This summer we are embarking on two long car trips. We’re slowly going farther (a little farther than Ottawa, that is) places with our children but it’s still not easy on the nerves.
The whining, “Are we there yet?”, How much longer and fighting between siblings all make you want to just stay put but the experiences and memories made on vacations are in the end, worth it.
I marvel and congratulate parents who have made it to Florida (with their hair intact and in one piece) with their kids in the car, out East or across the Prairies, bravo.
In reality, I’m sure their experiences would be better shared than mine as they’re the real pros. Nevertheless, to keep my sanity on our upcoming trips I’ve done some research, so hopefully some ideas I came up with will help some of you fellow parents embarking on long trips.

Bathroom breaks
Carry a potty in the car for less stops. This will enable you to stop at the drop of a hat and prevent accidents with younger children. Know your route, will there be areas without areas to stop at? Try and pair pee breaks with a snack break and a chance for everyone to stretch their legs.
If you can find little outdoor rest stops along the way that’s a good opportunity to have a few snacks, run a bit and use the washroom.
Food
Snacks, snacks, snacks. I’ve seen lots of ideas on this topic, one great idea is using a tackle box (small plastic one purchased at the dollar store) and fill it with different little snacks and treats. You can make a game out of it by saying one square an hour or rolling a dice to decide how many squares they can eat at a time. Packing easy snacks that are individually wrapped make for easy distribution. Fruit and veggies that you can eat whole like apples, bananas, pears, carrots, etc. are easiest to eat and pack. Other great ideas are frozen yogurt tubes or squeezable apple sauces these leave little mess.
Getting ready for the trip have a baking afternoon, some favourites for us are homemade granola bars or energy bites. Don’t’ forget to travel with a garbage bag in tow to dispose of any waste.
Comfort
Don’t forget to wear comfortable clothing for the car ride, pack pillows and blankets to get cozy for sleeping periods in the car. Don’t forget lots of extra outfits, accidents and surprises do tend to occur when away from home.
Games
How best to distract and amuse your children while on the road? There are great car games like license plate bingo (finding license plates from around the world, country), car bingo (where they scratch off squares as they see things – think blue car, motorcycle, bicycle …), these can be a great time waster.
Have you seen the wipes container turned Lego table idea? Basically you take an empty wipes container and glue down some strips of Lego (on the inside of the lid) and fill the container part with Lego. They can build as you drive. Plus, you can find little Lego people or small Lego kits for them to build. Stock up on a few of those so they can make new people on the trip.
I’ve read about making up riddles and games about the places you will be passing for them to figure out along your journey, with the help of a map. There are other staples to keep on hand for long car drives like books on CD, magnetic games (magnetic books like dressing people), sticker books, colouring on a lap tray, playdough on a lap tray, paper and pens for games like hangman or tic tac toe.
Another great way to pass the time is to discuss sights with your kids, things that are coming up, things that have changed or things that will be happening in the environment.Travelling can be a great learning experience for kids; point out rivers, parks, when you’re changing provinces or countries etc.
Must haves
Something convenient to put all their toys and games in. A rolling suitcase can be neatly packed and organized or a hanging travel bag that can be hung on the back of the driver/passengers seat for easy access.
If you’re heading on a far away trip, good luck. I hope you enjoy creating some wonderful memories with your family.