Bracing yourself for a road trip these school hols? Never fear, surviving the drive is easier than you think. A little bit of forward planning can help you deal with the familiar cries of “Are we there yet?” without losing your cool.
Remember to print out this checklist before you go.
Just for Dad – The Mother of all Road Trip Checklists
- Plenty of Dad jokes
- Books, magazines and comics.
- Games such as the license plate game or travel chess (make sure it’s magnetic)
- Sketchbooks, colored pencils and textas
- Stamps. Buy postcards along the way. Kids love to decorate them and you can send them on route. The kids can write to friends, relatives or even pets
- Doodling is fun. A small white board and markers can be great entertainment
- Portable DVD player and DVDs. Don’t forget the headphones
- Video camera or phone. Let the kids produce a road trip documentary. You never know, it could go viral.
Food
- Individually packaged, healthy snacks like bite-sized sesame seed bars or sultanas. Trail mix is a great option
- Hard-to-bruise fruit such as apples
- Plenty of water in reusable bottles
Stuff you might not think about
- An emergency kit containing a first-aid kit, a torch with extra batteries and reflective triangles, just in case
- Garbage bags
- Extra nappies and wipes, if necessary
- A change of clothes in case of accidental spills
- Frisbees and balls so lively little travelers can tire themselves out at rest stops.
- A blanket for those spur-of-the-moment stops along the way. Fancy a picnic by a waterfall or a snooze on the beach?