Top Tips For Planning A Family Road Trip.

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Before we know it summer will here and after over a year of lockdown so many of us are hoping to be able to get out and about a little more this summer and explore more of the UK! As soon as the sun is shining and restrictions are lifted I know me and the kids are super excited to be able to get out and about exploring and enjoying the sunshine. And I am sure I won't be alone in that, so whether you are planning on exploring in your cars or hybrid cars, getting back to nature with a bit of camping or enjoying a Great British caravan break, here are some top tips for planning a family road trip. 

Make Travel Bags For The Kids

One of the things my kids really love when we travel is the bags I make up to keep them entertained. I try to keep the contents a complete secret until we are in the car and on our way so they have lots of fun discovering what is inside as well as obviously playing with the stuff inside.

When making travel bags for kids try to remember to keep them as mess free as possible and try to avoid anything with little pieces or anything too fiddly. Stick to toys and activities that can be easily used in the car, some of our favourites include squishies, colour wonder colouring sets, mini travel games, books, tablets/ipad/handheld consoles, snacks such as crisps and mini Haribo packs are all winners for my kids.

I use cheap drawstring bags for our travel packs because not only do they keep everything safe inside, the bags also double up as handy swim bags once we get on holiday.

Check Your Car and Make Any Repairs Beforehand

Making sure your vehicle is safe is super important day to day but even more so when you are planning on loading it up and heading out on a long road trip away from home with your family. There are lots of quick checks you can do yourself such as checking tyre pressures, oil/water levels and wipers etc. But you could also get your car serviced or checked over at a local garage to give yourself peace of mind.

If you are pretty handy with tools and know your way around the car you could even replace/repair some bits yourself. There are lots of great sites which sell car parts for the car brand BMW you get all here bestPARTSTORE.co.uk.

Its also worth checking your car manual for safety aspects such as weight limits, especially if you are planning on taking lots of luggage. For example a large BMW or Range Rover for instance may have a much higher load limit than a smaller family car and going over that limit can result in fines so its definitely worth knowing!

Keep A Change of Clothes in the Boot

Kids will be kids and that includes accidents and mess even on trips in the car. Lets face it when you are heading out for the day or on holiday, the last thing you want to do is turn up with a child who is wet or dirty and have to fork out for new clothes. Having a full change of clothes for each child to hand in the car means you can quick and easily change a child's clothes if needs be without worrying.

I also often add a spare pair of socks and a jumper in there for me too. That way if we decide on an impromptu stop at the beach or get wet in the rain or something we all have dry clean clothes to change into on our journey.

Plan Ahead For Stops.

When traveling with kids, especially on a long journey it is inevitable that you are going to need to stop both to stretch your legs and for toilet breaks. Before you even start off on your journey take a look at the route, do a little bit of searching and work out where there are suitable places to stop and where the toilets are! You could even plan a route ahead using maps or apps such as ones that allow you to plan multiple stops on an iPhone. Planning ahead will certainly help take the uncertainty out of your journey and know where and when you can stop will also mean you don't get too fatigued or stressed when driving long distance. 

If you know where the stops are and roughly how far into your journey each stop is it can be much easier to plan for toilet stops and to know where the nearest service station is when the kids declare they are desperate to stop.

Travel Late at Night or Early in the Morning

I know is isn't always possible but I have always found that when traveling with young kids if you can travel early in the morning or late at night, kids will often sleep and it make the journey a lot easier for them. For early morning travel we literally scoop the kids out of bed, place them in the car and go. For late night travel the kids get into their pyjamas, bring their blankets and pillows then set off, they are usually asleep within the first hour! 

If you are planning on traveling early/late try getting the kids into comfy clothes or even their pyjamas and don't forget the bring comfy blankets or duvets, pillows and perhaps their special teddy or anything else they like to have nearby when they sleep. It definitely makes the journey a lot less stressful for everyone, plus the kids have had a good sleep and are full on energy once you arrive, or can hopefully be transferred straight to bed depending on the time you left. 

Most importantly stay safe! Don't forget to take breaks if you need too, there is never anywhere you need to be that is more important than your life. Driving when tired can kill so stay safe, drive safe and have an amazing time once you reach your destination! 

Do you have any top tips to share when planning a family road trip? 

xXx


**I received payment for this post. However all words and opinions are my own.**