Road Trip Ready

Put away the mittens and snow pants, because we’ve officially made it to spring! The change in seasons always promises brighter days, warmer temperatures and, of course, spring break for our little ones.

Every year, spring break gives us a perfect excuse to pack up the car and venture out with the whole family, but parents know that boredom can be a surefire way to put a damper on any road trip. Thankfully, a little bit of planning can quell the familiar chorus of “are we there yet?” before it even starts. Here are some easy ideas that will fill your road trip with giggles:

Make Your Own Activities Table

Bring along a sturdy plastic tray and place it on your child’s lap. Stop by a party supply or dollar store before your trip if you can’t find one at home. With this simple step, you will open up a whole world of possibilities! Your child now has a hard surface to use. That means coloring without fear of crayons rolling on the floor, and an even spot to race toy cars with a sibling. Your kids can even set up checkers, Old Maid, or building blocks and you won’t have to retrieve lost pieces – just as long as there are no sudden stops!

Put Together Goodie Bags

While at the party supply or dollar store, we also like to pick up small trinkets like fun pencils, stickers, magnifying glasses, or cards. Separate these treats into small “goodie bags.” For each set of pre-determined miles that you hit (which could be 20 or 200, depending on the distance you are traveling), hand your child one of the bags. The bags can also be used as prizes in classic car trip games such as “I Spy” and “20 Questions.”

Don’t Have a Snack Attack

It’s always a great idea to pack snacks for a long road trip, but no parent wants a mess in the backseat. For refreshments, single serving sizes and convenient packaging are key to avoiding spills, meaning Juicy Juice® juice boxes are a great option! For food, we like to keep things simple with pre-cut sandwiches, pretzels, crackers or sliced fruit. Avoid anything that needs a spoon or drips, like yogurt. To keep the kids entertained with an additional plaything, we like giving snacks some kind of special flare. A spring-themed snack pack like this can be made beforehand with just sandwich bags, clothespins, googly eyes and a few pipe cleaners!