Car Trips with Young Children

One of the reasons I was excited when we moved to Tennessee is that my family was only a 6 ½ hour car ride away, instead of a 4 hour plane ride. Especially when you factor in more than one person, driving is a lot cheaper than flying. And I don't often lose my own luggage, the only kids I have to hear crying are my own, I can move my legs around, and I can bring as many bottles of water as I want onboard my mini-van.

We also have two girls under five years old. Since I've been making the 6 ½ hour road trip regularly for three years now, I've amassed some ways to make the trip bearable, if not downright enjoyable, for drivers and children alike.

Snacks. If your children aren't used to snacks like Teddy Grahams and Goldfish, then stock up on them for your travels. One day of having juice and snacks won't hurt, and it keeps them occupied for quite awhile. Make sure to bring a leak-proof sippy cup, though, if you have a two year old who delights in flinging juice all over the van. Stock a cooler with string cheese, deli meats, and water, too, to balance out all that juice and sugary snacks.

Stop and play. There is an added benefit to having all those food and snacks in your vehicle. That way, when you do stop for gas, adult food, or bathroom breaks, those stops can be play time for the kids. We usually try to stop at a rest area for potty breaks in nicer weather so the girls can run around outside for a little bit. A bit of caution: when it's just the girls and me, we do not stop at rest areas after dusk; and make sure the grassy area that your children are running and playing on isn't the "pet" area. When weather is bad, or it is getting dark, we stop at fast food restaurants with play areas. Ten or fifteen minutes of play does not delay your trip by that much, and it makes everyone so much happier.

Music and games. We have about ten CDs of kids' music, from the newest Backyardigan's CD to classic nursery rhymes. My girls love it if we sing along together and get loud and silly about it. And you can slip a lot of teaching into playing car games, too: colors with "I spy"; geography or state capitols by looking out for landmarks and city names; reading by pointing out billboards; and so on.

Sleep. Hopefully, the trip lulls your children to sleep. This works a lot better on my toddler than on my preschool daughter these days. Make sure to fill up your gas tank and have a bathroom break before the anticipated nap, though. There is nothing worse than finally getting peace and quiet in the van, having to stop for gas, and waking the sleeping beauties up.

Toys. We stop at the dollar store and pick up a few new toys and activities before any trip. The five dollars you spend this way are well worth it, believe me. We also pack picture books, markers and blank sheets of paper, and a few favorite stuffed animals from home.

Movies. We haven't resorted to portable DVD players or personal music devices yet. My children are still young enough not to be aware that other people have these. And I am just old fashioned enough to prefer us to do things together. But I know many families who find that a DVD at the right time can make a car trip so much smoother.

Grit your teeth. Sometimes, car trips are just tough. Some days, your children are just cranky no matter how entertaining your rendition of "London Bridge is Falling Down" is. Some trips, they don't sleep at the same time, and other trips, they wake each other up for entertainment. Just make sure the destination is worth it. For me, knowing my daughters are getting to know their extended family very well is worth a few hassles and temper tantrums along the way.