Gear to Get You Through the Summer Road Trip

Avoiding the dreaded "are we there yet"!!
assortment of items to take on a road trip with kids

Whether you’re off to the cottage, a cross-country adventure, or just a series of small day-trips, keeping the kids relaxed in the car can be a challenge. With these tips your next car-journey can be more peaceful, more enjoyable, and definitely, a little more fun.

Don't let them get hangry!

Fluf

Snack bags

Fluf snack bags

Having snacks on hand can be a total lifesaver. Reusable snack bags are a great way to make sure your kids have treats at the ready for those inevitable tummy rumbles. Even better, taking reusable snack bags on the road with you means portion control: no more fights about who’s had more cookies!

Check out these totes adorable snack bags from Fluf. They’re certified organic cotton, with a polyester, water-resistant liner and have a Velcro closure, perfect for little hands to tear open on their own! Add to it the fact that Fluf has mastered the art of color-pop fun, you’ve got yourself the perfect road-trip/lunch bag/anytime snack sack that kids and grownups alike love to look at!! fluf.ca

Bored? Get the app for that

Springbay Studio

iBiome Ocean

screen shot of iBiome-Ocean game

No road trip is complete without some quiet, distraction time. Remember when we were young and we could either stare out the window, or read a book and get car sick? No more!

There are some great apps out there that are both fun and educational. iBiome-Ocean is the second app in the series that began with award-winning iBiome-Wetland. Kids get a chance to build aquatic habitats in this fun, educational game, from Stingray Bay. As they follow along with Professor Bio they’ll be learning all about the intricate nature of food chains within ecosystems and important environmental issues like over-fishing, coral bleaching, and pollution. iBiome-Ocean is geared for kids ages 7-12 and is full of brightly coloured animation and easy to follow steps. It's available in multiple languages. springbaystudio.com

Hey teachers! This fun app is also available in class sets!!

Keep the activities coming!

Fluf

Traveller kit

Fluf The Traveller travel kit

Keeping kids busy helps make the time go by faster. It just does. The Traveller, Fluf's over-sized travel kit (yes, again. And yes, their stuff is that great!), is perfect to stuff in a bunch of chubby markers that little hands can easily access (and put away!) by themselves. Make sure to include some new coloring books, a binder of blank paper, pencils, a sharpener and an eraser, and you’re good to go!

Better yet, get a second one to use it as a killer wet bag! Like the snack bags, it's certified organic cotton, machine washable, and super duper cute!! fluf.ca

Stay chill

Eco Vessel

Water bottle

Eco Vessel kids insulated stainless steel water bottle

Summer is hot. Like haawwwt. Kids feel it too! As much as the "I have to go pee" stops are frustrating and it can be tempting to limit liquids to avoid them, kiddos need to be hydrated! Make sure they always have some water handy with a kid-sized water bottle, like this one from Eco Vessel. 

This 13 oz Frost Kids Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle features a flip spout with a silicone straw for no-tilt drinking. Made with 18/8 stainless steel construction, these cuties boast TriMax™ Triple Insulation Technology, which keeps drinks cold and hands dry. Eco Vessel promises to keep cold drinks cool for up to 36 hours. No BPA, phthalates, or liners. Triple insulation means the bottle won’t get drippy condensation on the outside, which can be slippery in small hands, not to mention makes colouring book pages wet! #win ecovessel.com

Stretch those legs!

Green Toys

EcoSaucer and jump rope

Green Toy EcoSaucer flying disc

Let’s face it: kids have a LOT of energy. A lengthy car trip, strapped into a seat with not much to do to burn off that energy can leave your little one frustrated, grumpy, and (oh yes) whiny. To stave off whining, activity stops to burn off steam are a must. Sure, you may not break your one-hour-with-no-stops record, but you’ll probably find your kids are more relaxed. Even just a couple of 15-minute play breaks can make all the difference!

The EcoSaucer flying disk from Green Toys is a perfect way to kill some time, encourage some muscle stretching, and have lots of fun. This bright green disc is made from 100% recycled grocery bags, contains no phthalates, PVC, or BPA and is proudly made in the USA.

Got a child who'd rather skip off all that energy? Green Toys has something for them, too! Green Toy's Jump Rope is adjustable, the rope is 100% cotton and the handles are made from the same recycled plastic as the EcoSaucer (and guess what? It's dishwasher safe!) greentoys.com

Final tip 

Avoid the where’s my…?

Nothing is worse than blindly reaching into the backseat with one hand, while trying to drive with the other, all to find a missing toy, or fallen water bottle. On your next road trip, why not try a back-of-the-seat organizer? They are a great way to store art supplies, water bottles and snacks, as well as that tablet. You can improvise by using a shoe organizer bag and hanging it over the seat.

Happy summer travels!