do note, if you want to use them in their car seat, as supposed to say on a train or plane, many of the cute toddler brand ones are too bulky. Microbead products like the BCozzyKids Travel Pillow we have found to be the most adaptable to different positions and modes of transport, even if they look thinner they still do the job well.

Just when you thought you had your nice little routine – then you up sticks and change time zone….. I won’t deny that some of the worst jet lag we have experienced actually happened during the toddler years. 

We have a full guide to jet lag survival with kids you can read here , but the primary things I would worry about packing to conquer this are:

This has been my go-to bedtime tool for years (still IS!). OK, it works a charm for 2/3 kids at least!  No matter where we are in the world, once you have a strict bedtime routine happening, the clock is a great first indicator to them whether they should be getting out of bed or not

Just be conscious of wattage if you are taking any electronic devices with you.  We have lugged many an item halfway around the world to discover it doesn’t work at our destination.  Particularly if you are flying US to a lot of other countries and vice versa, you will need to take not only international plugs but a wattage adaptor, like one of these:

Tommee Tippee Groclock Sleep Trainer Clock

Kids Ok to Wake Clock for Kids  

Hatch Rest Baby Sound Machine

Black Out Curtains

Another thing that helps with sleep patterns and time zone adjustment is having a dark room.  If there’s no guarantee the hotel room at your destination will have blackouts, so this is a great BYO solution if you can afford the space in your luggage, as they are a little bit bulky.

Most portable blackouts stick up with suction cups.

Gro Company Gro-Anywhere Blind

RUseeN Portable Blackout Shades 

Amazon Basics Portable Travel Window Blackout Curtain

Portable Toddler Cot

There’s also no guarantee your destination will have the best sleeping arrangements for your child either.  During these toddler years, we did intentionally look for hotels or apartments that COULD provide us with a cot, but many times especially staying with friends and family this wasn’t an option. We invested early on in a good, lightweight, portable cot (don’t get confused into thinking a bulky pack-n-play pen is the same thing!). 

Phil & Teds Traveller Travel Crib

Milliard Folding Floor Sleeper Cot

Regalo My Cot Pals Portable Toddler Bed

You can see our full range of toddler bed options reviewed here.

We tested the Phil & Teds Traveller a while ago and haven’t looked back since. We still think its one of the lightest and best-priced models on the market, but does take little construction skills.

Portable high chair

You can’t always rely upon every restaurant or hotel having a high chair, so it’s great if you can BYO an easily portable option.  They come in all sorts of designs, from clamp-ons to boosters or cloth wraparounds for restaurant chairs – each with its pros and cons.

Summer Pop ‘n Dine SE Highchair

Baby Delight Go with Me Uplift Deluxe Portable High Chair

Regalo My Chair 2-in-1 Portable Travel Booster Seat

You can see our full review of travelling high chairs (and whether we think they’re worth the luggage space) here.

Spill-proof sippy

You’ve no doubt moved on from purely boob and bottle to a sippy by the toddler stage.  It’s perhaps not until you’re on the move you realise that these things leak so darn much! Or that your toddler terror will do anything to deliberately make them spill! 

We have been through many different brands of leaf-proof sippy cups – just accept no matter which you try, they’re not fail-proof!

Contigo Kids Spill-Proof 14oz Tumbler

First Years Dinosaur Kids Insulated Sippy Cups

Elk and Friends Kids & Toddler Cups

(Note if you are taking any sort of water bottle on a plane, they can pressurise. We have had many a bottle explode water everywhere over the plane when opened… you have been warned!)

Easy clean bibs

Neoprene-style bibs were by far one of our greatest baby-to toddler year discoveries! (Sorry to all our family and friends who received these as gifts from us!) But we truly love them!

They dry so quickly and can be strapped high on your toddler’s neck without choking them so there’s no seep through.  We normally get several wears before they need to go in the wash, and they don’t take up much space, both of which are a good idea for travel.

PandaEar Set of 3 Cute Silicone Baby Bibs for Babies & Toddlers

Nuby 2 Pack Adjustable Easy Clean Soft Silicone Bibs

Snap and Go Easy-wear Bibs for Baby & Toddler

No-spill snack cups

These spill-proof cups might seem like one of the easiest to pack, logical items, but seriously took us years to discover! Do yourself a favour and get one of these for your diaper bag as soon as your kids are onto finger foods. 

They don’t necessarily stop all the crumbs but prevent major spillages and should come everywhere with you, ready to tackle those hangry moments.

Silicone Toddler Snack Cups No Spill

Ubbi Tweat No Spill Snack Container for Kids

Collapsible Silicone Snack Container

Reusable food clips

For when they’re claiming they’re dying of hunger, take two mouthfuls then leave the rest.  Yep, a handful of these cheap but essential clips are a lifesaver in your backpack diaper bag too.

Silicone Food Storage Bags

Otylzto 4 Size Assorted 40 PCS Food Bag Clips

8 Pack Stainless Steel Chip Clips

Snacks, snacks, and more snacks

This is my overriding toddler years memory! OK, there were some classic meltdowns too… But the constant, I’m hungry, minutes after they just declared they were to full for lunch. 

Keeping a good supply of things like rice cakes, carrot sticks, sultanas, cereal bars, and food pouches kept us going on countless day outings and long-haul flights – we have a great list of healthy toddler snack suggestions here.   

Quaker Chewy Granola Bars

Unsweetened Fruit Snacks for Kids

Quaker Large Rice Cakes

Got a little one on the fussy end of the spectrum (aren’t they all?) You’ll want to check out our tips for travelling with picky eaters

Before you read any further, make sure you’ve checked out flying with a toddler section!

Leg cushions for the plane

Guessing you’ve heard these are the latest craze, right? But are they even allowed on planes?  Are they worth the investment? Will my kids actually sleep better on a long flight? What age are they designed for? 

We have tested many of these products on behalf of the manufacturers and have a detailed review, including which airlines allow them here.

BleuWhisk Inflatable Toddler Travel Bed

Inflatable Travel Pillow Airplane Footrest Flight Pillow Toddler

Portable Foot Pillow for Toddler Kids & Adults

So, are these really toddler flight essentials?

My verdict : With one child, set up in the correct position, on a plane that will allow them, yes, they make for a more comfortable flight. But I recommend you read the above article with all the factors to consider before deciding if it’s the right thing for you.  There might be other ways you can get your toddler comfortable without the need for yet more gear (I can see your eyes boggling already how much you have to pack!)

CARES Restraint

As an alternative to taking a full car seat on a plane, but once your tot is simply too big and heavy to take as a lap child, try the FAA-approved CARES Harness.  Ideal for 22-44lbs children – note you do need to have booked the seat to use this.

Cares Airplane Harness for Kids

Airplane Kid Travel Accessories Cares Safety Restraint System

Child Airplane Safety Travel Harness, Safety Restraint

Toddler Plane Bags

You can also see what items we are packing in our toddlers plane bag  here, and read below about toddler entertainment throughout your travels.

Just remember, don’t go over the top when it comes to packing toys for young kids – here are 5 things we definitely recommend do NOT make it into your toddlers plane bag ! 

Wildkin Kids Insulated Lunch Bag

Solar System Planets Kids Backpack Toddler

YUPING Toddler kids Dinosaur Backpack

Tip: Until they are old enough to carry their own bag for the entire journey, do your self a favour and skip the cute novelty rolling bag until they are really ready or you are simply making additional luggage for yourself.  Fine with one kid, but when you have multiple children to consider ….  

Small tablet

We recommend these only for your older toddlers verging on preschool age.  I don’t recommend them for younger toddlers because I know how frustrated mine got when they couldn’t raise the sound, and I’m a strict headphones-only mamma when it comes to electronic devices being used in public places. 

And you reckon you can make a small toddler keep headphones on?

We have snapped our way through too many pairs (yes, even those claiming to be best ‘unbreakable’ on the market) through to your cheapest Walmart ones. NOTHING works on a wiggly toddler, so tablets are a no-go until they can sit still or survive on mute. 

When your toddler is ready to try, here are the best toddler headphone brands we recommend you start with.

For years we gave our kids our hand-me-down ipads but as they are starting to get outdated, we have discovered Amazon Kindle Fire , with its super sturdy case and ability to connect via Google Play and the Android system, as well as subscribe to FreeTime Unlimited for kids. 

Amazon Fire 7 tablet

IWEGGO Tablet 8 inch Tablet with Case

Tibuta Android Tablet

We talk more about Amazon Prime and why it can be a traveller’s best friend here.

Other favourite portable toddler toys:

• WaterWow books by Melissa & Doug
• Quiet Books
• Gel Stickers
• Triangle crayons

Jungle Animals Thick Gel Clings Winter Safari Window Gel

Triangular Crayons

My Busy Book Baby Soft Toy

For more travel toy ideas, pop on over to these detailed buying guides:

• Best travel toys for one-year-olds
• Best travel toys for two-year-olds
• Terrific toys to pack for a 3-year-old
• More toddler plane bag ideas
• Engaging road trip toys for toddlers
• Is it worth getting a travel tray for your toddler to play?
• A spare change of clothes
• Beach and water safety wear
• Wet bags for spares or dirty items
• Hand sanitiser
• Small detergent bottle for washing bottles and cups at your accommodation – don’t forget to check out our complete guide to travelling with bottles & sterilising here.
• A good first aid kit/medicine bag – you can see our complete family first aid packing guide here.

Germ-X Original Hand Sanitizer

ALVABABY 2pcs Cloth Diaper Wet Dry Bags Waterproof

First Aid Only 298 Piece All-Purpose First Aid Emergency Kit

Potty training stage?

We talk about potty training on the move in a lot more detail here , but for anything around toileting don’t forget:

• Wet Wipes! Not just for clean bums, you’ll want these little gems with you for YEARS! 
• Pull-ups, even if they are relatively newly trained, you will want to consider this fall back for long journeys
• Piddle pads for the seat , a great back up to prevent leakage

Wet Ones Travel Wipes

Toddler Pull Ups

Piddle Pad Car Seat Protector

Never forget a thing next time you’re packing by downloading our Family Travel Checklist   

Now we never said travelling with toddlers was light, right?  But it is still rewarding. With the right gear and right frame of mind, it really is a magical age to start opening children up to the world around them and creating wonderful happy memories.  

Further reading on the toddler years:

• That time we took 3 under 5 on a 16-hour flight
• Taking your toddler hiking; how to make it fun!
• Surviving a road trip with a toddler
• 5 travelling lessons my 3-year-old has taught me
• Our Best Toddler Travel Advice Home Page

Bookmark this page, share it with your friends or save it to Pinterest for later

Are your kids a little older?  See what gadgets we recommended for older families on the go , or pop back here if you’re still at the baby age and need our Ultimate Baby Travel Checklist

Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links.  Purchasing any items listed on this page through an affiliate link will not affect how much you pay for the item but may earn us a small commission. Our  full disclosure policy  can be found here.

© Our Globetrotters | Feature images CanvaPro

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2 thoughts on “ 20+ Toddler Travel Essentials for 2024 – With Packing List ”

Based on this guide, I need to carry the entire house with me on the plane or train. We travel a lot and each of us has only one backpack. Our toddler’s backpack goes in the stroller and has a bag of nappies, wipes, baby food, baby water, a toy or two, his clothes, home shoes, and essential meds and swimming gear if we plan to. That’s all and never had any trouble. Most taxis and car hires have toddler seats. Sometimes we take baby carrier. That said, our kid is a bit of adventurer. He wont use anything special if we don’t use it

That’s great you’ve learnt to travel light with your tot. It really depends on your style of travel and destination. Certainly, our needs have changed between kidsand we hope that by presenting a number of options, we can prepare first-time travelling parents with the information they need for different travel scenarios with toddlers – all these items we’ve needed at some point in our travels. Thanks for taking the time to stop by the blog and comment, happy travels 🙂

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24 Road Trip Essentials for Toddlers [2024 Edition]

A family car ride is always much more fun for us if we have packed all of our road trip essentials for toddlers. Because, let’s face it: if the toddlers are happy everyone is happy.

So, what should you bring? The best travel items for toddlers are those that work for your family or are already a part of your day to day routine.

Think snack containers, water bottles, toys, etc. While “new” can sometimes be more exciting, we have found it is less stressful to bring things our toddlers already know how to use independently.

[Frustration with a new electronic or snack container is sometimes more stressful than not having one at all.]

We broke our list into categories to help you find what you’re looking for. These toddler road trip survival categories are as follows: best gear for car travel with toddlers, snack essentials, entertainment, and some “honorable mention” items.

Best Travel Items for Toddlers in the Car

The items in this category make riding in the car with a toddler more convenient. After all, the best travel items for toddlers are those that help them be independent and enjoy their ride (so that you can enjoy yours)!

Car Seat Travel Tray

A car seat travel tray is one of the best travel items for toddlers and young kids. These trays fit on top of the car seat and helps organize a variety of things.

Lusso is our favorite brand of car accessories! We personally own seat protectors and seat organizers made by Lusso, in addition to the travel tray.

The travel tray includes a dry erase surface, multiple storage compartments, a tablet holder, and a secure strap to attach the tray to the carseat.

Car Sunshade

We have tried a few different types of sun shades over the past few years. The retractable shades did not work well for our family because they kept losing suction.

We also did not care for the black out shades because they make it hard to see out of the window.

The enovoe sun shades , however, use static cling to attach to windows! They are 21×14 and fit most car windows while blocking 97% of UV rays.

Toddler Neck Pillow

A toddler neck pillow is a great investment for any car trip that involves some form of sleeping (and for us, that’s all of them).

The Bcozzy neck pillow is specifically designed for toddlers and young kids by providing more support under the chin, which supports the neck.

This is our #1 pick for a toddler neck pillow!

Looking for more options? Check out our post on the best travel pillows for kids!

Insulated Cooler Bag

This is not one of the most obvious road trip essentials for toddlers, but hear me out. A soft cooler bag is a must!

Refrigerated snacks and drinks, especially for beach trips, fit conveniently in these insulated cooler bags. It also allows you to pack a road trip lunch.

Plus, a soft outer shell allows it to be positioned anywhere: between seats, in the floor board, or in between luggage bags.

The Lifewit collapsible cooler bag comes in three sizes (we like the jumbo) and two colors.

Portable Diaper Changing Pad

A portable diaper changing pad is definitely something we take with us on every toddler car ride, whether long or short.

The Keababies changing pad is designed for up to age 3 but could definitely be used for older ages as well.

It is waterproof and folds very neatly. We prefer this type of changing pad instead of the kind that include diapers and wipes. We always have those things on hand anyways and do not need them wrapped up in the pad also.

It is very affordable and packs in any bag or purse!

Car Seat Organizer

We have already mentioned Lusso gear once, but let me reiterate. This brand is made to last!

We love these kick mats! They perfectly organize all of the essentials needed for a toddler road trip to keep them out of the floorboard.

Please note: Toddlers cannot reach these organizers from their car seats. However, parents can attach them to the back of their seats and easily access all of the items.

They are waterproof, machine washable, include 4 large mesh pockets, and come in 5 colors.

Travel Potty

I think we can all agree that this is a great thing to have for car travel with toddlers, no matter the length of the ride.

This OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty converts from a toilet seat to an actual travel potty. Just attach a disposable bag to the seat!

It is perfect for urgent bathroom breaks that pop up in between gas station stops.

It is easy to clean, easy to pack, and works well for boys and girls!

Looking for more options? Check out our post on the best travel potty and toilet seat for kids!

First Aid Kit

A first-aid kit is a must-have for travel in general, but especially for travel with kids.

We like the Swiss Safe kit because the items are high quality and the Swiss Safe name is a trusted brand. There are cheaper kits with more pieces but the quality is questionable.

Snacking Road Trip Essentials for Toddlers

This category includes all things eating and drinking. We travel with older toddlers and younger toddlers so we have included all of the snacking road trip essentials for toddlers of any age!

Insulated No-Spill Sippy Cup

A no-spill sippy cup is truly one of the best travel items for toddlers under the age of three.

The Munchkin Miracle 360 Insulated cup is perfect for warm or cold drinks and it is truly no-spill.

We own the plastic and stainless steel varieties and LOVE them! Perfect for little hands learning to use a cup.

It comes in three colors: blue, pink, and green.

Water Bottle

We recommend transitioning from a sippy cup to a water bottle between ages 2 and 3. Our kids at three years old have done really well with these!

The Yeti Rambler Jr. it leak-proof, sweat-proof, and shatter-proof. We really love the handle on this water bottle! It is perfectly positioned for little hands.

This 12oz water bottle comes in 8 fun colors! It has has an easy to open mouthpiece and is the perfect size for little hands.

SNACKS! This is really how we survive any trip in the car. We bring mostly dry snacks in the car (because smushed grapes in between the seats are gross) and water (no explanation needed).

We usually hand out small amounts of snacks about once per hour unless we are getting close to eating an actual meal.

Have you tried Crunchables ? They are delicious and are a perfect road trip snack for kids! They are made up of dried apple and banana pieces. Clean eating and easy clean up.

My Travel Tray

Guys. The My Travel Tray is perfect for kiddos. The base of the tray fits into car seat cup holders to provide a tray that holds a drink and snacks.

My Travel Tray is perfect if your toddler needs something small to hold their snacks while they play with a toy or “read” a book.

The tray itself is about 6 inches wide. It could theoretically hold a small lunch but is definitely designed for snacks.

My Travel Tray comes in 6 fun colors and is BPA free. It also comes with 2 adapter pieces to ensure it fits in your child’s car seat cup holder.

Snack Catcher

If you road trip with a 2 year old then you know that a snack catcher is a must have. Bonus points-these have lids, which keep crumbs in and keep the snacks fresh!

The WeeSprout snack catchers are made of food-grade silicone and are sturdy yet soft. Perfect for little hands!

They are about 3.5 inches wide and come in 6 color combinations.

Reusable snack bags

We buy most of our snacks in full-sized containers because they are cheaper/last longer. So, we divide them up in these awesome reusable snack bags that we, well, re-use throughout the trip!

Stasher makes an awesome silicone reusable food bag that is easy to clean and open/close.

It comes in a variety of sizes and colors, and they even offer a starter kit!

Snack container/Snack tackle box

Have you tried a snackle box?! This idea is definitely for older toddlers or kids who can follow directions and portion control.

A snackle box has a variety of snacks packed in different compartments and allows the kids to choose. You can actually fit a whole days worth of snacks in there!

We bought this set so that our older kids would each have their own color. Note: the grids are removable so wet/leaky food is not recommended.

Toddler Road Trip Entertainment

Toddler road trip entertainment is anything that helps mom and dad keep their sanity. Car travel with toddlers means lots of potty breaks, lots of snacks, and lots of entertainment. Below are some of our favorites!

Travel Toys

We have some tried and true activities we take with us on any toddler car ride. The first thing on that list is books ! Regular, turn-the-page, read upside down, books. We actually keep a basket of books in the car at all times and just refresh/update about once per week.

We also have a basket of toys that genuinely travel well, so we keep them put away to make them more enticing during a road trip.

To see a list of awesome toys for any toddler car ride, check out our post!

Kids’ Kindle Fire

Our family is still pretty young so my toddlers are not independent tablet users yet. But, I know some families do not travel without a kid-proof tablet!

Option 1: Fire 7 Kids – 16 GB

This is the cheapest option out there for a kids tablet! The Amazon Fire 7 Kids comes with a 2-year guarantee, kid-proof case with built-in stand, 1-year access to Amazon+ kids content, a 7″ display, 10 hours of battery life, and easy parental controls.

This is the most affordable option for a kids’ tablet and is designed for ages 3-7.

Option 2: Fire HD 8 Kids – 32 or 64 GB

The Fire HD 8 is the middle option, price-wise. This is a great tablet for toddlers! It features an 8″ screen, 13 hours of battery life, and the same Amazon+ access, kid-proof case, 2-year guarantee and parental controls that are featured in the Fire 7 (the older model).

It also comes with two solid color choices and two theme choices for the case. The storage options on this Fire include 32 or 64 GB of digital storage, 2 GB of RAM and up to 1TB of expandable storage.

Option 3: Fire HD 10 -32 GB

The Fire HD 10 Kids offers the largest screen and the most advanced graphics in a tablet for younger kids. The Fire HD 10 features a 10.1″ screen, 1080p full HD, 3GB RAM, dual cameras, and a screen made with aluminosilicate glass.

This tablet is the most comparable Fire Kids tablet to an iPad, but is designed specifically with kids in mind unlike the iPad.

There are three purchase options: the tablet, the tablet + backpack, and the tablet + bluetooth keyboard.

Tablet Holder

For those of us traveling in vehicles that do not have built-in screens, a tablet holder is a must for long road trips. There are three different kinds of tablet holders and we have highlighted our favorite in each category below!

Macally Car Headrest Mount

For families with a shared device, this tablet holder is for you! The headrest mount securely attaches to one headrest and extends the tablet to the center of the viewers.

This is perfect two (or three) kids to watch the same movie/show. It works very similarly to a drop down, ceiling DVD player but it is mounted to the headrest instead, making it eye level.

This tablet holder does not work for multiple rows of children! It can only be seen by the viewers sitting directly in front of it because of the level it is mounted at. I.e. kids in the third row cannot see a tablet mounted in the second row.

This tablet mount is adjustable and works for all tablets, phones, and devices.

FANGOR Car Headrest Mount with Anti-Slip Strap

This tablet holder is truly designed for tablets ranging in size from 7-12.9 inches. Note : It will not work for a phone!

The unique design includes anti-slip straps that are flexible yet secure. They stretch around the four corners of the tablet to hold it in place. This allows the tablet to be mounted to the headrest (rather than the headrest supports) which puts the tablet at eye level for taller kids, or above eye level for younger children.

The headrest mounting strap uses velcro to quickly and securely attach to any headrest! It is also thin and foldable so it can be stored in a seat pocket when not in use.

Lamicall Tablet Headrest Holder

The Lamicall Headrest Holder works for any device between 4 and 10.7 inches wide, making it a great choice for phones or tablets. It supports all major phones and tablets!

The connectors are retractable so they can adjust to varying widths of headrest posts. Simply push them towards each other, position the holder in between the headrest posts, and release the connectors. They will expand to fit the width of your headrest.

Please note: in order for this holder to work, the distance between your car headrest posts should be 5.1-5.9 inches. It will NOT work in these cars: Honda Odyssey/Pilot, Subaru Forester/Cross trek/Outback, Mazda CX5, Chevy Traverse, 2007 Toyota Prius, 011 Infiniti QX56v, Audi Q7 (2018).

Headphones / Headphone Splitter

Just in case you do not want to hear The Jungle Book on repeat, a pair of headphones is a great investment to go along with the tablet mounted to the back of your seat!

Snug Play+ Kids Headphones

There are a TON of headphones out there for kids. We love these Snug headphones for a few reasons.

First, they are volume-limited! Even turned all the way up, they can never reach a damaging noise level.

Second, they are designed with toddlers in mind! They are specifically made to fit kids ages 3-8 (made possible by the adjustable head band) and the padding is super comfy.

They also offer audio sharing, meaning one pair of headphones can connect to another pair of headphones that is already connected to a device. Both listeners can hear the same audio without a headphone splitter.

The Snug Play+ headphones come in 24 different colors/designs to choose from and have over 18,000 5-star reviews!

Syncwire Headphone Splitter

A headphone splitter is perfect for kiddos who share a tablet. If you have one device mounted in your car, the headphone splitter will allow the audio to travel through two different pairs of headphones.

Honorable Mention Road Trip Essentials for Toddlers

Essential is a loose word these days. We think essentials are things that make your trip as smooth as possible with toddlers. For us, that makes them necessary because we need to have a smooth trip.

There are also some “added bonus” road trip essentials for toddlers that are not necessary for a smooth ride, but they can definitely come in handy! See our list of honorable mentions below.

Toddler Suitcase

Does a toddler need his/her own luggage? Nope. Is it more fun? Absolutely! It has also helped teach our children how to be more independent with packing, which I am all for.

There are a ton of options for toddler luggage including ride-on suitcases, duffel bags, backpacks, and rolling luggage.

See our complete list of toddler suitcases here to choose the best option for your kid(s)!

Plastic Bags / Diaper Disposal Bags

We always keep plastic bags of some kind in our car. More often than not, we reuse plastic grocery bags that we keep in the back pocket of our seats. However, it does sometimes come in handy to have an actual diaper disposal bag when changing a stinky diaper.

Ubbi On The Go Bag Dispenser + Refills

The Ubbi on the Go diaper disposal kit is perfect for changing diapers on the go. It conveniently secures to any bag and dispenses durable, lavender scented bags.

We use these quite often to hold diapers or even smelly food in the car until we can get to the nearest trash can. They also help mask the smell!

This kit includes one dispenser and 5 rolls of refill bags (60 count total).

Toddler Travel Bed

Though a travel bed does not help your car ride, it can definitely make your road trip home more successful by promoting some good sleep at your destination!

Toddler travel beds range from collapsible cots to inflatable mattresses to bed rails.

See our complete toddler travel bed list here to choose the best one for your toddler(s)!

Laundry Bag (for dirty clothes)

A laundry bag is not one of the most important travel must haves for toddlers, but it is a great accessory for their dirty clothes!

Toddlers are generally pretty messy so it helps to have a designated place to put all of their dirty laundry.

Is a laundry bag necessary? No, it really is not. But does it make re-packing the car easier? Yes, it absolutely does.

These bags are HUGE (3.5 feet tall), come in a variety of colors, and comes as a 2-pack.

What are your best travel items for toddlers?

Let us know! We love to update our list and help parents survive these trips. Happy traveling!

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18 Toddler Road Trip Essentials

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Table of Contents

ROAD TRIP ESSENTIAL FOR A TODDLER

If you are thinking of going on a family road trip, I say go for it. Traveling with a toddler isn’t always easy, but it doesn’t have to be a nightmare.

We have driven to or through 12 states, recording more than 8,000 miles with our toddler.

Most of that time has been pleasant, but a few hours of our trips have been downright miserable. Although it isn’t fun while it is happening, we’ve learned from our mistakes.

You have to keep in mind, it’s all about the experience. Ultimately, “it doesn’t matter where you’re going, it’s who you have beside you.” That is one of our favorite road trip quotes .

Here are the toddler road trip essentials you need to make your next road trip more manageable and stress-free.

Disclosure: “Please note that some of the links below may be affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I earn a commission if you make a purchase. Click  here  for the full disclosure statement.”

TODDLER ROAD TRIP GEAR

If you are planning to take a long road trip with a toddler, having the right toddler road trip gear is essential.

Although some of these things are no-brainers, a few of them fall through the cracks.

Here is our list of toddler road trip essentials that you’ll need before hitting the road.

Car Seat Travel Tray

I don’t know why these haven’t been around for decades; they are so awesome.  Car seat travel trays  will keep your little one entertained while on your road trip.

The different pockets make it easy to organize everything you need. There is a place for everything, and most importantly, nothing will end up on the floor. 

Related Post: Best Car Seat Travel Tray

Lusso Gear Kids Travel Tray Price

Comfortable Car Seat 

A comfortable car seat is essential when traveling with a toddler. Imagine being strapped into a 5-point harness for hours at a time. Wouldn’t you want to be in a comfortable seat? If so, that’s how your toddler feels.

Before we started traveling full-time we used the Symphony Elite car seat because it could grow with our toddler and was very comfortable. He would sit in that car seat for hours without crying.

So, if you plan on taking a road trip with your toddler, check if their car seat is comfortable for this.

Note: If you have a lightweight car seat (with less cushion), consider stopping more frequently to give your toddler a break.

Symphony Elite All-in-One Car Seat Price

Car Sunshade

Until recently, I’ve never had to think about a car sunshade because I had tinted windows. After seeling our car, I realized a car sunshade is essential when traveling with kids .

There is nothing fun about the sun beating down on you. If your car does not have tinted windows, you should invest in a car sunshade for your little one(s).

Car Sun Shade Price

Insulated Cooler Bag

Insulated cooler bags have been a part of our lives since our son was born. We needed to keep his breastmilk cold after I pumped while traveling.

Now that our baby is no longer a baby, we use the cooler for his snacks. He LOVES to eat, so we like to have food packed and ready before starting a road trip with our toddler.

This cooler bag is leakproof and can hold up to 50 pounds, that’s more than enough to hold our toddler while on a road trip. The cooler is also collapsible so, it doesn’t take up much space in your trunk.

Insulated Cooler Bag Price

First Aid Kit

No products found.

A first aid kit is one of those things that you know you need, but somehow always forget to buy.

I know my wife has been telling me for over six months to get a first aid kit, and I say okay, but somehow I always forget to buy it.

If anyone is interested, I purchased this first aid kit for our move to Mexico. I am sure we’ll have this kit for years, which is perfect because that’ll be the next time I will remember to buy another one.

Laundry Bag (For Dirty Clothes)

When traveling on a road trip with a toddler, you will have a lot of dirty clothes.

Our son goes through at least two shirts a day, almost every day because he loves to take dirt baths outside. Since we know, he will likely be dirty before his first nap we always pack a laundry bag .

Packing a laundry bag allows us to keep dirty clothes separated from clean clothes. Trust me, getting dressed will be a lot easier if you separate; your clothes.

When you return home, you can throw the clothes from the laundry bag into the washer without having to unpack other items.

This tip is for all of my procrastinators because I love packing for vacation, but hate unpacking when returning from vacation.

Travel Laundry Bag Price

Portable Diaper Changing Pad

I used to think portable diaper changing pads weren’t needed and were a ploy to get you to buy more baby stuff you don’t need, I was wrong.

Our portable changing pad has been a lifesaver ever since our toddler has decided he no longer likes getting his diaper changed.

Not only is it cleaner than using the changing table in the restroom, but it is also less risky.

The surface is waterproof, so it is easy to clean with wipes. The large pockets give you enough storage; for extra diapers and wipes. There is a padded cushion; to keep your little one comfortable.

Related Post: Best Travel Potty for Toddlers

Portable Diaper Changing Pad Price

Diaper Changing Story

While at the airport, I was changing our son in the restroom. I turned around for less than ten seconds to grab more wipes because there was a lot more poop than expected, and by the time I turned back, he was about to jump off the changing table.

It felt like everything was in slow motion because I caught him mid-jump, and he thought it was hilarious.

From that moment on, we have been using a portable diaper pad, closer to the ground.

Related Post: Best Travel Backpacks for Toddlers & Older Kids

Toddler Road Trip Snack Essentials

There is nothing our kid loves more than eating. Our lives revolve around making sure he has snacks, and that he eats on time. If his food isn’t ready, we know an epic tantrum is coming.

His temper tantrums are the reason snacks are number one on our road trip packing list.

Stainless Steel Insulated No-Spill Sippy Cup

We love our son’s no-spill sippy cup. We do not go anywhere without his cup.

It has made our lives so much easier because he can no longer pour out his water. The latest improvement is the stainless steel insulated sippy cup .

This cup can keep drinks cooler, compared to other cups for up to 15 hours. It is a win/win scenario for everyone, cold drinks with no mess.

Stainless Steel Insulated No-Spill Sippy Cup Price

Snack Catcher with Lid

If you haven’t noticed, we love Munchkin brand products. They are the only brand that our son hasn’t conquered in terms of making a mess.

The snack catcher with a lid is our go-to for snack time. This cup is designed to keep snacks inside the bowl and requires them to take out a few at a time.

The lid helps keep the snacks fresh, so they are exposed to air and become stale.

Snack Catcher with Lid Price

Toddler Snack Bowls

Last update on 2024-03-26 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Reusable Food Pouch

If you aren’t using reusable snack pouches , you are missing out on savings. We buy jars of yogurt, apple sauce, puree, and sometimes ice cream to fill these pouches.

It is a lot cheaper to buy the larger containers and fill the pouches than it is to buy them individually.

Not only are you saving money, but you are helping the environment by producing less waste.

All you have to do is fill them, clean them, and store them for next time. We’ve been using these since our son was nine months and do not plan on stopping anytime soon.

Note: You can prefill the pouches and put them in the freezer for a few days. Take them out the night before your road trip, and give them to your toddler. They will love them.

Tip: This is also how we get him to eat veggies if he’s being too picky. We blend apple sauce with some veggies and he doesn’t taste the difference. 

Reusable Food Pouch Price

Flipping Holder

We recently discovered the  flipping holder ,  and it has been a game-changer. Our son loves making a mess, so we needed something to hold his pouches, so he’d stop making a mess.

The flipping holder lets him hold his pouches without spilling them everywhere. They not only work on snack pouches but they can also be used for juice boxes or Capri Sun.

Flipping Holder Price

Related Post: 50 Road Trip Activities for Toddlers

Reusable Storage Bags

We are making an effort to use more eco-friendly, sustainable products. To cut down on our waste as a family on the move, we switched to  reusable storage bags.  

As we all know, traveling with a toddler means you always need to be prepared with snacks . Whatever snacks we need to pack for the little one, we use these storage bags.

Related Post: 20 Toddler Travel Essentials

Reusable Storage Bags Price

TODDLER ROAD TRIP ENTERTAINMENT

Our #1 tip when traveling with a toddler is, have a lot of road trip entertainment or activities. Toddlers are little balls of energy, so sitting in a car seat or booster seat for several hours isn’t appealing.

To keep them from getting frustrated, you must have a lot of different activities to keep them entertained.

Car rides aren’t fun for them, so creating road trip games , packing toys, and having different entertainment is an easy way to keep the tantrums, frustration, and boredom at bay.

Related Post: 20 Screen-Free & Fun Toys for Toddlers for Long Road Trips 

Kids Fire HD Tablet

Before tablets came about, I remember our van having a tv with VHS for us to watch movies during long road trips. Thanks to advancements in technology, tablets for kids have made traveling with a toddler easier.

We download learning sing-along shows, movies, and music for our toddler to watch and listen to throughout the road trip.

To keep his screen time at a minimum, we only allow him to watch his tablet in one-hour increments.

If he watches a show for one hour, he then has to play with toys, draw, or color for at least an hour. This way, we keep him engaged, and he is not spending hours on his tablet.

A single charge can last up to 12 hours, so the tablet can be used for a few days before needing to be charged.

Amazon Fire Tablet Price

Related Post: Best Tablets for Toddlers

Toddler Headphones

Headphones keep me from going insane as a parent.

I can only listen to the same song so many times before I feel like my ears are going to start bleeding.

Toddler’s headphones will keep you sane you need them if you plan on taking a road trip with a toddler.

The headphones we use are Bluetooth but have a wire included, just in case the battery dies.

We purchased these headphones because they are more durable compared to other brands.

Our baby Hulk has broken three pairs of headphones (snapped by the earphone), and so far, these have held up.

Related Post: Best Headphones for Toddlers

iClever BTH02 Toddler Headphones Price

LeapFrog Builders

We do not go anywhere without toys. Recently, our son has gotten into blocks. Since he has been excited about stacking, we purchased the LeapFrog Builders , and they are amazing.

The blocks are large enough for a toddler and easy to connect and pull apart. The best thing is, the blocks help him learn.

There is an interactive cube that helps them learn numbers, fruits, shapes, animals, and people.

These blocks aren’t just for boys; these blocks are for toddlers of any age to help them learn and grow. I just purchased two sets for our big move to Mexico next week.

Related Posts: Toys to Keep Toddlers Busy on a Road Trip

LeapFrog Blocks Price

Coolplay Alphabet Water Cards

One of our favorite mess-free activities for our son is the  coolplay alphabet water cards.  

I like that these cards are attached, so it’s less likely they’ll get lost. Plus, he can’t draw on the walls, doors, or floor.

They don’t use ink, just water, so they are safer than other markers. Each card is double-sided with letters on the front and words on the back, to help your toddler learn the alphabet, then transition to reading.

Coolplay Alphabet Water Cards Price

Related Post: The 25 Best Travel Toys for Toddlers

Double-Sided Busy Boards

Busy boards are one of my favorite toys for toddlers. They help them learn hand-eye coordination, problem-solving, fine motor skills, and getting dressed.

This  double-sided busy board  is perfect for toddlers learning how to tie their shoes, button their shirts, and zip up their jackets.

This learning toy also comes with a travel bag for your little one to carry.

Double-Sided Busy Boards Price

Related Posts

50 Road Trip Activities to Keep Your Toddler Entertained

20 Must-Have Items for Traveling with a Baby

Wondering What to Bring to Xcaret? We Got You Covered

The Perfect Baby Travel First-Aid Kit

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Long car journey with a 2 year old toddler | Tips & activities

Since Toddler H was born almost 3 years ago we’ve done quite a few long car journeys to family and grandparents. A long car journey with a baby, never mind a long car journey with a toddler are rather different to the road trips hubby and I used to do. We now have to adapt our perspectives, time scales, and boot sizes! We really think we should have travelled and  flew more than we did with Toddler H, and so plan to with Baby B. Several of my tips for flying with a toddler also apply to road trips, so do check that post out too here . So, given Christmas is approaching and that inevitably means families travelling to see each other, I thought I’d pop my top tips for a long car journey with a 2 year old toddler into a blog post. Most also apply to 18 months plus, and probably 3 year olds too (UPDATE: I can confirm these long road trip tips still work with a 5 year old!). So really these are tips for car journeys with a preschooler!

(Some links below are Amazon Affilliate links, others are reviews and posts I’ve written previously)

Tips for a long car journey with a 2 year old toddler

1. New magazine

This is my favourite tip – at your first stop let them choose a magazine. Yes even a £5 one with a bunch of toys. Those toys will keep them very busy for hours.

This tip also works as a bribe to keep them going an extra half hour (or more), unless they’re yelling for the toilet!

2. Small snacks

Pop lots of small snacks in separate pots/ Nom Nom snack bags so they don’t eat too much at once.

3. Two lunch boxes

Pack a lunch box so they can eat a sandwich and snacks and also you have one in reserve if you get stuck in traffic. It also keeps them occupied and a hungry child is never good!

4. Limit drinks

Try to limit drinks in the half hour before you leave, then take several cups that only have 2-3 inches of water/squash in them. This means when they drink one you should be able to get 20 minutes until the next stop is needed. It also means they don’t drink too much, and feel sick or just really need a wee. A child screaming for the toilet on the motorway is never good.

5. Buckle toy

We used a homemade version of this buckle toy on our plane journeys too, but it mostly lives in the car. Let little one to the buckets up, matching the colours. We’ve also added zips and poppers to ours, which I made. So I’ll add a tutorial to the tutorials page ASAP!

6. Water colouring book

We love these water colouring books – mess free and occupy little one nicely.

7. Toddler laptop

Singing and learning songs and the abc’s are perfect car entertainment. Toddler H’s little Leap Frog toy laptop is a brilliant toy to bring out part way through the journey once the other toys have worn off. We love educational toys and singing toys. The road noise also dulls the sounds, which is brilliant from the front seats.

UPDATE: now H is 5, on long journeys with older children, ipads, Kindle Fire’s and tablets also work, but we usually try to keep them until the novelty of the magazine has worn off. On a trip from Cheltenham to Scotland I’d hope to keep them hidden until Lancaster. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t! 

8. Home comforts – a blanket

Toddler H has a Peppa fleece blanket she loves to snuggle with watching TV when she’s tired. We took it on holiday with us to Majorca, and also take it on car journeys so she’s lovely and snug. I’m not sure if it’s the same with all toddlers, but Toddler H loves her home comforts. I guess it’s reassuring and something the same while we’re away in a different place.

Let little one choose their own books to take. You will probably need to limit their choices but, if hey choose them right before leaving the house they’ll generally want to read them.

Of course all toddlers want to take their toys, but like with books, let them choose which they’d like to take and put in their bag themselves. Give them a small bag for his and that way they can reach for the bag and pick their toys during true journey. Again they just chose them so they’ll want to play with them.

11. Kids music CDs 

Make sure to have toddler music on hand to start sing-alongs. We love this kids sing along CD (it had the best Amazon reviews) and wouldn’t travel without it. The Baby Einstein CD is also fab for encouraging sleep – just make sure you have coffee before playing it or you might feel tired too!

UPDATE: Disney CD’s are now a must have, especially the Frozen soundtrack, or Disney hits (Frozen, Moana etc. – the ‘big’ songs). 

12. Sunglasses

My toddler is obsessed with shouting “I need my sunglasses” at the slightest sunshine. We now keep her sunglasses in the car, those screams of “I can’t see, it’s too sunny” aren’t fun.

We do have window blinds but the sun always finds its way round them or through another window.

13. Travel potty

Even if your child has been potty trained for 6 months or more, they will still need the toilet. We found that by stopping in a lay by or in a service station car park we could save time by just using the My Carry Potty – it’s much simpler and quicker than all the time getting in and out of the toilets.

14. Baby wipes

Well I can think of anyone who would go anywhere without baby wipes… Just pop a packet in each car door pocket so they are easily accessible when putting a child in our out of the car, and to hand back of needed.

15. Car changing bag

Have bag ready with a change of clothes, wipes and pants/nappy (and changing mat if required). It makes running into the services for a change much quicker. You can also do a change on a seat or on the parcel shelf if you’re little one is a geeky monkey like Toddler H used to be, always pooing right as we left a service station. One last tip has to be to just be prepared to stop lots. Be prepared to bribe. Be prepared for the journey to take 1.5 times or even double your normal time. Kids definitely add stops to a journey and each stop does add up.

Of course, road trips with toddlers are testing and it’s all about juggling the activities you allow them to play with so they can be occupied the whole time. We do all of the above and then breakout the DVDs and an Amazon Fire kids tablet  or iPad . We always leave them for a very last resort, keen that they find ways to keep entertained instead of watching Peppa Pig on repeat. I say that, but on our last long car journey with toddler H to Scotland, she used the Kidloland app for the last hour and by the end could identify and trace most letters in the alphabet.

I do hope these tips for long car journey with a 2 year old toddler do help… and help if you’ve a journey with a 3 year old coming up too… If you’re after any more ideas my  tips for flying with a toddler , and many from tips for flying with a baby would definitely also apply to road trips so do check them out too!

Stickits – Frozen, My Little Pony & Disney Princess stickers | Review

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Reading Eggs review + 4 week free trial #gifted

Some fab tips here but I especially love the two lunch box ideas because the thought that we won’t get back for dinner time always used to stress me out and this is such a fab way around that! Thanks for linking up to #coolmumclub lovely xoxo

helen gandy

These are awesome tips and out of the box ideas, but I would suggest more tips for winter, such as footmuffs and road coats

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15 HELPFUL TIPS TO ENJOY A ROAD TRIP WITH A TODDLER

Post Summary: 15 tips from full-time road trippers on how to survive, and actually enjoy, a road trip with a toddler or baby. Plus everything you need to bring on the road.

Planning on taking a road trip with a toddler or baby and wondering if it’s an awful idea? I get it. Our first road trip with our baby was when he was five months old and what was supposed to be a six hour drive to visit the grandparents turned into a ten hour drive with five hours of him crying nonstop.

Listening to a crying baby is hard no matter where you are. In your car, when all you want is to desperately arrive at your destination…it’s agony.

Cut to two years later and our little family left our life in California and decided to travel full time from state to state in our car. Are we professionals now at this whole long road trips with toddlers thing or just gluttons for punishment? I like to think a little bit of both.

We are so into road tripping we managed to do a four month cross country road trip with our toddler!

Along the way, we’ve learned a lot about what works and what does not work when going on a road trip with a toddler or baby. Traveling with kids of any age always provides some challenges, but doing a long road trip with a toddler is definitely a step up and requires a good dose of preparation and finesse.

Whether you’re on a road trip with a 4-month-old or a road trip with a two-year-old, this post is perfect for anyone who wants to know what to bring on a road trip with toddlers and simple, actionable tips on how to road trip with a toddler .

NEED MORE ROAD TRIP TIPS? CHECK OUT OUR OTHER POSTS BELOW 160 Fun, Deep, And Sometimes Silly Road Trip Questions The Ultimate Road Trip Food List 40 Road Trip Essentials You Need To Pack 80+ Road Trip Trivia Questions To Cure Boredom 17 Things To Do On A Road Trip To Pass The Time

This post about road tripping with a toddler may contain affiliate links, which means we might earn a small commission if you purchase from them. This is at no extra cost to you. We only recommend products and services we truly think are helpful.

FAVORITES FOR A ROAD TRIP WITH TODDLERS

Favorite Podcast : Kids Short Stories: A Bedtime Show By Mr. Jim Favorite Audible : The Gruffalo Favorite Educational App : Homer

TIPS FOR HOW TO ROAD TRIP WITH A TODDLER

1. KEEP THE ROAD TRIP SHORT

To the best of your ability, try to keep the total driving time 4-6 hours a day. I know that’s not always possible. Sometimes you have a set plan and need to arrive somewhere and don’t have the luxury of taking your time to get there. But if it’s something you can do, we highly suggest it.

For instance, if you are going somewhere that’s 8 hours away, can you break it up into two days and find an interesting midway point to stop at for a night? Perhaps even spend an entire day there and add it to the itinerary? During a two-week road trip from Los Angeles, CA to Sandpoint, ID we were able to fit in interesting cities like Santa Rosa, CA, and Bend, Oregon.

If you’re trying to plan a road trip with a baby and have no set destination in mind, a good idea is to see what’s 4-8 hours away from you within driving distance. Maybe plan a family road trip around that and opt to arrive in two days, rather than one long haul.

We have found that slow travel is the best way to travel with toddlers or babies. It allows for everyone to be less stressed and puts the focus on spending time together rather than accomplishing a lot in a short window of time.

If that’s not something you are able to do due to timing and finances, don’t worry, we have plenty of other road trip with toddler tips up our sleeves.

Follow us on INSTAGRAM for more Family Travel Inspiration

2. TIMING IS EVERYTHING

We have a very set schedule for how we do long car rides with toddlers. We either:

• Fit in about one hour of driving in the late morning and stop for a long lunch at a rest stop or playground. We’ll make sure to play around and get a lot of physical activity before getting in the car at about 30-45 minutes before he typically naps. Thankfully, we have a toddler who sleeps pretty well in his car seat. We can often get 2-3 hours of uninterrupted driving.
• We play really hard with our son in the morning and make sure to get in a lot of physical activity. Then we load him up with carbs (our go-to is always spaghetti) for lunch, do a diaper change, and get him in the car seat about an hour before his regular nap time. When we do this, he usually sleeps for longer, and we can sometimes get 3 hours of napping in.

Many parents swear by nighttime driving when making a road trip with toddlers. The idea is that your toddler will sleep the whole way, and you can potentially avoid all the troubles of driving all day with them.

We’re kind of split on if this is a good idea. Neither of us are too keen on nighttime driving or the idea of arriving super late to our destination. Also, being tired the next day never seemed that appealing to us. Not to mention the genuine fear of falling asleep at the wheel.

Ultimately, the choice is up to each parent and the needs of each family. If your baby doesn’t sleep well in the car, perhaps driving at night would be better when their physical need to sleep is much stronger.

3. ROAD TRIP SNACKS

Snacks are the answer to everything. Are you upset? Have a cracker. Are you bored? Have some cheese. You’re angry that the car seat is too tight? Here’s a pretzel.

I joke. Except…I’m not.

Keeping your little one and their blood sugar at bay is key to keeping a happy road-tripping kid, so come prepared with all the snacks. For babies who are still getting used to solid foods, pre-made baby pouches like these are the best. While eating healthy is a wonderful thing, when going on a road trip with your toddler, we find it’s best to be lenient and let them have some of their favorite snacks.

If you want even more inspiration for road trip snacks, check out our post about the best snacks and meals for a road trip.

4. ROAD TRIP GAMES

Road trips with your kids are a great opportunity to create lifelong memories that you’ll talk about forever. A fun way to create those memories? Road trip games. Keeping everyone entertained and laughing is paramount to making the experience a happy memory.

Admittedly, road trip games with babies aren’t as complex and will be one-sided, but it never hurts to engage with them and get them excited about the journey. Simple games include pointing out the colors of things, counting how many times you see a red car or a game of I spy. It’s more about engaging with them to keep them stimulated and a part of the journey.

With toddlers, there’s an opportunity for more back and forth. Our favorite road trip games to play with toddlers include I spy, would you rather prompts, 20 questions, and a round of fun and silly road trip questions.

For more road trip inspiration here’s our list of 57 road trip questions for families.

5. ROAD TRIP MUSIC

Music is a great tool to keep your “road trip baby” happy. While playing your child’s favorite kids’ music is always a winner, don’t be afraid to try out music that you’ll actually enjoy too! On our road trip along the Blue Ridge Parkway to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park , we played a continuous selection of bluegrass music and Johnny Cash to help get us in the spirit of our surroundings. He loved it! We’d get in the car and I’d ask him, “What do you want to listen to?’ Without fail, my two-year-old would say, “Johnny Cash!”

So while it’s good to have a selection of upbeat kids music, you can also use it as a time to introduce them to other types of music. Pop music is always a great option because it tends to have simple melodies and repetitive hooks.

You can stream from a music service like Amazon Music or Spotify.

6. LISTEN TO AUDIOBOOKS AND PODCASTS

Audiobooks or podcasts are GREAT road trip activities for toddlers. It’s also a great way to lull them into sleep. Before you leave you can peruse through podcasts made for little kids on iTunes or Spotify to see what your kids might like. Make sure to download them before you leave so you don’t have to rely on a strong signal.

Some podcasts your toddlers might like:

• Kids Short Stories: A Bedtime Show By Mr. Jim (Our son loves this one!)
• Deep Blue Sea (Learn about sea creatures, perfect if they enjoy the show Octonauts)
• Story Pirates
• Stories Podcast: A bedtime show for kids of all ages
• Little Stories for Tiny People

You can also opt to do audiobooks through Audible. Audible is Amazon’s audiobook service and like Prime Music, you can do a free trial of the service. Click here to learn more about Audible. Some popular books for toddlers and babies are:

• Where The Wild Things Are
• The Gruffalo
• Dragons Love Tacos
• My Magic Breath

TIP: If the option is available, make sure to download everything on to your phone before you leave so you don’t have to rely on a good signal.

7. ROAD TRIP TOYS

When going on a road trip with a toddler or a baby, bringing old standby toys is always a great option. Even better, bring some new toys they’ve never used. I’m not suggesting you have to spend a lot of money on expensive toys. An easy option is to go to a dollar store or a used children’s store. Another option is to borrow some toys from a fellow parent who doesn’t mind you using them for a week or so.

We suggest keeping the travel toys in a bag with you upfront and doling them out one by one when your child starts to fuss and needs something to focus on. Think of it as your secret tool bag that you dip into only when you need it.

Here are some of our favorite travel toys for babies and toddlers.

• Water Wow Toys are mess-free and inexpensive. This toy is better suited for babies and younger toddlers as it might not hold the attention of an older toddler.
• Reusable stickers from Melissa and Doug are always a great standby. You don’t have to worry about them putting stickers all over the windows and car seat because they’re super easy to peel off.
• Our son LOVED his magnetic doodle board and was one of the only things that kept his attention for more than 5 minutes.
• Links from Manhattan Toy are great simple toys for babies that some young toddlers might enjoy as well. They double as teething toys so they may provide relief if you have the fortune of having a teething baby on your road trip.
• Lacing cards for toddlers give their hands something to fiddle with and helps them to develop their fine motor skills. Plus, if you’ve been reading to them the Hungry Caterpillar book, they’ll love seeing one of their favorite characters in a toy. Check here for prices.
• A travel busy board is a great car seat toy that can keep their little fingers busy trying to latch and unlatch different compartments.

8. FIRST AID KIT

While this won’t help you keep your kid calm, it’s always a good thing to have a fully prepared first aid kit when you’re doing any kind of car travel with toddlers and babies. I prepared a medical kit in preparation for when we left for our year of full-time travel and within 5 months I had already used every item in our bag. There’s always something that comes up. You can buy a fully prepared first aid kit or you can opt to make your own. Some things to include would be:

• Bee Sting Relief
• Antibiotic Ointment
• Kids Tylenol and/or Ibuprofen
• Kids Dramamine
• Thermometer
• Instant Ice Pack
• Antiseptic Cleansing Wipes
• First Aid Tape

9. PACK THE ESSENTIALS

Now that you’ve got your toys and packed your first aid kit, there are a few other things that will make your toddler road trip a success:

• Antibacterial wipes
• Hand sanitizer
• Sunglasses (we love these for toddlers and babies )
• Sunblock (even though you’re inside, the sun can be just as powerful shining through the window.)
• Diaper changing mat (we like to use this one for babies, but in a jam, a swaddle or towel can work as well)
• Travel potty for the potty training toddlers
• Blanket and/or comfort stuffed animal
• Headsets (Perfect for when you want them to listen to music or watch a show and you don’t want to hear the noise. We love these for babies and toddlers since they’re small and kids can easily fall asleep wearing them.)
• Having an organization system will help to create order amongst all the road trip supplies. We like this  back seat organizer  with SO MANY pockets for all your gadgets, notebooks, and snacks. We particularly like that it has a tablet holder. You can put a movie on without them having to hold the device the entire time.

For a thorough list of road trip essentials check out our post on the ultimate Road Trip Packing List.

10. COMFY CLOTHES

This may feel obvious, but make sure to dress your child comfortably for the car ride. Loose-fitting breathable tops and pants so their bodies can be as relaxed as possible. I can’t imagine sitting in a constricted car seat is comfortable, especially for agile toddlers who need to move around as much as possible. You can even dress them in their pajamas to help coax them towards sleeping in the car.

11. FOLLOW THEIR LEAD

When going on road trips with toddlers and babies, we have found it’s best if we follow their lead to maintain a calm car ride. If he’s getting fussy, instead of forcing another hour of driving, we know to stop and do what he needs to keep his mood stable. Perhaps that’s eating lunch, doing another round of diaper changes, or running around to get his body moving. We’ve learned that keeping him in an even state, keeps everyone happy. Road tripping with a baby means you might have to let go of the strict agenda. Be open to taking lots of breaks when needed and everyone will be happier!

12. GET IN THE BACK SEAT

A great idea when driving long distances with toddlers and babies is to get in the back seat with them. Since their car seats face away from the front of the car, your baby might be soothed by visually seeing you. I did it on my first road trip with my five-month-old baby and it was helpful….until it wasn’t and he cried for five hours. But it might work for you!

Reading books to them or just being able to see you could go a long way toward keeping them content.

13. YOUR ATTITUDE IS EVERYTHING

Keeping a sunny attitude will go a long way towards keeping morale up in the car. If something happens, say a tire blows out or a baby has a blowout, keeping a calm steady demeanor will help to keep everyone in a good mood. Our child is such a sponge for the energy around him that if we let our hot-headed ways (and yes, we are both hot-headed) get the best of us, then it isn’t long until our little one starts going off the deep end with us.

The last thing I want my kid to feel is that road trips are NOT fun. So we try to make it fun by channeling our best ability to “go with the flow.”

14. LET GO OF THE RULES

Whenever you’re traveling with young kids and especially when doing a road trip with toddlers, it’s okay to let go of rules a little. You’re on vacation, so if you have to give them extra snacks or let them stay up later than usual…it’s okay.

For us, the main goal of car trips with toddlers is to ensure the most easeful and stress-free journey. If that means giving him a bag of gummy worms, so be it. At home, he gets plenty of structure and healthy food, so a few allowances aren’t going to ruin all the well-laid rules we’ve set down. This leads me to my final tip for traveling with toddlers by car.

15 ALL HAIL THE TABLET

Use a tablet.

I promise you it’s okay. I know we’re all trying to reduce screen time, but on a road trip where you want to stop a meltdown, don’t be afraid to use it. If it works, it works. I believe that parenting isn’t defined by one singular moment in time but rather by the values and habits you consistently uphold. If all your toddler does is play on an iPad, yeah…you might want to consider reducing it, but a few times on a road trip…it’s fine you guys.

I would suggest using the iPad as a final tactic. If the above tips don’t work, then hand it over and call it a day.

You can preload it with educational toddler apps and already downloaded movies from Netflix. Our favorite App to use is Homer . I used to do free apps because I didn’t want to dish out the money, but they were always glitchy and bombarded with ads. Plus, they make those apps so that the kids are continually led into wanting to buy the paid version. I found it’s better to buy a high quality app that offers fantastic content that is continually being updated. I like that Homer has animated popular books and teaches them in a fun and engaging way. My son loves it! You can try out the free trial for 30 days here.

I also like to use a thick toddler-proof cover like this to keep the iPad safe. Also, if it’s any consolation I grew up in the ’80s when every parent’s idea of a babysitter was plopping their kids in front of a TV screen. And we all managed to turn out okay! Right? Right?

I hope you use all these tips on how to road trip with a toddler and have the ultimate family adventure! Let us know if you have any great tips in the comments below.

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Hi, we’re Christina and Brad, Idaho based writers and photographers who live to explore. We did a short stint of traveling full time with our two year old and discovered we're much happier as part time nomads. What does that mean? We travel a lot! And then we go home. We love helping fellow parents and everyday adventurers discover new places and experiences.

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25 Easy Road Trip Activities for Toddlers & Preschoolers

Packed for Life contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase using one of these links, we may receive compensation at no extra cost to you. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Disclosure policy for more info.

Road tripping with kids? The thought of entertaining  toddlers and preschoolers on long car rides can have even the most laid back of parents reconsidering their trip. Which is why I’ve gathered our tried and true easy and fun road trip activities for toddlers and preschoolers. 

After years of taking road trips for summer holidays, to visit family and to move across the country I have some pretty cool tips, tricks and ideas to make your next road trip more fun, and less stressful for everyone.

Practice and preparation are key. The more you do it, the more your can’t sit still in one place for even 2 minutes toddler or preschooler will know what to expect, and the easier it will become. In our experience, the best kids car activities are easy, mess free and something they can do on their own.

Here are what we think are the best road trip activities for 2-year-olds, 3-year-olds, and preschoolers 3-5 years old that you can buy, make or do yourself. Plus some road trip tips to make your family’s journey smoother.

  FUN TODDLER ROAD TRIP ACTIVITIES

Don’t forget to grab our Road trip planner so you can stop stressing about trip planning & logistics, and keep everything organized and in one place. Other tips:

• Use a surface to play / color on : You can use a small shallow box, a small metal baking tray or a car seat activity tray like this one . But don’t stress if you don’t have one. We’ve done many family road trips without an activity tray.
• Plan ahead: The trick I’ve found is to plan ahead and have a variety of activities you (and they) can pick and choose from.
• Small, easy age appropriate activities: Toddlers and preschoolers don’t always have long attention spans, so we’ve found that lots of smaller activities can really save the day.
• You know your kids best. Choose one’s you think they’d like.

If you have babies in the family too, these are some of the best travel toys for babies to keep them happy & entertained.

1. Mini Coloring Kits 

Coloring activities were always a favorite for our kids. To manage the likelihood of said toddlers throwing crayons around, keep only a few in a small container they can easily open. 

If you are short on time (who isn’t?), then mini coloring kits like these  were always a hit when our youngest was little. 

Or you can make your own.

• Grab a small empty first aid kit from the Dollar Store or local box store like Target or Walmart.
• Hot glue gun a square post-it pad on the inside (top).
• Put in a couple of crayons, or pencil crayons. Whatever fits.  Learn how here .

2. Mess Free Coloring – Melissa and Doug Wow Books

We’ve loved these WOW books for years. Super handy to keep the kids entertained on long or short car rides, at restaurants, or even much needed quiet time at home.

No mess! Your littles will just paint with the water brush and color appears. 

Melissa and Doug have lots of great products for toddlers and preschoolers. 

3. Best Road Trip Kids Activities: Kids Activity Books

I created these fun kids activity books to help keep your kids (& my own) from saying “are we there yet?!?!?” every 30 seconds.

Sometimes you just have those long stretches of road you need to get through. Plus they are educational, and screen free.

What are their interests? Try one of these kids car activities:

• Dinosaur coloring book with fun dino-facts
• Magical Unicorn Activity Book
• Baby Animal Mazes and Coloring

4. Scavenger Hunt

Your kidlets will be spending lots of time looking out the window. Why not get them to do a scavenger hunt. My youngest always loves doing this, even now that she’s much older.

Or if they are a little older, this  Road Trip Bingo game would be a fun car activity. 

PRO TIP : What always worked well for us is to have a travel backpack for each kid. Inside they can keep all their toys, books, road trip activities & some snacks all in one place. Check out our list of the best travel backpacks for kids and toddlers.

5. Magnetic Puzzles 

Anything magnetic will help reduce tears from having their pieces fall on the floor every 5 seconds where you can’t reach. Just make sure there are no small magnets or pieces for them to swallow. 

Magnetic puzzles or Magnetic dress up kits will keep them busy and entertained for a good long while.  

6. Toddler Busy Books

If you have the time, there are a lot of super cute, and fun DIY busy books you can make out there.

But if you aren’t so crafty, or are short on time, this Montessori busy board is ready for your toddlers to have fun in the car. While they also learn key motor skills to help them dress themselves.

7. Seek and Find Books or Hidden Picture Books

We always used to hit up the library before heading out on a road trip.

Seek and Find Books and My First Hidden Picture books are always a crowd pleaser. One that keeps our kids busy for up to an hour or more some days.

8. Wiki Stixs

Sticky, bendy sticks you can make trains, cars, flowers, bracelets anything your kids can imagine out of. 

Check out this cool Wikki Stixs article for more fun ideas .

9. Magnetic Drawing Board

A no mess road trip activity for toddlers & kids.

The Magnetic Drawing Board can be a great sensory toy, and a relaxing screen free activity for the car. Put on some road trip music, and the kids will have focused fun for a long time.

10. Boogie Board – Reusable Writing Pad

Best gift ever. A Boogie board is an LCD writing tablet that comes with a special pen (stylus) you can draw on and erase over and over again.

You may want to consider grabbing an extra stylus or two, given these tend to get lost or thrown on the floor of the car. Yes, I am speaking form experience.

11. Reusable Sticker Books

Kids love stickers. A reusable sticker book is even better as they can move their stickers around more than once. Plus you don’t have to worry about peeling stickers off car windows, your seats or somebodies hair. Guess how I know?!?!

Melissa and Doug make great ones. Including these super cute make-a-face sticker books .

12. Screen Time – Watch Movies & Play Games

When little Miss S was younger we tried to avoid much screen time if we could. However sometimes you need a little something to distract them when they get antsy. The IPad or a tablet does make an easy kids car activity. 

You can load up some episodes of their favorite tv show, or a toddler / preschooler friendly movie or two. It’s good to have as a back up,  just in case. Give yourself some grace, and a break. Traveling in confined space for 13 hours with young kids is exhausting. 

Grab a subscription to the Family Amazon Prime or Disney Plus for the month. With Prime you get music and movie/ tv streaming.

Some toddler & preschooler friendly apps we loved, or that come highly recommended:

• LEGO Duplo Trains
• Toca Monster or Toca Nature
• Very Hungry Caterpillar
• Daniel Tiger
• Busy Shapes
• Khan Academy Kids
• Epic – Reading App

13. Listen to Podcasts 

Podcasts are a great way to keep young children focused and happy. Now that my daughter is a little older, she still likes listening to them while she draws, cleans her room or for those long travel days by lane or car. Some of our favourites include:

• Wow in the World
• Story Pirates
• What If World

14. Listen to Audiobooks

I almost said books on tape….Showing my age there. Listening to audiobooks is another great way to skip the screens on long car rides and family road trips. And avoid the hoarse raspy voice from having to read Peppa Goes to Ballet Class for the 7 gazillionth time. Ask me how I know!

Grab an Try Audible Plus if you want to listen to adult books too. Or the Epic reading app just for the kids. 

You may also like the Best Walkie Talkies for Road Trips

15. Create a Road Trip Playlist

Think epic 80’s tape mix, but for the 2020’s and the younger crowd. My partner is the DJ in our family. He has an eclectic taste in music; everything from German metal bands to classical music, country, ska and pop.

You don’t have to be stuck to just kids music from Sesame Street (unless you want to be.)

Play Old School Car Games

Sometimes the simplest things are the easiest, and cost the least. Pull out some of those old school games you used to play on road trips when you were a kid.

16. License Plate Game

See if you can spot license plates from all the States (if in the US), or provinces / Territories (if in Canada. Whoever spots it first gets the point. The one with the most points wins at the end. Or skip the points. 

17. Story Time 

Invent a story as a family. Each person takes a turn telling part of the story with a sentence or two. Create your own fairytale…start with once upon a time. You can make a time limit for the story, say 10 minutes, or after each family member has had a chance to say 3-5 sentences. 

If ever there was a game that evokes summer vacations and riding  in the back seat of my childhood car, squished between my brothers to keep them from fighting, it’s I Spy.

One person chooses an object, and the rest of the players have to guess what it is. 

19. Road Trip Questions & Would You Rather

Road trips are a great time to ask your kids about the world and their thoughts. You never know how they  will respond, but there is guaranteed smiles and laughter.

Especially if you start a round of would you rather…… Would you rather have to drink everything from your nose or eat everything with your belly button…. 

Check out our list of road trip questions to ask. 

DIY Road Trip Activities for Kids

When I had more time ( and energy), I made all sorts of DIY travel activities for my youngest when she was a toddler and preschooler. Pinterest has lots of great low-cost DIY ideas , if you are looking for screen free, fun car activities. 

I used to put these in their own individual soft pencil case to keep them organized. If you grab the ones with holes, you can make a travel binder to keep your kids road trip activities all in one spot. 

20. Popsicle Sticks with Velcro

Grab a pack of popsicle sticks (multi colored for more visual interest), and stick-on those velcro circles from a craft store or the dollar store. Stick the velcro circles on each end of the popsicle sticks. Your toddler can then make different shapes with them. Little Miss S loved this one the best out of all the DIY road trip activities I made. 

21. Make A Word Popsicle Sticks

Continuing along the popsicle theme, create sight word popsicle sticks. You will need:

• Metal tin or lunch box or small cookie sheet in a pinch
• Popsicle sticks 
• Roll of magnetic tape
• Sheet of pictures with simple words underneath they can make (optional). 

Attach pieces of magnetic tape to the popsicle. Write letters with a sharpie on each popsicle stick. Have your kids try to make words out of the letters.

Or alternately, you can  use a First Words magnetic poetry kit , or magnetic letters. Just make sure they’re old enough not to swallow anything.

22. Lego Mini Boxes

Make use of all that lego that is underfoot and driving you crazy. You can grab most of the crafting items cheaply at the dollar store. What you’ll need for mini lego boxes:

• Small square plastic lunch container with lid
• Small square thin lego board
• Handful of lego pieces

Glue the base lego board to the lid, put a handful of lego pieces in the plastic container once dry, and there you go. Cheap and easy in car entertainment for kids. 

Or if for some reason you don’t have lego (tell me your secret!) grab this travel lego building case 

23. Rolling, Rolling, Rolling Spools of Ribbon

Unrolling and then rolling back up spools of ribbon can be a fun toddler car activity that can be used again and again. You may just have to be the one that rolls it back up though.

24. Pom Pom Skills Activities

Get those fine motor skills working. Pom Pom tweezer activities can be fun. What you will need:

• Big and small pom poms
• 3-4 small plastic cups ( take out sauce sizes) 
• Kid friendly tweezers

Get your kids to sort by color, or number of pom poms into the empty plastic cups. 

25. Make Cereal Bracelets or Necklaces

Give your kids some cheerios or fruit loops and a pipe cleaner and have them make cheerio bracelets. Bonus, they can have a snack when they get hungry.

But we forewarned – it can be messy.

26. Play with Glow Sticks

If you are driving at night, kids will get a kick out of playing with glow sticks. 

27. Joke Books

Bring out the jokes! Whether you are naturally funny….come on, parent jokes are the best, or need a little help, everyone will be smiling. 

Here’s a great option for kids 3 to 6.  

PREPARING FOR YOUR FAMILY ROAD TRIP

Quick Tips for successful road trips with kids aged 2 to 5

Taking long car rides with kids can be challenging and exhausting. Here are a few of my family’s tips that I use to make our road trips easier:

• Age appropriate road trip entertainment – Make sure your road trip activities are age appropriate and suit your child. 
• Bring a variety of kids road trip activities you can switch out regularly
• Begin your day with some quick & easy road trip breakfast ideas
• Start your day early  – There’s usually a sweet spot where kids are still happy in the mornings. Start earlier, and they may even nap for a bit in the car. 
• Make frequent stops to let the kids run around and use the washroom.
• Prioritize some fun kid friendly stops along the way your children will enjoy. A trip to the zoo, a cool playground,  a short hike or a stop for ice cream.
• Drive less each day if you can.
• Load up on kid friendly road trip meals & snacks – hangry kids are no fun!
• Prepare for the unexpected. Bring a first aid kit, a clean up kit (wet wipes, hand sanitizer, extra clothes, small garbage bucket), and a container in case a kid gets sick.
• Bring a couple of large towels – Clean up unexpected diaper explosions, or use as picnic blankets, rolled up as a pillow and even shade for a back window. 
• Check out our camping with kids hacks – to make camping easier and more enjoyable for everyone.

Conclusion: Kids Car Activities 

You really can have fun family road trips with young kids. We’ve made so many fun memories on road trips with our littles. They often bring up special or funny moments we’ve had long after the road trip is finished.

But if you’re planning a long drive with a toddler or preschooler, make sure you plan some great road trip activities to keep them entertained. You’ll be glad you did.

Preparing for your Road Trip

• Road trip packing list essentials for the family
• Yummy Road trip snacks. Kid (and adult) approved!
• Summer travel tips to stay on budget & maximize family fun
• How to save money on road trips (and not miss out)

Donna Garrison is the founder of Packed for Life, an ever curious traveler with a passion for making memories with her family. With a unique perspective on travelling on a budget gathered over 30 years, 20 countries and 5 continents she gives families the tools & resources they need to experience the joys of travelling more for less through practical solutions. She helps over 20,000 families a month plan & take the family travel, camping and road trip adventures of their dreams in Canada, the USA and around the world. Contact her at: Donna [at] packedforlife.com

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Clever ways to pack for Road trip with kids: Family + Toddler essentials packing list (FREE downloadable Checklist )

Road trip with kids – things to pack and prep (for local trips and abroad).

Though not always, but sometimes we do travel impulsively and make plans on the go. But packing for a road trip isn’t a hassle for us as we frequently go on long drives and quick packing has become a routine. We have been road tripping with our son since he was 5 months and it feels proud to say that he is a travel bug like us too! He has travelled to more than 10 countries as of now and many more to come. We learn new things from the challenges thrown in every trip we take and that has made us almost perfect this art of packing – by adding new things to our checklist and deleting some as the child grows. Initially I used to get blank thinking what to take on a road trip. Are you too wondering what to pack for a road trip with kids, then read on. We recently returned from a road trip and I was tempted to write this article on how we pack – some tips and tricks and how be prepared for a packing list for   road trip with kids. (Scroll down for a FREE downloadable checklist)

This above picture is from our road trip in Iceland. Read more about it here.  We have road tripped in Italy and Croatia too. In India, we have travelled extensively on road. We have road tripped 6000 km from Bangalore to Rajasthan and 10,000 km from Bangalore to  Ladakh !

Road trip in Croatia

My lil one posing on a Road trip in Italy . He was 3 when we did a self drive trip in Italy

Road tripping Slovenia

Rajasthan Road trip

Our Punto in Ladakh

We being so upbeat about road trips, has reflected upon our son too. He’s all geared up and excited about every trip we take and pesters us constantly for a trip if we haven’t travelled in a while! So, it has been a good learning curve for us to travel with him, learning and adopting to situations on the go. I shall add different checklists for children of different ages , so it can be easy for you to pack what you need without going through a lot of stuff! Let’s get it started!

Basic things to pack for a road trip with kids:

First, let’s see some common things to pack irrespective of your child’s age. These are some basic things you need for any travel. Again, I shall divide this section into – stuff to pack from home, things to buy and handy things to keep in car . This article also has details on what to bring on a long road trip and ace your road trip with children.

Pin it to your roadtrip Pinterest board:

Family road trip packing list

➡ stuff to pack from home.

These are the things you already have at home (unless you are planning to shop some new clothes :P). So it’s just a matter of pulling our luggage bag and arranging these 🙂

One tip I’d like to give here is – first, decide what stuff goes into your bag and neatly arrange them on your bed. Then, segregate and arrange those into either person specific (like mother, father and baby) or categories (Pants, shirts and tops) or you can even arrange it day wise and then place those into your duffel bag/suitcase. If the trip is for 3-4 days or less, then we do not carry a bulky suitcase but opt for a sturdy  duffel bag like this one . So, let’s see what goes into our road trip items bag.

How to pack for a road trip:

• For Father -> ‘Sets of clothes taken = Number of days in the trip + 1’
• For Mother -> ‘Sets of clothes taken = Number of days in the trip + 2’
• For child -> ‘Sets of clothes taken = Number of days in the trip + 3’ (Takes less space plus always good to have spares in case of emergencies)
• P.S: Sets here refer to – pants + shorts/kurta + undergarments
• For grandparents, they pack it themselves, so I leave it to them.
• Out of these, I keep one set for each of us outside so that we can wear it on the day of trip. If we plan to leave home really early in the morning, like 3 AM to 6AM, then I shower my son in the night after an early dinner, slip him in comfortable clothes for the road trip and then put him to sleep. Morning, after he wakes up, he freshens up and is good to go. (Only to sleep again in the car!)
• Apart from casual clothes, I pack one set of night dress for each one of us for every three days of trip. If we are traveling on a road trip abroad, then, I change the formula of the number of clothes I pack. I use the same formula above and divide by 2 and book accommodations which have access to washing machine and then laundry the clothes in the apartment. This is to minimize the luggage taken and to fit into the baggage allowance by airlines.
• We always don’t do luxury trips, sometimes, we do book budget accommodations when we travel to religious places. In those cases, I pack 2-4 towels too depending on the number of days we travel.
• Handkerchiefs
• Newspapers – To separate used clothes from fresh ones
• Toiletries – Toothbrush + small toothpaste + Face wash + Body wash + Shampoo + small tissue roll + few ear buds + emergency sewing kit +  Fevikwik + small bottle of  Coconut oil + small bottle of Castor oil

P.S: The reason I always carry castor oil with me on my travels is a secret that has been passed onto me from my mother. Castor oil is a very good soothing agent. Times when we or the child experience heat pangs, a few drops of castor oil massage on the navel or a nice pat on the top of head with 10-12 drops of castor oil, shows immediate results.

• Make up pouch – Moisturizer + Compact powder + Kajal + Lipstick + Lip liner + Deo/Perfume + Safety pins (for safety :P) + Cotton balls + Nail cutter (Even if I forget it that’s ok, because I always have a small scissors + nail cutter in dashboard of our car)
• Medicines kit – I always have 2 separate kits – one for the tonics/syrups, which constitutes most of all my son’s medicines and another pouch with tablets which contains common medications for cold/cough, fever, headache, body pain, dysentery and vomiting. And my syrup box too contains children medications for the above mentioned conditions. I also carry a small sachet of pain relieving cream like Moov .

I pack these in a hard case, lock and seal, food grade box like this one . My son is 5 years old now and I have been using the same box from 5 years and have taken this to many local and abroad trips, I’ve never had a situation where there was leakage or spillage. I bought it here .

P.S: Since we trip frequently, I have a dedicated kit for Toiletries, Make up pouch and Medicine kit. I have kept smaller versions of whatever I have mentioned in the toiletries section in that kit. All I do is check the expiry date before I leave and replace the ones that have expired or refill the empty ones. For makeup pouch, except the durables like cotton and safety pins, I take out the other stuff and use it daily. As of medicines, I keep them in the kits as it is. If there is a need to use anything, I take it, use it and keep it back. While getting ready for a trip, I recheck the expiry dates and the quantity and note down the stuff I need to buy from the chemist.

• Water – Local trips – Big 20 liter can, 2 big bottles for refilling and small one for the champ.
• Water – for trips abroad – I carry empty water bottles, so we can fill up water as we go.
• Homemade snacks – Tripping with a five year old means that we need to be ready with tasty snacks for frequent hunger pangs of the little one. If it is a short local trip within our state, then we carry some fruits, bread and his favourite biscuits. If it is a long trip, either abroad or a longish trip here covering various states, then we often carry some handy homemade snacks – especially a few chapatis cooked with ghee. This will stay fresh for 3 days and will be a quick fix for my son Rinith’s untimely hunger pangs.

Tip : I always carry a small empty snack box with me when I go on road trips. This will ensure that I can pack some food in case my son doesn’t have mood to eat food when we stop for a restaurant break.

Btw, are you following us on Facebook yet? I put up travel tips like this one below, every Tuesday. So don’t miss those. Like our Facebook page now! Link is here .

• Gadgets – Don’t forget to carry essential gadgets like a nice camera and Go Pro to save the memories which will last forever. Apart from that – phone chargers, laptops, children’s’ tab, their doodle board etc are some other accessories to be taken on a road trip. Maybe I should write an entire post on this. Noted, will do it soon 🙂

➡ Fun things to bring on a road trip

Here are some of my recommendations from Amazon for things that keep children busy on a road trip:

➡ Stuff to buy from outside before setting out on a road trip:

While doing the primary and basic trip packing with stuff already at home, make a list of things you need for a road trip which are missing in our kit and note them down. After I make a comprehensive list, I go for a short drive, stopping at necessary shops, buying required things. And usually, my last stop will be the fuel station. More about this in the next section. Once I source these products, voila, 90% of my road trip packing is complete! Here’s what I usually get:

• Snacks at supermarket or a bakery – for us and the kid – some biscuits, salt crackers, bread, jam, my son’s favourite milkshake and some dry fruits.
• Fruits – Few apples and oranges.
• Medicines – As I mentioned earlier, I check expiry dates of the medicines in my kit and list out the ones that need replacement.

➡ What to bring on a long car ride – Stuff to keep in your car to make it road trip ready:

Just before I get back home , I shall refuel the car to the brim and get the nitrogen levels in tires checked. I also verify that necessary documents like RC papers/car documents, Insurance and emission papers are in place. This time around, the emission test had lapsed, so I got the emission test done too. A quick look to check the condition of the spare tire/stepney is also a good practice.

There are some specific things I always keep in the car dashboard which will help me not only during road trips but also on a usual day as a mom!

– Things to bring on a long car ride – Roadtrip packing list

• Hand Sanitizer
• Nail cutter
• Plastic bags for puke situations (You never know when the child will have a bad stomach day!)
• A small Swiss knife ( to cut Apples/Mangoes)
• Small foldable scissors
• Car phone chargers ( This one has over 10,ooo reviews on Amazon! )
• USB loaded with our favourite songs (I’m so talkative that we hardly turn it on! :D)
• Tissue papers
• Some dry tablet tissues which make great glass cleaners when dipped in water.
• A small pouch with moisturiser and hair clips
• First aid kit
• A paper bag – to collect wrappers and garbage in general to dispose into the bin once home.

Tip: I usually have a few paper bags which we get at supermarkets in the vegetable section. These serve as eco-friendly garbage bins in car.

While these go into the dashboard, let’s see what stuff we have in our boot.

• A car electric tire inflator
• Puncture kit
• Spare tire/Stepney
• Spare cloth to clean car

You can even add a Jump Starter cable to this list. In spite of my constant pestering, Neetan talks me out of buying this!

Age specific : Road trip with kids packing list

Now that we are sorted with basic things everyone needs to pack for a road trip, let’s look at the specifics. I shall try to segregate and make a list of things needed to pack according to the age of the child . Once the child is over 10-12 years, their packing list almost resembles ours and doesn’t require much thought. I can say this with confidence because often my sister-in-law’s kids accompany us on some road trips and packing their stuff is as easy as ours! So, I shall concentrate more on babies and young children. Below you will find Road trip tips with kids for all ages. Hope you make the most of this list.

Also read: Tips for flying with kids

Road trip essentials for kids

➡ Infants – Newborns to 1 year

Travelling with newborns is quite a challenge but definitely not impossible. A little preparation prior the trip to keep things handy and we will be good to go. Let me list out some things that I used to take on my road trips when my son was an infant . I will link some products to Amazon, you may click on the product and check those on Amazon.

• Hand tissues
• Formula milk
• Bin bags or paper bags from supermarkets which comes in handy to keep soiled diapers.
• Baby food – Cerelac or similar
• Potty chair/ baby toilet seat – I started potty training my son when he was 9-10 months old.
• Spare set of clothes handy – for baby and mom
• Mittens and socks
• Warmers, Sweaters, coats and warm wraps.
• Teethers for babies
• Medicines for colic aid, fever, Vicks baby rub, nasal drops. Just in case the baby is ill or for immediate relief in case of emergency in a long road trip.
• Cotton swabs
• Coconut oil or baby oil
• Cotton bedding for the baby
• Baby carrier bag
• Water bottle
• Flask – to keep hot/warm water handy.
• Car seat for the baby
• Foldable Stroller
• A small cooker – I used to carry a small cooker to cook rice and dal for him once he was 10 months. This made my travel easier as a well fed baby is a happy baby.
• A baby food maker – I so wish this product was around when my son was an infant. A best buddy introduced me to this product recently and I was blown away how easy it is to make fruit/vegetable purees for babies. Do check it out.

➡ Toddlers – 12 months to 36 months Checklist:

Children grow and as they do so, some things need to be added while travelling with toddlers and a few might be left out – like cerelac, teethers, mittens and so on. Here’s the detailed list on possible things to take while traveling with a toddler:

• Diapers – If they haven’t been potty trained yet.
• Water proof sheets – to put under their bedding in case of bed wets.
• Potty chair/ baby toilet seat
• Warmers, Sweaters, coats and warm blankets.
• Medicines for fever, cold, Vicks baby rub and nasal drops. Just in case the baby is ill or for immediate relief in case of emergency in a long road trip.
• Water bottle/ sipper
• A small cooker
• A baby food maker
• Snacks – that can be nibbled when they get cranky or some untimely hunger pangs like chocos, biscuits, fruits, dry fruits.
• In car entertainment for toddlers – Small toys or building blocks to keep them occupied.

My baby sleeping comfortably in the back seat 🙂

➡ Pre-schoolers – 3-5 years

This time around, we can drop a lot of things from our packing list. By the time they are 3, the child would have grown wiser and it would be easier for parents to manage kids. They will understand our words and signs and will try reciprocate accordingly. They start to walk effortlessly without much fatigue and they would have grown stronger. They also would have adjusted to our food habits hence eliminating the necessity to cook separately for them. So let’s see what to pack for a road trip with preschoolers .

• More toys/games (especially newer ones so that they can be engaged for a longer duration)
• Comfortable pillow and a small blanket
• Warm clothing
• A small empty lunch box in case they are not in a mood to eat when we stop at the restaurant
• Their favourite snacks
• Color pencils and color books
• A children’s backpack to make them feel responsible.

Once children cross the preschooler age , packing for them will not be much different from ours except the fact that we need to change the games and toys in which they will be engaged during the time we are on the road. I do not give a tab or a mobile phone to my son while we are road tripping as it is highly addictive and hampers his creativity and drastically reduces his attention towards the surrounding nature. He has an educational tab with limited functionality such as spelling alphabets, numbers and shapes. He gets bored out of it very easily and gets hands on it rarely. It is so much better than handing over a cell phone or a tab with lots of games and videos. It will silence them for sure but do we want our children to be silent or want them to ask more questions? Once in a while some digital indulgence is ok, but on a road trip, where we want to get away from the mundane life and want our child to experience new things, it’s not fine at all. Instead, I talk to him. I tell where we are going, what he can see there and educate him about different crops, trees, and about the places en route. Sorry for some preaching there. It’s just my opinion. To each their own 🙂

So, packing for a long car trips with kids isn’t as difficult as we thought it would be. Right? Things to take on a road trip has now become easy. So, organize things, break them down and tick off each part as you complete. Easy, isn’t it? Watch out for more posts on travelling with kids on this blog. Subscribe for updates and like on Facebook  and Instagram to stay informed about our new posts 🙂

Family Road trip with kids checklist

If you’d like to get a printable copy or a soft copy of the parents guide above, then drop your mail id here and you will receive a FREE copy of Checklist of things to pack when travelling with kids. Even if you don’t print it out, you can keep a soft copy of the PDF on your phone and just open it and tick it off as you pack. So, what are you waiting for? Get your copy of checklist now!

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16 comments

This is such a comprehensive list! We go on roadtrips quite often, and I usually feel a bit unprepared. Saving it for the next time!

Thanks. Glad you found it helpful 🙂

Wow! Super informative, Ashwini. Truly helps me for our first road trip with our little one. Also it was great to read about the number of road trips you have done so far. Thank you for the detailed life hacks list.

Thanks Geeth 🙂 Happy to be of some help 🙂

This is probably the most detailed article written about road trips with kids that I have ever read. And, I have read a lot of such articles. Origami can be a great toy to keep them busy when you don’t want them disturbing you. On top of that, frisbee is an also a great toy for the break time, and it doesn’t require much space as well.

Thanks. Good tips Abby 🙂

Thanks for sharing so much information. Ideas like these are so useful for travel freaks like me! Looking forward to going for a road trip soon! 🙂

Thanks Daniel! Happy road tripping!

This looks so amazing. I love the pictures

Really Really nice to read this. As a mother, your blog is very very useful for me when I do a road trip with my family.

Thanks Kim. Glad it helped 🙂

Hi, This look so amazing. Love the pictures. As a mom it is super useful tips for me. I will keep remember this when we are going for a trip with my whole family. Thanks for your useful article with lots of information.

Thanks a lot Deborah! Happy travelling!

Hi, Thanks for the sharing such an informative article about the road trip with kids. Your guideline is too useful. As a mom, I totally agree with this. Looking forward to going on a road trip soon. I already bookmark your site for future reference.

Thanks Robert 🙂

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20+ Tips to Survive and Thrive on a Road Trip with Kids

A road trip with kids and toddlers can be daunting- here are our top tips to help you survive and thrive! From preparation to activities, to travel hacks, these road trip travel tips will help you navigate a long family road trip with kids and toddlers.

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Table of Contents

Planning Ahead for a Road Trip with Kids

The planning stage of any road trip with kids is key to a smooth ride.

Check out our list of over 75 road trip essentials for our full list of supplies and gear so you are completely prepared for whatever comes your way.

You may also like our packing list for day packs and carry-ons- be prepared!

1. Set Expectations Each Day

Make sure you are setting realistic goals for each day, and that everyone in the car knows what the plan is. While the youngest children may not follow along, it helps older kids to know when a long day is planned, what stops to look forward to, and what to prepare for.

You’ll get a lot less “Are We There Yet?” if the kids know that you won’t be arriving at the motel until after dark, or after dinner, or after the next three rest stops.

2. Be Realistic About Travel Time with Kids and Toddlers

Traveling with kids is slow at the best of times. All those bathroom breaks, diaper changes, and tantrum breaks add up to more hours on the road than you expect.

Plus our kids are slow eaters, and they need to stretch their wiggly legs, so lunch breaks are long. For our 60+ day road trip cross-country to start our Family Year Out , we tried to limit our travel to 4-5 hours in the car each day.

3. Choose your Road Trip Start Time Wisely

Some people like to leave at night with the hopes that their kids will sleep. We have not found that to be true for our kids. My two-year-old stayed up all the way to Boston one night for some unknown reason.

We prefer starting in the morning so we can all be in soft beds by bedtime. Plus if we stay up all night driving, we’re grouchy in the morning!

Our kids are early risers, plus the excitement of a trip gets them up and moving fast. We like to pack up as much as possible the night before, then hit the road early. Figure out what works best for your family and your destination.

4. Know Your Family Limits

Your family’s limits will change as your children grow, but give it your best guess. We were on a long car ride when S. was a baby, at one point she decided she was just DONE being in the car. We tried everything to console her, but she kept screaming.

We stopped and let her play in the grass outside a Dunkin Donuts for a while. She was happy and smiling- until we put her back in the car. There was nothing we could do, we had to push through and get home. It was a miserable experience for all of us.

Our longest single-day car ride was 9 hours to Burlington Vermont (normally around 5 hours). After many stops, a wrong turn, and endless delays, we finally arrived at our destination. We were all hungry, tired, and achy.

For our family, I wouldn’t plan for more than 8 hours on any given day, knowing that should give us a cushion for delays and traffic.

As part of our recent Northwest American road trip , we did a 9-hour one-day drive from Montana to Seattle, due to our rearranged plans for crossing the Canadian border . We talked to the kids about it ahead of time, and made sure they knew this day was an exception. We all did really well!

5. Consider Renting a Car

Consider whether to rent a car for your road trip. Will you be flying to your first destination, then driving? Is your current car large enough for your family to comfortably spend a lot of time together? Do you have enough room for all the gear you are planning to bring?

If you decide to rent a car, check prices at Discover Cars . They have a great range of brands to choose from, free cancelation, and are very clear and upfront about what is included in your rental. All part of a stress-free experience!

Check Prices: Car Rentals at Discover Cars

If you do fly and then rent a car, don’t forget the car seats! We love our travel Mifold Comfort Booster Seats, but they are no longer available.

Consider travel car seats like the Ride Safer Travel Vest (ages 3+), or the Bubblebum booster and Hiccapop booster car seats for ages 4+ and up to 100 pounds.

6. Plan Stops and Bathroom Breaks

We like to plan a fun lunch break that we can all look forward to. Instead of thinking of “8 hours until we get to Washington D.C.”, we can all talk about ” 3 hours until our fun lunch break in Philadelphia with a carousel” and then “4 hours until we arrive at our hotel”.

Plan to stop every two hours or so depending on the age of your kids. When we stop everyone must use the bathroom! This prevents the “oh, oops I have to go” five minutes after you got back on the highway (most of the time).

7. Designate a Diaper Change Area

When packing your car, figure out where you will change diapers when bathrooms are not available. It may be on top of a suitcase laid flat in the back of the car, or the front passenger seat. Have a game plan before the diaper explodes.

We have always depended on our Skip Hop Changing Station for all those “less than ideal” changing locations from bathroom floors (who decides to build a bathroom with no counter space and no changer??) to grassy fields.

8. Create a Bag of Surprises

This is your secret stash of magical goodness that will stop the whining and the bickering. See what you can find in the dollar bin at Target, or at the Dollar Store.

For toddlers, wrap each thing in tissue paper. Just unwrapping something occupies a toddler for several minutes.

When the mood in the car is heading towards trouble, and it’s not time for a stop, dole out a special surprise from the bag.

Contents can include:

• Special Snacks (treats, candy, things they haven’t tried)
• Stickers (vinyl are best for toddlers so they don’t destroy your car)
• Gel window stickers or window markers
• A new coloring or activity book
• Crayons or washable markers
• A new book to read aloud (could be a library book)
• travel games
• travel “packs” of small activity books with stickers
• Imagine Ink Books – the special marker included reveals the color on the pages, but don’t mark anywhere else.
• Mystery eggs with small toys inside

9. Be Ready for Car Sickness

Kids and car sickness often go together. Long rides, windy roads, or just being stuck on the sunny side of the car can make kids nauseous. Here are a few ways to help:

-Be aware of road conditions and set expectations. If you are starting a particularly windy stretch of road, let everyone know, and put away books and tablets that cause kids to look down.

-Try Sea-Bands or other natural motion sickness bracelets. These are really helpful for our girls. Make sure to get the adult size, they run very small. Put them on before car sickness hits.

-Have everyone look straight ahead, rather than to the side or out the window, it helps the brain to process the true horizon line.

-Have ginger candies or gum available for anyone who gets queasy.

-Have bags or a bowl available in case anyone gets sick. Grocery bags work just fine, as long as you check for holes ahead of time!

-Be prepared to stop and let the sick passenger have a few deep breaths of fresh air.

10. Accept That Things Will Go Wrong

Things will always go wrong- if you acknowledge that fact ahead of time and prepare as best you can, you’ll be (mostly) ready when they do.

When your four-year-old slips leaving a port-a-potty and lands in slushy grossness, you’ll be ready with a hug and a change of clothes (not necessarily in that order). Throw the gunky clothes in your favorite wet bag .

Tips for Road Trips with Kids

Once you are on the road, here are some tips and tricks to keep everyone happy and moving along on your way!

11. Start with a Good Breakfast

A good breakfast helps everyone start the day on the right foot. When we are on the road, we find the kids need to eat before we are ready to leave the room, so we make sure we are prepared with easy breakfast items for them, ranging from oatmeal to bananas.

12. Pack Tons of Snacks

Snacks keep us all sane on a road trip. For long car rides, we bend the rules and allow less healthy options than we would at home.

Pack more snacks than you think you will need, and dispense from the front seat for younger kids.

Check out our full list of healthy, easy road trip snacks , which also includes suggestions for breakfasts and lunches.

13. Take a Long Lunch Break

Highway rest stops are boring (and the food leaves us feeling gross), so we try to plan for a more fun lunch break. It could be a park with a carousel, it could be a town square with a gazebo, or just somewhere we can have a picnic and run around.

Bonus points for a playground. Run a few races before you get back in the car to get everyone moving.

14. Plan for Parking

If you’ll be stopping in larger cities, take the stress of the end of the day by pre-booking your parking spot! SpotHero shows you a map with prices and lets you choose your parking spot ahead of time.

No more circling parking garages looking for spaces. We love this option in hard-to-park locations like New York City , San Francisco , Los Angeles, and Portland where parking is either not included with your hotel, or super expensive.

Check Prices: SpotHero Parking

15. Find Your Inner Chill

This is not always easy when you are stuck in traffic, and the kids won’t stop whining. Remember, the kids are watching how you react to the unexpected, and they’ll mirror you (eventually). So when the motel can’t find your reservation, or you blow a tire, try to find your inner chill.

How to Make a Road Trip Fun for Kids

Happy, entertained kids, lead to happy, relaxed parents. Here are some strategies to make road trips with kids fun for everyone.

16. Get Creative with Entertainment

Kids want to engage with their parents (most of the time), so we try to do some group games or songs. There are tons of classic road trip games for kids. Some of the more offbeat options that have worked for us include:

– Who can spot the (blank) first? (Capitol Building, Golden Gate Bridge, whatever you are approaching)

– Who can find the railroad tracks? (GPS usually indicates the presence of tracks, which is the clue to start looking)

– Counting Anything ! Counting railroad cars is a classic, there’s another version where you count cows until you pass a graveyard, then you “bury them” and start again. Tailor the game to the environment you are in.

– Would You Rather? Go in a circle as everyone gives their answer and the reason for which option they “would rather” do. You can download questions ahead of time, or take turns making them up.

– What Am I? One person thinks of something they “are” and the car has to ask Yes or No questions to figure out the answer. Great for all ages.

17. Make a Map

Kids love maps! Create a map of your journey that they can follow as you drive. You can update where you are each time you stop.

Some people get crafty with a laminator, or you can print out a simple google map of your route. This really helps kids understand how far you’ve gone and how far you still have to go.

Road trips are a great time to work on kids’ geography skills. We cut out black and white postcards for each state before we left for our first cross-country road trip. Every time we cross into a new state, we all yell “PICKLE” and the kids get a postcard to color in. (We chose PICKLE as our silly word to yell, pick whatever word you want!)

18. Allow Some Screen time

We limited screen time at home (ok, not as much as pre-pandemic, but who does?), but on road trips, it’s ok to allow some screen time.

Most of what our kids interact with is reasonably educational, after all their favorite website is PBSKids! Everyone needs to chill out with a movie or a favorite show once in a while, and it will give the grown-ups time to chat. Headphones are required of course!

Bonus: Check out which kids headphones have worked best for us!

19. Encourage Writing or Journaling

Journaling has been shown to increase gratitude and self-awareness- great skills to encourage in our kids! Long stretches of car time are a great opportunity for kids to process what they’ve seen and done and record it for themselves for later.

Supply each kid with a notebook or journal and a set of pencils, and set aside time to journal. Younger kids can draw and label what they’ve been doing.

Some kids may love a blank page, others may need more prompts like in this Travel Journal from Lonely Planet Kids.

20. Schedule Quiet Time

“Quiet Time” is a holdover from naptime in our house. It generally happens right after lunch for about an hour. It means silence or quiet music, no talking, and most importantly- everyone does their own thing!

It gives everyone a break from each other, so we can all play together nicely afterward. Kids can opt to look out the window, read a book, take a nap, journal, or color quietly.

21. Music, Podcasts and Audio Books

Don’t underestimate the power of sound! We were once near the end of a long drive, stuck in downtown Boston traffic, with a toddler who wouldn’t stop screaming.

We changed the radio station, stumbled upon a jazz station, and our toddler immediately went quiet and listened. It was amazing. Obviously, that won’t work for every kid, but it’s worth a try! We all respond differently to musical genres and instrumentals.

Podcasts are a great way to get kids engaged (while coloring or doing other things). Audiobooks are also a great way to connect with everyone while quieting the car. After listening to a chapter or episode we can discuss what we liked, any questions that came up, etc.

22. Sibling Squabbles

Siblings know how to push each other’s buttons like no one else! It is inevitable there will be poking, copying, and just general breathing in the wrong direction. If you have the room, seat siblings so they are out of direct reach from each other.

When all else fails try to distract them with your bag of surprises. You can set a time-based goal like “if you two can get along for five minutes I’ll bring out a new activity”.

We also like to make sure we have some activities that are best played by the siblings- like tic tac toe, or a card game to give them an incentive to get along.

We also practice our compromising and negotiating skills- for example, “you can watch a movie, but only if you can agree on which one”.

Need more tips? Be prepared with lots of road trip activities !

There You Have It: Tips for Road Trips with Kids

These are our top tips and strategies for a successful road trip with kids and toddlers. From preparing ahead of time to managing car sickness and settling sibling arguments, you are ready to hit the road!

Cynthia Matthews von Berg is the founder of Sharing the Wander. She is a passionate traveler, mom, and travel coach specializing in long-term travel and family travel. She and her family embarked on a Family Gap Year in 2021, and haven't looked back.

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10 Road Trip Essentials for Toddlers

November 30, 2021 //  by  Gwen Engler //   Leave a Comment

Before embarking on our family vacation through New England , our kids had never been in the car for more than about three hours in a single day. We had taken short trips, mostly to my parents’ house or the beach , but we certainly had never gone on a full-fledged road trip with our toddler (2 1/2) and baby (5 months).

We had no idea what to expect, and we learned a lot of lessons from our first big family vacation. One of the biggest learnings we had was the importance of packing well. Unlike when M and I jet off on a trip together, traveling with young children requires a lot more planning and stuff . Today, I want to share ten items that we found especially useful while road tripping with our toddler. I hope that this list helps set you up for success on your own family vacation with a little one, and I’d love to hear your favorite toddler road trip essentials and tips in the comments!

PS: Don’t miss my full list of the best travel gifts and gear for young kids , and you’ll also want to check out my fifteen road trip essentials for babies if you’ve got even younger ones in tow!

10 Toddler Road Trip Essentials

1.) car activity bin.

One of the funnest parts of preparing for our road trip was spending a morning putting together a little bin of things for E to do in the car. I hit up Target and a Dollar Tree and grabbed some cheap crayons , a coloring book , a dinosaur-shaped pop bubble fidget toy , a wooden puzzle , a book , write and wipe workbook , two Matchbox cars , a couple of activity packs, and glow sticks for night drives.

I also threw in a puzzle game that E loves (more on that later), one or two Water Wow! books , and some new issues of his High Five and Ranger Rick Cub magazines to keep him busy. All of it fit into a small, flat container that was easy to stash on the floor at his feet or under the seat in front of him.

If you’re craftier or more creative than I am, there are plenty of ideas on Pinterest for DIY games and crafts and activities for kids in the car. We kept things pretty simple, but it seemed to work well and Ethan loved asking for “something from the box.” I also chose to populate the box with lots of new things, which was easier to do when more than half the contents were a dollar apiece at the Dollar Tree. My goal was to make the box feel special and hold his interest for as long as possible, but you could just as easily fill your own box with toys and activities you already have.

2.) Car Seat Lap Tray

With all those awesome activities in his bin, having a flat, contained surface for E to play with everything was essential. We were fortunate to have received two lap trays as gifts last Christmas: one that was a basic black and had low, sturdy sides and one with a cool racetrack print on the tray .  We ended up taking both along – frankly, I didn’t get a chance to test which would work better beforehand – and each was a success.

I like that the one pictured above has a dry erase surface and more compartments for drinks and supplies, plus that tablet holder would be clutch if you’re planning to take one along. (You could also store coloring books and other flat goodies in there if you’re trying to go screen-free.)

3.) Wooden Magnetic Puzzle Toy

While I covered toys and activities above, this particular toy deserves to be highlighted on its own because of what an asset it has been to us. After receiving it as a big brother gift from a family friend, E has used it in church, doctor’s offices, restaurants, the car – anywhere we need to keep him quiet and occupied. It slides easily into our diaper bag and is incredibly effective at passing time. If you’re embarking on a road trip with a toddler, you won’t regret picking up this toy or something like it for all those long drives and restaurant stops.

4.) All the Snacks

Anyone who has a toddler knows that snacks are life. If you’re planning a road trip with a toddler, make sure you’re well-equipped with snacks not only for the car but also for your daily activities, nights in your hotel, and any other time those hangries strike. 

Before we left, I made a trip to Aldi to grab some inexpensive, tasty, and/or healthful snacks for our time on the road. Our stash definitely came in handy during long drives and hikes as well as while we were staying in some more rural spots without easy access to grocery stores and gas stations.

5.) Water Bottle

Similar to the snacks above, you don’t want to be caught in the middle of nowhere when the “I’m  thirstyyyyy “s hit. Make sure you have a good leak-proof water bottle for those long drives and days of sightseeing. In addition to keeping your toddler hydrated, happy, and healthy, you’ll save money by not having to buy drinks on the road. You can even invest in a Yeti to keep beverages cold even if they’re left in a hot car while you’re out and about.

6.) Roll-Up Smock Bibs

M and I  love these bibs for daily life and they are even more amazing for travel. The wide front and long sleeves have saved more outfits than we can count, and the whole thing rolls up and snaps together for easy packing when mealtime is through. They’re so easy to toss in a diaper bag, and since you roll them into themselves any mess is contained until you’re ready to wash them.

We made sure to pack two smock bibs for our road trip and used them constantly. Whether you grab one for your own toddler travel or just for normal weekday mealtimes, you won’t regret it.

7.) Blow-Up Toddler Bed

One of the biggest conundrums we faced when planning our road trip with a toddler was where E would sleep. At two and a half, he was too big for a pack and play but too small to sleep safely by himself in an adult bed. 

Fortunately, my mom had bought this blow up toddler bed to use at her house and we knew that it worked great to keep E contained at night. We used it without the removable mattress, blowing up the surrounding part with the bumpers and placing it on top of a bed. Throw in some sheets, a pillow, a blanket, and a couple of stuffed friends and he was good to go! The surrounding sides kept him well contained while sleeping and the contraption was big enough that we didn’t have to worry about it sliding off the bed.

We were lucky that E had his own bed and bedroom at each of our stops along the way, but this bed would definitely be a lifesaver if you have to share a room or are short on beds. I also appreciate that it’s something that we’ll get a lot of use out of after the trip, as well, since we can take it along when visiting family or offer it to kids spending the night in our home.

8.) Night Light(s)

This was something I didn’t even think to bring along but immediately missed on the first night of our trip. Not only is E accustomed to having a little light in his room at night, but complete darkness coupled with the unfamiliarity of a new place was not a great recipe for a fuss-free bedtime. S also decided to sleep a bit fitfully throughout the trip, so having a night light in our room would have been nice for tending to her as well.

Thankfully, our first Airbnb had a nightlight in the bathroom that I was able to move into E’s room, but we ended up leaving the hall light on at the next place and a big bedside lamp at the third. Next time, I’ll travel with a small nightlight or two just in case!

9.) Laundry Detergent

I could count on one hand the number of times that I’ve done a load of laundry while on a weeklong vacation… until I had kids. In New England, I did at least four. 

We ended up having to pick up a container of laundry detergent from a grocery store, but it would have been much better – and taken up less space – if we had just packed a small bottle of our own from home. I’m not generally a detergent pod user, but Tide PODS® (or something similar) would be ideal because they’re small, easy to pack, and are less likely to spring a leak. The same goes for detergent sheets if you want to ditch the plastic! Finally, a stain stick is helpful to treat messes until you’re able to do a load of laundry; we used ours constantly.

Tip: Make sure to bring high efficiency detergent (marked with an HE symbol) so that you can use it in any washing machine.

10.) Kids' Toiletries

Thinking I could just use my own shampoo and body wash to bathe E after a day at the beach was a mistake I only made once. I was trying to streamline the cleanup process by hopping into the shower with him and forgot to grab his no-tears wash and shampoo . The poor little guy got soap in his eyes almost immediately, and I felt absolutely terrible. When we were packing our toddler road trip essentials for this trip, you can bet that E’s bath soap was one of the first things in the suitcase.

With a few exceptions, most places you’re taking your toddler probably won’t be stocked with kids’ toiletries. Make sure to take your own along – either by filling reusable bottles or grabbing a travel toiletry kit – to avoid bath time tears or irritation to sensitive skin.

Honorable Mention: Toddler Suitcase

We bought this cute airplane suitcase for E as a Christmas gift last year, and he has loved helping to pack it and pulling it along when we visit his grandparents or go to the beach. While I wouldn’t consider it absolutely essential in the same way I would the items above, it’s still a fun gift and a great way to get your toddler excited about travel.

So there you have them: ten (plus one!) road trip essentials for traveling with a toddler! Did any surprise you? Which items seem most helpful? What did I miss? Let me know in the comments, and good luck with your own family road trip! 

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The Best Travel Gifts and Gear for Young Kids 15 Road Trip Essentials for Baby  A Family Road Trip Through New England Our First Family Road Trip: 5 Things We Did Right and 4 Lessons We Learned the Hard Way  

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14 Road Trip Essentials for Kids You’ll Need

Keeping kids comfortable, entertained, and safe on the road, here are the most important things we pack for every family road trip.

Don’t forget to check out our complete road trip essentials packing list to get you & your car prepared too – or our complete guide to traveling with a newborn – this list is exclusively for your tots to school-aged kids!!

As Amazon Associates, we earn a commission from qualifying purchases made on this page.

1. Infant Car Seat

The most important thing before hitting the road with kids is ensuring they’re safe and secure.

Every child needs an appropriate safety restraint in a vehicle until they reach the height and weight to move into an adult seat. You will need to check the rules and regulations on the place you are road tripping to for the exact age and size a restraint might still be required.

2. Booster Seat

Once your child has outgrown their infant seat, moving them into a booster seat is the next vital investment you will make for a family road trip.

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There is a long phase where your child will be too short to appropriately use a car seat, so you will need to move first to a booster providing a 5-point harness, then on to a seat that can be worn with a lap belt.

3. Seat Belt Cozies and Neck Pillows

Moving through the ages and stages of infant seats, you will find once they move out of a snug infant seat, there’s a tendency for little ones’ heads to start bobbing around while they try to nap in the car. This can be resolved by getting your child an appropriately sized neck pillow.

Seat Belt Pillow

Neck Pillow for a 3-7 year old

Toddler Neck Pillow

When they are very small, a wrap-around neck pillow , then as they graduate into a booster and full-sized chair, something soft and cozy they can wrap around the seat belt.

4. Side Window shades

Once your child is safely and securely seated, keeping the sun from their eyes is the next thing to consider to ensure a comfortable journey. We often think of the driver and front passenger needing sun shades, but often forgotten is how equally annoying those rays can be for a child in the back.

Whilst some new cars these days come with built-in sun shades that can be rolled up or down for sun glare, you will most likely need to invest in a set of side shades for your family road trip. Remember, SUVs may need a larger-sized sunshade to completely cover the window.

5. Car Seat Protectors

With the best will in the world, there’s no denying that kids are MESSY! Spilled drink bottles, cookie crumbs, bathroom accidents, you name it, we’ve cleaned it! What helps with the clean-up operation is having appropriate protection on our seats.

This includes a cover over their infant car seat or booster and a protective cover over the actual car seat. For toilet training kids, we recommend you invest in a piddle pad. These provide one more extra layer of protection to prevent your car from inground smells and stains.

6. Feeding and Snacks, Snacks, Snacks!

If you think snacks are important at home, just wait until you hit the road with your kids!

They seriously grow an extra stomach once they’re about 15 miles away from home. Having a great stash of pre-prepared snacks is an absolute essential on family road trips.

It’s really important, especially on those long driving days, that you focus on healthy snacks that deliver long-lasting energy, as opposed to highly sugared snacks that kids can’t then burn off while seated in the car

• We have a bumper guide to the best healthy road trip snacks for kids here
• Still feeding an infant? Look for our top tips tor traveling with breastmilk , along with our guide to the best portable bottle warmers , can also work great for warming infant meals on the go

7. Water Bottle

Hand in hand with snack time is keeping everyone hydrated. It’s a fine balancing act, though, between keeping hydration levels up and constant bathroom breaks – I bet we’ve ALL been that parent on the side of the road at least once!

Our tip is to keep the drink bottle a reasonable size. It should only last between bathroom breaks you have scheduled in. A sippy cup or bottle with markers is helpful so you can encourage them to drink more shortly before a designated break.

8. Tablets/Portable DVD player

Even if you’re normally a “no screens” family, we often make an exception for the very long road trip days. Tablets can be pre-loaded with your kids’ favorite movies or games to play.

Don’t forget you may not have any wifi or data during your journey, so make sure anything you want is actually downloaded on their device.

It’s important as a family to set your own ground rules when it comes to electronic usage in the car. Perhaps set it by mile markers or reaching a certain point on the trip; screens need to go away, so they’re not missing any highlights out the window too.

9. Travel Toys

Children of all ages need something more than just a tablet or electronic item that they can physically hold and play with. For babies and toddlers , this can be as simple as small rattles, felt books, and shape-sorting toys.

As kids get older, you can introduce sticker books, crafts, and coloring through to small travel games for siblings to play together.

You can find our complete guide to family road rip toys here !

10. Music, Audio Books & Podcasts

Either for the family to share over the car stereo or on individual devices, audiobooks and podcasts can be a great way to pass the time on the road.

We love Spotify Premium or Music Unlimited on Amazon for our in-car entertainment.

An Audible subscription can also be an excellent way to access a bundle of good audiobooks for your trip.

11. Family Games

As well as toys, we like to have a few family game ideas up our sleeve.

These can be simple games without any props, ranging from I-spy to “Would You Rather” type questions to counting games and taking sides in the car to spot things out the window.

Older kids will enjoy playing road trip trivia games to stretch their minds or keeping scavenger hunt running tallies.

You can find our complete guide to family games to play in the car over here .

12. Headphones & Headphone Splitter

For any use of electronic devices in the car, there will definitely be moments you want some headphones to accompany your kids’ entertainment.

Your kids can still listen to a device together with a headphone splitter but will need their own set of headphones.

• Remember, toddlers and younger children need something that is volume-limiting to protect their ears.

Your older tweens and teens may be ready to graduate to earbuds.

13. Travel Tray For Kids

Keeping your kids organized in the back, it can be well worth considering a car seat travel tray. These come in all different shapes and sizes, with the best models able to fit over your child’s car seat or booster.

They can use the flat surface for coloring and games and have a convenient place to hold tablets and drink bottles.

14. Tissues & Water Wipes

Kids are messy. Period! You will always want multiple packets of tissues and wipes in easy-grabbing range for your car.

Printable Road Trip Checklist

Save time packing for your next family road trip, and get this road trip packing list printed out, ready to check off items as you go!

Disclosures: We are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. You can read our full disclosure policy here.

© Family Road Trip

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45 Road Trip Activities for Toddlers That Will Keep Them Entertained For Hours

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Road trips are a great way to bond as a family during travel but little ones can get antsy sitting for so long.

If you're planning a road trip with your toddler, it's important to be prepared with activities to keep them occupied.

After all, a bored toddler in the backseat is a recipe for disaster! 

To help you out, we've put together a list of road trip activities for toddlers that are both fun and educational.

With these 45 road trip activities for 1-year-olds and 2-year-olds, your little ones will stay busy (and happy) throughout the entire journey.

Road Trip Activities for 1-year-old Toddlers

My 1-year old absolutely loves pop-its . They are quiet, easy to find, and light to pack – the perfect travel toy!

2 Audiobooks

Playing an engaging audiobook will help distract your toddler. Be sure to choose books with a very animated narrator to catch their attention.

3 Little People

Little People are a hit with toddlers. They love to look at them, hold them and explore them. Consider grabbing a set and offering them to your toddler on the road trip.

4 Bristle Blocks

A few bristle blocks can go a long way on a road trip. Toddlers will love building with them, and they can even teach some basic shapes and colors.

5 Fabric Books

While 1-year-olds aren't the best book handlers, they can still explore soft fabric books . Choosing one with different textures and interactions is a great way to keep them busy.

6 Finger Puppets

A finger puppet set will keep your toddler's hands busy. They'll love putting the puppets on and moving them around.

7 Vtech Remote

There's just something about the remote that is highly fascinating to 1-year-old toddlers. We love the Vtech toddler remote which is complete with functioning buttons and sounds – the perfect road trip activity for toddlers.

8 Chewbeads

If your toddler is in the chewing stage, silicone chew beads should be on your road trip list! These links are not only safe for chewing, but your toddler can bend, fold, and connect them together.

9 Magnatiles 

If you're looking for a more educational road trip activity, consider packing a few Magnatiles . These tiles are great for little ones to stack and build with in the car and at home!

10 Animal Figurines

From dinosaurs to farm animals , your toddler will enjoy handling animal figures on a road trip. Look for lifelike figures with distinct features to grab their attention.

11 Cheerio Bracelet

Snacks are a hit for 1-year-olds on a road trip, but try offering something a little more creative than a snack cup. Look for some flavored cheerios and string them on yarn for a ring of snacks they can see and enjoy eating! Bonus – there's less chance of them throwing them on the floor!

12 Textured Bean Bags

Toddlers love exploring sensory items and these bean bags are one of the best road trip activities for toddlers.  The toys are brightly colored and have interesting textures that will keep toddlers engaged. Come up with some sorting games or ask your toddler to hand you a certain bean bag.

13 Buckle Toy 

This soft pillow buckle toy has plenty of activities to keep your toddler busy. They can zip, lift flaps, and learn to buckle.

14 Hot Wheels Cars

Hot Wheels are a fun toy for you toddlers to bring on a road trip. These are something small they can hold, and you can point to out similar cars on the road.

15 Blocks & Balls

Infantino Balls, Blocks and Buddies set is a something 1-year-olds will love for a car activity. They can touch different surfaces and even chew on them them. Divide them up by type and offer them at separate times for more variety.

16 Baby Dolls

A soft baby doll will not only be a cuddle toy but a great road trip activity for toddlers. They can dress the baby and give her a bottle.

17 Sing-Alongs

One of the best road trip activities for toddlers is music . Sing-alongs are always a hit, and there are plenty of classic kid songs to enjoy. Choose a kid's music channel on your favorite streaming service.

18 Peek-a-Boo

This simple game is one that never gets old. You can play it with a stuffed animal, blanket, or your own hands. Peek-a-boo is sure to get some giggles from your 1-year-old during your trip.

19 Snack Breaks

Snacks are essential for a fun road trip, but they're especially important when you've got little ones in tow. Hunger and thirst can lead to crankiness in even the happiest of toddlers, so make sure to pack plenty of snacks and drinks for the journey. And if you're looking for healthy snack ideas, see our list of road trip food for kids.  

20 Playground Stops

It's important to take breaks often when you're on a road trip with toddlers—both for their sake and for yours! Consider making pit stops at playgrounds along the way – they'll love getting to run around and explore!

Road Trip Activities for 2-year old Toddlers

1 the quiet game.

This is among many parent's favorite road trip activities for toddlers! If your toddler is any good at this game, you'll be enjoying plenty of relaxation on your trip! See who can be quiet the longest and that person wins a special surprise!

2 Paint with Water

Paint with water sets are the perfect toddler road trip activity. Water Wow sets from Melissa & Doug include a fillable pen that holds the water and comes out the brush. Virtually mess-free and very amusing for your little one.

3 Sticker Books

We love sticker books to keep toddlers entertained on a family road trip. They love peeling the stickers which is a great fine motor skill.

4 LCD Drawing Tablet

If your 2-year-old loves to color, LCD drawing tablets are a must. They can color whatever they want and erase it when they want a new canvas. Not only is it mess-free, the tablets are an inexpensive travel toy!

5 This or That

One of our favorite road trip games is one we made up. I played this with my oldest when she needed to be distracted in the car. Say two things and ask which is their favorite. You can use animals, food, or toys for example. It's a great activity to avoid meltdowns when things are going south.

6 Counting Things They See

Keep your toddler learning by counting the things you see. Look out the window and see 3 birds – 1, 2, 3! This is a great activity to help keep them occupied while on a road trip.

7 Squigz Suction Toys

These suction toys are a great road trip activity for toddlers because they will keep them entertained with building and creating new designs. Additionally, the suction cups on the toys will stick to windows and other surfaces, providing an extra level of fun.

8 Magnetic Puzzles

Magnetic puzzles can keep toddlers entertained for hours while on a road trip. The puzzles are easy to carry and keep toddlers busy as they try to move the pieces with the magnetic pen!

9 What Do You See Out the Window

Practice object recognition, colors, and shapes with your 2-year-old by asking them what they see out the window. If they see a tree, ask what color is the tree? Continue the conversation with questions for them to answer.

10 Connectable Fidget Tubes

Fidget tubes can be connected together to create a chain, and your toddler can twist and turn them to their heart's desire. This will keep them occupied and happy, which is essential on long road trips.

11 Lacing Cards 

The repetitive motion of lacing and un-lacing helps to develop hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. We love these small lacing cards as they are portable and offer just enough practice for a 2-year-old.

12 Lego Duplo Blocks

Let their creativity run wild with Lego Duplo Blocks. They can build towers, cars, and other structures with the blocks that come in various size kits.

13 Memory Game Cards

While 2-year-olds may be a little young to play Memory, they will certainly enjoy looking at the picture cards. Memory cards are durable and the perfect small, learning toy to bring along on a road trip.

14 Vtech Laptop

The Vtech laptop is a fun learning game for toddlers. It's not quite screen time, but it is interactive with songs and games that will keep them engaged.

15 Glow Sticks

Road trip activities for toddlers don't have to be limited to just watching movies or looking out the window. A great way to keep them entertained is by bringing out some glow sticks . If you're traveling in the dark these are an ideal way to have some fun when you're almost to your destination.

16 Reusable Sticker Scenes

Reusable stickers are a great car activity because they can easily be moved and manipulated by your toddler. They will enjoy creating stories and using their imagination. Just ask them what they made!

This classic road trip game is perfect for toddlers because it's easy to adapt to their limited attention span. Keep it simple by spying something that's a certain color or shape.  Keep the “spied” objects inside the car to give time for your toddler to find them!

18 Masking Tape

Toddlers love playing with random objects, and masking tape can be used to your advantage. They will enjoy peeling it, balling it up, and making designs on the windows. This is a great way to keep them entertained in exchange for a little cleanup.

19 Mess-Free Coloring

Coloring is a great way to keep toddlers occupied, plus it's a quiet activity that won't disturb other passengers in the car.  Crayola Color Wonder is an amazing gift to parents. The markers only draw on the special paper and leave no other mess. They come in cute sets and are sure to keep your toddler busy.

20 Road Trip Scavenger Hunt

Make a scavenger hunt list of things they can look for outside the car window. Include things like different colors, shapes, and animals.

21 Seek and Find Books

Seek and Find books are excellent road trip activities for toddlers because they can keep them busy and engaged. Bring along a few beginner seek and find books to look at together when they need a break from looking out the window.

Limiting screen time is one thing, but you may need a little more of it on a road trip with toddlers. Download some age-appropriate apps on your phone or tablet for them to play during the drive.

23 Story Time

Reading stories is always a hit with toddlers. Bring along some of their favorite books or download some digital ones before you hit the road.

24 Pack Some Surprises

Save some of your toddler's favorite snacks or toys as “surprises” for later in the trip. This will help break up the monotony and give them something to look forward to. These are also great to take out when things aren't going well (i.e. traffic.) 

A portable DVD player will give your toddler the comfort of their favorite movie. Use movies to wind down before rest time on your road trip.

Road Trip Activities for Toddlers

A road trip with toddlers doesn't have to be stressful—as long as you know how to survive a road trip with kids !

1-year-olds and 2-year-olds have unique needs when it comes to car activities.

They have a shorter attention span and need a larger variety of things to keep them occupied.

However, with these 45 road trip activities for toddlers, you can rest assured that your little ones will stay entertained the whole way!

And who knows, you might even have some fun yourself in the process!

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49 Road Trip Essentials for Kids to a Stress-Free Drive

August 8, 2023 · In: Travel with Kids

Going on a road trip with kids can be daunting, and it's easy to forget the small essentials that keep them entertained and comfortable during those long drives. Trying to find the right items for your car journey can be time-consuming and expensive–but it doesn't have to be when you're well-prepared!

My family and I absolutely adore road trips! Our last adventure took us on a thrilling 10-hour journey around Quebec . But guess what? This time, we're going for a whopping 21-hour road trip to sunny Florida!

After hours of meticulous research, I've curated a list of 49 must-have road trip essentials for your kids on any family road trip. Trust me, this ultimate survival kit will transform your journey into an unforgettable and stress-free experience! Let's make this road trip the best one ever!

Related : 22 Best Road Trip Tips For Travelling With Kids (Educational)

What Essentials Do I Need for a Family Road Trip with Kids?

Embarking on a family road trip is more than just plotting routes on a map. It's about ensuring that every member of the family, especially the kids, has a memorable and comfortable journey.

Related : 13 Benefits of Traveling with Family

When planning your trip, you need to consider various aspects from entertainment to snacks, essential items, and safety.

How do we keep the kids entertained during long drives? What sort of snacks should we pack that is not only healthy but also appealing to the children? What are the essential items that can't be overlooked? And most importantly, how can we ensure everyone's safety during the trip?

These are the critical questions that we'll be addressing in this blog. With the right preparation, you'll be able to sit back, relax, and enjoy the adventure that awaits! So, buckle up and let's dive in.

Entertainment

First and foremost, let's talk about entertainment. Whether your road trip is a couple of hours or a full day's drive, keeping the kids occupied ensures a calm and serene travel experience .

Remember, a bored child can quickly turn a fun road trip into an exhausting ordeal. Let's keep those little minds busy and the journey enjoyable!

1. Audiobooks, Music & Podcasts Playlists

Audiobooks, music playlists, and podcasts can transform your family road trip into an enriching and enjoyable journey.

Audiobooks bring stories to life, sparking imagination and fostering a love for literature among kids, while music playlists can be tailored to include everyone's favorite tunes, creating a sing-along, cheerful atmosphere in the car.

Podcasts , on the other hand, offer educational content in an engaging format, making learning exciting and fun.

Related: 15 Best Podcasts for Kids in 2023: English and Chinese Options

These three forms of audio entertainment can diversify your travel experience, making every mile an opportunity for bonding, learning, and creating unforgettable memories.

2. Tablets/ iPads

Stock up on your kids' favorite apps and games or download some movies/shows for them to enjoy during the trip.

Check out: 313+ Movies & Shows to Prepare for Disney World (2023)

3. Tablet Mount for Car

Introducing the ultimate companion for your road trip – the car cup holder tablet mount! This amazing gadget securely holds your tablet for the best viewing experience and easy access. It fits perfectly in your car's cup holder, so no more wobbling on bumpy roads. Plus, the holder can be adjusted and rotated to fit any tablet size. I love how I can place it up front and enjoy movies with my kids in the back (of course, not while I'm driving!)

4. Road Trip Printables

Age recommendation: 1+ years old

Road trip printables are fantastic for keeping kids entertained and learning on long drives. They boost observation and thinking skills as children find items or landmarks on the printables.

Check out these free road trip printables available in different languages: English, Chinese (Traditional, Simplified, Zhuyin, Pinyin), and French.

5. 3D Stickers for Kids & Toddlers

Stickers are always a great entertainment for kids. These safe and non-toxic stickers are puffy and 3D! You can provide them with a notebook to stick on.

6. Colorful blank books

These books are great size for children to express their arts and thoughts. They can write a journal, stick stickers, draw, scribble and more with these notebooks.

7. Crayola Washable Markers with Retractable Tips

Age recommendation: 3+ years old

Say goodbye to smudges, misplaced caps, and dried-up markers! These fantastic art tools are specially designed to resist drying out, and they boast easy-click tips that make creative on-the-go activities a breeze.

8. Kids Digital Camera

“I'm bored!” will be said less frequently by your kids when they have a digital camera. I strongly recommend this product, because after your kids take photos from the trip, you can upload and print them to create a photo album together. This way, you can all relive your road trip experience again!

9. Binoculars for kids

Age recommendation: 2+ years old

This is perfect for kids, especially when it comes to watching objects from far away such as animals, landmarks, buildings, and more.

10. Pop it fidget Toy

Age recommendation: 1+ year old

I'm amazed how this can entertain my kids for a long time. They will pop it, flip it, pop it again! Make sure they each have one, so they can trade and do it again.

11. Reusable water activity pad

This mess-free activity allows kids to color each page with water. Dry the pages, and they can color each page again!

12. Conversation Starter Cards for Families and Kids

Make your car trips even better with the portable question box! It has 100 interesting questions that make road trips more exciting. It's great for entertaining and engaging younger kids during the journey. Plus, it's a wonderful gift idea for family and friends. Get ready for lots of fun and special times!

13. Suction Toys

These toys are great for entertainment during car rides. They can stick the suction toys on the windows; best of all, these toys can relieve stress!

14. Assorted Travel Bingo Set

This set includes four reusable bingo cards that offer hours of entertainment for families, whether at home or on the road.

15. Puro Sound Labs Bluetooth Headphones

These headphones are made just for kids' ears, giving great sound and keeping their hearing safe. They have a special tech that keeps the volume under 85 decibels, which is safe for children. They also connect with Bluetooth, so no messy wires, perfect for using in the car. They're comfy and strong, so they'll keep kids happy for hours during your road trip, making it even more fun!

16. Packs of 4 Sports Balls

These soft and safe balls are ideal for toddlers to enjoy both indoors and outdoors. It's a good idea to use them outside where there's more room to play. Using different balls can help toddlers practice rolling, coordination, kicking, and have lots of fun.

Food & Drinks – Road Trip Essential for Kids

Moving on to the second crucial aspect – snacks! You absolutely cannot overlook the importance of packing plenty of snacks for the journey. Kids get hungry quickly, and having a stash of their favorite treats can keep those hunger pangs at bay.

Road trips can be long and tiring, so it's important to pack healthy snacks and drinks to keep everyone up. To make it convenient, provide a snack container for each kid. This will help keep everyone fed and happy during the trip.

18. Skip Hop Stackable Container

Here is the snack container I've got for my kids since they were babies. I started putting formulas in the containers. Now, they are filled with snacks. I love this container because they fit perfectly in backpacks. In addition, this solves the problem of how my toddler loves all food to be separated.

19. Camping Cookware kitchen set

This super convenient cookware is set for road trips, camping, etc. I'm amazed how so many cookware can fit in a mesh bag. This is perfect when we want to cook and do not want to go out and eat fast food for dinner.

Related : Camping with Kids: 25 Essential Tips for a Successful Trip

20. ROCKBROS Soft Cooler Bag

This bag is fantastic; it contains enough food for the family and has three insulation layers that will keep the food cool all day. I'd prefer it over a box cooler because it can fit nicely in a corner of the car trunk, whereas a box cooler would use up too much space.

21. Hydro Flask Standard Cap Bottle

I love these water bottles for ourselves (parents) because they can keep water cold and hot. They are easy to clean. And best of all, they can fit in the car cup holders!

22. Thermos 12 oz bottle

These bottles are perfect for kids! They are not too big and can keep water cold for 12 hours. They can also fit in car cup holders right beside their car seats! This is essential because they can drink from their water bottle anytime during every car ride.

23. 1 Gallon Stainless Steel Water Bottle

To ensure we have plenty of water for our road trip, we have two 1-gallon water bottles in the car trunk.

24. 5L Collapsible water container

We put these water bags at the side door slot. Since they are made of plastic, we use this water to wash our hands with the addition of travel soap sheets .

25. Brita space saver water filter pitcher

We will begin filling the Brita Filter pitcher with tap water as soon as we arrive at our hotels, turning it into drinkable water.

26. Foldable electric kettle for travel

Another must-have for hot beverage lovers! Before drinking, we also like to boil the water. (Just to be on the safe side!)

General Road Trip Essential for Kids

Now, let's dive into comfort essentials. Imagine yourself in the car for hours – comfort is key, right? The same goes for our little ones. Familiar items from home can provide a sense of security and comfort in an unfamiliar environment. Aim for a journey that's as cozy as possible, because nothing puts the brakes on a fun road trip like a cranky, uncomfortable kiddo!

27. Extra clothes & Diapers

Accidents, spills, and unexpected changes in weather are a part of any family road trip. It's essential to always pack extra clothes, diapers, and towels for the little ones. Just make sure that they're within easy reach so you don't have to rummage through multiple bags or luggage cases when needed.

28. Mini disposable travel soap sheets

I prefer using these hand soaps than hand sanitizer–my hands feel cleaner afterwards. They're also helpful when you can't get to a sink since they start melting as soon as they come into contact with water and form foam pretty quickly.

29. WaterWipes

Age recommendation: All ages

WaterWipes are a must-have for road trips with kids! They are the purest baby wipes in the world, super gentle on your child's skin. They're perfect for quick cleanups of hands, faces, and messes during the trip. Made with mostly water and a bit of fruit extract, WaterWipes are hypoallergenic and don't have any strong chemicals, scents, or alcohol. They're safe for your little ones and good for the environment since they're 100% biodegradable. No more dirty faces and sticky fingers – WaterWipes make road trips easier!

30. Babyganics Foaming Pump Hand Sanitizer

I use Babyganics Foaming Pump Hand Sanitizer on trips. It's plant-based, effective against germs, and gentle on my kids' hands. The foaming formula is fun for them and it's compact for easy use on the go. With Babyganics, our family stays safe and ready for adventure!

31. Aden + Anais Dream Blanket

My kids have been using these blankets since they were babies. I love how they become even softer every time we wash them! They are high quality, lightweight, and breathable muslin. Therefore my children still love to use them! These are perfect blankets for the car trip!

32. Kids Travel Pillow

Age recommendation: 3-7 years old

I really like this ergonomically designed pillow – it gives my child the perfect neck and chin support, stopping their head from falling to the side or forward. The soft, plush fabric is super comfy, so my kids can rest, sleep, or just chill during our long travels. And the best part is, it's machine washable, so I can easily clean it after each adventure.

33. Backseat Car Organizer

A backseat car organizer is a must-have for every family road trip! These handy storage solutions attach to the back of the front seats and feature multiple pockets to hold everything from water bottles and snacks to gadgets, toys, and travel-size activity sets. They're a lifesaver for maintaining order in the backseat, keeping essential items within easy reach of your little ones, and ensuring the car stays neat and tidy throughout the journey. Plus, they often come with a clear pocket that can hold a tablet for hands-free viewing – perfect for keeping the kids entertained during those long stretches on the road!

34. Car Seat Organizer with Cup Holders

This practical add-on attaches behind the front seats, providing lots of pockets to keep toys, books, snacks, and essentials tidy. The cup holders hold bottles securely, preventing spills and keeping drinks accessible. It keeps everything neat, making the ride comfy and fun.

35. Super Fast Car Chargers & Coiled Cable

Get super fast charging anywhere with this 60W car charger. It has a Type-C cable and a 30W SUPER FAST Charging port that supports various fast charging protocols. Charge up to three devices at once, five times faster than regular car chargers. Stay powered and connected on the move.

36. 2 pieces 3d Sleep Mask for Kids

I've got a package with two sets of eye covers, each in a different color. These travel-friendly eye masks are designed with a wider and deeper 3D eye area, giving my kids more room to blink and ensuring they fit comfortably. I can relax without worrying about any pressure on their eyes.

37. Car Trash Bag

We keep our car clean and tidy with this car trash can. It holds 1.85 gallons and helps me stay organized on the go. The sturdy bottom support board keeps it in shape and prevents accidental closure. Enjoy a clutter-free drive with the convenient car trash can.

38. UltraSafe Car Battery Jump Starter

Stay worry-free on the road with a car battery jump starter that also charges gadgets! This handy device can quickly restart a dead car battery, so your trip goes smoothly. And it's even better – the modern jump starter has USB ports to charge your devices. Whether it's your phone or the kids' tablets, this small device can charge them all. It's a must for any road trip, making life easier and stress-free.

39. Oxo tot 2-in-1 go potty

The OXO Tot 2-in-1 Go Potty is a total game-changer for my family when we're on the road. I don't have to worry about finding public restrooms or dealing with emergencies for my kids anymore. This small potty seat is super portable and I can use it on its own with disposable bags for quick stops. If needed, I can place it on a regular toilet seat to help my kids feel more comfortable. It's light, easy to clean, and folds into a neat travel bag. Trust me, it's one of the most practical things to bring for a road trip with young kids!

40. Toilet Seat Covers Disposable

Disposable toilet seat covers are a must for my road trips, especially when I have kids with me or if public restrooms aren't very clean. These covers create a clean barrier between me and the toilet seat, which helps prevent germs. They're easy to carry, flushable, and good for the environment. I just keep them in my bag, and they ensure a safe and clean restroom for my family wherever we go on our road trip.

41. Reusable Grocery Bags

Adding a reusable foldable grocery bag to my road trip essentials is a smart idea. It's good for the environment and really handy. I can use it to grab snacks, shop at local markets, or keep my car neat. When I'm not using it, I can fold it up small, so it doesn't take much space. These bags are tough too, so they can hold heavy things without ripping. They come in lots of colors and designs, so I can pick one that suits my style. I wouldn't go on a road trip without one!

42. Portable Travel Umbrella

With a weight of just 15 oz and a compact size of 11.5″ (29cm) when folded, our travel umbrella is incredibly portable. It serves as an excellent choice for various purposes, such as a small umbrella for your purse, a convenient car umbrella, or a reliable companion for your travels.

Lastly, we can't forget the importance of safety! So, always be prepared, because safety should never take a back seat on a family road trip!

43. Emergency contact details

Make sure to store the contact details of local hospitals and doctors in your phone, in case of any emergency.

44. Medication

Check with your child’s healthcare provider before you take off, and make sure that you have the appropriate medications available. For example, if your child has asthma, allergies, or any other chronic condition, it is important to make sure they have their medication on hand in case of an emergency.

Additional Note : Pack a fever reducer like ibuprofen or any other medicines that your child might need. Having these things ready will help you be prepared for any sudden health issues and keep your kids comfortable during the drive.

45. Cash & Credit Cards

Don't forget to bring cash and credit cards on your trip. You never know when you might need them! This is especially true if you're travelling in a remote area or a foreign country. It's always better to be safe than sorry – so make sure you have the necessary payment methods as backup just in case.

46. Thinkbaby Sunscreen

Sunscreen is a must too, even in the car! The sun's rays can still reach your kids through the car windows.

When it comes to protecting your children's sensitive skin from harmful UV rays, Thinkbaby Sunscreen is a superior choice. With a broad-spectrum SPF 50+ protection, this sunscreen is perfect for outdoor activities during your road trip. It has been specifically created with children in mind, being a mineral-based sunscreen that avoids harmful chemical UV absorbers. It's water-resistant for up to 80 minutes, so you don't have to worry about frequent reapplication.

47. Waterproof Car First-aid emergency Kit

I found this amazing waterproof First Aid Kit – it's a compact kit with high-quality supplies for emergencies. It has survival tools and trauma supplies, all neatly organized in a bright red bag. So, I can quickly grab what I need during any emergency. It's a must for my safety and a great gift idea too!

48. Roadside assistance emergency kit

This roadside assistance packages is a perfect gift. This contains the necessary roadside kits, snow shovel, flashing lights, reflective triangle warning signs, advanced jumpers (8.2 feet), powerful towing rope, safety hammer and seat belt cutters, life blankets, raincoats, compasses and more!

49. Barf bags

Don't let nausea spoil your fun-filled family road trip! Barf bags, also known as sick sacks, are a lifesaver when it comes to long drives with kids. These compact, leak-proof items are perfect for sudden bouts of car sickness that kids might experience. They are easy to use, disposable, and provide a handy solution to keep your car interior clean and odor-free. Just stash a few in the glove compartment or the back seat pockets and you're good to go.

Other Travel Related Posts

Here are some more travel related articles you can read:

Final Thoughts on Preparing Essentials for Kid-Friendly Road Trips

Here is a summary of the 49 road trip essentials for kids:

Indeed, planning for a road trip with kids necessitates a comprehensive checklist to ensure a stress-free and memorable experience. From safety measures like first aid kits and emergency contact details to essentials like snacks, medicines, and entertainment options, every item contributes to the overall success of the journey. Remember, the key to a smooth trip is details preparation and considering your children's needs. With these 49 essentials, you are now well-equipped to create an enjoyable and carefree road trip for your entire family. If you are gearing up for a road trip with your little ones, make sure to save the image below on Pinterest. It'll come in handy and simplify your planning process.

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23 Road Trip Essentials for Kids for a Calm-ish Drive

Are you planning a family road trip and not sure what to pack for your kids? We’ve got you covered. We’ve been road tripping for years now with our kids, from short weekend road trips to month-long cross-country road trips, so we’ve got a few tips on what are the road trip essentials for kids to bring with you.

If this is the first time you are going on a road trip with kids, it can be difficult to know what to pack. Plus, it’s very easy to overpack because you’ll probably think you need lots of your day to day items.

However, we’ve got you covered! This packing list will help you get all the essentials that you need for your kids. And if your road trip is still far away, you can download our printable road trip checklist to make sure you don’t forget anything.

If you’re planning a camping road trip, you can check this article for more must-have items .

Let dive in! Here is our list of road trip essentials for the family, mostly for kids.

Disclaimer: Just a heads up, this free article contains affiliate links . If you purchase after clicking one of these links, I may earn a small commission at no additional cost . Also, as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Your support helps me continue to provide helpful and free content for you .

Road Trip Essentials for Kids: The Basic Stuff

1. Kids’ Car Seats

This is one of the most important things when planning a road trip. kids. You want to make sure your kids are safely restrained in the car. 

If you’re renting a car at your destination for a road trip in another region or country, make sure to check local legal requirements about kids’ car seats.

2. Change of clothes

Depending on the length of your road trip, it’s always a great idea to add a day bag to your road trip packing list. Same things as when you’re flying with kids, it’s important to have a change of clothes easily accessible.

It’s not rare that kids will get their clothes dirty when drinking, eating and even colouring. 

So pack a change of clothes or a few different clothing options is a bag pag that is easy to reach without having to empty the entire car.

Snacks are a road trip essential for kids, and even adults! You can spend many hours on the road and it isn’t easy to find a place to stop and eat. Whilst you can be more patient about food, kids won’t be.

Also, petrol stations may not have the healthiest snacks for your children.

Before starting your road trip, pack some healthy snacks for your little ones. For example, some pre-prepped vegetables and fruits, homemade granola bars, and sandwiches.

You may also want to consider bringing a cooler so you can store more fresh food on a longer road trip so you don’t have to stop at the store every day.

For more ideas, check out this article where we share our favorite road trip snacks for kids.

4. Wet wipes

We always have a few packs of wet wipes when we go on long road trips. They are perfect for cleaning up the kids after they have their snacks. Kids will need some wipes to clean their hands, or you may need to clean up any mess in between. 

Make sure to take enough wet wipes for the journey!

For a more eco-sustainable option, reusable Swedish cloths can be a great alternative. They are easy to wash and they dry fast.

Water is an essential item to add to your family road trip packing list for you and your kids. We love using reusable water bottles that we can refill in most places. Not only will you save money but be more eco-friendly.

Having said so, we also pack a few large bottles of water in case we really need water and we can’t find a safe place to refill our bottles.

6. First aid kit

Small scratches, injuries or mosquito bites can happen on the road. A good first aid kit will have all the essentials (plasters, bandages, small scissors, etc.) you need in case you have to treat a small injury.

We always keep a first aid kit in the car to be safe, and we also have one in our day backpack for our family hikes .

7. Sickness bag and Trash Bag

Sickness bags are always useful to have in your car, especially if you know your kids get motion sick. You never know who may need them, and they’ll help you avoid a mess that you’ll have to clean later.

But we really hope you won’t have to use them.

One thing we often forget is trash bag. On long road trip, you want your car to stay relatively clean so having a trash bag that you can dispose at the end of the day is always a good idea.

8. Blankets

The change of temperature from day to night can make your kids cold or they may want to feel cosy with a blanket when they sleep, that’s why you need to add blankets to your family road trip checklist.

Plus, blankets are a comforting item, so it should also help the kids at bedtime when your traveling.

9. Portable Chargers

There is no road trip without electronics, you need your phone to keep in touch with the world. In addition to this, it’s very likely to also pack a tablet or other devices so your kids can watch movies or listen to music.

In any of these cases, you need to remember to pack chargers. For longer road trips or campervan adventures, a bigger portable charging station is essential. Jackery and EcoFlow have good options.

10. Sunglasses

Sunglasses are super handy for kids when you’re on the road as well as walking in a national park or sunny city.

11. Sunscreen

Using suncream is very important regardless of the season and weather. We always use sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher. 

A good tip is to put it on before entering the car. That way, the kids will be able to open their windows while you’re driving without risking sunburns.

Road Trip Essentials for Kids: The Entertainment Stuff

This really depends on the age and interests of your children. Some kids love an old fashioned printed book whereas others prefer an ebook or audiobook.

In our family, we prefer physical books, but it limits the number of books each kid can bring. But we do have a few audio stories downloaded from Spotify.

EBook and audiobooks are very convenient because books take up space which matters when you’re packing for a road trip .

A good option is children’s podcasts too! 

You’ll need to find road trip activities for the kids to entertain themselves while driving.

If you have two or more children, games are a great solution if you don’t want them to be on the screen for long. There are plenty of games that you can take with you on your road trip.

Some fun games for kids are:

• Magnetic board games
• Travel scavenger hunt
• Family Talk 2

For more ideas on road trip games for kids, check out our detailed article here .

14. Music playlist

No matter how old your children are, they’ll love a music playlist. Download some of their favourite songs from series and movies and let them sing along.

Here the boys love the soundtracks from Vivo and Encanto. But they’ve also started liking some of our own music.

15. Headphones

We’ve just talked about a music playlist, but we must admit that it can get a bit annoying if they’re replaying the same song, so to avoid this, pack some headphones.

It’s also good if you’re traveling with more than one kid and can’t agree on a song or an audiobook.

16. Coloring books and pencils

Kids usually love coloring, so we always pack a coloring book and some pencils to keep them happy during the journey. And it’s a great way to pass the time in the car, but also at destination.é

The Melissa & Doug water WOW books are one of toddler road trip essentials. They are mess-free and can be reused once they dry.

For this it is important you get a foldable plastic table so they can color or draw with ease.

Toddlers and smaller kids love their toys, and although we wouldn’t advise packing lots of toys, it’s good to let them pick two or three with which they can play along the way.

Also, don’t pack noisy toys if you don’t want to lose your patience. 

Some toys that are good for road trips are little action figures, Pokémon cards, teddy bears, Wikki Stix travel set.

18. Small Sport Items

Balls and frisbees are great for your kids to play on rest stops on a long journey. They’ll make your kids move and they’ll love playing with them.

We try to stop every few hours to let the kids burn off some energy. We try to find kids’ playgrounds, but when we can’t, we simply stop in a park and run around with a soccer ball.

19. Swim Gear + Travel Towels

Same as for the small sport items, always bring swim gear with you on road trips. You’ll want to pack them strategically in the car so you can use it along the way without having to unpack the entire car.

Kids will love having a rest stop by the beach, or at a spray pad park after being stuck in a car for a few hours.

Make sure you bring towels that are light and that dry fast. We love our Decathlon microfiber towels .

20. Binoculars

We love packing binoculars for our two children. They’re always very excited to see animals or unique landscapes when we’re traveling around a National Park. Plus, they can be used when doing outdoor activities.

21. Travel journal

Older kids and teenagers may love the idea of documenting the family trip and will be very happy to take a travel journal in which they can write anecdotes, stick stickers and photos, etc.

We’ll be totally transparent here.

We’ve decided not to allow screen time in the car…. For now at least. Long road trips would probably be more calm if we did, but we are dealing with it.

But I totally understand how practical it can be. 

Road trips are long, and although you don’t want kids to be on a screen for long hours, you sometimes need to give them something to keep them entertained and happy.

Before your trip make sure to download your children’s favourite movies on their tablet. 

Baby and Toddler Road Trip Essentials

If you are traveling with a baby or toddlers, you may want to add those items to your list:

23. Baby Food/Formula

If you’re traveling with a baby, you need to pack enough baby food or formula at least to get to your destination.

Of course, you can stop at a pharmacy or grocery store, but it’s always nice to have everything on hand when needed.

Not only for babies, but toddlers and smaller kids can use bibs to avoid getting their clothes dirty when they eat.

This will help you reuse some of their clothes and avoid a big pile of clothes to wash when you get home or to your accommodation.

Final Thoughts: Family Road Trip Essentials

There are a few things to pack when planning a road trip with kids. Hope this list helped you get ready. And don’t forget to download our printable road trip checklist for families.

Emilie is the founder of Love Life Abroad. She helps moms plan epic road trips and outdoor adventures with their families. Because who said adventuring had to stop once we have kids? She’s based in the Canadian Rockies and shares her love for the region as well as other unique places in Canada & USA. She works with tourism boards and outdoor brands to inspire families to experience new unique destinations and outdoor activities.

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The essential road trip packing list with kids

There’s nothing like the lure of the open road to give you itchy feet – but tempting though it is to just jump in the car and go, for a trip to remember, don’t set off without reading my road trip packing list with kids first.

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Driving can be a great way to explore as a family: my daughter ventured down the Pacific Coast Highway before she turned four, while there’s so much more road trip inspiration to be found, from Route 66 and the American Midwest to Ireland and a drive along the Great West Way in England.

So whether you’re starting slow and staying close to home or finally ticking off your bucket list adventure, this family road trip packing list is full of tips, essentials to remember, ideas of what to pack and more advice to avoid being asked ‘Are we nearly there yet?’ before you get five minutes from home.

Contents - click to jump to a section

Car Essentials

When you get in the car for a road trip, there’s plenty that might come in useful (because it’s easier than stopping a million times to grab the things you forgot!) but before don’t forget the essentials that you really need to have with you for a road trip with kids.

So the first step in this family road trip packing list is those things you absolutely shouldn’t forget to make your journey more comfortable, safe, and fun.

For more tips on planning a road trip with kids , check out my top tips

If you have small children, it goes without saying that you’ll need a car seat that is appropriate for their age, height, and weight.

If you’re planning a family road trip abroad and want to take your own car seat, make sure it complies with local law – otherwise you’re probably limited to hiring one along with your car.

Booster seats

For older children who no longer need full car seats, but are not yet tall enough to sit in a seat with a seatbelt.

High-back booster seats are the best option but if you’re looking for options which take less space, check out the MiFold booster seat and Bubblebum inflatable booster seat

Whether you prefer to use a separate satnav, Google Maps or another app on your phone, having a good GPS system to give directions is pretty well essential if you’re unfamiliar with the area you’re visiting – and handy even if you’ve visited before.

Even if you have a GPS system, it is always a good idea to have a map of the area you are visiting, in case your GPS system fails or you lose reception.

If you don’t want to buy a book of maps for a single journey, consider printing out directions as a back-up, but if you’re planning a long road trip, a map of the area is good to have to hand.

Snacks and drinks

Having snacks and drinks available for your kids (and yourself!) will help to keep everyone happy on your road trip – c heck out my tips for the best road trip snacks for kids

Activities for kids

I’ve got a whole post on the best road trip activities for kids , with over 50 ideas of ways to entertain everyone on a long drive.

Run out of time to plan? Bring along some fidget toys as an easy solution – small, quiet and they won’t make a mess!

First-aid kit

No one likes to think you’ll need a first-aid kit, but from unexpected teething to minor injuries as well as travel sickness or illness, it pays to have one to hand in the car.

Check out my essential first aid checklist for ideas on what you need for your family travels

Emergency supplies

Just like the first aid kit, it’s a good idea to hope for the best but plan for the unexpected, so always keep some emergency supplies in your car, such as a flashlight, a whistle, and a blanket .

Some countries also require you to have a specific breakdown kit – if you’re driving in Europe , check this list.

Although it’s not a legal requirement in many countries (although it is in Spain, interestingly!), having a spare tyre in your car – and one that’s road legal – is definitely a good plan in case you get a flat during your trip.

Car insurance

Unlike the spare tire, it is a legal requirement to have car insurance – make sure you’ve got any necessary paperwork before you set off on your road trip.

If you’re driving abroad, check your insurance covers you there, or that you’ve got suitable cover for any rental car.

Essential paperwork

It goes without saying to make sure you have your driver’s license (and that it hasn’t unexpectedly expired) – but make sure you also have any other documents you need ( scroll down for more tips ).

If you’re driving abroad, this could be anything from an International Driver’s Permit to travel insurance .

How to make the car journey comfortable

Whether you’re in your own vehicle or a rental, car rides can be anything but comfortable – and uncomfortable kids (or adults!) are unhappy ones.

From practical essentials to ideas for entertainment, this family road trip packing list is just what you need to make sure the whole family is as comfortable as possible along the route! 

Portable DVD player

If your kids get bored easily, a portable DVD player can be a lifesaver on a long car journey.

If your family suffers from travel sickness, audio books can be a good alternative: a subscription from Audible is my top recommendation!

iPad or tablet

If your kids get to use a tablet as you travel, make sure it’s charged and any apps or content you want are already downloaded before you set off.

Coloring books and crayons

These are always a classic way to keep kids entertained, and they don’t take up too much space in your car. Washable crayons and washable markers are always a good plan though!

For my complete set of road trip activities for kids , check out this list

Games and puzzles

With lots of choice, these are always a fun way to pass the time on a long car ride, whether you choose family games , traditional car games or something for the kids alone.

Check out some of my ideas for toddler travel toys and for age 5+

Travel pillow and blanket

Travel pillows and blankets are great to have, whether you’re hoping your kids nap and sleep, or simply want to make them more comfortable along the way,

You can also get some great seatbelt pillows for kids to make it comfier to rest their heads on long drives – as well as these simple seatbelt pillows , younger kids will love these plush animal versions or the animal-themed Yondi neck pillow .

Memory foam pillow

If you want more support than a travel pillow, a memory foam pillow can help keep kids more comfortable, including smaller sizes that are handy for road trips.

Car organizer

Having a car organizer can be helpful for storing all of the snacks, drinks, toys, and other items you need to bring on your trip, as well as for safety reasons.

I’ve got a Diono Travel Pal which has space for bottles and room to store books, games, tablets and more.

Portable speaker

A portable speaker can be a great way to keep everyone in the back entertained (or headphones if you prefer not to be!)

if you’re traveling with more than one child, headphones can be a helpful way to keep them from fighting over what to listen to.

For younger kids, child headphones with a volume limiter can be a good option.

it’s always a good idea to have plenty of snacks and drinks available for everyone, whether you’re looking for something easy, something to help kids with motion sickness, something for picky eaters or healthy options.

I know I’ve said it before, but you can’t have too many snacks!

Check out my tips for the best road trip snacks for kids

Chewing gum

If your kids (or you) are affected by ear pain on long car rides, chewing gum can be a good solution once they’re old enough.

Ever got out of your car at the end of a road trip and sighed at the mess left behind? (Of course you have, we all have).

So having some spare bags available can be helpful for keeping your car clean along the way.

Essential documentation for a road trip with kids 

In addition to your driver’s license and registration, there are a few other things you should make sure to bring with you on your trip

Car insurance information

In case of an accident, you’ll need to have your car insurance information available.

International documentation

If you’re travelling overseas, make sure you have an International Drivers Permit if it’s needed, or any other required information for the destination, along with travel insurance .

If you’re renting a car abroad, some countries may need proof of insurance or official confirmation that you don’t have points on your driving license, for example.

Roadside assistance details

if you have roadside assistance, like an AAA membership in the US, Green Flag, RAC or the AA in the UK, make sure you have your details to hand, just in case.

Emergency contact information

It’s always a good idea to have any useful contact information with you in case of an emergency – again, if you’re travelling abroad, make sure you know the relevant numbers and that your phone will work.

Map and directions

If you’re traveling to a new area, it’s be helpful to have a map of the area with you, including an old-fashioned paper map in case GPS or reception fails.

It’s also worth printing out directions to your destination or accommodation if you’re not familiar with the area – having a string of landmarks to look out for can help if you’re asking for help, or to save you searching street names on a map.

Always, always, always let someone know where you’re going and what time you think you’ll be there too, for added security.

Clothing and toiletries for a road trip with kids 

Needless to say, clothing and toiletries are a must-have for road trips too! But it’s not just what you pack, it’s how you pack it…

If you’re stopping for a single night along the way to your final destination, try to keep a separate small bag full of overnight essentials rather than having to unpack all the bags.

Check out my tips on clothing and toiletries to consider for a road trip with kids or for a more in-depth packing list, check out my 23-page travel planner .

A change of clothes for everyone

It goes without saying that you’ll have spare clothes packed, but it’s a good idea to have a change of clothes for everyone in the car (or very easily accessible) in case of spills or accidents.

Place the extra pair of clothing in a resealable bag, so it’s both easy to grab if needed and means you have something to put the soiled clothes in when you change. 

If you’re traveling during the summer or you’re going to be near any bodies of water (which are safe to swim in), swimsuits can be a lifesaver to break up a long journey.

Even if you don’t plan on swimming, it can be worth bringing a swimsuit (and towel) with you for unexpected stops or extra pool time.

Sun hats and sunglasses

So easy to forget when you’re focused on the big things, but sun hats and sunglasses are one of the most important things you can bring on a family road trip.

It’s not just for the destination either, although for summer breaks, they’ll be essential to protect everyone from the sun. On bright days, you’ll likely want sunglasses in the car for during the journey too.

Rain jackets

If you’re hitting the road when there’s rain forecast, don’t forget your raincoat – and this is one you really do want to have to hand inside the car (you’ll be grateful when you don’t have to race round in the pouring rain to fish it out!)

Warm clothing/layers

On the same note, make sure you pack clothing for cool weather, whether that’s extra layers, scarves or warm clothing available for everyone in the car once you reach the destination.

Unless you’re heading somewhere with guaranteed sun, better to be prepared so dressing in layers is always a good plan when the forecast is promising sun, cloud and rain!

Comfortable shoes

Having a comfortable pair of shoes is always a good idea for long car journeys – ideally ones which are easy to pull on and take off as needed.

While you can usually stop and pick up essentials along the way, there’s no fun making a huge detour just to buy toothpaste.

Even if you’re planning to stock up on everyday items later in the journey, if you have particular products for your kids’ sensitive skin or your own favourite brands, it’s worth making sure you’ve packed enough for the whole trip.

And for shorter breaks, it makes life easier to pack everything you need on a daily or regular basis – from shampoo and conditioner to deodorant – as well as any extras like remedies for travel sickness. Having a roll of toilet paper is always a good plan too, even if you don’t expect to need it.

Entertainment ideas for a road trip with kids

Taking a road trip with kids can be a great bonding experience for the whole family, making some fantastic memories and also be a whole lot of fun!

But it can also be a bit challenging to keep everyone happy and entertained during those long car rides. Here are some entertainment ideas to make your next road trip packing list with kids complete – or check out my complete list of more than 50 of the best road trip activities for kids . 

Audio Books

Download some audiobooks for the kids to listen to during the drive – this is better than books or movies if they suffer from travel sickness too. As well as their favourite stories, you can check out non-fiction titles so they could learn something new while also passing the time.

We have a subscription to Audible which has been a lifesaver on car journeys long and short.

Bring along some portable games that everyone can enjoy, especially if you have siblings who’ll play in the back as you drive.

Travel versions of classic games like Monopoly or Scrabble are always popular, if you don’t fancy trying something new.

If you have a portable DVD player, bring along some of the family’s best-loved movies to watch for a spot of downtime. This can be a great way to relax and unwind after a long day of driving as well.

Make sure to bring along some fun music for the car ride, both to entertain and help keep everyone’s energy up.

You can stick with your best-loved tunes or singalong favorites, but for some added fun make a playlist that links to your destination, so whenever you hear the track again, it’ll take you straight back to your family adventure.

One word of warning: you need more songs on there than you think, or you’ll end up hearing the same ones over and over and over…

Crayons/drawing

Drawing or puzzle books and crayons/markers are always a hit with kids, with lots of different options to help them stay occupied during the drive and also create some artwork inspired by the trip as a souvenir.

Lap books/activity books

If you have small children, then lap books can be a lifesaver, with a variety of activities to keep toddlers and small children busy – everything from lift-the-flap pages to other hands-on fun.

Essentials for road trips with babies & toddlers

Babies and young children can be a handful at the best of times, so the last thing you want to do is be stuck in the car with them for hours on end without being prepared.

If you’re lucky, when they’re younger, they’ll nap once you set off: planning your drive around naptime and bedtime is always a good plan too.

But you can’t always rely on little ones to sleep when you need them to, so here is a list of essential items you should make sure you have in your car before setting off on a road trip with babies and toddlers.

• Portable Potty – as parents know, young children often have trouble holding it in for long periods of time, so a portable potty is a must-have on any road trip. Needless to say, plan plenty of breaks to try to avoid any emergency stops!
• Diaper/nappy changing essentials – make sure you have plenty of nappies/diapers, wipes, bags and cream packed and easily accessible.
• Plenty of baby toys – grab a few teething toys to help keep little ones distracted during the drive. If your baby is teething, keep the first aid kit close to hand as well.

How to get everything organized in the car for a road trip

Once you’ve got all your essentials, from documents to packing, take a bit of extra time to get organized before your road trip with your family.

Planning a road trip with your family shouldn’t stop at plotting the destination into your route map, so here are a few tips to help you get started:

• Keep a list – from notes of what you’ve got to take to what you’ve got to sort out, a planning list (or lists!) will help ensure you don’t forget anything important. Check out my complete family travel planner for ideas of everything you might need for your trip – available in bright colors and more neutral shades
• Pack an overnight bag – include items such as a change of clothes, toiletries, and any medications you may need.
• Pack a cooler/cool bag – this is essential for long drives. Fill it with snacks and drinks to keep everyone fuelled up.
• Organize your car – make sure everything has a place so it doesn’t end up scattered all over the car. Use car organizers to keep things in place in the back, or small bags for those ‘just in case’ back-ups.
• Leave room for everyone – you might have crammed in all the packing, but being squashed into a tight space won’t be a great start to your trip. So as you pack up the car, keep in mind everyone else that’s traveling with you and leave enough legroom.

When you’re planning a long road trip, there’s always a lot to keep in mind, so these tips are intended as a starting point to help you make sure you’re prepared for a road trip with your family.

Check out some of my other posts for more ideas of planning a road trip with kids , how to keep kids entertained on a road trip , road trip snacks , as well as travel checklists .

This post contains affiliate links – any purchases you make are unaffected but I may receive a small commission

Images courtesy of Depositphotos

Award-winning family travel blogger and mum to the mini traveller, aka Minnie. Together we've visited Europe, America, the Caribbean, Africa and Asia, tried a cruise and a road trip, and survived countless long-haul trips. London (UK) based. Serious beach habit.

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15 Must-Have Items for a Family Road Trip With Kids

Keep kids of all ages happy and entertained while on the road with these gadgets, games and more.

Related To:

Heading out on an adventure with kids is exciting and a test of patience (for both the old and the young!). Watch those long hours speed by with our favorite items for keeping everyone, from preschoolers to tweens, happy and entertained as you hit the open road.

Trunk Organizer

This trunk carryall keeps you organized when running everyday errands and toting kids around to extra-curricular activities. And it takes all that accessible storage with you on the road. To corral all those last-minute additions that kids are throwing at you — beach balls, flippers, frisbees — or to hold all your picnic and quick-stop needs, this tote makes life just a little bit easier.

YETI Hopper Flip 8 Soft Cooler

Food is an absolute necessity when traveling with kids. Fend off those hangry moments with a fully stocked cooler that can be easily stowed between seats. Cheese sticks, squeezable yogurts and fruit are healthier, but also delicious options, to throw in along with dry snacks, like pretzels, crackers and nuts.

Stasher Reusable Silicone Sandwich Bag

Storage bags for all those snacks are a must. For those of us trying to be more mindful about our plastic consumption, invest in a few of these reusable silicone food bags. Available in snack, sandwich and half-gallon sizes, as well as a variety of fun colors and patterns, these bags are a smart addition to your cooler and can be used over and over again on your trip.

Car Trash Can

Instead of stuffing napkins and straw wrappers in doors and cup holders, contain all your trash in this portable garbage bag. Simple to empty when you stop at a rest area or gas station, it'll keep your car neat and tidy as you ride down the highway.

You really can never have enough wipes when traveling with kids. Whether cleaning up spills, washing hands and faces or wiping down picnic tables, you'll never regret having an extra stash or two of them in the car.

Ginger Chews

If anyone gets car sick, having these ginger chews handy is a lifesaver. Not only does ginger help curb nausea, but it also settles an upset stomach if roadside food doesn't agree with your kiddo's tummy.

Go! A Kids' Interactive Travel Diary and Journal

Encourage your kids to remember every moment of the trip with this smartly designed travel journal, which is full of fun graphics, clever prompts to get them writing and playful stickers and badges. They can even share their journeys with friends and grandparents by mailing back the included postcards.

Toddler Backpack

Road trips often include a one-night stay at a hotel on the way to your end destination. Make your life simpler by having each kid pack a small backpack with overnight essentials. When you stop, everyone grabs his or her bag and you (thankfully!) don't have to unload the entire car.

Amazon Fire 7 Kids' Tablet

Let's be honest, very few of us are going to tackle a road trip without a single screen. The Fire Kids Edition Tablet has a kid-proof case and a two-year worry-free guarantee. Let them listen to audiobooks and music and watch their favorite shows to give everyone some peace and quiet during this very enclosed family time moment.

Riwbox Bluetooth Kids' Headphones

When everyone needs a little break from each other and are ready to settle in with their tablets, grab these Bluetooth headphones so that your car is not bombarded with a combination of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse , a Harry Potter audiobook and BTS all at the same time. And you can enjoy a moment of silence … until they're ready for their next snack.

Crayola Twistables Colored Pencils

Make sure your kids have plenty of art supplies to get creative on the open road. We love these twistable colored pencils. No tiny shreds of crayon paper all over your car and no sharpening required. They are truly a parent's dream.

Melissa & Doug Mini-Sketch Pad

These mini sketchpads are easy for even your younger kids to hold in their laps and give everyone space to play and create, including games of tic-tac-toe or hangman, drawings of the sights they see and a place to create their own comic book.

Crayola Color Wonder Activity Set

Mess-free markers are ingenious, allowing kids to color without parents ever worrying about getting markers on seats, clothes or the car. They only show color when used on the matching Color Wonder paper. Tuck this activity set up front with you and around hour five when the kids start getting stir crazy, hand it back for a new lease on your car life.

Briarpatch Travel Scavenger Hunt Card Game

Classic road trip games, like I Spy, 20 Questions and The Alphabet Game, are the perfect way to involve the whole family while you're traveling. This Travel Scavenger Hunt Card Game is a great addition to your arsenal of pass-the-time games, letting players race to search for objects found on the cards.

Sorry! Road Trip Series

Travel-sized versions of family-favorite games, like Sorry!, Battleship and Scrabble, are another fun and inexpensive way for kids to entertain themselves in the backseat. Specifically designed for a moving vehicle, the cases have spots to hold all the pieces while playing so you're less likely to lose anything.

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Meredith Adkisson

35 Things To Do On a Long Car Ride With Kids for a Happy Road Trip

Road trips can be a blast, but it could be another story if you’ve got a car full of kiddos. We’ve learned that preparing for the drive is just as important as planning what to do when you get to your destination. That umpteen-hour drive to and from Disney World can have you cursing Cinderella before you even make it to the panhandle.

I mean, while we know we can’t expect joy-filled giggles or total peace and quiet the entire drive, I do have some great ideas to make the drive more enjoyable and to help keep the kids from declaring total mutiny in the backseat. If you’ve got a road trip planned, you’ll definitely want to keep reading for sanity-saving things to do on a long car ride with kids .

Kids’ Activities and Games for a Long Car Ride

Whether your long car ride is 2 hours or 20 hours, you’ll want to be prepared. Depending upon your kid’s age, stage, and ability to entertain themselves, you might need just a few fun ideas or an entire arsenal of activities that will help beat boredom without an overload of screen time. Be sure and add some of these items to your road trip packing list!

LCD Writing Tablet

I love these LCD writing tablets ! Kids can write, draw and erase all day. The battery lasts about 12 months of use and is replaceable when it goes out, so you don’t have to worry about keeping it charged. Just toss it in a diaper bag or backpack and you have an instant creative outlet for the car ride.

Reusable Sticker Books

For little ones on a long car ride, I love these reusable sticker books! They’re safe for the car because the stickers easily peel off a car window or seat back. Whoever created these deserves a medal, says every parent who has scraped old stickers from their door panels after a long car trip.

Sticker Activity Books

There are lots of options for sticker/activity books, but I especially love these beautifully illustrated travel-themed ones for older kids. This 50 States sticker book is fun and is a great geography lesson, especially if you’ll be crossing several state lines during your road trip. This National Park book is also a great idea if you’ll be road-tripping to any of these incredible parks.

Travel Activity Desk

If your kid prefers drawing on paper, then a travel activity desk is awesome. Find one that has pockets for all of their supplies and easily zips open and closed, so you’re not hunting for markers and loose crayons the entire road trip.

Magnetic Puzzles and Games

There are all kinds of magnetic puzzles and games available, from tangrams to chess. I love that the pieces stay attached, so there’s less chance of losing them. My kids love Minecraft , so I’m excited to pull out this puzzle for our next road trip!

Magnetic Drawing Board

The magnetic drawing board is similar to a writing tablet, but in this case, the stylus moves tiny magnetic beads to the surface of the board. When you want to “erase” it, simply push the beads back down. This is a great sensory, mess-free activity for kids for long car rides.

Play Travel “I Spy”

No road trip is complete without road trip games. Here’s a game you can play the old-school way or get a pack of travel cards to play this game with your family as a way to pass the time. It’s a great way to get the kids engaged in the world outside the car and sharpens their observation skills.

Lacing Toys

My girls loved these lacing toys when they were little. They felt like they were learning to sew, while at the same time strengthening their fine motor skills. They’re also great for car rides since there are no small pieces. These wooden ones are really durable and have the string attached. If you’re looking for some that are more packable for your road trip, these lacing cards take up less space and are still well-made.

Busy Boards

A busy board is an engaging, sensory experience for your toddlers or preschoolers. Your little kids will be able to practice skills, such as zipping or buckling. They’ll love the textures and colors and learn basic skills that every school-age kid needs to know. These busy boards make it a fun way to pass the time on a road trip, as well as learn life skills in the car.

Play the Alphabet Game

Similar to “I Spy,” the alphabet game gets your kiddos looking for letters of the alphabet on road signs, billboards, and license plates on your long car ride. It’s a great way to get them reading without realizing they’re doing it on the long car ride. I love these free printable alphabet games from Military One Source.

You’re probably laughing right now, but seriously… This idea from MammaPapaBubba is genius. You can create your own travel lego kit that will let your kiddos build in the car for hours without dropping dozens of tiny legos in the bottomless pit of your back seat.

Play a License Plate Game

Here’s one of my favorite road trip games. I used to play the license plate game as a kid. Of course, we did it the old-school way with paper and pencil, but you can find some really neat games to bring along in the car, like this Melissa and Doug version or these License Plate Travel Bingo cards.

Surprise Bags

Packing some blind bags for your kids on a long car ride is so much fun. They’ll absolutely love the surprise as they pull out unexpected fun things. On our trip to Disney, I ordered a big pack of little Disney toys on eBay for WAY cheaper than I would have paid at the park. And because it was a surprise to my kids, they were over the moon excited.

Road Trip Bingo

There are tons of free, printable Bingo games your kids can play on your long car ride, like these from the Travel Channel or these for your Bluey fans .

Pro tip: Put them in page protectors in a binder, so you can continue to add to your travel Bingo collection over the years.

Game on a Nintendo Switch

If you don’t have one of these super popular handheld gaming devices, it might be worth investing in one or borrowing one if you’ll be in the car for hours. While we typically try to avoid excessive amounts of screen time, desperate times call for desperate measures. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do to help the kids stay entertained. (The Switch is also available in a Lite version at a lower price point. )

Activities for Everyone for a Long Car Ride

The opportunity to spend hours together on a long car ride can be a great time to bond, plan and enjoy some road trip entertainment. Here are some great ideas for family activities that little kids, teens, and adults can either enjoy together or separately when we need a break from each other.

Save the Trip Planning For the Car

If you have a flexible week ahead of you at your destination, take the time to plan on your car ride instead of nailing it all down before. Let the kids weigh in on meals, activities, etc. It will fill the time and let the kids have more buy-in on your road trip. This is especially important if you have older kids/teens who might be more reluctant about a family trip.

Listen to a Podcast

It seems there are endless podcast choices available. Depending upon the age and interests of your family, choose one to listen to together, or download podcasts on individual devices for some quiet listening time. There are even podcasts made for children as young as two-years-old, so there’s definitely something for everyone.

Listen To Your Own Music

If you have a music subscription, download music to your child’s tablet or phone ahead of time when you’re connected to Wi-Fi. We have a Spotify family account, and each of can create our own library of music. Having control over music on the drive gives everyone a little sanity and control over their environment when everyone is in need of some personal space and time.

Learn a New Language

An extended amount of time in the car is a great time to work on your second language skills. You could choose a podcast to listen to or practice on a free language learning app, such as Duolingo . There are lots of options for practicing the language of your choice.

Listen to an Audiobook

I love that I can download audiobooks on the Libby app from my public library. Listening to a novel is one of the other best ways to pass the hours on long car rides. It’s free and there are tons of choices. You can also sign up for an Audible membership if your public library doesn’t offer this service.

Tip: if your local library doesn’t offer this or has many audiobooks available, check with a bigger city in your state. Some of them will allow residents of the state to create an account for free. If you’re in TX, you can get an online card from the Houston Public Library and get FREE access to tons of books and audiobooks!

Find an Interesting Gas Station

The south has its Bucees and the Northeast has its Wawa. If you’re into gas stations that seem to offer it all, you’ll find it at one of these locations.

There are also some incredibly unique gas stations across the US that are worth a stop and might even be worth going out of your way to visit.

Make Foodie Stops

If speed is your thing, then you might want to skip right over this. But if you love to try local food, then plan your drive around it. Some of our favorite stops have been at local spots that we’ve found on our drive. It’s much better than wolfing down some greasy fries while you’re driving, IMO.

Play “While You Were Sleeping”

This might be one of my favorites. 😂 When someone in the car falls asleep, everyone else QUIETLY creates a story about what happened while the sleeping passenger was snoozing. The goal is to make them believe you, so depending upon the gullibility of your crew, you can go as big as you want with your story.

Forbidden Words

This is a hilarious game to get everyone involved in. At the beginning of the trip, you set some words that are forbidden from being spoken, like “bathroom” or “hungry.” If someone in the car says one of these words, they are either out of the game or you could have them complete a task like eating some BeanBoozled jelly beans . The rules are really up to you!

Play Decades

This is another favorite game of ours, and I don’t know if it has a real name, but that’s what we call it.

Someone in the car calls out a decade. Then everyone takes turns picking out a song from that decade. It’s sure to get some laughs and likely some groans. Spotify playlists make this an easy game to play.

Watch a Movie

One of my favorite features of Netflix is that I can download hours of movies onto my kids’ tablet or phone. This is great for airplane rides and really long car rides, especially if you don’t have cellular service or have limited data.

Take a Photo-Op

Break up the drive by finding some Insta-Worthy photo ops along the way. It’s a great way to document your trip while you stretch your legs.

Find a Park

Chances are, there are some fun parks or playgrounds along your travel route. If you’re traveling during the day, plan to stop and let the kids run off some steam. If they play hard enough, you might get some quiet nap time afterward.

Things to Do to Make it a Relaxing Long Car Ride

Sometimes after a few hours on a long car ride, you can start to feel trapped or overwhelmed, especially if you or your kids are highly sensitive or have special needs. This is a struggle for our family, so I have to be proactive at trying to create a calm environment in the car. To help prevent meltdowns and overwhelm, these items help to encourage rest and calm on our road trips.

Pack Snacks!

If we had to stop every time someone said, “I’m hungry,” we’d waste HOURS. But we’ll also do almost anything to avoid having “hangry” passengers.

Before your trip, it’s a great idea to go snack shopping. Let the kids pick out their faves, but make sure you also pack some healthy snacks. We love to bring a small cooler to toss in some string cheese, apple slices, and grapes.

Headphones or Ear Plugs

Having a pair of headphones or earplugs for every person is going to make your road trip so much easier when everyone is wanting to listen to their own music, show, etc. I love having wireless headphones, but it’s helpful to have a wired pair on hand in case you aren’t able to charge a set.

Sometimes, you don’t want to listen to anything but need some quiet. My daughter has misophonia and is very easily over-stimulated by sounds. On a road trip, she either uses her noise-canceling Airpod Pros with or without any music playing or will wear these Loop earplugs to help muffle sounds.

Invest in Travel Pillows

This is an essential part of your road trip. Finding a travel pillow that works to keep your head and neck supported will make a huge difference on your road trip and help guarantee that you’ll get some good rest.

If you’re like me and have a hard time getting enough neck support, then you might love this unique neck pillow . I was skeptical at first, but it was a game changer on a 9-hour overnight flight.

Darken the Windows

If you’re traveling during the day, adding some removable window shades will help block out some of the sunlight and help your passengers get some rest during the drive, and cut down on glare.

These silk, adjustable eye masks should be part of your road trip essentials. If you or your crew have trouble sleeping during the day, these lightweight eye masks provide a black-out environment to help you rest on the road.

Aromatherapy

Traveling in a car together can result in some interesting…aromas. To help keep it fresh, you might enjoy one of these travel diffusers . It sits in your cup holder and plugs into a USB outlet. Bring along your favorite essential oil blends and create a relaxing environment.

Fidget with a Fidget

From toddlers to adults, a fidget can be a sanity saver on a long drive for your anxious or antsy travelers. For me, having something to do with my hands helps me stay off my phone. If you have older kids and teens, they’ll likely enjoy these Shape-Shifting Cubes . Younger kids will love these variety packs . You can pull a new one out every hour to change it up.

Wrapping Up

Family road trips, while exhausting, can be a lot of fun! If you plan well for your road trip ahead of time, you can actually make some really fun memories during the drive, as well as help keeps everyone entertained and well-rested.

If everyone is sick of each other and angry before you arrive, it can affect the rest of your trip and keep you from fully enjoying the fun things you planned the rest of the time. So next time you are planning to hit the open road, refer back to our list to get ideas for your road trip.

Let us know your best tips for surviving and enjoying long car rides with your family!

Meredith lives in Cowtown, aka Fort Worth, TX with her husband Brian, three daughters, and three kitty cats. She is obsessed with travel and coffee. When she isn't writing, you might find her relaxing on a patio with an iced coffee, dreaming up her next trip.

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I packed for a 2-week vacation in a van using tips from people who live in one full time. It made my journey so much smoother.

Posted: December 17, 2023 | Last updated: December 18, 2023

• I embarked on a two-week van trip and turned to the experts for packing advice.
• People living out of vans, RVs, and travel trailers gave me some tips.
• They suggested I pack a way to jumpstart the van, and do my best to avoid overpacking. 

Packing for my first van trip didn't start the night before, or even two days ahead of time — it was closer to two weeks before my van adventure.

That's because I wanted to make sure I'd be prepared for all that I would encounter along the road . And part of that preparation involved asking people living out of vans what I should be packing.

They delivered with their advice, so I'm passing on their packing tips for anyone else planning a similar trip.

With limited water on the road, one person recommended that I bring a collapsible water jug on my van trip.

The van I'd rented for two weeks came from the rental company Native Campervans . Thankfully, the 75-square-foot space had practically everything I needed. There was a stove, sink, bed, and plenty of room for storage.

The van also had a seven-gallon tank for water. While some vans are equipped with much larger tanks, I figured stopping to fill it up with water a few times throughout my trip wouldn't be too challenging.

But Christian Schaffer , who has lived in a van for more than four years, advised bringing a collapsible water jug. She said I might use more water than I predicted, so having a few backup gallons could help me avoid a stop or two.

"A thing that's kind of helpful is those big collapsible water jugs that you can fill up just so that you have extra to go off-grid," Schaffer, 38, told BI. "And they pack down really small when you're not using them."

While Casey Hogan said it might seem obvious to travel with a first-aid kit, she said she often sees people without one.

Casey Hogan , a 31-year-old living in a 2019 Ford Transit, reminded me that van life can feel similar to camping. Plus, I'd be doing activities like hiking and climbing, where things could go wrong.

Hogan said she always packs with emergencies in mind. "I always travel with and hike with the first aid kit," Hogan said.

That way, she's prepared if something goes awry out in the wilderness.

Others said emergency items like a portable jump starter and an external battery are essential.

Navod McNeil told BI that he also considers safety when it comes to packing for a van trip in his Ford Transit.

The 30-year-old said that there have been plenty of times when something went wrong with his van, and one common problem was a dead battery.

So he started packing a portable jump starter for his van trips. This way, he doesn't need to rely on AAA or a stranger with jumper cables to save the day.

I have a portable jump starter in my everyday car, which I bought on Amazon for $60 . I might have forgotten to pack it if McNeil didn't remind me.

Beyond that, McNeil said he always has an external battery, so he can still access electricity if his van's power were to fail.

One traveler suggested that I download movies and music to my laptop, phone, or iPad.

Often in remote destinations, there isn't cell service, and depending on your van and WiFi setup, you might be without service for days on end, Maddy Garrett , 25, told BI.

With that in mind, Garrett always has a few playlists, podcasts, and movies downloaded on her devices.

While Garrett said disconnecting from the outside world is a major perk of van life, there are still times when you'll want a solo movie night or music for those long, service-less drives.

Don't forget to pack whatever you want to use to document your trip.

Zach Nelson , a 23-year-old living in a Sprinter van, recommends packing items that will make it easy to document the adventure, whether you prefer to write in a journal or snap pictures on a film camera.

"You definitely need a way to document it, whether it's a Polaroid film camera or even just your phone," Nelson said.

A 25-year-old living in her van swears by her reusable pee cloth.

Garrett said her Kula cloth has been a game changer when it comes to using the restroom with van life. The $20 item is an antimicrobial, reusable pee cloth that's easy to carry on trips.

I'm a frequent hiker and backpacker, and I've had my eye on a Kula cloth for a long time. And since my van wasn't going to have a bathroom, Garrett said it was the ideal time to buy one.

"It just makes your life easier because you could stop and pee on the side of the road at any time," she said.

Plus, a pee cloth would mean that I wouldn't have to worry for two weeks about throwing away used toilet paper, she said, adding that "it's literally the best thing in the whole world."

Most people encouraged me to prepare for the weather.

Multiple people said that traveling in a van would mean needing to adapt to the weather.

"You have to understand whatever is going on outside will probably affect you on the inside," Brittany Newson , a 36-year-old living in a travel trailer, told BI.

Whether it's rain, snow, or heat, everyone agreed I should pack with that in mind.

Sierra Fernald , 23, said I shouldn't only consider the weather, but how I handle it. Fernald said she hates the cold and there were times in her Ram ProMaster van when it felt impossible to get out of her warm bed in the morning. So she invested in warmer clothes and a heater to make those chilly mornings easier.

"Definitely prepare for the weather, and maybe over-prepare a little bit," she said.

And while it might be tempting to overpack, multiple people encouraged me to keep things light.

Multiple people said I wouldn't want to live and travel in a crowded van, so they encouraged me to evaluate if and how I was going to use every item I packed.

"Come in with the bare minimums and see how you like to live in the space," Newson said. "Then you will see what it is that you would need in order to be happy."

Worst-case scenario, I could always stop at a store along the way to pick up anything I'd forgotten.

Their tips worked, and I embarked on my two-week trip without leaving anything major behind.

While I did overpack, the people I spoke with shared helpful suggestions that made a drastic difference throughout my trip.

For example, grabbing a first-aid kit and portable jump starter gave me confidence and reassurance throughout the two weeks. And not worrying about used toilet paper thanks to Garrett's Kula cloth suggestion was a major luxury.

While I'd add a few more items to my packing list for a regular road trip , these nomad-approved items will always be tucked into my suitcase for my future van adventures.

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Rock Hill daycare remembers 3-year-old twins, mother killed in car accident

“they were a bundle of joy. they was a trip they were like two little women.”.

ROCK HILL, S.C. (WBTV) - Schoolmates and staff at Right Choice Child Development Center in Rock Hill created a memorial in memory of three-year-old Mariah and Mackenzie Hughes.

The twins and their mother, 30-year-old mother Tionese Hughes, were killed in a car crash Friday evening after leaving the daycare.

The driver of the other car, 39-year-old Kristen Agard, also died in the accident.

Investigators said Agard crossed the center line of Saluda Road and crashed into the Hughes family car.

Sidnetrice Williams, the CEO of the daycare said the twins attended Right Choice Child Development Center in Rock Hill since they were nearly nine-months-old.

“They were a bundle of joy. They was a trip! (laughs) they were like two little women,” shared Williams.

On Sunday, family and friends created a memorial outside of the daycare, catching the eye of drivers and young students here at the center.

Staff at Right Choice Child Development Center shared that Monday was difficult returning explaining to the children what happened, but they’re determined to keep Mariah and Mackenzie’s names alive.

“Our staff got together and painted the rocks. We’ve had those rocks out here since we opened and never did anything with them, so we painted the rock their favorite colors, and we just plan to come out and love on each other,” said Nikki Grier, the executive director of Right Choice.

Inside of the daycare remains Macaroni art belonging to Mariah and Mackenzie, along with an empty cubby marked with a bow.

“We never thought that Friday would be the last time we saw those babies and their mom,” explained Williams.

Williams said the twins were always one of the first to arrive every day, and their mother played a big part in their development at the school.

“She was very involved in the program. She was very involved in their academic success. She was a hard-working mom. She had four kids,” Williams explained.

Heartbroken to know the girls and their mother will no longer walk through the front doors again, the daycare community will continue to remember the twins -- and hope safety improvements will be made to the road.

“In reference to the road they were killed on, it needs to be a change. It’s a two-way lane; it needs to be extended. We’re gonna dedicate March 22nd as ‘M & M Day’ because it was Mackenzie and Mariah. So we will always, always remember them,” Willams continued.

The York County Coroner’s Office said a toxicology and pathology report from the crash is pending.

WBTV is working to learn more about the woman who investigators say caused the crash.

The station did some digging and learned that 39-year-old Kristen Agard had faced multiple DUI charges before.

At this time, investigators say it’s too early to know if alcohol played a factor in last week’s crash.

Copyright 2024 WBTV. All rights reserved.

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HAYS COUNTY, Texas (Gray News) – Officials in Texas named the 5-year-old boy who was killed in a collision involving a school bus and concrete truck on Friday afternoon.

The Hays Consolidated Independent School District identified the boy as Ulises Rodriguez Montoya. He was riding on a Tom Green Elementary School pre-kindergarten bus.

“Ulises was a child who was filled with a lot of happiness and he often shared it with others,” Naira Solís Shears, the boy’s pre-K bilingual teacher, said .

Investigators said the crash occurred on Texas State Highway 21 while the school bus was on a field trip to the Bastrop Zoo. The bus was hit by a cement truck that swerved into the wrong lane of traffic, according to the school district.

Two people were killed in the crash, including Ulises, and more than 50 others were injured , according to Hays Consolidated Independent School District superintendent Eric Wright said. The bus was carrying more than 40 pre-K students.

Ulises “loved his family, dinosaurs, the color green, and going to school,” the district described in a media release on Monday.

The family established a GoFundMe to assist with funeral expenses. A separate GoFundMe was set up by Tom Green Elementary School’s community partners to help with additional funeral, medical or unanticipated costs.

“He liked to tell stories and shared many with his friends and family,” Shears added. “Above all, he was a loving child.”

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