Surviving Road Trips with Kids: Snacks and Activities
This post is sponsored by BabbleBoxx.com on behalf of Tree Top. All opinions are my own.
This year we took our first family road trip and I’m surprised we survived. Actually, I’d even say that we ROCKED IT and I’m amazed that we did because it was our first time. Good planning and packing were the reasons for for our successful trip and I wanted to pass along some of the things we did to make our 30 HOUR car ride with KIDS less painful.
Surviving Road Trips with Kids: Snacks and Activities
Planning: Packable Snacks
Of the long list of items that we would need to complete a 30-hour road trip, #1 was food. With summertime snacking already in full swing, I needed to make sure that we had enough food for my growing (and sometimes just bored) kiddos.
I didn’t want fast food taking over our time, bodies, and wallet, either.
So I was sure to pack snacks that were easy, healthy, and not messy (I’m all too familiar with the sea of crumbs that comes with pre-packaged snacks). My favorite of them all (and the one with the least number of incident cases that required us to stop) was applesauce pouches.
Best Packable Snack: Tree Top Apple Sauce Pouches
What I liked most about these Tree Top apple sauce pouches was that the kids could eat them anywhere and anytime- without me needing a spoon or having to worry about a mess. The pouches are made with 100% USA apples- they are PURE FRUIT with nothing artificial and are available in a variety of flavors (for the pickiest of eaters). There’s no high fructose corn syrup and they come in BPA-free packaging, which is great for kids to just open and squeeze.
These apple sauce pouches really were one of the best snacks we packed for our long car ride. I didn’t need to worry about the kids getting their required fruit servings for the day and they definitely beat eating browned apple slices that require refrigeration once cut. The pouches make eating and clean up easier because all you have to do it close the screw top. This results in less smells circulating in the car and less chances for making a mess.
Beyond road trips, these pouches also come handy for outings, picnics, and school lunches. They are available in a variety of flavors and sold in 4 or 12 count cartons of 3.2 oz. pouches.
Surviving a Road Trip with Kids: Keep ‘Em Busy!!!
Before our trip, I received a road trip survival kit from Tree Top and was all too excited to check it out. It’s contents were so completely thoughtful- taking into account what it’s like to be a kid on a road trip.
In our package, we received the book, I Love Texas: An ABC Adventure by Sondra Magsamen, The Terrific Texas Coloring Book, a pack of Washable Crayola Crayons (Washable being the key word here!), 3 3.2oz pouches of Tree Top Apple Sauce, and 3 $1 off coupons.
We would be away from home for a little over two weeks and the book they sent us about Texas (home) was exactly what the kids needed to fight any anxieties about leaving. The coloring book and crayons kept them busy (and not constantly asking “how much longer?”), and the apple sauce pouches kept them fed. The backpack was perfect to fill with more attention-grabbing items to keep the kids busy on our trip, too.
In addition to the items Tree Top sent us, here are a few other things we packed to keep the kids busy:
Card Games
Eye Spy Cards
Scavenger Hunt Sheets
Matchbox Cars
Portable DVD Player and DVDs
Are We There Yet?
Overall, our trip was a success and I’m shocked to announce that I would do it again. Keeping the kids busy and fed is all you really need to do to keep them from getting antsy and driving you nuts. Between the Tree Top apple sauce pouches and bag of travel goodies our kids were relatively good on the trip and another trip is definitely in our future.
Ad: Make road trips with #kids healthier and easier with @Treetopinc. Find out more here: #nomessintexas Share on XFor more great tips and tricks on surviving summer outings, check out my posts The Best Beach Vacation Packing Tips (FREE PRINTABLES INCLUDED!) and How to Plan a Cheap Family Vacation.
What items do you deem completely necessary when road-tripping with kids?
Pam
Pamela is a Freelance Writer, Blogger, WAHM of 3, and Veteran Military Wife living in Southwest Texas. Raised in the Northeast and having lived a few years in the Pacific Northwest, she likes to write about mom life, parenting, frugal living, experiences, and WINE. (Lots of wine!) When she’s not busy chasing toddlers around, you can find her on the blog or on social media. Check her out on Instagram: instagram.com/wineandlavender
No high fructose corn syrup is a must for us–I like that this apple sauce doesn’t have any. So glad you survived your 30 hr trip! I can imagine the snacks and activities helped a lot. We did an 8 hour away trip and that was quite enough for me, lol!
Hey Crystal! It was no easy feat, but you’re right- the snacks and activities helped tremendously!!
Those Tree Top pouches are great and my son would still love them and he is 12. Your long trip had some great games, eye spy was always a favorite of ours in years gone by.
Hey Melissa! We LOVED playing eye spy (and the snacks were delicious).
Road trips can be a little boring for kids especially for the long drives. It’s really important to bring snacks that they enjoy and toys that they’ll want to play with. These are awesome suggestions!
Hey Karen! They were asking for snacks every 5 minutes- because they 1) liked them and 2) knew they were there. LOL
We have tons of family travelling down to see us this year. All driving for the first time with kids. Snacks and activities are a must!! Glad your 30plus hours driving were made easier by good planning!
Hey Angela! Thanks so much. It’s great to have family visit- you guys are gonna have so much fun!
I know how I feel on long road trips so I can imagine how kids feel. I usually have snacks with me for my nieces and nephews but I admit they could be a bit healthier. Thanks for the info.
Thanks for sharing, La Shell!
I don’t have any kids, but this is great advice for anyone! I was recently on a road trip and we brought plenty of snacks and picked out a playlist and we didn’t die of boredom! 🙂
Hey Carly! One of the best things we brought was the DVD player… It got us at least an hour and a half of “quiet” time when we needed it.
Its amazing how much you have to plan for just the car ride! Honestly, that’s the most stressful part when it comes to our vacations. We like to go to the library and get new movies and books for car rides!
Hey Sarah! That’s a great money-saving idea, too.
Roadtrips are my favorite! I’m still not sure that I will need these tips (don’t have kids yet), but if I ever do, this will be a great resource.
Thanks so much!
Omg I can’t believe you all took a 30 hour road trip. I’m ready to jump out the car after 4 hours. I love those cute little snack pouches for kids.
Hahaha Chellbee!! I thought I would do the same… leading up to the trip, I had a lot of anxiety about it, but it turned out well.
Smart ideas! We head on a road trip AND we are flying this week. I need all the help I can get. I love that these snacks are easy for trips. The easier the better, right?!
Hi Hannah! I totally agree- whatever makes traveling easier (and in this case, the perk is that it’s healthy, too!)
Our child is still only 1.5 and we have not dared do any road trips with him yet. But these are some great ideas when we do, do this. I was amazed to see your pics where the kids are engaged andengrossed in their reading and activities.
Hi Nayantara! When I was a kid, all we had to entertain us on road trips was looking out the window. LOL My kids were happuy to have things to do. (Still not sure how they can look down for so long without getting sick! I’d be so dizzy- but I guess that comes with age.) LOL
These all wonderful tips. I have teens and the most important travel necessity is FOOD at this age. I love that you included books:)
Hahah Andrea- YES- food is the biggest part (and I can’t imagine how much more I’ll need to buy in the coming years!).
Long road trips are definitely boring for my kids. They just keep on bugging everyone in the car. So i think snacks and games are good for them. Coz me, I do lot sleeps in the car. lol!
Hi Margarette! I would have loved to have slept in the car- but I kept getting asked for snacks every 5 minutes. LOL
I am a grown adult, and I would just like to say that without snacks, I would have never survived the most recent road trip I went on! Really good ideas. A scavenger hunt seems like a fun activity for kids in the car!
Thanks Angie! I agree- I was eating just as much as the kiddos were. LOL
My brother and I had the longest road trip when we were about 7-8 years old. UGH the first 18 hours were hell but then we learned to adapt to our respectable places and keep ourselves entertained. Even as an adult I keep those applesauce packets handy haha.
Hahaha Jordan- they do make great quick & healthy snacks!
The best thing is being prepared! You’ve got it all figured out, Pam! Thanks so much for sharing these tips. I will make sure to pass the link to this post to my friends who have little ones 🙂
xox Nadia
http://www.mielandmint.com
Awww… thanks, Nadia!!!
good mama and papa advice, road trips or just about any trip out with kids can be somehow stressful but when they are kept busy all in, you have nothing to worry about in it.
Thanks so much, lex!
Applesauce pushes are a must have on our trips. I have two big kids and a little guy but they all love them!
Hey Brittany! We all love them, too.
You DEFINITELY have to keep kids fed and entertained during road trips! (I’ve found that this is the same for my husband as well haha!)
Hey Caitlin! Hahaha that’s true, too!
Wow! COngrats for surviving the trip with a breeze. It takes much effort to keep the kids interested. At least you got that health snacks and entertainment on the way.
Hey Princess! Thanks so much. healthy snacks and entertainment were definitely helpful!