From here now its just packing snacks and things to keep the kids occupied. Once you’ve gotten your drive mapped out, things become a lot easier. And it’s important to stop if / when you become sleepy. Resting and sleeping during the day so you can drive through the night can help alleviate tiredness. But driving at night can mean falling asleep which can be extremely dangerous. There’s not need to entertain a sleeping child which means you can turn the music up and focus on driving. So how do you make that happen, safely?ĭriving overnight with a toddler (or kids of any age for that matter) can honestly be easier on the parent.
But that could mean driving through the night if you’re looking to make good time. Taking trips with toddlers can mean waiting until after nap time before heading on the road.
Having five kids, I’ve learned that for my younger two, family road trips after a long day of running around and playing will usually result in a much better outcome. So sometimes that’s just not the best idea. I get it everyone recommends leaving early in the morning for road trips, heck I even did.
#Long road trip with toddler how to
Driving Overnight with Kids? Here’s How to Make That Easier Or with regards to Target, in case Target tells you you need something, lol. The goal at the end of your driving day is to stop in a big enough city to be able to find a good hotel, food, and a Walmart or Target if needed. Hop on MapQuest or something similar and map out major cities, then calculate what time you need to leave to get there. For others, it may involve sleeping in a little and leaving at noon. Achieving this successfully involves leaving at the right time of day.įor some, that may mean leaving before dawn. It’s also very important to plan your drive time around major cities. Yes, it may make your trip that much longer, but it will also make it that much easier. When we drove from California to Indiana I planned for no more than six hours drive time per day, which usually turned into nine to ten depending on the amount of stopping we did for potty breaks, wiggle breaks, and gas. It’s not going to happen (at least not without hiccups) so plan for this. What I mean is, don’t think you are going to get through twelve hours of driving with a toddler in the backseat in one day. For example, we loved Texas because all of their rest stops had play equipment for the kids, nice shaded areas for us and a few even had a dog area!Īnd let me tell you, those little playgrounds made our road trip with toddlers so much more enjoyable! Best Time to Leave for a Long Road TripĪnother tip when driving across country with kids is to try not to be in the car for long hours at a time. Us at Cadillac Ranch in Amarillo, Texas on our first across county road trip with the kids.ĭepending on where you are coming from some of the rest stops are great for this. Long road trips with kids are daunting enough, not every stop has to be kid centered. While mapping out the trip, look for cool or interesting places for you and the kids. Trust me, you’ll need breaks from the “are we there yets.”īesides that, you need to think about how long can a toddler sit in a car seat comfortably and plan stops accordingly. I also recommend this for your own sanity. It’s important to mention that it is recommended you stop at least every two hours when driving to move around and keep your blood flowing properly. How many stops will we make, where will we stop, what hotels will we be staying at and most importantly what will we eat? How Often Should You Stop When Driving with a Toddler? How to Plan a Long Road Trip with a Toddlerįirst things first, when preparing to drive long distances with the kids we always plan out our drive.
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