I don’t know how summer weekends seem to get booked so quickly.  It happens every year.  Between weddings and family trips, we are finding ourselves on the road quite a bit this summer.   So, today I’m talking about traveling with kids.

To be honest, traveling with kids can be intimidating.  I try to start prepping days in advance because no matter how much we prepare, it ALWAYS takes longer to get out of the door than we expect.

I wish I could say that we’ve perfected the art of traveling with kids, but like most things in parenting – we’re still learning as we go.  That said, we have learned a few tips that consistently prove to help us get on the road and enjoy our vacations together as a family.

This post is sponsored by Baby K’tan and contains affiliate links.  All opinions and experiences are my own.  For more information, please see disclosure.

8 Sanity Saving Tips for Road Trips with a Toddler & Infant

Here are some of the things that have helped simplify our travels since having two little ones underfoot.  I know that there will be other things to add as the boys get older, drop naps, etc.  But for now, this is what is working for us.

Make a List and Check it Twice

I’ve always been a list person and since having kids, lists have become even more essential.  For traveling, I make a list for myself and the kids (Hubs takes care of himself).  My list is always separated in the following categories:

• Clothing/Shoes (for myself & kids)
• Toiletries (includes kids’ toiletries & things like hair dryer, etc.)
• Electronics (chargers, cameras, tablet, etc.)
• Toys/Books
• Baby Gear (pack-n-play, sound machines, night lights, etc.)

Don’t feel silly about writing the obvious things down on the list.  The obvious things can be the easiest to forget lots of times.

Plan Stops Ahead of Time

Along the same lines as above, be sure to plan opportunities to stop ahead of time.  Try to determine ideal places to stop for quick rest stops or even over night if you need to break your trip into multiple days.

I think a good rule is to try to stop every 2-3 hours for to let everyone get some fresh air. Newborns sleep a ton, but you still need to stop and feed them regularly.  Our youngest still likes to eat every 2-3 hours.  Our toddler really needs to get out to burn some energy after being in the car for so long.

So, before we head out, we try to determine where we might be at those points during our trip.  We’ll look for places with playgrounds, or easy, kid-friendly restaurants and try to plan stops in those pre-determined places.

Planning ahead is way easier to try to make decisions with a screaming baby or cranky toddler.

Pack No-Mess, New Activities or Toys for the Ride

Keep the car ride interesting by packing some new, mess-free toys for the ride.  We try to keep some toys up front and give them out through out the ride as we need them.  This keeps their attention while they are awake on the road.  [These books are some of our favorites for the road!]

PRO TIP: If you don’t want to buy new toys for each trip, just have certain toys that you keep put away so they feel new or special when you travel.

Pack Smarter with a Multi-Functional Bag

One thing that comes in really handy with little ones anytime, but especially when you’re traveling is a great bag.  We’ve been on quite a few trips with our boys this year already for each trip, we’ve gotten great use out of our Baby K’tan Weekender Bag.

If I’m being totally honest, I don’t even carry around a proper diaper bag most days (it’s on my list, but I haven’t gotten around to it).  I got out of the habit since Little was bigger and when baby came early, I didn’t have one packed.  Most days, I toss it all in a tote bag and go.  As you can imagine, this is really chaotic when it comes to travel and I NEED to have a great diaper bag ready.

The Weekender Bag has really simplified travel for our family.  It is bigger than most diaper bags, which makes it perfect for a few days away.  It has a large main compartment with a separate changing pad and four pockets.  It’s got a huge insulated snack pocket, an odor-proof anti-bacterial wet bag (hello pool and beach days!), and a separate padded compartment for laptops or tablets (up to 14 inches).

With so many features, it’s quickly become our favorite for trips with our family.  We can store both boys’ diapers and wipes (thanks to a separate wipes container on the side of the bag), a tablet, an extra change of clothes, some small toys, my water bottle, and lots and lots of snacks for the road.

Although it is bigger than the standard diaper bag, it’s still small enough to carry around and is great to have everything right at our fingertips.

Try to Keep Things as Routine as Possible

Kids thrive on routine and while travel can definitely throw that for a loop, we like to try to keep things as similar to home as possible.  For us, this means trying to travel during nap times so the kids can sleep in the car.

At home, I try to organize our days in specific blocks – morning activities, naps, afternoon activities, dinner, play, bed.  We try to keep this same routine roughly when we travel, too so that we can keep nap times.

Finally, we make sure to have at least one favorite stuffed animal, blanket, or book from home and keep the bedtime routine the same for both kids – even if the timing is a little bit off.

 Keep Your Hands Free

Since having two kids, baby wearing has been a huge sanity saver for me.  I’ve been using the Baby K’tan Active Carrier since our youngest was born and it had allowed me so much more freedom when we are out and about.  It is especially helpful for travel since it folds up so easily.

Baby wearing allows me to fully enjoy activities and be present with my toddler while still making sure that baby is safe and secure.

When All Else Fails –  Snacks

If you’ve got a toddler, you know the power of snacks.  I actually always try to have snacks on hand when we go out – even just to the grocery store, but when we travel, they are a must.

Think about things that are easy here – Puffs, Goldfish, Crackers.  Things that don’t make much of a mess (and if they do, they’re just crumbs) and that your little ones can easily eat by themselves.  We save other snacks like fruit and pouches for stops along the way when we can get out of the car.

One thing that we love about the Baby K’tan Weekender Bag is that we can keep snacks like yogurt or pouches insulated and out of the way of the other things in our bag in case of any spills.  (Because there are definitely enough other messes to worry about with little ones, am I right?)

Be Flexible

Finally, just embrace it.  You can always only be so prepared when you are doing things with young kids.  The fact is, kids can be unpredictable.  They melt-down.  They get sudden bursts of energy at bedtime.  Sometimes, they don’t like the activity you thought they were going to love.

Being flexible is important.  Pay attention to how things are going each day and be willing to skip some activities if it seems like that might be best.

No matter what, be sure to remember the point of family vacation in the first place – to spend time making memories.  Don’t lose sight of that.  Everything else is just extra.

So those are our tips, now I’d love to hear yours!  Do you like traveling with your kids?  What tips or tricks have you picked up along the way?