So much planning goes into taking a family road trip. Where are you going to put everything? Do you have enough snacks for everyone? Are the activities you have in mind car-friendly? Will the kids get along for that many hours?
We can’t say much where snacks are concerned, but we have a few tricks up our sleeve to help save you some space and give you a few family-friendly activities along the way.
There’s no time to waste—let’s get right into it:
Saving Space
If your mom was anything like the moms who raised us, she may have gone a tad-bit overboard on the road trip necessities. We loved it back then, but as a parent today, the “less is more” mindset may do you a service if your to-do list is a long one.
While planning activities to do in the car, one tote bag full of fun can turn into four or five if you’re not careful. Our On-the-Go products may come in handy so you can consolidate.
ChatterTime® On-the-Go is the key to creating fun family conversations. Made up of six different categories, each one serves a different purpose to make together time memorable, thoughtful, and engaging. The best part is its little zipper pouch will fit right into your purse, diaper bag, center console—anywhere.
Here are some prompts to get your trip started:
If you’re looking for something a little bit more game-geared, try Mix It Up® On-the-Go, with always ready-for-fun activities inrecipes in a perfect on-the-go solution. Find 25 family activities to do together using the things you already have in your car, all without extra prep or planning ahead.
Try out this activity first:
Learn more about ChatterTime On-the-Go and Mix It Up On-the-Go here.
Entertaining, Engaging, and Fun
“I’m so BORED!”
How many times have you heard this before? If you’re a parent, it might be a few times a week. If you’re a parent in a car full of kids on a road trip? Well… let’s just assume it’s too many to count.
We love coming up with ways for families to engage with one another, even when all there is around you is miles of open roads. Try these things out if/when your next road trip starts turning into a snooze fest:
- Tell everyone a memory you have from your favorite vacation
- Read all the billboards you see using silly accents
- Make up a pretend story about who is driving each car near you and where they are going
If you enjoyed those, click here for our list of 10 activities to kick boredom to the curb on your next road trip.
Prep For Friendly Faces
For lots of parents, hitting the road means making the trip to see family members. Sometimes, an age difference may bring a hint of a slow start to new conversations when kids, aunt and uncles, and grandparents are concerned. Don’t worry, we have great news: that gets easier eventually. Until that happens, we may be able to help you get the fun flowing a little bit more freely. Try things like:
- Storytelling: Beyond giving younger generations an example to live by, storytelling can help create deep roots that bind us.
- Gameplay: For kids, going to Grandma and Grandpa’s house might feel a teensy-bit serious. Best behavior is expected—but this doesn’t mean there needs to be a lack of fun.
- Collecting: Collecting together allows family members to have real tangible artifacts that bond them.
Each of these activities comes with its own benefits that will help strengthen family bonds and make each time you see extended family members more memorable than the last.
Click here to get prepared to strengthen multi-generational relationships on your next road trip.
