We go on road trips a LOT - mostly since it is cheaper than flying. Every road trip requires munchies: little treats and snacks to keep the kids (and grown-ups) happy for hours at a time. This time around I packed my road trip munchies in individual sandwich baggies. I packed each baggie half-full, then pushed out all the air and sealed it. I wrapped the baggie around itself, then stood each baggie on end in a plastic bin with a lid. That way, you can see all the munchie options at a glance. Because the baggie is only half full, it cuts down on spills and messes. The lid keeps it tidy when not in use.I've come up with a few rules for such munchies:
1. All munchies must be bite-sized (to cut down on crumbs).
2. All munchies must be non-melting.
3. All munchies must be non-sticky.
4. Some munchies (if not a majority) must be fresh fruit/veggies.
5. No candy whatsoever. (Can be purchased at a gas station as a reward, but not packed into the car to begin with.)
I also decided to take water bottles instead of soda this time around. I purchased those little packets of individual sugar-free flavors to add to the water bottles, but all choices were non-brightly-colored (such as apple, orange, and lemonade - forgo cranberry, fruit punch, and grape as they will surely stain clothing and/or car upholstery should they spill). The kids get sippy cups or sport cups to be refilled in the car on the road.
Other road trip necessities:
- roll of small garbage bags
- roll of paper towels
- container of baby wipes
- hand sanitizer
- extra set of clothing + blanket, favorite stuffed animal, diapers + wipes for babies/toddlers
- DVD player + movies
- books on CD or kids' music CD's
- coloring books, colored pencils (not crayons - they melt!)
- learning workbooks for older kids (math, spelling, etc)
- favorite small toys - but none with small pieces
- pillows, light blankets
- jackets (in case the weather is bad)
- first aid kit
- cell phone + charger
- jug of water, in case car over-heats
- Ball, Frisbee, or jumprope (something that helps the kids quickly use up a lot of energy at rest stops) [Thanks, Denise!]
- Kid-friendly map for older kids with the route highlighted so they don't have to keep asking if we're almost there yet [Thanks, Denise!]
What else do you include when you go on road trips???
Very clever indeed. I like the idea about bite-sized snacks to lessen the crumb factor. My kids can make crumbs with any food.
ReplyDeleteIt's funny - we arrived in U.P. after a 16 1/2 hour drive and the car was messy, but not covered in crumbs. It was GREAT! It's a silly thing to get excited about, but it was nice to not feel like I had to break out the vaccum the moment we arrived (cuz I'm a little OCD about cleanliness). :)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the list, Kim! We're going on a trip this summer and I think I'll print off your list! Two more things I try to bring:
ReplyDelete-Ball, Frisbee, or jumprope (something that helps the kids quickly use up a lot of energy at stops)
-Kid-friendly map for older kids, so they don't have to keep asking if we're almost there yet
I love those ideas! Audrey was asking constantly to see the map. She would have been thrilled to have her own map with our route outlined so she could "follow along." Great ideas! :)
ReplyDelete