Holiday Road Trip Survival Tips for Preschool Families

Holiday road trips (or anytime) with little ones can be an exercise in patience, endurance, and creativity. Traveling by car over the holidays can save substantial money on flights but the cost on sanity can certainly take its toll. Setting yourself up for a smooth and successful ride starts with packing smart, and preparing for waves of boredom and restlessness.

We collected some road-tested tips for surviving long holiday road trips with preschool children. 

Big-Picture Holiday Road Trip Strategy Ideas

Before you dive into the details, keep these big-picture holiday road trips ideas in mind. 

• Set Expectations and Pump Up the Excitement: Make sure everyone in the family is aware that a big road trip is on the horizon. Make it exciting, but be realistic–prepare them for a long day in the car. Young children often do best when they know what to expect, so talk about how the day will go. Have your preschooler bring their favorite stuffed animal, blanket, and pillow for the trip. And talk about when you might stop, what you might see, and, the best part of all, what’s awaiting you all when you arrive at your destination. 
• Prepare and Pace Yourself: Stock up and be prepared with lots of things to keep your little one entertained. Introduce new toys, games, or snacks throughout the ride to keep morale high and space out the surprises. Pro Parent Tip: Wait till the hardest leg for the biggest surprise.
• Plan for Play Ahead of Time: Map your drive beforehand, and note potential stops for outdoor or physical movement for your children (and yourself). Pinpoint outdoor playgrounds if the weather is good. Or, if indoor fun is better based on the time of year, locate options like a McDonald’s PlayPlace or a Barnes and Noble store where young children can play and parents can caffeinate. 
• Seek Low Mess for Low Stress: Whether it be mess-free art projects or spill-free snacks, keep the chance of a mess low for less stress. Throw in a few small disposable garbage bags to gather up trash as it accumulates and for easy disposal when you stop. 

Holiday Road Trip Suggestions for Young Children

Looking for ideas about what to pack to survive your upcoming holiday road trip with your little one? We have you covered, from audio ideas to food. 

Sights and Sounds: Audio and Visual Ideas

• Based on the age of your child, consider a tablet with headphones (to reduce distractions and allow each child to choose their own). 
  • Download age-appropriate audiobooks beforehand.  
  • Create a special music playlist with favorite songs. 
  • Check out DPP’s Best Podcasts for Preschoolers.
• For device-free fun, try one of these fun road trip games, like the color game or I spy. 

Sensory Surprises: Art Projects and Creative Toys

• Nothing says a good road trip like a fun art project. Check out tactile toys and mess-free art: 
  • Tactile Toys: Wiki sticks, sticker books, Silly Putty, magnetic toys or busy boards. 
  • Mess Free Art: Mess free markers or water painting books. 
• Create fun for the road with these ideas: 
  • “Easter” eggs: place small toys or snacks in plastic eggs and let kids open them as small surprises throughout the drive. 
  • Bag of Treasures: Repurpose old toys the kids haven’t played with in a while and have them take turns pulling them out of a mystery grab bag. 

Snacks + Meal Planning: 

• Bring a cooler with healthier items if you want to avoid fast food. Stock up on milk, fruit boxes, veggies, hummus, boiled eggs, or even pre-packaged sandwiches. If weather permits, consider stopping for a picnic. 
• Other ideas for your holiday road trip snacks include: 
  • Individually packaged fruit snacks, applesauce, and yogurt. 
  • Small bags of anything kids can eat with their hands like crackers, raisins, nuts, small bars, lollipops, or mandarin oranges.
  • Cheese sticks and turkey/beef jerky for protein-packed snacks. 
• Bring trash bags for cleanup and wipes for cleaning.

Tips for Preschool Families

Whether you are heading out on a holiday road trip or looking for ways to save on your preschool costs, Denver Preschool Program offers regular insights, tips, and opportunities for preschool families through our monthly bilingual (English and Spanish) newsletter, Family Dispatch. Sign up and get all the latest preschool tips–no driving necessary.