Remember the days when you could hop in your car and take a trip whenever the moment struck you, just because you felt like it? Well, if you are a parent or if you now have a family, those days are long gone.

So, what do you do when that mood to get out on the open road strikes you? The answer is simple, you take the kids with you. 

Now, the thought of taking a long distance road trip with a car full of small children is enough to give some parents extreme anxiety, but this experience can be much more fun than you probably imagine if you stick to a few bits of sound advice.

If you think about it, your kids might be just as excited to take a trip as you are. And you might even be able to capitalize on this and make it a great experience for everyone. 

Here, we will lay out a few tips for traveling the country with children. 

Car Maintenance 

First thing’s first, you’re not going to enjoy a trip with small children if you break down along the way to your destination, and chances are neither will they. 

Before you set out to test your wits on the open road, you will want to get your car serviced. And ideally you will want to ensure that all your bases are covered. The following checklist will get you started, but it is recommended that you visit a reputable mechanic if you have any issues with your vehicle:

• Top off all fluids
• Change oil and filter 
• Check tire air pressure 
• Check tire tread
• Inflate your spare 
• Check brake and headlights
• Check turn signals 
• Check wipers 

In addition to checking over your car thoroughly, you will also want to ensure that you have a towing allowance added into your insurance policy, just in case of a breakdown. If you do not, it is time to shop and compare auto insurance quotes.

Make Frequent Stops

Children are much more active than you. Knowing this, you will want to make sure that they have plenty to do, aside from riding in the car for hours on end with no stimulation. 

The best strategy here is to make it fun for the kids and stop at places where they can get out and see interesting things. Keep in mind that they will not be too excited to see natural landmarks, but a roadside attraction with dinosaur fossils or something where they can have a hands-on experience is sure to hold their interest while you stretch your legs.

Additionally, making frequent stops will surprisingly make the time go by much faster, and you might actually have a much more interesting experience by stopping at unplanned locations along your route. 

Bring Plenty Of Entertaining Toys

While it is largely going to be a personal parenting choice if you want your children to be using digital devices such as a tablet for games, or a portable DVD player for movies to keep the children occupied, other more traditional options are also great choices.

In addition to toys that are useful for the car such as learning games, books, coloring books, and the like, outdoor toys are also a great thing to bring along.

For example, perhaps you want to stop and get a breath of fresh air at a rest stop. These areas usually have open spaces where kids can run around and play. And this is the perfect area to toss a frisbee or kick a soccer ball around for a bit before getting back into the car.

Remember the days when you could hop in your car and take a trip whenever the moment struck you, just because you felt like it? Well, if you’re a parent or if you now have a family, those days are long gone.

So what do you do when that mood to get out on the open road strikes you? The answer is simple, you take the kids with you. 

Now, the thought of taking a long distance road trip with a car full of small children is enough to give some parents extreme anxiety, but this experience can be much more fun than you probably imagine if you stick to a few bits of sound advice.

If you think about it, your kids might be just as excited to take a trip as you are. And you might even be able to capitalize on this and make it a great experience for everyone. 

Here, we’ll lay out a few tips for traveling the country with children. 

Car Maintenance 

First thing’s first, you’re not going to enjoy a trip with small children if you break down along the way to your destination, and chances are neither will they. 

Before you set out to test your wits on the open road, you’ll want to get your car serviced. And ideally you’ll want to ensure that all your bases are covered. The following checklist will get you started, but it’s recommended that you visit a reputable mechanic if you have any issues with your vehicle:

• Top off all fluids
• Change oil and filter 
• Check tire air pressure 
• Check tire tread
• Inflate your spare 
• Check brake and headlights
• Check turn signals 
• Check wipers 

In addition to checking over your car thoroughly, you’ll also want to ensure that you have a towing allowance added into your insurance policy, just in case of a breakdown. If you don’t, it’s time to shop and compare auto insurance quotes.

Make Frequent Stops

Children are much more active than you. Knowing this, you’ll want to make sure that they have plenty to do, aside from riding in the car for hours on end with no stimulation. 

The best strategy here is to make it fun for the kids and stop at places where they can get out and see interesting things. Keep in mind that they won’t be too excited to see natural landmarks, but a roadside attraction with dinosaur fossils or something where they can have a hands-on experience is sure to hold their interest while you stretch your legs.

Additionally, making frequent stops will surprisingly make the time go by much faster, and you might actually have a much more interesting experience by stopping at unplanned locations along your route. 

Bring Plenty of Entertaining Toys

While it’s largely going to be a personal parenting choice if you want your children to be using digital devices such as a tablet for games, or a portable DVD player for movies to keep the children occupied, other more traditional options are also great choices.

In addition to toys that are useful for the car such as learning games, books, coloring books, and the like, outdoor toys are also a great thing to bring along.

For example, perhaps you want to stop and get a breath of fresh air at a rest stop. These areas usually have open spaces where kids can run around and play. And this is the perfect area to toss a frisbee or kick a soccer ball around for a bit before getting back into the car.

Taking a trip with children does not have to be the nightmare that many parents make it out to be. In fact, taking a trip with your children can provide for a much more memorable experience both for you and for your children, especially if everyone is having fun along the way, learning new things, and seeing new places.