My son and I recently joined my husband for work for a few days. I shared how I stay on track with my health here: Traveling & Staying On Track. As we were driving home I was thinking of things I do to make our trip as smooth as possible, especially when traveling solo for an extended time. He just turned two, so these are things that are working for us at this stage. I would love to know what works with your children when traveling by car, or any top tips!
1. Chunk Up Time
I like to chunk up car time to give our son things to look forward to. I try to plan the start of our trips around his nap time (11am) so he can rest in the beginning. He normally sleeps an hour in the car so we will start with that. Once he wakes up I give him a snack and then we stop a few hours in to eat, stretch, potty, etc. After a break he will play and read for an hour (ish). I like to save the last hour or so for IPAD. We have downloaded shows/movies that are on deck for travel.
2. Have Snacks Available
I always pack a lunch box for travel to keep everyone happy. I like to keep our sons favorite snacks on hand that are easy to eat. I will have his bowls already filled with crackers, veggie straws, etc so it is one less thing to do. I keep it in the passenger seat so I can easily get what I need to give to him. He also has his water in his seat.
3. Have A Bag Of Toys/Books
I have a designated bag that I use for toys and books on trips. I try to bring easy toys for the car and have them in big zip lock bags ( if applicable). I keep the bag where I can easily reach in since our son is unable to sort through it himself.
4. Take Advantage Of Songs/Audio Books
Our son loves songs and nursery rhymes. If he is getting antsy I will play his favorite CD of all the songs he likes. Most times I repeat the same song for 30 minutes, but it keeps him happy and is an easy go-to!
5.Download Movies/Shows
Taking advantage of technology can be a life saver! I save it for the end of the trip so is not the main source of entertainment. We like to download movies and shows from Netflix so they are ready to go!
Blessings,
Jac
The Bridwells 
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