10 Simple Ways to Make Road Trips Special

School is out and summer vacation is here which also means road trips!

Road trips take careful planning, right?  How will you get there, what time to leave, pack lunch or grab it on the road?  Whatever you are doing you always want to be prepared so that the road trip goes as smoothly as possible.  Planning! 

But, of course, you will be in the car for some time so everyone is bound to get a little bit bored. 

That’s why, along with the things that we will actually need on our vacation, I also pack a special little bag for each child

Each with a few fun things inside…just a little something to make the trip go smoother and to make it a bit more special.

  1. Pack a new book.  Choosing a special book that relates to where you are going in some  way is always a fun theme. 
  2. New coloring books or sketch books.  Add in a fresh pack of crayons or colored pencils and your child will be thrilled to while away the road trip hours creating colorful pictures.
  3. Audio books or online audio stories.  Check out a few audio storybooks from the library before your trip.  Kids love to flip through the pages while listening to their favorite or new stories.  You can also subscribe to online audio kid stories.  Sparkle Stories are some of our favorites!  There are a variety of different lines available for kids from age 3-10.  These stories are a great way to pass the time (for kids and adults alike) in the car.  They may even give you a few ideas to try out and enjoy after your trip.
  4. Make a road trip activity countdown paper chain.  Get your kids involved in “choosing” the car activities and make a paper chain to count down your road trip hours.
  5. Junior Mad Libs.  We all remember the fun and silliness of mad libs, but did you know that there are Junior Mad libs which are perfect for ages 5-8 so even young kids can get in on the fun!
  6. Printable travel games and bingo.  Do a little pre-travel printing and have a couple of fun car games on hand for everyone to play.
  7. DIY felt travel games.  

    Make some simple felt travel games, tic-tac-toe, a mini felt board, or a mini lift the flap book and give them something quiet to do in the car.
  8. Travel tanagram.  Make a traveling tanagram puzzle and their minds will be too busy working that they won’t remember they’ve been in the car for hours.
  9. Magnetic Peg doll family. 

    Make a tiny traveling peg doll family for imaginary play in the car.  The bonus magnets ensure they won’t fall on the floor over and over again!
  10. Make a Road Trip CD/playlist.  Ever since my husband and I have been vacationing together we’ve been making our own road trip soundtrack.  It’s a fun way to set the tone for the whole trip!  Start your trip out on your own musical note!

Whether you do one or ten of these little extras for your next road trip you will surely make the trip go more smoothly.  It will be more fun.  And, who knows, you might even make some special memories in the car as you head to your destination!

Enjoy!