My kids and I have been on several road trips, through trial and error I have learned a few tips along the way and I’m excited to partner with Amazon to bring you a few tips to help you survive a road trip with kids.  I won’t lie, it’s not easy and it requires some planning, but your road trip can actually be a fun bonding experience for you and your kids.

Parent Tips for Surviving a Road Trip With Kids

To help you survive a road trip with kids here are a few tips to help you make it out home with all your sanity and hair.

What time will you be leaving for your road trip?

I like to leave at night because I can put a movie on my kids Amazon Kids Edition tablet and they fall asleep for most of the trip.  However, I’m aware not everyone likes to drive at night. If you leave during the day, it’s best to make sure everyone gets a good night’s rest because sleep deprivation can contribute to cranky kids and unsafe driving.

Get your vehicle serviced

Be sure your vehicle is road trip condition by having it services a few days before you leave.

Roadside assistance

If you’ve ever run out of gas or had a flat in the middle of nowhere you already know how valuable roadside assistance can be, especially if you are traveling with kids.  Be sure your subscription is up to date and if you don’t have roadside assistance I suggest looking into it.

Prepare for the unexpected

I hope nothing goes wrong, but it’s better to be prepared when traveling with children.  Be sure to put extra water, flashlights, a spare tire and jack, an extra blanket and anything else that gives you peace of mind in the car before traveling.

Consider seating arrangements

If you don’t own a vehicle with extra space, you might rent a minivan.  This will give you more space to work with and your children seating flexibility.  Sometimes leaving a space between two children gives them more room and makes the trip more comfortable for them.

Be sure to pack smart

Not only do you want to remember everything but also pack so you don’t find yourself digging for items you might need along the way.  Pack so you can access items you may need while traveling. You can also save plenty of space and clutter by bringing along a Fire Kids Edition tablet with FreeTime Unlimited which is free for the first year. By bringing along your Fire Kids Edition tablet you can leave behind books, extra devices, and more. It’s sort of an all-in-one road trip solution for kids.

Don’t forget to pack travel-friendly sack snacks

Snacks are not just for the kids, parents need them too, lol.  Bring along plenty of drinks and snacks that travel well such as pretzels, granola bars, dried fruit, trail mix, cheese puffs, etc.  Oh, and don’t forget your child’s sippy cup, it will save your car from any spills.

Plan for meals

If you’ll be traveling during mealtime, be sure to plan for mealtimes.  I bring a small cooler along packed with sandwich stuff so we can stop along the way, enjoy a sandwich and get out of the car and stretch.  It’s nice to eat at a restaurant but if you are trying to save money for time packing sandwich stuff saves a lot of money and time.

Don’t leave time for backseat boredom

To keep the squabbling and dreaded “Are we there yet” to a minimum don’t forget to plan for ways to fight boredom.  Plan a few car games and bring your Fire Kids Edition tablet with FreeTime Unlimited, which can provide plenty of entertainment.  Even without access to Wi-Fi your kids can enjoy entertainment on theirtablet. When you download apps, videos and books to your child’s FreeTime Unlimited profile they will automatically see them when no internet connection is available.  It’s a great way to beat backseat boredom that often leads to backseat squabbling.

Fire Kids Edition Tablet with FreeTime Unlimited

The Amazon Fire Kids Edition tablet comes with a Kid-Proof Case and 2-year worry-free guarantee to give parents peace of mind.  The Kid-Proof Case is amazing, it was on the last kids tablet I purchased for my handicap son several years ago. The tablet experienced plenty of drops and everyday use and is still going strong.  The last Amazon Kids Edition tablet I purchased still works and is able to keep up with my son’s daily use. I’m excited to see how wells our new Fire Kids Edition Tablet will keep up with my kids. The tablet will save tons of space and has everything they will need as far as entertainment to keep backseat boredom to a minimum thanks to Amazon FreeTime Unlimited.

Amazon FreeTime Unlimited

Not to worry, parents have access to an easy-to-use parental control via the FreeTime app in the parent profile.  The parent FreeTime app helps parents assign the right balance between education and entertainment.  We will be able to personalize screen time limits, filter age-appropriate content, manage web browsing and content, and set educational goals for our children.  

Parents also have access to Discussion Cards through the Parent Dashboard which help parents have more productive conversations about what their child is engaging with at the time.  These cards will also suggest ways to connect digital behavior to real life.

FreeTime Unlimited is great for more than just traveling. We use ours all the time.  Last weekend my daughter and I used the tablet to pull up a cookie recipe so we could spend some quality time baking cookies together.  Mattie will also pull up some of her favorite e-books from FreeTime Unlimited (FreeTime is the parent app) and read to me or her sister outside on the porch.  She has also been watching a few of her favorite shows and videos to help her with ideas for her upcoming fairy house project.  

The Fire HD 8 Kids Edition tablet has an 8’ HD Display 32, GB of storage and the kid-proof case I love so much and can be purchased for $129.99.

The Fire 7 Kids Edition Tablet has a 7’ display, 16GF of storage, the awesome kid-proof case and is priced at $99.99.

To learn more about the Fire Kids Edition tablet and FreeTime Unlimited visit Amazon.com.

Set realistic expectations

The best tip I can give parents fixing to start out on a road trip with kids is to be prepared.  While spending time together can create many happy memories, remember it’s not all going to be sunshine and cupcakes.  Prepare yourself mentally for the struggles of going on a road trip with kids.

What are things you do to survive a road trip with kids?