Road trips can be tricky if you have young passengers. The frequent boredom chants, impromptu bathroom emergencies, and bottomless pit passengers can make for a challenging trip, but you can plan a stress-free trip with a few important tips and tricks. Pinellas Park area Hyundai has 9 kid-friendly ideas to help make the trip memorable, not torturous.
- 1. Make Sure All Seats Are Properly Installed
Before you take off, make sure your child is safe. Inspect car seats for proper installation and double-check that everyone is wearing their seatbelts properly. If you are traveling with young kids, they should be in the proper safety seat until they are 12, and they should remain in the back seat. The seatbelt should be snug across the chest and the shoulder, and it should not drag across the neck of strap across your child’s stomach.
- 2. Pack a Safety Kit
Make sure your first-aid kit is replenished, and pack enough water for all passengers. You should make sure all of your insurance and roadside assistance policies are up-to-date, and provide somebody with your itinerary.
- 3. Plan for Breaks
Don’t try to pull off a marathon excursion. Plan regular breaks to allow kids to go to the bathroom and get out and stretch. Children can’t handle more than 2 to 3 hours in the car. Parks and roadside attractions are perfect for small breaks to play a game of tag or soccer.
- 4. Don’t Forget Snacks
You can never have too many snacks on a road trip. Make sure you pack more than you think you will need, and limit your snacks to healthy options. Healthy snacks keep you fuller longer and they provide the driver with a little extra energy. Also, packing food will help you save a lot of cash on the road.
- 5. Entertainment is Key
This is the time to pack the electronics. Tablets, portable DVD systems, coloring books, travels games, cameras and notebooks all provide children of all ages with road trip distractions.
- 6. Comfort
Encourage all passengers to bring pillows and their favorite stuffed animals.
- 7. Strategic Seating
Make sure the smaller kids are sitting behind the tallest person, and taller kids are placed behind shorter passengers. Provide everyone with the maximum leg room for a more comfortable ride.
- 8. Let Them Decide
Let children decide the radio station or CD. Give each child an allotted amount of time to play their preferred music.
- 9. Pack a Car-Sick Bag
Make sure you have disposable bags, ginger ale, soda crackers and mint candy to help with any car sick emergencies.