30 Sep Tips for toddler road trips
With staycations on the rise, British families are looking for holidays in the UK instead of travelling abroad, taking day trips to British attractions, or exploring new parts of the UK.
Driving experts from no-hassle car hire comparison site StressFreeCarRental.com have curated a list of lifesaving tips to help parents have a relaxed road trip and avoid the dreaded “Are we there yet?” question.
Britain is ideal for travelling with children because of its compact size, packing a lot of attractions in a small area. But despite the positives of a road trip, the thought of taking toddlers on a lengthy car ride can put even the most experienced parents off.
A spokesperson for StressFreeCarRental.com said: “A road trip with the family can be a great bonding experience, but too much time cooped up in a car together definitely has its challenges.
“Toilet breaks, sweet requests, moaning, fighting and endless questions can make the journey more stressful than it needs to be.
“For parents and families to have an enjoyable drive to their holiday destination, we have experienced and researched some easy to follow tips that will help make the road trip easier for all.”
If Brits are considering a long-distance road trip with a toddler, here are 10 easy tips to follow.
1. Drive overnight
If possible, driving overnight helps maintain the toddler’s sleeping pattern. The lull of a moving vehicle and a smooth drive will ensure the majority of toddlers will sleep through the night. Sleep is a secret weapon, so use it as an advantage.
2. Plan what’s needed for the drive separately
Change of clothes, nappies, drinks and more should all be singled out from the main luggage. The last thing a parent needs is to make a stop to get the child’s favourite books out of the boot. These should be easy to access at all times.
3. Relax on the rules
Peace and happiness is the number one priority when it comes to road-tripping. If a toddler wants something it might be worth conceding and giving in. Sugary snacks or longer on the iPads may be an option to maintain peace.
4. Make snacks your secret weapon
Children like snacks. Have rations and a goody bag to hand to help keep toddlers happy when needed. Healthy, or unhealthy snacks are worth their weight in gold on long drives with toddlers. It will keep them quiet for a large chunk of time.
5. Check if you can check in early
Planning is important, and we’d advise looking at check-in times and asking to check in early. Most places don’t allow you to check in until the afternoon due to the previous guest check out times and cleaning. But if you arrive well in advance it’s worth finding out if the accommodation could be ready early. Even if it’s just a parking space for a few hours whilst walking out with the children.
6. Take an iPad or DVD player
This is an obvious tip, but one we cannot stress enough. Download some child-friendly movies and any favourite show in advance of your trip, and it will buy you hours of childcare.
7. Everyone out
Anytime there’s a stop for food, fuel, or a toilet break, make sure the whole family gets out to stretch their legs and use the restroom. Even if they don’t think they need to go, and this will save any extra stops along the way.
8. Keep your ride clean
This one is pretty self-explanatory, but wrappers and other rubbish can pile up quickly on the road so it’s just easier to stay on top of cleaning it out at each stop.
9. Detours can be lifesavers
Map the journey beforehand and research where could be a good stop along the way that will be interesting for the children. Search online in advance for playgrounds and parks, any nice beaches, kid-friendly cafes, museums, wildlife parks and more that could make the journey more exciting and break it up.
10. Add buffer time
Realistically, road trips often take longer than expected, as you never get back into the car as quickly as you think. Perhaps add 15 minutes onto every stop to give you that buffer time.