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Long car drives with young children are extremely exhausting both emotionally and physically, so here is a must-have list to make a road trip easier for everyone.

First Aid Kit¹

1. Cold pack, bandages, gauze pads, and medical tape.
2. Sunscreen lotion, after sun cream.
3. Alcohol, hand sanitizer/antimicrobial wipes or spray.
4. Bug repellant spray or cream.
5. Motion sickness medicine, pain reliever, itch relief cream, cold and cough relief, diaper rash ointment, and antibacterial ointment.

Packing essentials for kids:¹

1- Comfortable car seats adapted for the age. Note by the AAP (American Academy of Pediatrics):

o  All toddlers should ride in a rear-facing car safety seat as long as possible, until they reach the highest weight or height allowed by the seat's manufacturer. ^4,5

o  All children who have outgrown the rear-facing weight or height limit for their car safety seat should use a forward-facing car safety seat with a harness for as long as possible, up to the highest weight or height allowed by the seat's manufacturer.^4,5

o  All children whose weight or height is above the forward-facing limit for their car safety seat should use a belt-positioning booster seat until the vehicle lap and shoulder seat belt fits properly. ^4,5

o  When children are old enough and large enough to use the vehicle seat belt alone, they should always use lap and shoulder seat belts for optimal protection.⁴

o  All children younger than 13 years should be restrained in the rear seats of vehicles for optimal protection. ^4,5

2- Car seat organizer if available.¹

3- Wipes, clothes (do not forget long pants and long sleeves for safe play outside), rain jacket, comfy shoes (sneakers or walking shoes, flip flop or crocs), sun hat, swim wear.^1,2

1. ·       Sickness bags and easy to access clean pack of clothes.¹
2. ·       Sunglasses.²
3. ·       Neck pillows and blankets.²
4. ·       Paper tissue, kitchen towels, quick drying towel, picnic blanket. ²
5. ·       Trash bags.²
6. ·       Kids portable potty.

Eating and Drinking ¹

1. Cooler.
2. Reusable water bottles and large bottles of water for refill.
3. Snack containers with separate compartments.
4. Dried fruits, cookies, granola bars, nuts, crackers (avoid sweet food and drinks that give too much energy and make their hands sticky).⁶

Entertainment ¹

1. Activity books and coloring books, road trip games.²
2. Crayons, pencils and pens. ²
3. Quiet toys, rattle for little babies.
4. Binocular to keep children busy during the ride (especially on scenic roads).² Note that kids become irritable or restless when on a long road trip, so keep them occupied by pointing out interesting sights along the way.⁵
5. Ball or Frisbee to tire out the kids during short stops on the road (plan a stop about every 2 hours).^2,5
6. Kiddies’ headphones and tablet/smart phone or MP3 player.¹ Although a road trip is all about bonding with the family, but if parents want some peace, download your kids’ favorite shows, apps, audio books, eBooks, or funny music playlist before the trip.² However, do not exceed the 1 hour of daily screen exposure allowed by the AAP for toddlers from 2 to 5 years old.³

Miscellaneous ¹

1. Flashlight
2. Instant stain remover
3. Swiss army knife
4. Roadside assistance emergency pack
5. Smart phone and charger
6. GPS/Maps
7. Extra batteries and memory cards
8. Travel mug

Dr. Nisrine Makki

Pediatrician

¹https://fullsuitcase.com/packing-road-trip/

²https://kidsareatrip.com/35-essentials-to-pack-for-a-family-road-trip/

³https://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/138/5/e20162591

⁴https://www.aafp.org/news/health-of-the-public/20180921kidscarsafety.html

⁵https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/on-the-go/Pages/Travel-Safety-Tips.aspx

⁶https://www.ezpacking.com/blogs/ezpacking-blog/road-trip-packing-list