Packing the perfect road trip kit.

This post about packing the perfect road trip kit is sponsored by Kraft.

We're planning our first official family road trip this summer. That is, we're going more than one state away. Right now I'm sort of wondering what the heck I got myself into.

THE LONG DRIVE

I'm a little scared.

Not in a monsters in the closet or fear of heights sort of way (my monsters sleep under the bed anyway)

But an oh my goodness the kids are going to make the van implode with their stir-craziness sort of way.

How am I going to survive not 5, but about 20 hours JUST ONE WAY?

I can handle this right? It's just a matter of packing the perfect road trip kit so we aren't stopping at every single shopping center between here and the Grand Canyon because I forgot to pack something.

The Perfect Road Trip Kit

Maps of your route:
My son Sebby loves to keep track of where we are going, even if it's just a day trip driving around Washington. The plan is to have both a printed version and digital version of our routes so he can keep track of where we are going. We're even going to post special landmarks along the way. Showing landmarks is going to be a great way to curtail the constant requests for stopping places. We'll be able to tell the kids "We'll stop for ice cream when we get to XYZ, how far away is that" I'm hoping it works. Fingers crossed for me.

Electronics:
I know lots of people aren't fans of tablets, iPads and electronic games. Hear me out. When you're spending hours and hours in a car, you can only play the alphabet game or ISpy so many times.

Consider a Kindle with FreeTime so kids will READ first before playing their favorite apps.

Other good choices are iPads with movies. Great for hotel rooms too!

I also totally confess to loving having a hotspot from AT&T (Mom tip: They have pay as you go options which is brilliant IMO,)

Activity and coloring books:
I prefer to save coloring books for hotel rooms and restaurants, but they are still very much an essential to the road trip kit. I'm going to tell you right now we've tried coloring books in the car before, and it takes about negative five seconds for "Mommy I dropped my crayons" to be repeated 20 times in 2 minutes from Quincy.

Car Seats:
This may seem obvious, but a comfortable car seat is a must. Preparing for a road trip is a great time to make sure that not only do you have the appropriate car seat for your child (if they still need one) but also to make sure it's installed correctly. While it is true the majority of car accidents do occur close to home, it's important to keep your child restrained properly. Keep in mind too, that you cannot use any aftermarket products attached to your seat.

Something snuggly:
Whether it's a stuffed friend you've picked up on your journey, or their blanket from home, having something snuggly makes quiet napping times in the car easier on everyone, and gives them something to snuggle in the hotel room too.

Snacks:
Snacks are essential for a road trip. Without snacks, there is sure to be pandemonium and epic grumpiness. No one wants that. There are two kinds of snacks in my book, the kind you pack and the kind you stop for, whether it's to replenish your stash or get something special.

Our favorite road trip kit snacks:
*Individualized cups. The kids all have those Snackeez cups. They are both cheesy and brilliant at the same time. We keep them filled with water most of the time for easy clean up and save the milk for restaurants.
*Crackers, Chex Mix and other easy to eat food.
*Swedish fish

Sanewiches...
I know you're thinking what the heck is a Sanewich? For us, it's Oscar Deli Meat rolled up with a piece of cheese in a roll of delicious goodness, sometimes we even add some mustard. It's easy for the kids to eat, easy to keep in the cooler, and very important, easy to replenish when we run out. Because we will run out. Thankfully, Oscar Mayer Deli Fresh can help keep it simple. Visit Sanewich.com for more Sanewich inspiration.