When traveling with kids, whether it’s a long road trip or a plane ride across the country, we as parents have our work cut out for us. Gone are the days where we just pack the bags, throw them in the car and off we go. I now spend more time packing and organizing activities to keep my little guy entertained so we can make it to our destination without pulling my hair out.

Keeping Kids Entertained While Traveling

Camera – Give your kids a digital camera and let them take ALL the photos they want while on the road. This activity will entertain my son for hours and you’ll be surprised at how good a few of the pictures are!

Sit in the back seat – Obviously not the entire road trip. But if you just have 1 child it makes them feel like part of the group and you could play a card game or something next to them for an hour before moving back to the front.

iPad – This will be your life saver. Load it up with new movies and games. I understand that we all want to limit screen time with kids. But being trapped in a car with kids is not the time to make a point! There are times we need to just get to the destination without a fight and technology will help with this.

Podcasts – There are so many great podcasts such as story pirates (our favorite), brains on! and wow in the world. Let the kids listen along and a great way to break up the drive. 

Music Blaring – Have kids music readily available. Yes, it can be extremely annoying to hear the SAME song over and over again. But it’s much better than a cranky child.

Snacks, snacks and more snacks – I’m not a big fan of eating in the car, but we make an exception on road trips. I always bring a small cooler and snack bag that is filled with Gatorade, apple sauce, strawberries, Chex Mix, chips, crackers, M&M’s and suckers. Plus it’s cheaper to bring your own snacks rather than buying some at every stop along the way.

Busy bag – Notebook, pen, coloring book, crayons, deck of cards, word search, book, paper map so they can track the trip and small bag of legos. Pack things that the kids like, but don’t necessarily play with on a daily basis.

What are your essentials for traveling with kids?

A Cowboy’s Life is all about finding Joy in the Everyday! I enjoy sharing fun dinner recipes, family travel ideas and outdoor adventures to explore with your family