Parenting Guru: My 5 tips for traveling with kids

We'll be making the long trek from Chicago to Tennessee in the next couple weeks for Spring Break. Even though this is a nine-hour trip, we feel pretty good about it. We used to live in Nebraska which required a twelve-hour trip whenever we wanted to visit family. Needless to say, we've learned a few things about traveling with kids...

1) Let the kids pack their own toy bags...but bring a few surprises of your own. My oldest daughter knows she needs to bring some books to read, but she always underestimates how quickly she can finish a book. I usually bring along a couple I know she will like as emergency supplies. My preschool son goes into the toy room and picks the first three things he lays eyes on. I go behind him and pick out a few extra things that are tried and true entertainment for him (one of these is always a toy cell phone). If it isn't too inconvenient, I like to get a grab bag of little toys from the thrift store or the dollar store so that I have something "new" for them to play with if and when things really get sticky.

2) Create your own "trail mix" for snack time. Before we leave for a trip, I always pack each child a bag (or two, depending on how long our trip is) that has a variety of snack food. Raisins, nuts, marshmallows, a variety of cereals, mini-graham cookies, popcorn, cheddar crackers, fruit snacks, small candies have all made their way into my snack bags. Frankly, the more variety you have, the better. A lot of these foods they rarely get to have so that, in and of itself, makes the snack bag special. My kids always eat these mixed snacks more slowly as they pick out their favorites to eat first or last. If they don't eat it all immediately, they have a stash available to keep them occupied for quite awhile.

3) Try to hold out and show only one movie. We do have a portable DVD player so we could easily show movies nonstop our entire trip. Unfortunately, the effects of so much screen time are usually only negative. Even when we let them watch just one movie, we need to be prepared for a difficult transition time back to the real world. Our kids aren't used to so much concentrated screen time. We usually set a time (after lunch or dinner are the best times) and ask them to wait until then. When they have nothing else to distract them, our kids are capable of coming up with some great imaginary play that has the added benefit of entertaining me in my own boredom! Without the distraction of the screen, I am always amazed at how much the kids notice outside their windows as well. This may not be a popular tip, but I have found it makes a big difference for our kids' ability to self-entertain when they know they will get to watch just one movie.

4) Everyone goes to the bathroom at every stop. Our trip to Tennessee can either be eight hours or nine hours, depending on how long our stops last. We have streamlined the stopping process to make our trip as short as possible. Everyone goes to the bathroom (sometimes even twice!) before we leave. When we stop for gas, everyone gets out to try to use the bathroom. If we have a minute, while dad uses the restroom, everyone might run together around the gas station or in a side yard to get just a bit of exercise before climbing back in. I am also guilty of rationing water and other liquids to limit the amount of stops we make. Everyone is promised a large glass of water as soon as we arrive at our destination!

5) Everyone needs a nap. My nine-year-old and six-year-old complain pretty loudly when we announce that it is naptime. We ask everyone to take a break from reading, playing and talking to just be quiet for about an hour. Sometimes we use that time to play an audiobook or some quiet music, but other times we just let our vehicle be completely quiet. Nearly everyone falls asleep (except our devoted driver) during this time, even if it is against their will! Everyone wakes up refreshed and fights and arguments that had previously been escalating are kept at bay for another couple hours.

After nine years of making long car trips with kids, we certainly consider ourselves cross country veterans. These tips have gone a long way to making our trip pleasurable for everyone involved. I hope they help you as you plan your own trips this spring and summer.

photo by Emlyn Stokes

You can read more of Melanie's musings here and here.