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1. Accept that things will go wrong
This may seem like a bit of a bleak way to start us off, but it’s so important to recognise that, while you can plan for most things, you’re only human and you cannot plan for everything. Things will go wrong, and not everything will go to plan, so staying calm and being positive in the face of these set-backs is just as important when travelling as it is in everyday life.
Being able to be flexible with scheduling will make a huge difference, especially when travelling in long car journeys with small children; it’s inevitable that someone will unexpectedly need the toilet when you’ve just stopped, someone will be bored or someone may get car sick. We can’t prevent these things, so working on just taking them in your stride will benefit your long car journeys. We’d still recommend trying to be prepared for things with packing, and making sure you have plenty of time to stop if you have to or if traffic is bad, but keeping a level-head will make the whole trip smoother.
2. Make a packing list
A packing list is a very useful travel tool to utilise with or without children, but when packing for multiple people, it can be very helpful in ensuring nothing is forgotten or left behind. I’d advise making sure you have plenty of spare outfits for children (especially if they’re very young) to be sure that if your child has an accident, spills food down themselves or gets sick, that they can be quickly changed and aren’t forced to be uncomfortable for long periods of time.
Also, I’d include a small first aid kid on your list of essentials, just in case anyone in your family needs a plaster, or painkillers. If your children are prone to car sickness, it may be worth also packing a full kit just in case; including items like a bowl, plastic bags, wipes or kitchen roll, spare clothes, travel sickness tablets and anything else you could think of. Obviously you know your children better than anyone, so making sure that your child doesn’t eat or drink anything that can make them poorly would be another important step to include.
I’d definitely recommend having this somewhere easy to grab in the car in the event of an emergency, but more on this later.
3. Dress your child in comfy clothes
A very obvious, but often overlooked travel tip is to be sure your children are in soft, comfortable clothes. I’d personally steer clear of jeans, skirts or big bulky jumpers when travelling or making long journeys. Aim to dress your children in light clothing that you know they’re comfortable in, and ensure they aren’t wearing too many layers. It’ll be easy to add on blankets or an additional layer or two during travel, but removing layers when your child is overheating on the road would be very difficult, and would likely require stopping somewhere.
Ensuring your children are comfortable when travelling will make such a huge difference in keeping them relaxed and calm for the journey, and if they’re comfortable enough they may even be able to have a sleep in the car.
4. Keep your children entertained
Long car journeys can be boring for adults, nevermind for children, so making sure your children have things to do in the car is always a good idea. Whether this would be playing games like I spy, bringing smaller games consoles like a Nintendo Switch or even playing games or watching films on an iPad, it’s a good idea to have something to do in the car. Again, it will depend on what your child is into, as to what you decide to bring along, but I’d keep it as simple as possible.
Another good way to keep children entertained is to outline the journey for your child, and to ensure you have planned for a good couple of pit stops and a chance for your children to stretch their legs. Allowing for some short breaks at service stations or landmarks on the way will give your children the chance to let off some steam, eat some food and have some (probably very needed) toilet breaks, and a chance of scenery can really help to get your child back in a good space to continue with the journey.
5. Have essentials easily accessible
When it comes to preparing for emergencies and accidents in the car, it’s definitely a wise move to ensure that you have your necessities to hand, just in case you actually need to use them. For example, having a sick bowl is all well and good, but if the bowl is in the boot it’s not much good to you if your child is about to be sick. Having the things you need ready to grab can be the difference between sick in a bowl and sick all over your child and the car and, believe me when I say, this will make all the difference when you still have hours in the car left.
It’s also useful to have a different toy or a snack ready to grab and pass back in the car, as it means you can keep your child busy and entertained without having to stop the car and root through different bags.
Conclusion
Travelling with a family can be stressful at times, but overall it’s definitely worth it, the memories you will create will last you and your family a lifetime. If you have any other tips you’d like to share, or anything you think we’ve missed, please get in touch to let us know!