Traveling with children is easier if you know what to pack for the car.
If your summer plans include a road trip or two, you know preparation is key. Determining what to pack in your suitcases depends on your vacation of choice and the length of the trip, but packing the car is an entirely different story.
Regardless of the destination, there are some items you’ll want to have handy. Although the best way to pass the time is to focus on the journey itself—observe what’s going on outside, talk about where you’re headed, or strike up a group activity like I Spy—it’s useful to have several entertainment supplies on hand for bored children (and bored adults). Taking a practical approach to packing up the family cruiser may mean that you’ll pack too much, but it will also mean you’ll be prepared for most any situation.
The Packing List
- First-aid supplies: You should have on hand a first-aid kit, sunscreen, self-activating ice pack, insect repellent, thermometer, fever-reducing and pain-reducing medication (with a correct dosage chart for each child's weight and age), and of course any other medications that you need or may need.
- Extra clothes: Take extra clothes for every child, and two sets for children you know will need them. Keep these clothes handy in the car—it's no fun digging through the luggage at the bottom of the trunk to find what you need. Keep a sweater or sweatshirt handy. Children on the sunny side of the car get warm, and the children in the shade are often cool from the air conditioner.
- Creature comforts: Pack blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals. Try to limit the gang to one such item per child, or it can be hard to see out of the back window to drive.
- Food and snacks: Whether you usually allow food in the car or not, pack a cooler of goodies. Freeze a few juice boxes or sports bottles to keep other beverages cold; toward the end of the trip, the frozen items will be ready to drink, too. Snacks should include crackers and fruits. Vacations are usually a time to ease up on food restrictions, but it's helpful to try to make good decisions about snacks and junk food.
- In-car entertainment: Pack (or have each child pack) a small bag of handheld goodies to keep hands and minds occupied: tape, calculators, pipe cleaners, small flashlights, crayons, and paper. Buy some new items, such as markers, coloring books, or crossword puzzles. Make a list of songs to sing or games to play on the road.
- Out-of-the-car toys: Pick up some bubbles, small balls, or a Frisbee to play with at rest areas or parks when a break is needed. Children need to run around, and parents benefit from a stretch, too.
- Clean-up supplies: Stock the car with rolls of paper towels, a box of heavy-duty wipes, plastic grocery bags for dirty clothes and garbage, fragrance-free disinfectant spray, antiseptic water-free soap, toilet paper, and disinfectant wipes for yucky roadside bathrooms.
Coping With Queasiness and Car Sickness
For those of us who still experience car sickness as adults, we know how uncomfortable it can be. To help alleviate that queasy feeling, follow these tips.
Avoid reading.- Open a window.
- Chew on peppermint candy.
- Eat ginger-snap cookies.
- Use motion-sickness bands.
- Focus on a spot far off in the distance.
- Sit in the front (or as close to it as possible).
- Breathe through your mouth.
- Stop the car and take a quick walk.
- Drink cold water.
- Eat saltine crackers.
- Use a cool face cloth or ice pack.
This installment of “Kaleidoscope,” from Overlook’s Childcare Center, is excerpted from Bright Horizons Family Solutions for e-family news. For a car-friendly CD that both you and your children will enjoy, visit the Overlook Childcare Center to receive a free copy of Fruit Smoothie Groove by the Crawdaddys. Quantities are limited; stop by today!
For some age-appropriate tips on For Infants
For Older Babies and Toddlers
For Preschoolers
For Young, School-Age Kids
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