I am a member of the buybuy BABY babyhood influencer network, however all opinions expressed in this post are my own. #buybuyBABY #babyhood #sponsored
If you have been following along, you know that we just had a big trip to Destin, Florida a few weeks ago. If I am honest, I am normally NOT a fan of super long road trips. I prefer to fly, because I just don’t like spending all day in the car. However, when my husband really wanted to drive to Florida, we decided to be crazy and give it a go with two toddlers. Last summer, I felt like I quickly become a pro at preparing to travel with two little ones, so why not?! And by “pro”, I mean I am slightly better at it now and have a routine down including a fun trip to buybuy BABY to prepare. After trying several different things, I have finally found what works for our family. Read my top tips for How To Road Trip With A Toddler below:
Make A List
I always start my road trip by making a list, so that we are prepared. I write out how many days we will be gone, consider our plans and create a list of what we will need. This includes everything from outfits, to sippy cups, to diapers/pull ups. I try to start with the beginning of the day and think about what we will need for bath time, bed time, meal time, etc. This really helps me get everything down all in one place and make sure we are packed. Next, I also take a look and see if there is anything I can eliminate from the list to simplify our packing. I hate overpacking, so I am constantly looking for ways to simplify our list.
Stock the Car
The next thing I do is focus on stocking the car. I like to head to buybuy BABY or place a quick online order for a new stash of toys. My kids typically only get new toys for their birthday or special occasions, and travel is one of those occasions. New toys just keep my kids entertained way longer than ones we have at home. I like to keep it simple with these little book sets (his) and hers (Frozen Book set), mess free coloring books, a small musical toy and new stuffed animal. This is huge for not only in the car, but for whole trip. By bringing new toys, it tends to keep the kids entertained in a “new space” or hotel room where we are staying.
Bring Snacks
Another win for us is bringing great snacks. I like to bring a variety of easy snacks like apple sauce pouches, small pouches of goldfish or other crackers, fruit snacks, etc. Really, anything that is easy to pass back to them and that is easy to clean up when they make a mess. Because, its not “if” but “when” they make a mess. We also bring water bottles and occasionally stop at our favorite drink spot.
Have A Back Up Plan
Always have a back up plan. Our back up plan is an iPad and movie player. Brooke gets limited iPad time at home, but on car trips or long outings we let her play with it more. We have learning apps loaded onto it for her and movies. When all else fails in the car, we offer the iPad or a movie and it does the trick.
Take A Break
We also try to take a break if we are on a long car ride. On our Destin trip, we stopped twice for potty breaks and to let the kids get out of the car. Brooke loved getting out for a minute and walking around the store. Both of our kids also love grape slushes so a slush stop tends to win them over for a long time!
If you are heading on a road trip soon, good luck with your littles! And, be sure to stop by buybuy BABY and pick up essentials!