This post has been sponsored by Brakes To Go. All opinions are 100% our own.
In order to have a successful road trip, ESPECIALLY one with kids, you have to do a few things in advance. A little pre-planning and prep. Nothing daunting; in fact, it’s all super manageable! Let’s get into it:
1. Schedule a Visit from Brakes To Go
Top priority is making sure your vehicle is safe and road trip-ready. But fitting in car maintenance when you’re at work all day or holding down the fort at home is difficult. Bringing little kids to the mechanic’s shop and trying to keep them occupied? I’ll pass, thank you. But these brakes aren’t going to fix themselves, and we need our brakes!
Brakes To Go makes it EASY. This trusted Texas business provides affordable, convenient, and honest brake repair services by delivering experienced, professional mechanics to our doorsteps. They know people (and women, especially) can be mistrustful of mechanics’ pricing, so it’s their mission to be reliable and transparent the whole way through. And excellent customer service is the cherry on top. Get a quote and set an appointment in just a few clicks—they’ll come to your office or your driveway and fix things right up!
2. Supplies to Keep Kids Entertained
When I was little, my parents would take us to the toy store before a trip, and we could each pick out one toy—something new to keep us occupied on the plane or in the car. It worked like a charm, and I’ve started employing this tactic with my own children for longer journeys.
My other long road trip must-haves are a lap board for each kid and a caddy for their accessories and snacks. On our last trip, I brought fun stickers and let them decorate their boards and bins in the car, which occupied them even further. Be sure to check out these 10 road trip activities for kids for ALL KINDS of good ideas.
Bonus tip: Just today, I was at Five Below and saw a Nintendo Switch headrest mount (that can work for devices up to 9″ wide). Yes, I bought one. As someone prone to motion sickness, looking down into my lap in the car for more than 5 minutes is simply not an option. I figure it doesn’t hurt to keep my kids’ eyes up whenever possible.
3. Playlists & Podcasts
It recently occurred to me that because we don’t listen to the radio in the car (it’s all listeners’ choice on Apple Music these days), my children aren’t getting the same kind of exposure to different sounds that I had growing up. For fun, I made a “Music Education” playlist and started filling it with older chart-topping hits—the ones I’ve heard a million times but that my children haven’t.
I’m listening vicariously to all these old songs with fresh ears going, “You know, this IS a really good song!!”
For more screen-free audio entertainment, here are 3 great podcasts for little kids. And just because I enjoy it so much, I’ll recommend Off Menu for the parents!
4. Start with a Clean Slate
Cars get messy on road trips, so it’s imperative that you start with a clean one. And one of the best things about having children is putting them to work! Take your kids with you to one of those DIY car wash spots and have them help wash and vacuum. Even your littlest can have fun with this. For exterior car washing at home, my kids love these big yellow sponges. The perfect chore/hot weather activity.
5. Pick Your Spot
And finally, your destination. This is probably the most complicated of all the steps, only because we have so many options! Have you looked at the Dallas Moms Texas Travel Guide? Every recommendation in there is mom-tested and approved. Or how about a family-friendly destination out of state like Hot Springs, AK or Carlton Landing, OK?
Regardless of where you go, take this opportunity to buy a real paper map and teach the kids a little about navigation. You might be surprised at how interested they are!
Thanks to Brakes To Go for sponsoring this guide to road trip prep. Visit their links below to learn more and schedule your appointment today:
BRAKES TO GO :: FACEBOOK :: INSTAGRAM :: TWITTER
