TIPS: 10 states, 4,000 miles w/my 5 yo

racehorse

Adventurer
I also posted this in the completed adventures forum so not sure of the rules but for families looking for advice I included some travel tips, some simple and some essential on a blog I put together for my daughter to look back on and reminisce. We just got back from a pacific northwest trip from south Orange County CA to Canada, east through Alberta and south through Montana and back home.

Here's my blog: gabbydaddyrover.wordpress.com

My 5 - year old gabby was great and the trip was mostly about paying attention to her and what she wanted to do. We hit county, state, national parks, some off road, others just camp sites, trying to keep it as cheap as possible. Here are some of the things that are essential for little kids on long trips.

1. DVD player, some electronic entertainment - dvd players, tablets. I know we like the outdoors but it's essential if you are asking them to sit in the backseat for hours.
2. Deet - They will be miserable if they are getting bit by bugs
3. Porta pottie - take a small one and learn to use it or a PETT toilet. There was nothing better than Gabby needing to go bathroom in the middle of nowhere and we could pull over and take a break. The porta pottie also offered much freedom and efficiency to keep moving in the direction i was heading.
4. Snacks - kids always want to eat
5. Craft box/toys - we made gabby a craft box before we left and bought dollar store toys along the way.
6. Easy food - Don't plan on making a great outdoor bbq if you know all your kid really wants in a pinch is a quesadilla or pbj or canned chili
7. Barf bag - If your kid isn't used to long trips, chances are they will throw up at least once - make sure you have a place outside the vehicle to put all that stuff - clothes, seat pad, etc.
8. Fresh clothes - change your kid at night before bed so they feel good and clean and wake up smelling nice not like sweat or a camp fire.
9. Break - if you are traveling far make sure you stay at a place like a KOA or hotel with a pool/playground every now and then. We stayed at a hotel or KOA at least once every four days of primitive camping. Kids need to play with other kids or they will get frustrated and act out - kind of like your dog when you leave him cooped up too long.
 

justrom

Adventurer
Congratulations on taking the plunge and traveling with your daughter, she'll have great memories of that trip. We went from Florida to Alaska with our 4 year old son last year, your tips are spot on, especially the suggestion to find a playground or park. He is an only child and we could tell when he was getting fed up with grownups and just needed some time with other kids.

One of the things that we found fun was the "stamp programs" that a lot of places are doing. We started with the National Park Passport book, but as we got further north into Canada we found a lot of the regions or cities had a similar program. Our son loved looking for Visitors Centers and running in to ask them to stamp his book. He tried a couple of the Junior Ranger programs as well, but at the time he was just a little young for them.
 

Drumber

Observer
These are great tips, I've done a few overnights with my daughter, turns 5 in November, and plan on expanding our trips and also starting to include her little sister who is 1 1/2. One thing I'd add is getting them involved in as much stuff as possible to help kill time and keep them busy. If they wanna dig in the dirt, by all means, go for it. But if you say, "hey wanna help set up the tent" and they bite, thats an awesome time killer and a great learning experience for them. I beam with pride when we're home and she brags to her friends (people at the grocery store, moms, really anyone who will listen) about how daddy let her build that campfire or how she set up the tent because daddy needed help. These little things are huge and empowering to little ones.
Thanks again.
 

racehorse

Adventurer
These are great tips, I've done a few overnights with my daughter, turns 5 in November, and plan on expanding our trips and also starting to include her little sister who is 1 1/2. One thing I'd add is getting them involved in as much stuff as possible to help kill time and keep them busy. If they wanna dig in the dirt, by all means, go for it. But if you say, "hey wanna help set up the tent" and they bite, thats an awesome time killer and a great learning experience for them. I beam with pride when we're home and she brags to her friends (people at the grocery store, moms, really anyone who will listen) about how daddy let her build that campfire or how she set up the tent because daddy needed help. These little things are huge and empowering to little ones.
Thanks again.

That's great advice - getting them involved. They really like to help. I'm curious if anyone else has great long trip tips - I met a couple, les tigres au volant - Belgian with younger kids on the road for 3 months here in the U.S. with a VW. I would like to get to that point at some time - im sure others have some great tips.

What other tips do you folks have?
 

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