A road trip with children is a unique form of adventure. You're essentially confined in a moving box with humans who didn't choose to be there, for hours or days. They're bored. You're handling. Everyone needs to use the bathroom. Simultaneously. Welcome to the road trip.
Yet many families survive road trips and even enjoy them. Some discover that road trips are their favorite family travel format. The key is realistic expectations, entertainment strategy, and understanding that a road trip with kids is fundamentally different from a road trip without them.
Planning: Setting Up for Success
Calculate realistic driving time: A 10-hour drive without kids is 10 hours. A 10-hour drive with kids is 14-16 hours when you add breaks. Plan accordingly.
Break the drive into segments: Driving 8 hours with a stop is easier than 12 hours straight. Consider splitting drives across days.
Choose rest stops strategically: Long rest stops (2+ hours) with fun activities break up the monotony. Some rest areas have parks or playgrounds.
Aim for driving during sleep times: Driving during nap time or overnight when kids sleep is ideal. Plan drives around your children's natural sleep schedules.
Plan meal breaks: Stopping for a sit-down meal breaks up the drive and gives everyone time to move around.
Prepare for bathroom breaks: Kids need bathrooms frequently. Stock wipes, hand sanitizer, and patience.
Entertainment: The Survival Strategy
New toys: Wrap 5-7 small, new toys. Introduce them one per hour or every two hours. The novelty is engaging.
Coloring books and supplies: Non-messy art supplies (markers with caps, colored pencils) provide engagement.
Sticker books: Endlessly entertaining for young kids.
Magnetic games: Travel versions of checkers, tic-tac-toe, or magnetic puzzles don't have loose pieces.
Books and audiobooks: Have books for older kids. Audiobooks keep everyone engaged (try Percy Jackson, Wings of Fire, or age-appropriate options).
Movies and shows: Download several on a tablet or portable DVD player. Don't save them for the end.
Snacks: Pack endless snacks (not all junk food, but some treats). The novelty and flavor of different snacks provides entertainment and prevents hunger-induced crankiness.
Road trip games: License plate bingo, "I Spy," alphabet game, or other car-specific games provide engagement.
Surprise bag: Put small items in a bag and let each child draw one every hour or so. Anticipation is half the fun.
Avoid screens first: Use non-screen entertainment first. Save screens for the most difficult parts of the drive.
Packing: The Road Trip Kit
Snacks for kids: Bring their favorites, plus some new options. Include water bottles.
Snacks for adults: You need sustenance too.
Bathroom supplies: Wipes, hand sanitizer, tissues, paper towels. Public bathrooms are better when you bring your own supplies.
Spare clothes: In case of accidents, spills, or unexpected swimming opportunities.
Basic first aid: Bandages, pain reliever, fever reducer.
Entertainment supplies: Everything listed above.
Trash bags: Car garbage accumulates. Bags keep it contained.
Wet wipes: Sticky hands, spilled food, random messes—wet wipes handle everything.
Sunscreen and hats: If traveling during sunny season.
Change of clothes for each kid: Spills and accidents happen.
Headphones or earbuds: If using screens, headphones keep audio contained.
During the Drive: Hour by Hour Strategy
Before the drive: Feed everyone. A well-fed kid is a happier kid.
Hours 1-2: Start with conversation, simple games, or non-screen entertainment. Energy is good.
Hours 2-3: Introduce a screen or audiobook if the drive is very long.
Hour 3-4: Introduce an entertainment novelty. Stop for bathroom and stretching.
Hour 4+: This is the hardest part. Rotate entertainment. Introduce new toys. Offer new snacks.
Breaks every 2-3 hours: Stretch, use bathrooms, move around.
Managing Common Road Trip Challenges
Whining and complaints: This is inevitable. Acknowledge it ("I hear you, driving is hard") without being annoyed. Suggest solutions ("We can stop for a snack at the next exit").
Sibling fighting: Separate siblings if possible (different car rows, different entertainment). Some fighting is normal. Dangerous fighting needs stopping.
Bathroom emergencies: Kids suddenly desperately need bathrooms. Exit at the next opportunity. Have wipes for accidents.
Hunger: Hungry kids are worse kids. Feed them regularly and don't rely on restaurant stops.
Overtired: Sometimes kids get too tired and spiral. Stop, let them run around, reset.
Boredom meltdowns: These happen. Introduce novelty (new toy, snack, game), change the entertainment, or stop to break it up.
Screen exhaustion: Kids can watch screens for hours. This is okay for road trips.
Driver exhaustion: If you're exhausted, stop. Driving while dangerously tired endangers everyone.
Bedtime on the Road
Overnight drives: Some families drive overnight while kids sleep. This is efficient if your kids sleep in cars.
Hotel stops: Breaking the drive across days with hotel stays is more comfortable but more expensive.
Sleep expectations: Kids sleep worse in cars than beds. That's okay. Rest is still happening.
Don't force sleep: Let kids rest without expecting actual sleep.
Arrival
Expect a decompression period: After hours in a car, kids need time to decompress. They might be grumpy, overstimulated, or emotional. Let them move around and settle.
Outdoor time: Getting outside and running around helps reset their nervous systems.
Established routines: Getting into new routines and a normal schedule helps them adjust to wherever you've arrived.
Making Peace With Road Trips
Adjust expectations: Road trips with kids aren't relaxing for adults. You're a referee, entertainer, and navigator. Accept that.
Find the good: Sometimes the moments—singing together, laughing at jokes, shared experiences—are genuinely good.
Take turns: If you have a partner, take turns driving and entertaining. Solo road tripping with kids is exponentially harder.
Audio entertainment matters: Good audiobooks, podcasts, or music that everyone enjoys makes the drive better for adults.
Some families love them: Once you find the rhythm, road trips can be your family's favorite travel format. You have flexibility, you control the pace, and you're together.
The Reality
Road trips with kids are hard. They're loud. They're long. Someone will be whiny. You'll hear "Are we there yet?" what feels like 1,000 times. But you'll also create memories, see things together, and build resilience in your kids.
Years later, your kids might remember the road trip as an adventure. Or they might just remember stopping at weird rest areas and eating snacks. Either way, you did it together. That matters.
Linda Fehrman
Linda began writing professionally in 2014. The majority of her work has been published on fitness, health-eating and relationships. Linda is well-versed and passionate about relationships, fitness and health issues.
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