While all road trips require at least some type of preparation before you leave home, taking a road trip with your family, especially if that family includes young kids, can be a little more labor intensive. Not only do you need to ensure that everyoneโs safe and has their needs taken care of, but you also have to help your little ones stay entertained so youโre not driving around while everyone in the car is whining and cryingโincluding yourself. So to help ensure that your next road trip is a complete success, here are three tips for preparing for a road trip with your family.
Make A List, Check It Twice
Going anywhere with little kids usually requires you to bring an ungodly amount of stuff with you. From extra changes of clothes to their favorite toy that they just canโt sleep without, your car is likely to be packed to the gills. So to help ensure that you donโt leave anything important at home, Lori Rochino, a contributor to the Huffington Post, recommends that you make a checklist of everything youโll need to bring with you and then, like Santa, check it twice before you leave. By doing this, you should feel much more confident that youโve remembered to pack everything and wonโt have the sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach like youโre forgetting something major.
Bring The Right Food and Snacks
For many families, a major part of having an enjoyable road trip is bringing the right food and snacks along with them. And while being on the road for days or weeks at a time is the perfect excuse to eat out for every meal, you can save yourself a lot of money and have fewer sugar-crazed kids in the car if you plan a few meals to take with you from home. According to Lisa Milbrand, a contributor to FamilyVacationCritic.com, packing some healthy, non-messy snacks or simple meals in a cooler can make your entire road trip much more enjoyable. So before you hit the road, hit up the grocery store first.
Get Your Vehicle Checked Out
Prior to starting your road trip, Leticia Barr, a contributor to Progressive.com, advises that you get your vehicle checked out to ensure that itโs running safely. As part of this, youโll want to check your tire pressure, wiper blades, and your brakes. Additionally, you should also make sure you have any emergency items that you might need, like road flares, a flashlight, and jumper cables.
If youโve got a family road trip coming up, consider using the tips mentioned above to help you prepare yourselves and your car for the trip of a lifetime.