Tips for Road Trips with Kids:

Earlier this year we moved across the USA!

And to make it crazier... we drove. Roughly 56+ hours in the car spanned over 8 days (we stopped and visited family along the way.) 

We learned A LOT! Some things we got right and others blew up in our faces. So here is a list of my tips for traveling with kids. (My kids were 2 and 5):

(Please keep in mind I don't parent like this all the time. This was a unique experience! So before you call child services remember this isn't normal.)

1) DVD player: I would love to tell you that I was the sort of mom who didn't melt their child's brain with hours of movies during this trip but I'm not. Let me tell you, it saved my sanity. We didn't have them watch them the ENTIRE time. We made sure to have music time as well as some quiet time. But we also didn't hesitate to turn on a movie if tensions or anxieties started to rise. 

2) Suckers: When melting their brains didn't work, usually after dinner time and people were getting tired, we opted for rotting their teeth. Sometimes we needed that 20 minutes of quiet time. And those suckers were tear stoppers! Also since we weren't above bribery, it was a great way to motivate some better behavior from them :)

3) Play Places: For lunch, we were not above stopping at McDonald's to utilize their play structures. This was such a life saver! It ate up some time but the kids were happier. If you can't stand fast food, maybe grab a healthier lunch and take it too a local park. Giving that time to be active was so worth it!

4) Hotel Pools: We made a point of staying in places with pools. It was the perfect way to get them moving after we checked in for the night. We gave up on bed times since their normal schedule plus the time changes were all screwy. We would end the fun with a few minutes in the hot tub to help relax their muscles and get them calmed down enough for bed.

5) Don't bring a ton of stuff: We definitely over packed. I wanted to be that mom who had their kids read the whole time but it just ended up being more stuff we had work around. We brought their comforters and pillows and a ton of their favorite stuffed animals. Not again! This time we may bring a couple of books, one stuffed animal and no comforters. It was just WAY too much. 

6) Make some fun stops along the way: If you can afford to do so. We visited family and also checked off some bucket list items like The Monterrey Bay Aquarium! This definitely helped break up the endless hours of driving. Also if you happen to pass the few really cool rest stops that have playgrounds, be sure to let them play a few minutes after a potty break! 

7) Ration water: My kids who seem to never be thirsty when they are playing all day suddenly seem like they can't get enough while they are confined to their car seats. We would get back from the potty break and they would drink several ounces of water only then needing to pee again a half hour later. It's a juggling act of making sure they stay hydrated while not having to stop every rest stop. 

8) Have a variety of snacks. Kids get munchie  in the car! So stave off the between meal starve fests with good and HEALTHY snacks! Dried fruits, trail mixes... the sky is the limit! 

This list will be ongoing so be sure to check back again! We are headed for another PCS soon so I may be making some changes!