Road Tripping Solo with Kids

Have you ever considered taking a road trip or traveling a long distance with your children alone? I was skeptical about it at first. How will I take care of them and drive? How will I manage after a long hard day without any help? The truth of the matter is that I had to change my mindset and realize they are way more capable than I sometimes give them credit.

When my boys were super little (like still in diapers) I would take them to visit my grandmother for an overnight stay, but she only lived a couple of hours away. Not until my youngest was four did I embark on a long road trip. The first time I traveled from our home in Tennessee to Oklahoma was when Grant was 8 and Dean 4.

They were troopers. My friend, Heather, encouraged me by saying that her kids actually did better on road trips with only her. They knew she had to drive so they took the responsibility of caring for themselves rather than relying on mom to do everything. Kids are able to grab their own snacks, not get into silly spats (most of the time), and find the paper towels if there’s a spill.

Preparing for the Trip

This is one of the most important parts of the trip for me. If I can feel prepared when we leave the house then I am much more able to enjoy the trip. I have my kids pack their own bags (more on that in an upcoming post). I follow The FlyLady method for preparing for a trip. Since I’ve started this method it has made prep for trips so much easier.

I like to plan out the route. I use Google maps to add in stops for lunch. We download movies, shows, podcasts, and books all before leaving the house to ensure screentime entertainment. In our snack bag, I pack something sweet, salty, something that packs protein, and fresh-cut veggies for me to munch on while driving (otherwise I devour the whole bag of chips).

If we’re breaking up the drive and staying in a hotel for a night I pack a separate hotel bag with everything we’ll all need for the night. I’ve found the less luggage I have when traveling alone with kids the better.

Including Fun Along the Way

When I was a child I have wonderful memories of road trips. Sitting next to my dad while he drove, stopping at Dairy Queen to buy a blizzard, playing Uno with my siblings, or just roaming gas stations looking for just the right candy bar. I try to incorporate those things into our trips and not make them all about getting to our destination as fast as possible.

Ask the Kids to Pitch In

Since I’m the only adult on the road trip the more things my kids can help with the easier the experience is for me. They’re in charge of their own water bottles and ensuring there refilled at various stops. At times they help me navigate through a large city and help spot the correct exits.

When we arrive at a hotel one of them unloads the cold snack bag into the fridge and refills it upon departure. One is in charge of opening the hand soap and bath soap packages in the hotel bathroom. When we pack up I have them check under the beds, in closets, and in drawers for remaining items. One of them checks all electric outlets to ensure we didn’t leave any chargers. Although these seem like simple tasks they help tremendously.

Entire Day in the Car, Help!

What the Driver Does in the Car

As the driver, I listen to music, podcasts, and always try to have an audiobook at the ready.

On a recent trip, I listened to The Big Boo Podcast (two funny women who love their families and football) and Car Talk.

For books, I like cozy mystery novels and biographies. A treat for me is to have an audiobook set in the same city as our destination.

It’s also super fun for me to create a music playlist on Spotify for our trip. Here’s my Roadtrip playlist!

What Kids Do in the Car

At first, we talk and they look out the window (at least for the first 30 minutes). Then we’ll listen to a kid’s audiobook. Most recently it was Charlie and the Chocolate factory. We listen for about thirty minutes then they have screen time. We’ll throw in a few potty breaks, snack time, a family game or two, and quiet time. Sometimes they watch a movie together. I listen to adult things while they’re on their screens with headphones.

Here’s a video of some non-screen ideas for kids riding in cars.

Games We Play on a Roadtrip

ABC game – Start with A and find words on billboards or street signs that start with that letter and continue on until you’re finished with the entire alphabet.

License Plate game – Make a list of every license plate state you see. Completed once you’ve seen all 50!

Restaurant origins – While on a lunch break, we like trying to guess what state the restaurant originated. Did you know Pizza Hut originated in Wichita, Kansas by brothers who were in college together?

Twenty Questions (Animal version) – Have one person think of an animal. The others ask questions about the animal. Only twenty questions can be asked before the animal has to be guessed.

I love introducing them to places I enjoy. Each state has unique things to offer and it’s so fun to watch my kids discover those things.

Traveling alone with kids is work but it’s also full of so much joy. If you haven’t already I encourage you to try it. Please let me know how it goes.

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