When we take a road trip as a family, we’re always sure to check the tires, fill the tank, and stop for coffee before we hit the road. But what about all those “Are we there yet?” moments that seem to start about three miles into any vacation? I’ve put together an Amazon roundup to get you through your next family road trip with more laughter and peace.
10 Family Road Trip Finds Under $20
1. Travel Games
Texas road trips inevitably involve long stretches of fields and trees as far as the eye can see. The Scavenger Hunt for Kids travel card game is a great way to keep their minds occupied and their eyes off screens for a bit. It’s a fun way to take in the scenery and defy cries of boredom.
2. More Travel Games
Let’s Mingle Family Edition is an excellent conversation starter for the whole family, with 110 questions great for road trips or dinner conversation inspiration. If you’ve got a talkative crew, this game will help the time pass with ease.
3. QUIET Travel Games
Need a break from the noise? For quieter play, let your kids work on a magnetic Travel Tangram Puzzle for a while. My children love playing with these and will spend long stretches of time coming up with new pictures once they solve the puzzles.
4. Fidget Toys
My kids are obsessed with all those bubble pop fidget toys. When I found the Tetris Jigsaw Puzzle Pop set, I added to cart immediately. Full disclosure: I also enjoy playing with this one. For younger kids, it’s a fun way to practice colors, counting, and hand-eye coordination. It’s oddly satisfying to pop all those bubbles. And the added challenge of making the pieces all fit back in the tray keeps my children entertained for miles.
5. Outdoor Games
If you want to take a break along the way and can’t find a good park for the kids to run off some energy, bring along a travel-friendly bean bag toss game. It’s great for the beach, your hotel room, or wherever you can find room to play. Bonus: It stores away easily once you’re ready to hit the road again.
6. Headphones
It’s rare when everyone can agree on what to watch or listen to at home, let alone on vacation. That’s why wireless Bluetooth headphones are a blessing to parents everywhere. There are many options, but I appreciate the volume-limited variety that will be comfortable for my children.
7. Backseat Holders
Along the same lines, invest in a 2-pack of backseat car organizers to hold their tablets, water, treats, sunglasses, and more. No more twisting your arm into impossible positions trying to hand things back and forth. (And no pulling over to fetch the tablet they dropped once again.)
8. Foldable Organizer
It’s also helpful to invest in a foldable car organizer to fit between booster seats. This is a great place for kids to store those fidget toys and puzzles they brought along when they aren’t actively using them.
9. Chargers
Don’t make the mistake we’ve made a few times. Bring long charging cables and invest in multi-port adapters for your car. This way you can keep your phone, their tablets, headphones, etc. charged at all times.
10. First Aid
And last but not least, be sure your car’s first aid kit is well stocked. Throw in some fun cartoon bandages if those help soothe your little ones. If anyone uses contacts, put an extra contact case in there, too. And be sure to include eye drops. It’s never fun to have to sidetrack in search of Visine or Band-Aids.
Each of the items I’ve included in this Amazon roundup is (as of March 2022) under $20, so you don’t have to break the bank to make your next family road trip as pleasant as possible. Most importantly: Enjoy these special family adventures together! What other items do you always bring on family road trips?
