So you have booked your family vacation to AfriCamps and after the initial excitement of actually going on holiday, the reality of driving 6 hours in a car with tiny humans sets in. A quick panic and fear might cause you to pause and reconsider this already booked holiday. Don’t worry you are not the first to attempt this mission and you are definitely not the last. We have searched around and found our list of top tips from parents who have gone before you. They have made the mistakes and learnt lessons so that you don’t have to relive them.
Take a deep breath and relax. Your journey will be easier with these 10 Tips for traveling with kids
- Planning goes a long way especially with kids, so pack the night before and ensure that everything you need has been crossed off the list. You wouldn’t want to find out half way on the R62 that you forgot the first aid kit.
- Packing, every mom out there seems to swear by the second smaller bag of extras. This is packing a small bag with an extra set of clothes, another t-shirt, a comfy jacket and their fav toy. This will save you the trouble of stopping the car and digging clothing out of the bigger bag.
- We all know the wrath of a hungry adult, now imagine that wrath in a little human. Preparing for the bursts of hunger along the way can be fun.
- Let them help the night before to make little snack packs for themselves. This way they feel included and won’t complain when you hand them a bag since they packed it themselves.
- Top tip with this one is no sugar, or limit the amount of sugar that you give them, no bouncy kids in the backseat.
- Games and activities. The road can seem longer than it is if you have bored kids in the car. Take care of all their little needs by packing a bag full of toys and activities.
Some great ideas:
- Dry erase board with some markers
- Magnetic toys on a baking sheet
- A ribbon tied to the car seat with a safety pin – you can use this idea to tie the cup, the markers, the stuffed toy anything you want to the car seat so that you are not having to pull over to find Mr. Fluffy.
- Top tips:
- Bring a ball with for the stops along the way to get rid of some of that extra energy.
- Wrap small toys before you leave and unwrap them along the way for new toys on the road.
- Education along the way. One great tip is to print out a map and laminate it the let kids trace the route and mark off the landmarks along the way.
- First aid box. Never leave for a road trip without it. You never want to end up midway to your destination with a crying kid in need of a plaster.
- Baby wipes, Ziploc bags and rubbish bags. This is self-explanatory but a definite must on all road trips.
- Their own blanket and pillow. This helps a lot with kids adjusting to their environment. AfriCamps comes with blankets and pillows, however your little one might just feel more comfortable with their own blanket.
- Traveling times. Always add in extra time when traveling with kids. Overestimate to take into consideration lengthy stops.
- Top tip: Try and leave as early as possible most moms make use of this method since kids fall back asleep once they are in the car.
(Thanks to Super moms Illana Ferreira and Willemijn Assink for the top tips)
