Mama.Papa.Bubba. -
Menu
Skip to content
  • SHOP
  • preemie
  • baby
  • play
  • craft
  • learn
  • cook
  • DIY
  • kuwait
  • vancouver
  • contact
  • about

Tag Archives: road trip

The Best Tips for Taking Road Trips With Kids (& a GIVEAWAY!)

8 / 23 / 228 / 23 / 22

The Best Tips for Taking Road Trips With Kids | Mama Papa Bubba

We’ve always loved a good road trip, but over the last couple of years we’ve done more road tripping than usual and it’s been so, so wonderful. If you follow along over on Instagram or Facebook, you know I’ve been lucky enough to work with Toyota Pacific for the last few years and upgrading to a new Toyota RAV4 Hybrid has definitely taken our road trip game to the next level. It’s by far the most reliable, efficient, and safe vehicle I’ve ever owned and it feels SO good knowing that everything is just going to work while we’re on the road.  Also, the fact that it’s a hybrid has made road trips significantly more affordable, which is a massive plus given the current cost of fuel.  Some of my favourite road trip features? Dynamic radar cruise control (seriously so helpful), rain sensing wipers (the best), lane departure alert (safety!), and the digital rear view mirror (perhaps my most loved feature).  Toyota Pacific has generously sponsored this post, as well as an incredible giveaway to help out with your next road trip, so be sure to read all the way to the end for details on how to enter. 

We’ve road tripped A LOT with our two kids and I must say – we’ve become pretty darn good at it!  After YEARS of road tripping with kids, very often as the solo parent and driver, I’ve learned exactly what needs to happen for happy, low-stress road trips.  Here are my best tips for taking road trips with kids…

Best Tips for Road Tripping With Kids | Mama.Papa.Bubba.

Clean out the vehicle beforehand – If you want to start your road trip off on the right foot, this is where to start.  A clean vehicle with all of the extra stuff taken out makes SUCH a difference for me.  The night before we head out on a road trip, I wash and chamois my vehicle, take all of the garbage and extra stuff out, then vacuum the carpets and give everything a wipe down.  While I’m out I also stop and top up both fuel and washer fluid if needed.  Then when morning comes and you’re ready to head out, you’re actually ready to head out – no stops needed.

Best Tips for Road Tripping With Kids | Mama.Papa.Bubba.

Pack lightly – I’m all about thinking ahead and having everything you’ll need, but if there’s one thing I’ve learned through all of the travel we’ve been lucky enough to do is that when it comes to STUFF, less is more.  Too much usually just equals chaos in my opinion, and in a vehicle that stuff can very quickly end up sprawled out EVERYWHERE.  We always try to bring one suitcase for the family and if we’re going to be gone a while, we only pack clothes for half of the days we’ll be away with the plan of washing them part way through.  Each kid gets to bring one small backpack filled with things to occupy them, and that’s it.  If it doesn’t fit, it generally doesn’t come.

Best Tips for Road Tripping With Kids | Mama.Papa.Bubba.

Prepare an activity kit – Okay, so on top of backpacks filled with their personal belongings, I always keep an organizer filled with car-friendly activities in the backseat.  These are generally things that are quiet, low-mess, and reusable or usable for long periods of time.  Think sketchbooks with pencils and twistable crayons, sticker activities books, road trip bingo games, magic marker activity books, pen and paper game pads, paint-by-sticker books, and notepads with colourful pens… Nothing with itty bitty pieces or caps that can be lost in the shuffle.  Before a road trip I’ll often clean up our organizer and switch out a couple of activities or add something new.  Happily engaged kids make for easier road trips.

Bring books – This is a MUST for us being that our kids are such big book lovers.  We pack them along in their backpacks and both kids spend a good amount of our road trips reading and flipping through books. Choosing good ones – books that’ll keep their interest for a long while – is something I often help them with.  For Gracen, my veracious reader, lengthy novels with storylines that really pique her interest do the trick.  For Sam, reference-style books with lots of illustrations that he can flip back and forth in without having to be able to read all of the text are best. If we’re headed to the ocean, we’ll often bring an ocean anatomy book.  If we’re headed to the mountains, we might bring a nature anatomy book… Something that will spark conversation and be useful while at our destination too.  That being said, any book with lots of detailed illustrations, bits of info, flaps with hidden things underneath, etc. are usually a big hit.

Best Tips for Road Tripping With Kids | Mama.Papa.Bubba.

Pack along a meal – So I know that there’s already SO much to do the night before a road trip, but I promise – if you’re able to make time to pack a couple of bento boxes and a few snacks, it’ll make for smooth sailing the next day.  I always do our usual snacky lunch and focus on nutritious, easy-to-enjoy-in-a-moving-vehicle foods.  All things the kids like – no spoons or forks required.  Having a lunch packed and ready to go means that you’re prepared for whenever the kids are hungry and rather than trying to scout out a suitable option somewhere along the highway, you already have what you need and can just pass the bento boxes into the back seat.

Have a front seat basket – Speaking of bento boxes, I always keep a basket in the passenger seat that contains everything we’ll need during the trip.  Lunches, my purse, our reusable water bottles, my reusable coffee cup, extra snacks, and anything else we may need.  This makes them easily accessible, but tucked out of the way until they’re needed.  One thing I try to keep in mind here (and when packing for a road trip in general) is that anything that’s loose in your vehicle has the potential to become a projectile in an accident. I try to keep things light and secured down as much as possible, but water bottles are definitely tricky.

Best Tips for Road Tripping With Kids | Mama.Papa.Bubba.

Make time for stops – My number one tip for happy, low-stress road trips with kids… Don’t rush the trip. Plan for it to take a couple of hours longer than it “should”, make peace with that, and then make stops along the way. Let the kids out to stretch their legs.  Stop at that beautiful roadside pull out.  Visit the cute cafe in the little town you’re passing through.  It’s so tempting to try and power through to your destination and make it there as quickly as possible, but for us, all that usually results in is stressed out parents and unhappy kids. Not worth it.  Everyone seems to be happier and more chill when there’s no pressure to arrive in record time.

Best Tips for Road Tripping With Kids | Mama.Papa.Bubba.

Bring thin blankets – You know those muslin blankets you have stashed away from when your kids were babies?  They’re perfect for road trips.  I actually learned this tip from my friend Lizzie and we’ve brought them along with us on our travels ever since.  They’re super lightweight and fold up small, so they’re easy to pack along, but also, they’re good for allllll of the things.  Use them for some extra warmth and coziness in the car, but also as a neck pillow, a sun shade, and a picnic blanket on your stop.  They’re very multi-purpose and great to have on hand.

Pack along old phones + headphones – My secret travel weapon.  We generally go fairly low tech when road tripping (just my preference – nothing wrong with doing it differently!), but old phones / iPods loaded with the kids’ favourite songs and audio books?  LIFE SAVERS.  I don’t pull them out until I need to, but in those final hours of a15 hour trip? Or on those days when you just can’t muster up the energy to answer question number 567?  They’re the best.  The kids love getting to use them and total silence on a long trip, even if it’s just for a short while, can be just what you need.

Well, that’s them!!  What would you add?  Do you have a tried and true road trip tip that makes travelling with kids easier or more stress-free?  I’d love to hear if so!

Best Tips for Road Tripping With Kids | Mama.Papa.Bubba.

ALSO – do you have a road trip planned this fall?  Because Toyota Pacific has generously offered to fund one lucky winner’s next road trip with a $500 prepaid Visa card to help fuel all the fun!  (Doesn’t get much better than having your adventures paid for, does it?!)  You can enter for your chance to win here:

ENTER TO WIN A $500 PREPAID VISA GIFT CARD HERE

Contest closes at 5:00 p.m. PST on September 12, 2022. Retail value: $500.00 CDN. Must be 19+ and reside in BC or the Yukon to enter.  Winner will be drawn at random at or around 9 A.M. on Tuesday, September 13, 2022 and will be announced here and via Instagram.

Are you following us on social media?

Find us on: Facebook  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Twitter

We’d love to have you!

4 Comments

EASY Portable Activity Kit for Road Trips

8 / 8 / 169 / 13 / 16

Portable Activity Kit for Road Trips | Mama Papa Bubba

After travelling all over the world with Miss G {hello 36 hour treks to and from Kuwait!}, a six hour road trip really isn’t a big deal to us.  That being said, our little lady is a huuuuuuuuuuge talker, and sometimes you just need to have a moment of quiet {or a moment to talk to your spouse} while in the car.  That, and sometimes our little Sam Jam just needs a moment of silence in order to fall asleep… Big sisters’  animated stories and ramblings are much too interesting to doze off to {obviously}!

Read More

6 Comments

Because Sometimes You’ve Just Got to Go

7 / 4 / 137 / 7 / 13

IMG 9745We made our way home to the Okanagan this afternoon and I must say this little lady probably picked the best ever spot to need to pull over…  Peeing on the side of the highway isn’t that bad when it’s in a field of wild flowers.

♥ 

For extra fun, like us on Facebook here and find us on Instagram here.  

Leave a comment

Headed Home

4 / 1 / 134 / 8 / 13

IMG 7621IMG 7624After an absolutely wonderful weekend in the Okanagan, we headed back to the Lower Mainland today…  Lucky for us, there was a midpoint performance in Merritt to reenergize us for the remainder of the trip.

♥ 

Stay on top of the fun by liking us on Facebook here and following us on Instagram here. 

Leave a comment

iPhoneography // Headed Home

1 / 11 / 131 / 15 / 13

IMG 8852IMG 8805IMG 8806IMG 8807

.until next time, Okanagan.

.a practice in patience.

.nearly home.

.celebrating with sushi.

Today we left the lovely Okanagan eager to get home, unpack our suitcases, and get back to life as usual…  This final leg of our Christmas holiday adventures made up hours 32 to 39.5 of our trek, and let me tell you, we were ready to be home.  While the first half of our trip was uneventful (other than the fact that the Connector was a skating rink), not long after passing the old toll booth centre, the traffic came to a standstill.  I find it easy to get impatient in these situations… Gracen had just fallen asleep moments before and it would have been incredibly lovely to gain some distance while enjoying an hour of silence, but that wasn’t in the cards for today.  An hour and a half later(long after she’d awoken from her slumber), we were still sitting in the middle of nowhere, now attempting to entertain a toddler strapped into her rear-facing seat.  Of course, we got through it.  When we did get moving again, we eventually passed an accident scene where an SUV had been crushed between the meridian and a semi truck.  And then it struck…  That mixed feeling of absolute sickness and pure gratefulness all at once. 

 

How lucky we are to have had the opportunity to wait.  How lucky we’re home safely after 3 weeks of winter road tripping.  We’re home safe and sound, and that’s all that matters.

♥ 

Keep up with all the Mama.Papa.Bubba. fun, like us on Facebook here and find us on Instagram here. 

 
Leave a comment

iPhoneography // Baba’s House

12 / 31 / 121 / 8 / 13

We’ve had such a lovely time at my Baba and Opa’s house the last couple of days…  Besides being a wonderful host, amazing cook, and very talented painter (giving us wall after wall of art to gaze at), she’s so, so great with Grae.  I swear she still has all of the patience, motivation, and creativity she did when my brother and I used to stay with her as kids, if not more.  She’s read books, played memory, fashioned doll clothes from scarves, crafted mini snow ladies from styrofoam and toothpicks, and served all of Grae’s drinks in fancy teacups and glass goblets since arriving a couple of days ago. She’s also given Grae full permission to roam and the four levels of their giant house as she pleases and swears “There’s nothing she can break.  And if she does break something, then great.  It’s one less thing I have to clean.”

IMG 8542Baba s HouseGracen absolutely adores her, and so do we.

Love you, Baba!

♥

Find us on Instagram here. 

Leave a comment

iPhoneography // St. Paul in a Day

12 / 30 / 121 / 6 / 13

St Paul TripWhew.  It was a whirlwind, but GREAT day today.  This morning, we packed up the vehicle and made the trip up to St. Paul, the teeny tiny town that my mom, dad, brother, and I were all born in.  The roads were good, our little traveller was patient as ever, and the town was virtually unchanged.  In fact, the street lamps were still lined with the exact shooting star decorations that hung every holiday season of my childhood {which I kind of love}.  

First, we stopped off at my Gido’s place (my dad’s dad and Gracen’s ‘big Gido’) for a visit…  It had been quite a while since we last saw him, and we had a lovely visit.  He was absolutely amazed by all of the things Miss G can now do and together, they sang possibly the most heartwarming rendition of Rudloph the Red-Nosed Reindeer I’ve ever heard.  

Afterwards, we popped by my Grandma and Grandpa’s house (my mom’s parents) to see both them and my Auntie Lou.  By this time, we had long passed Grae’s nap time and the crazy overtired energy had kicked in, but it was wonderful to visit anyways.  Grandma and Grandpa had put together a big spread of food, Auntie Lou spoiled G with a bag full of clothes and activities (just like she did for me when I was little), and we chatted until it was time to hit the road back to Edmonton again.

Lucky for us, Gracen was sound asleep before we even turned out onto the highway and we enjoyed a big portion of our ride amidst a gorgeous sunset.

♥

Find us on Instagram here. 

Leave a comment

iPhoneography // Edmonton Bound

12 / 29 / 121 / 6 / 13

On the Road AgainWe are so, so lucky to have good weather and an awesome little traveller.  Today we’re back on the road and headed to Edmonton to visit my Baba and Opa, as well as sneak in a quick trip to St. Paul to visit my other grandparents.  Fingers crossed it all goes well!

♥

Find us on Instagram here. 

Leave a comment

iPhoneography // Cochrane Bound

12 / 27 / 121 / 6 / 13

On the Roadpacked up and ready to go // on the road

potty pitstop // Cochrane with cousins

♥

Find us on Instagram here. 

Leave a comment

iPhoneography // Vacation Bound

6 / 21 / 126 / 23 / 12

IMG 4265We’re attempting my brother and sister-in-law’s famous travel-at-night-so-the-kids-sleep-in-the-car tactic tonight…  We’ve done Miss G’s bedtime routine as usual (dinner, bath, potty, jammies) and we’ve tucked her into her carseat with her usual bedtime blanket and bears just in time for her normal 6:30 bedtime.  Something tells me that our routine little lady won’t be zonking out any time soon, but we shall see…

Wish us luck!  Vacation, here we come!

♥

Leave a comment

find us here

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • Email

looking for something?

want our posts to your inbox?

popular posts

  • Yearly Handprint Canvas {Year 5}
    Yearly Handprint Canvas {Year 5}
  • Make Ten {an easy card game for kids}
    Make Ten {an easy card game for kids}
  • Homemade Air-Dry Modelling Clay {aka baking soda clay}
    Homemade Air-Dry Modelling Clay {aka baking soda clay}
  • Easy DIY No-Sew Parrot Costume
    Easy DIY No-Sew Parrot Costume
  • Tape Pull Fine Motor Activity
    Tape Pull Fine Motor Activity
  • Morning Routine Flip Chart
    Morning Routine Flip Chart
  • Simple Heart Resist Art
    Simple Heart Resist Art
  • Valentine's Slime Sensory Tray
    Valentine's Slime Sensory Tray
  • Super Simple No-Cook Chocolate Play Dough
    Super Simple No-Cook Chocolate Play Dough
  • Valentine's Creative Table
    Valentine's Creative Table

archives

Site made with ♥ by Angie Makes
Angie Makes Feminine WordPress Themes