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Jun 05

7 Essentials For Your Family Road Trip This Summer

Jun 05

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It’s time to embark on a great American Road Trip! Take note of these 7 essentials to make it successful.

7 Essentials For Your Family Road Trip This Summer

The arrival of summer is officially upon us and that means it’s time for a much-needed vacation! In a few short weeks we’ll be packing our bags, piling into the car, and hitting the road for our first adventure of the season. School doesn’t start until August which means there’s plenty of exploring to do over the next two months. Even though we aren’t venturing too far this time around, preparing for a road trip of any sort definitely requires a considerate amount of planning. This is especially true when there are kids in the backseat.  Just like maintaining your sanity, keeping them content and entertained for the long haul can be a challenge. The constant chanting of “Are we there yet?” accompanied by moans and groans is more than enough to suck the fun out of the ride before you’ve even hit the first rest stop!

7 Essentials For Your Family Road Trip This Summer

From gadgets to gizmos, snacks and supplies, I’ve put together a list of essentials that will help make road trippin’ with the entire gang much more pleasant. Remember, the journey is just as important as the destination… even if it includes a ridiculous amount of potty breaks, meltdowns, sing-a-longs, and a little bit of barf!

7 Essentials For Your Family Road Trip This Summer

DON’T FORGET THE SNACKS

No, really. Please don’t forget the munchies or you will pay the price, especially if you are traveling with children! Packing snacks for a long car ride is a no brainer. There is nothing worse than a hungry human of any age, throwing a fit because they’re starving and the next stop is 50 miles ahead. Stock up ahead of time on sweet and savory snacks that can be opened easily and re-sealed. Some of our favorites are pretzels, animal crackers, trail mix, string cheese, and fresh fruit. If you have room for a small collapsible cooler, bring it along to hold a few drinks.

TIP: Use a small plastic tackle box or bead organizer with adjustable compartments to hold a variety of treats. Make one for each child traveling. This makes the snacks more interesting & keeps them occupied!

7 Essentials For Your Family Road Trip This Summer

CLEAN UP SUPPLIES

Road trips can get messy and when you’re traveling in a car for many hours, being surrounded by trash is stressful to say the least. Be sure to bring disposable plastic bags and paper towels for cleaning up. Other items like wet wipes and tissues are good for runny noses, dirty faces (inevitable with kids), and sticky hands.

7 Essentials For Your Family Road Trip This Summer

The new Kleenex Go Anywhere Packs can be attached to the back of  seats for easy access. They’re equivalent to a modern-day tissue box and the nifty clip allows you to take them anywhere needed.

MAPS + ITINERARY

Having the proper travel materials on hand is vital in any successful road trip. You need to know where you are going, how to get there, and the best route to take in order to travel efficiently. While most of us rely on a built-in GPS, these systems aren’t always accurate so bringing a good old fashion map never hurts. It can help you calculate accurate driving times and distances. Prepare an itinerary beforehand to make note of interesting stops, restaurants, and gas stations.

7 Essentials For Your Family Road Trip This Summer

ENTERTAINMENT

Children are instantaneously restless the moment they buckle in. Keep their boredom at bay by packing travel friendly games like magnetic checkers, cards, activity books, coloring books & crayons, and printable road trip scavenger hunts or bingo. Portable electronics like a DVD player, tablet, iPod, or handheld gaming devices can also keep them occupied for hours before needing to be re-charged.

PORTABLE CHARGERS

Whether you’re using a mobile device to take photos, listen to music, or navigate through the journey, portable chargers are a must. They’ll be helpful if any of your electronics are low on battery or you decide to stop and do little sight-seeing along the way. I always have at least one in my purse and my center console. You never know when you’ll need it and it’s not safe to travel with a dead phone. Make sure to also pack power cables, cords, and attachments to juice up everyone’s gadgets.

7 Essentials For Your Family Road Trip This Summer

COMFORT OF HOME

Taking a siesta during your road trip will not only make the time go by faster but it’s also a way to regain any lost energy from waking up super early to beat traffic. Chances are that every passenger won’t be sleeping at the same time so bringing a small pillow and light blanket should be sufficient. For the kids, pack neck pillows. They’re perfect for little ones in car seats or booster chairs. No one likes to be the bobble head and waking up with a cramp is unpleasant. Comfy socks and earplugs are also helpful when trying to get a little R&R between rest stops.

FIRST AID KIT

Having a first aid kit stocked with the basics is a necessity and you should never leave home without one. You’ll want to include items to handle minor injuries, tackle common cold symptoms, and treat allergies. This could save you from having to search for a pharmacy or drugstore in an unknown area. Ready-to-go kits are sold at most stores but you can always customize one based on the needs of your passengers.

Are you taking any exciting road trips this summer?

Posted by youngatheartmommy
Filed Under: Travel Tagged: Family Road Trip Essentials, Road Trip, Travel

Hello there! Iโ€™m Jessica - just your everyday mom navigating through life with the help of iced coffee and frequent trips to Target. Follow along for yummy recipes, crafty projects, and family-friendly travel tid-bits.

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๐—–๐—›๐—˜๐—˜๐—ฅ๐—ฆ to ๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿฌ ๐—ฌ๐—˜๐—”๐—ฅ๐—ฆ! ๐ŸŽ‰ โค๏ธ
#TheFreshMarketPartner Kick off the month of July with the BEST summer celebration ever! ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ๐ŸŽ† You can pick up the tastiest sweets and treats at @thefreshmarket, just in time for the Fourth of July festivities.

The Fresh Market is turning the BIG 4-0 this month. To kick off the fun there will be a ton of awesome sales on your favorites, including beautiful blooming flowers and freshly baked goods. I canโ€™t wait to share this patriotic treat board with friends and family! #CelebrateTFM40

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๐—ฆ๐—ง๐—”๐—ฅ ๐—ฆ๐—ฃ๐—”๐—ก๐—š๐—Ÿ๐—˜๐—— ๐—ฆ๐—ง๐—”๐—ฅ ๐—ฆ๐—ฃ๐—”๐—ก๐—š๐—Ÿ๐—˜๐—— ๐—ง๐—ฅ๐—˜๐—”๐—ง๐—ฆ! โญ๏ธ ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธIndependence Day is just around the corner and thereโ€™s  plenty of time to prepare for the fun festivities ahead. ๐ŸŽ† Start here!

All you need is a sheet of Rice Krispie treats, star shaped cookie cutter, vanilla chocolate melts, and patriotic sprinkles. The glittery acrylic sticks are from @Amazon, but patriotic paper straws work too!

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Simple & delicious meals for the ๐—ช๐—œ๐—ก! #ad Simple & delicious meals for the ๐—ช๐—œ๐—ก! #ad โ˜€๏ธ๐Ÿฝ Letโ€™s face it. When school is out and summer arrives, we want to spend as much possible time indulging in the sunshine. There are plenty of things to do outside of the kitchen!

These easy-to-prepare meals can be ready within minutes.  In our family, we love quick options that are packed with flavor and tasty ingredients.

Get a closer look at my favorite #MakeMealsEZBBxx line up by swiping โฌ…๏ธ!

๐Ÿง€ Bertolli Pasta Sides 4 Cheese Ravioli
๐Ÿš PF Changโ€™s Home Menu Bowls Chicken Fried Rice
๐ŸŒฏ Frontera Pork Carnitas Burrito Bowl
๐Ÿฅ“ Banquet Mega Bowls Bacon Mac & Cheese
๐ŸŒฟ Gardein Ultimate Plant-Based Breakfast Sausโ€™ge Spicy
๐Ÿ— Marie Callenderโ€™s Duos Chicken Alfredo + Chicken Parmigiana
Thereโ€™s no better feeling than coming home to fr Thereโ€™s no better feeling than coming home to fresh flowers and a sweet surprise! #TheFreshMarketPartner ๐Ÿ’ If youโ€™re anything like me, the first place you think of is The Fresh Market. Since joining their The Ultimate Loyalty Experienceโ„ , visiting @thefreshmarket has become a part of my weekend routine! They always have a great variety of fresh fruits and veggies, gourmet treats, and a beautiful assortment of flowers. 

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โ€œWe may be ๐—•๐—”๐—— but weโ€™re so good at i โ€œWe may be ๐—•๐—”๐—— but weโ€™re so good at it!โ€ #ad ๐Ÿบ๐Ÿ๐Ÿฆˆ What does your family have planned for the weekend? The new @badguysmovie has just hit theaters and itโ€™s time to tune into a little high crime! This fast paced film is hilarious and full of adventure. It follows the story of a group of animal outlaws ready to pull off their greatest con yet! Can they really become model citizens? Itโ€™s a tough sell but I have a feeling they have quite a few tricks up their sleeves! #TheBadGuys #BadGuys @dreamworks
Feelinโ€™ย ๐—˜๐—š๐—šstra excited that Easter is Feelinโ€™ย ๐—˜๐—š๐—šstra excited that Easter is a few short days away! #adย ๐Ÿฃย Your turn to host this year? Friends & family are sure to beย ๐—›๐—ข๐—ฃ๐—ฃ๐—ฌย when welcomed with a board of tasty grazing options. This arrangement has the perfect balance of sweet and savory going on.ย 

In addition to chocolate covered pretzels and bunny shaped cheese, having the staples from @cuisine_adventures on hand is a must. ๐Ÿฐ Their delicious Mini Quiche + Spanakopita are ALWAYS a huge hit and devoured upon plating! These tasty bites can be popped into the oven and ready within minutes. Quick and easy to prepare, giving you more time to spend with loved ones during your Easter celebration!ย 

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Easter mode activated! ๐Ÿฃ Bringing you an Eggcel Easter mode activated! ๐Ÿฃ Bringing you an Eggcellent way to make lunch or dinner more festive. Letโ€™s make ๐—•๐—จ๐—ก๐—ก๐—ฌ ๐—ฃ๐—œ๐—ญ๐—ญ๐—”๐—ฆ! ๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿ• All you need is pre-made pizza crust, a bunny shaped cookie cutter, sauce, cheese, and your favorite toppings. Use a mini cookie cutter to turn pepperoni or salami into flowers.

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Itโ€™s ๐—ฃ๐—˜๐—”๐—ก๐—จ๐—ง ๐—•๐—จ๐—ง๐—ง๐—˜๐—ฅ ๐—•๐—จ๐—ก๐—ก๐—ฌ time! ๐Ÿฐ Easter may be just a few hops away, but thereโ€™s still plenty of time to get working on festive treats. Sweeten up your celebration with this easy dessert on a stick!

๐Ÿฅ• candy eyeballs
๐Ÿฅ• @reeses peanut butter eggs
๐Ÿฅ• mini pretzel sticks
๐Ÿฅ• @sprinklepop.shop edible bunny ears
๐Ÿฅ• pastel @mmschocolate
๐Ÿฅ• paper straws
๐Ÿฅ• white icing (for assembly)

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๐—›๐—œ๐—ฃ ๐—›๐—ข๐—ฃ ๐—›๐—ข๐—ข๐—ฅ๐—”๐—ฌ ๐—›๐—œ๐—ฃ ๐—›๐—ข๐—ฃ ๐—›๐—ข๐—ข๐—ฅ๐—”๐—ฌ! ๐Ÿฐ๐Ÿฅ• #partner Easter is well on its way. That means itโ€™s time to start thinking about stuffing those baskets full of goodies! @sanderscandy has so many EGG-cellent Easter themed treats to choose from, including mini Sea Salt Caramels in dark & milk chocolate. These bite sized caramels are so yummy to snack on and thereโ€™s plenty in each bag to share with some-BUNNY special. 

Get a 20% discount on all products with the code ๐—ง๐—ฅ๐—˜๐—”๐—ง๐—ฆ๐Ÿฎ๐Ÿฌ. ๐Ÿฃ Visit my stories to learn more and shop their Easter collection!

#SandersCandy #easter #easterdecor #easterbasket #easterbasketideas #eastercandy #eastertreats #spring
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