How to keep kids happy on a road trip.

Keep kids entertained and happy during long car rides. Learn how to create a car bag filled with personalized items and engaging activities.

A young girl with purple headphones on holding a bear and a penguin

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What is the car bag?

The car bag is packed by the child. Give them the essentials list that must be in their bag. The child can then add other items. Depending on the age, you might want to check the bag. The child’s car bag is placed next to them in the car.

My Kid’s Suitcase Set

I found this one on Amazon years ago. They have been working perfectly for them for the past 5 years. When you open the suitcase, there is enough room for your child’s items. On the inside where it opens, there is a zippered mesh compartment. You can see the two outside pockets. These have held up for many trips in the car and on the plane.

The tote bag is the “car bag.” This bag has many pockets and can fit everything they need to have with them while they are in the car.

The car bag helps the child to prioritize what they can bring. As everything has to go in the bag.

They pack it, you approve it which is why they should be quite happy in the car!

blue child's suitcase with blue tote bag

Essential items that must be in every child’s bag:

This is part of how to keep kids happy on a road trip. Here are my must haves all of my children should have in their car bag:

Sun glasses
Headphones: My kids preferred the over the ear ones instead of the earbuds.
Snacks: These are selected by each child.
Water bottle
iPads and chargers: Games and movies are all downloaded if they aren’t using a hot spot.
1″ Binder: The binder holds paper games, maps, journal pages, etc. that fit the child’s interest.
Writing utensils: Pencils, colored pencils, crayons, etc. to use in the binder.
Pillow and blanket: These do not go in the bag. We always travel with our pillows. No exceptions.

Other items to add to their car bag:

This another part of keeping kids happy on road trips. This is where each child personalizes their bag with their interests. Here is some things my kids have added to their bags:

Small stuffed animals
Puzzle books: Suduko, word finds, ect.
Books
Magnetic games like chess
A deck of cards and other card games.

The benefits to using car bags are many.

Each child has what interests them in their bag.
The bag keeps everything together.
The car stays neater.
When you arrive at your lodging in the evening, it goes in with them. Which means they have things to do in the hotel.
They learn how to pack.

The car bag can’t keep them happy for the entire trip!

Even with a well planned car bag, kids can get stir crazy. We all need to stretch our legs when we are traveling. I have always heard that it is good to stop every 2 to 3 hours. So be ahead of the predictable antsy behavior and stop a short while.

How to make the most of your stops:

Whether it’s for gas, food or someone has to go to the bathroom, it’s important to make the most of your stops.

1. Stopping for gas

Don’t stop for gas if you can’t SEE the gas station from the highway. I used to get off for gas when the green highway gas sign said there was gas. When I got off the highway, the next sign, off the ramp, said it was 1.5 miles down the road. When I am traveling, time is of the essence. I must see the gas station or I keep driving.

While my husband is filling up the car, the rest of the family:

Collects all trash and throws it away. I always bring a handful of plastic grocery bags. I store them under a seat. (Along with a roll of paper towels. I’ll talk about why later.)
Goes to the bathroom.
Gets an Incentive payout (optional). You can use a shopping incentive for any moment in the car when tension begins to rise. Use this incentive to barter with them to calm down.

2. Stopping for food

We usually stop for lunch at a fast food restaurant. We watch the food signs on the highway if we don’t have any bars on our phone. In order to stop at the one we chose from the highway sign, we MUST see the fast food restaurant from the highway.

If we can use our phone’s gps map, like Apple Maps, we will search our upcoming location for fast food. The place we choose must be close to the highway but we don’t have to see it from the highway. Nowadays, you can order ahead and pick it up. Which is great if you want something that takes a little longer to make or you don’t want to stand in line. Just pick it up and eat it in the car.

When we stop for food we:

Empty any trash from the car.
Order/pick up our food
Go to the bathroom

To eat in the car or eat in the restaurant?

This is a decision that is best made in the moment. How is everyone doing? Do we need a little time away from being cooped up in the car? A little more space from each other? Or is everyone pumped to get back in the car?

Time might be tight and you might have to pick up your food and get back in the car.

Time might be tight, but the kids might really need to be out of the car for a little bit. If this happens, set a time limit.

You might have some time to sit. Decide how long you want to stop.

3. A planned stop.

Breaking up the long travel days is so beneficial. Everyone gets to get out the car for a couple hours. Stopping at quick side trip attractions helps break up the long travel day. It’s also fun!

A planned stop can be anything. Here are some examples:

Stopping at Wall Drug on your way to the Badlands NP in South Dakota
Going inside the Gateway Arch in St. Louis, Missouri on your way out west.
Stopping for Beef on Weck in Buffalo NY on your way through NY State.
Driving through covered bridges in Vermont on you way to Acadia NP.

The planned stops are what make the travel times enjoyable. It breaks up the long travel days. To do this, I always look along my traveling route. I see travels days as sight seeing days.