Tips for long road trips with kids-your ultimate guide

Embark on a memorable family adventure with ease and joy! Our expert roundup delivers the ultimate tips for long road trips with kids, ensuring a smooth and delightful journey from start to finish.

Unlock the door to unforgettable familymoments with our curated tips for long road trips with kids. Wave goodbye to the hassles of airports and embrace the freedom to craft your own adventure on the open road. Yet, traveling with children comes with its unique challenges. Here are our top 7 tips to enhance your family road trip experience.

Essential tips for seamless road trips with kids

1. Embrace the early start

If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that most kids are early risers. So, instead of wasting half the morning packing and trying to keep them entertained, plan to leave first thing.

You can have the van packed the night before, so all you need to do in the morning is dress the kids and load them in. This way, you can beat all that morning traffic that slowly piles up, and your kids will be happy and refreshed after a good night’s sleep. It’s a win, win!

2. Plan lots of breaks

While you might be used to pushing through with minimal breaks to get to your destination, your kids aren’t. They will get restless and need to get out and stretch their legs as often as possible.

Plus, their bladders are a lot smaller than yours, so it’s important you factor this in. Instead, plan the breaks around their needs. You’ll have a good idea when they’re starting to get restless, and can take a look at your map and see what’s nearby to check out.

Instead of putting them on a schedule, let the kids dictate the schedule, everyone will be much happier. One thing that’s important, is to make sure when you do stop, everyone goes to the bathroom – whether they need to or not. We call these ‘strategic wees’.

3. Pack ALL the snacks

Aim for plenty of snacks that will keep them going until your next rest stop. While the bulk of your snacks should be healthy, you should also pack the ones loaded with all that sugar you normally don’t let them near. Just make sure you plan when you give it to them – it works as the perfect bribery.

If you notice they’re starting to get restless and your stop is coming up, help keep them happy with a small treat. Once you reach your stop, they can jump out and burn off that sugar high before settling in for the next leg of the journey.

4. Set the kids up for fun

One of the most important tips for long road trips with kids: keep them busy.

Some kids do well watching shows in the car, others can get motion sickness easily (make sure you have sick bags on the packing list, just in case). You know your child, so make sure you plan accordingly.

Give your kids an empty backpack before heading off on the road trip. Tell them they can fill it with anything they like to keep them entertained. If your kids are a bit younger, guide them through this and help them find some of their favourite toys. Every time they start getting bored, tell them to dig into their backpack and pull something new out.

You can also head to Pinterest for plenty more inspiration. From setting up tables that hang off the back of the seat in front to portable Lego boxes and much more, there are so many creative ways to keep entertained on a road trip.

You should also embrace electronics. On a normal day, you might opt to limit the screen time, which is understandable. When you’re driving, then the best thing you can do is keep them busy – even if that is with electronics. Invest in a good pair of headphones for each child, so they can all have their own shows and games going without disturbing the others in the car.

5. Have a list of games

Nothing beats a good game of ‘I Spy’ that the whole family can enjoy together. Once mum and dad get involved too, it’s so much more enjoyable for the kids. Here are some of our top games for you to keep on hand:

• 20 questions: someone picks an object, person or place and the others have to take turns asking questions to guess what it is.

• I Spy: a classic. For younger kids, use colours instead of letters to make it easier.

• Spotto: an easy game the whole family can enjoy.

• License plate game: read out the letters of a number place and get everyone to make a sentence using those letters as the beginning of each word.

• Make up stories: take in turns to make up stories together. You can do one sentence each and make one up together, or individually. You can even start talking about what to do at your next camping spot and all the adventures they think they might have.

6. Pack the toilet paper

There are times when you just have to go and no bathrooms are in sight. It’s often easy enough to jump out of the car and escape into some nearby shrubbery for a ‘bush wee’.

Embrace these, they will make your life much easier along the way. Have some toilet paper or wipes handy for such occasions as it makes for a much more pleasant experience.

Find more information on what camping gear for kids to pack!

7. Work around nap times

If your kids nap at a certain point in the day, then plan a long leg of your journey for this time. Stop just beforehand to fill them up and do the necessary bathroom break and toilet change, so they get back into the car with a full belly, ready to fall asleep.

If you have older kids traveling with you who don’t nap, instigate a quiet time for the road trip. Take away all the devices and toys and swap them out for blankets and pillows. They don’t have to sleep, but let them zone out for a while and enjoy some peace and quiet. A rest can work wonders.

Ready for adventure?

Camplify stands unparalleled in the realm of van rentals, boasting an extensive fleet of over 10,000 vans across Australia. Whether you're a young family in need of a cozy 3-berth campervan, seeking a 4-berth caravan for a small family adventure, or the whole gang is coming along requiring 5 & 6-berth options, we've got you covered. And for those who can't imagine hitting the road without their four-legged companions, our vast selection of pet-friendly options ensures no family member is left behind.

Your next family adventure awaits

Dive into the unparalleled selection Camplify offers and find the perfect companion for your road trip. With options for every size of family and every type of adventurer, including those furry friends, your ideal road trip starts here.

Start planning your unforgettable family road trip with Camplify today!