How To Prepare At Home For A Family Holiday Road Trip

The holidays can be such a stressful time for so many. In addition to disrupted schedules, financial strain, and pressure for cheer, you likely also need to navigate some sort of travel plans. We’re lucky that our family isl within a 2-3 hour drive for us, so our travels are fairly easy. However, any parent with young kids knows that a family holiday road trip can be tricky, no matter the distance. Today, I’m sharing my plan-ahead essentials that make hitting the road with the kids each December a bit easier.

This post was sponsored by Amazon as part of an Ambassador Activation for Influence Central and all opinions expressed in my post are my own.

PREPARING FOR A FAMILY HOLIDAY ROAD TRIP

Keep It Comfortable

No matter how cute or picture-worthy a holiday outfit might look, I know my kids behave better in the car when they’re comfortable. Road trips generally mean they wear jammies or soft clothes. I’m careful to pack their nicer clothes in an easily accessible space, so I can get them changed shortly after arriving. It’s also a great idea to keep comfort items like blankets, travel pillows, etc, somewhere that kids can grab them. More comfortable passengers are less likely to whine, so planning ahead in this area pays off!

Plan For Entertainment

There was a time when I would stock a basket for each boy with books, a portable DVD player, hand held games, etc. In all honesty, all that ‘stuff’ just made the car messy. It also meant I spent a lot of time craning into the back seat, helping one of them hunt something down. We’ve been lucky that Amazon’s best selling kids tablet, the Fire HD 8 Kids Edition Tablet has totally changed things around for us. It’s the perfect tech-y tool to give my kids streamlined access to their favorite videos, movies, books, games, apps, Audible books, and more.

A few days before each road trip, I spend some time preparing their tablets for the journey, by adding new media they can easily check out in ‘offline mode’ while we’re on the road. Because my family has control over what media is available to the boys through the Amazon FreeTime parental controls and Parent Dashboard, I can make sure the focus is on learning through play, and engaging educational content. After making sure their Fire HD 8 Kids Edition Tablets are stocked with fun media, and fully charged, I know the boys will be happily entertained for the entire ride. (And with a battery life of up to 10 hours, I don’t need to worry about recharging mid-trip!)

Snack Happy

Both of my boys take after me in their tendency to entirely bypass hungry, and head straight for hangry. There’s little as frustrating as being stuck in the middle of a holiday road trip with the family and hearing the unending whines of ‘I’m hungry…. No, I don’t want to eat that!’ A few days before heading out, I pack a small plastic tub with some kid-friendly, and easy to eat holiday road trip snacks. Applesauce pouches, pretzels, crackers, etc. are pretty safe bets. My kiddos love those snacks, and they won’t make a huge mess. The morning of our getaway, I tuck a few travel bottles or sippy cups of water in the tub as well. Full bellies mean quiet boys, which ultimately means less stress for mom and dad, AND fewer stops along the way.

Staying Safe

We live in upstate New York, where weather can be especially unpredictable in the winter months. On family holiday road trips, we make sure the car is stocked with safety essentials- just in case. In case of sudden storms or an unexpected break down, we pack winter gear like boots. I keep a few spare blankets in the trunk, so we can warm up if needed. Emergency supplies like a first aid kit, jumper cables, and a snow shovel are also must-haves. It takes up a bit more trunk space, but I believe it’s worth it, should an accident happen.

Does your family typically take a holiday road trip? How do you plan ahead to make it successful? I’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments below!