Tips for Road Travel with Young Children
Embarking on a long road trip with your young kids is a potentially exciting experience, but anyone who’s done one will tell you that there’s also a lot of potential for chaos as well! That’s why you should always prepare sufficiently for those longer journeys. Fortunately, we’ve brought together this list of tips and advice to help make that first trip as fun as it can be.
Make a dry run
If you’ve got a child who doesn’t have much experience of being in the car for long periods, it’s a very good idea to take him or her for a couple of slightly longer journeys in the lead up to the main trip. This will get them more used to being in the car for increased amounts of time. If you’re planning a six hour trip, then a couple of two hour journeys will be just about enough build up.
Bring plenty for them to do
If there’s one type of child most likely to act up, it’s a bored one! That’s why you should always bring plenty of things to occupy their attention on any longer journey. They will likely have their favorite toys or electronic devices, so make sure they’re all packed. Remember to bring all the necessary chargers and a shed load of batteries too: you don’t want the PSP to run out of power halfway through a six hour journey! Oh, and unless you want to listen to the games, bring some headphones. Don’t miss our road trip with kids checklist for what to pack.
Pack food and drink for everyone.
A hungry child can be just as temperamental as a bored one, so it’s important to ensure you bring more than enough to keep the young ones appetite at bay. Avoid messy foods such as yogurts as they’ll inevitably end up all over the car. Crisps, cereal bars and dryer sandwiches (meats and solid cheese) are excellent, but ensure you bring a bag for rubbish in case there are any leftovers. Bring some plain water (flavored with weak squash if they don’t like the taste of normal water), as it will be far better at quenching their thirst. Needless to say, a big thermos of coffee for mum and dad is in order, too!
Avoid too much sugar
The last thing you want is a child that’s completely wired on e-numbers, as this will make their blood sugar rise and fall, leading to them alternating between loud and irritable and sleepy. Proteins are the best foods for keeping moods lively, whether it be some chicken or simple a few hard boiled eggs, and they are also great for keeping them fuller for longer. Avoid carbonated soft drinks.
Don’t forget about yourself
Whilst it’s important that your children are catered for, it’s important to remember that it’s a long trip for you, too! Ensure that you bring your own entertainment for the times when your partner is at the wheel, such as an mp3 player or a good book if you’re able to read in the car. You deserve to enjoy yourself as much as they do.
Make sure everyone is as comfortable and as safe as possible
If you’re about to embark on a long road trip, then it’s important that your little ones are as comfortable and safe as possible. For comfort, load the car up with lots of comfy pillows and blanket for them just in case they do start to feel a little tiresome. It’s also important that you check that your insurance policy will cover you fully for your long trip – because, if you go over your policy’s mileage limit whilst you’re out on the road, you won’t be covered if you run into problems. If you’re worried, give your insurance company a call before you set off, or you could buy Budget Direct comprehensive car insurance to ensure that you’re appropriately covered when you’re driving.
